Flapping in the Breeze.

[polkanut]

The weather has been sh@#$y here the last 2 Friday's, so I haven't been able to hang laundry out, so I'm jealous of y'all. Nothing reminds me of childhood more than slipping in between line-dried bedsheets at night. Steve, Viva's smell isn't that residual if laundry is hung out to dry, you'll be surprised.

 

[westyslantfront]

Between Viva and Ensueno, my laundry area smells like a floral Mexican laundromat.

Ross

 

[thor]

Toggles

"It was too big at first, so I had a few inches removed..."

Toggles, I've just opened this thread for the first time. I swear I'd never think in my life I would hear you say that...

Emilio

 

[vinvac]

I am jealous of all of you who have the time and energy to hang wash out on the line. I have not hung clothes on the clothes line since I was a teenager. We had three walnut trees in our back yard, so as a child we would wake up with catipillers from the trees crawling in the sheets, find them in our dresser drawers...I as an adult vowed to never hang clothes on the line again.

Now with the price of fuel, I think I need to revisit that. I iron everything anyway, so it would be a cost savings I am sure. Lowes, I may have to check this out. Towels will still have to go in the dryer, I have never liked the stiff feeling of towels dried on the line.

Morgan

 

[sudsmaster]

I hang my jeans by the bottom few inches of the legs - folded over the line and secured with pins. Yes, it produces a crease at the bottom but frankly I don't care. It's a lot easier than trying to pin the tops to the line, it's more secure, and the tops dry faster when they can flap in the breeze.

Shirts, I either put them on plastic hangers and clip those onto the line, or I hang them by the shirt tails. More often I've been drying these mechanically, though.

 

[suds14]

Glad to see that so many other people on this site also hang clothes out to dry. I also am a member fo Project Laundry List which is fight for the right to hang clothes out in all communities. I am glad to have found this site and to be able to talk with people with the same intrest, with out be looked at like I am crazy.

David

 

[polkanut]

Morgan, if it's critters that concern you, just give everything a vigorous shaking before putting it in the laundry basket.

 

[gansky1]

I had four loads of mostly bedding out today - the fresh scent is just amazing!

As poorly as this country has managed it's energy policies, it's no surprise that many developments and communities discourage or flat-out forbid line drying. I can certainly see being allowed to have restrictions on line drying such as days of week, type of clothes lines and/or locations - back yard, patio, etc. but to forbid it completely is just crazy. At .35 cents per load for electric and .30-32 cents for gas, is a savings of roughly $3 for the drying I did outside this week. That's nearly $75 for the "drying season" if you don't want to freeze a few digits in the winter. I saw a direct savings last year in gas and electric service costs, both of my monthly "Level Payment" amounts went down.

 

[petek]

I was just this past week that Ontario legislated rescinding all clothes line bans in some neighborhood and developments. About time.

 

[toggleswitch]

At the electrcial rates here, an average dryer load (2.5kwh) costs over $0.50. For us in this area, natural gas is WAY less expensive to use.

 

[cycla-fabric]

I think it's great to hang the laundry outside in the fresh air. Gives everything a wonderful smell. Hung some items out last week when it was warm and it was great. Have to stop right now as the tress are pollinating and the green and yellow stuff is flying in the breeze too. I don't want that stuff on my clean laundry or in the house. I will resume when it stops though. Love the warmer weather to be able to do this. Ah the clean smell of spring!

 

[sudsmaster]

For some items, such as bath towels or throw rugs, I toss them into the dryer for a no-heat air fluff of 10 to 20 minutes after line drying. It does a good job of softening normally stiff line-dried items. Not quite as soft as doing the entire drying job in the dryer, but close.

Of course, here in California it's prime line-drying time from April to December. Little to no rain, lots of sunny days. Quite often I can put a load out on the line when I get home from work and it will be dry by the time it gets dark. This way it doesn't get faded from too much sun.

The only other hitch is that periodically during the year, depending on prevailing winds and market conditions, the local chocolate factory (I think) does a cocoa bean roast the releases a fair amount of particulates. These land on any cars that I might have exposed as little tan squiggles. And on any light colored items on the line as orange-tan splotches. One of these days I'm gonna have to collect enough of the squiggles to have them analyzed to see if they are cocoa-based and then ask the chocolate factory to respond. A taste test might be in the works, lol.

 

[toggleswitch]

oh Emilio, you make me laugh!

You know my ethnic group...

ALL things in moderation! LOL

(OOOOOOH would you look at the SIZE of that thing! What am I supposed to do throw it over my shoulder and burp it? )

YUP 20 minutes in the dryer and finishing on the line does wonders for "the best of both worklds". Espsecuially when once considered that the last bits of moisture are the hardest and most expesnive to remove in the dryer.

 

[panthera]

Laundromat,

Did you really just say "tops should be hung?"
I thought it was always the bottoms who were hung...
(ducks and runs)
And yes, Toggles, you really do have a nice yard.

 

[toggleswitch]

~And yes, Toggles, you really do have a nice yard.
TYVM.

LOL oh you guys!

I'm wondering if a dryer in a hot arid place like Arizona used/located outside WITHOUT heat would make for soft AND good-smelling items. Perhaps an experiment is in order.....

 

[iheartmaytag]

and.......enjoying that "stiff as a board" feeling

Yes don't we all--but as we get older. . .

 

[toploader55]

New Dryer $30.00 Bucks

After reading this thread, I went to Homo Depot in Plymouth. I asked this really hot Young Man, If they had any "Umbrella Style Clothes Lines " He said "Oh yeah, right over there ". Then I asked him if they sold clothes pins and he said Aisle 16. I was very impressed. When I went to the check out the woman told me they have sold 3 today. Everyone is trying to save electricity so maybe ,hopefully , it's turning around. Coldspot said and interesting tip. Dry the clothes in a dryer for 10 minutes and then hang them out. I can't use Fabric Softner so I'm going to give it a shot

 

[suds14]

Toploader55,

It does help putting the clothes in the the dryer for 5 -15 minutes. Towels & Jeans need about 15 minutes. Putting the clothes in the dryer for even a few minutes helps the wrinkles to come out also.

David

 

[golittlesport]

vulcanchef, we have that type clothes line over here. I have one....no where near as industrial strength as yours...but it affords me the opportunity to hang up linens and such once in a while. It folds and stores away. I set it up using a cast iron umbrella stand. Works great if it's not too breezy. It tipped over one windy day.