Ferdie Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I am so excited about the "Decreasing you electric bill" thread. I got several ideas from reading the replies. I am wondering about the suggestion to hang clothes out to dry instead of using a dryer. I have about 12 loads of laundry a week, (4 kids, 3 towels and sheet, 3 for me/dh and 2 misc). I could probably hang up the towels, sheets and kids clothes, though I think my kids would be embarrased if I hung their underware in the back yard. It is so hot in Texas that the clothes would probably dry faster outside than inside the dryer. How do you hang the clothes line? Does it go on a tree or a pole? Don't the clothes get stiff? Any other tips? I would love to cut our dryer time in half during the summer since the house is already so hot. It doesn't make sense to have the dryer and AC running at the same time. Kind of counter productive. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I am so excited about the "Decreasing you electric bill" thread. I got several ideas from reading the replies. I am wondering about the suggestion to hang clothes out to dry instead of using a dryer. I have about 12 loads of laundry a week, (4 kids, 3 towels and sheet, 3 for me/dh and 2 misc). I could probably hang up the towels, sheets and kids clothes, though I think my kids would be embarrased if I hung their underware in the back yard. It is so hot in Texas that the clothes would probably dry faster outside than inside the dryer. I have 5 dc, and we have a farm--LOTS of laundry for us, and I have hung out my laundry probably 50% of the time over the last 20 years. I *love* line dried towels. They just seem to soak up the water better, imo, though I realize not everybody shares this opinion. There is a trick for hanging out "unmentionables" on the clothesline. It takes a little while to get the hang of it, but then you don't have to run the dryer just for underthings. The trick is to get the hang of hanging the underwear *inside* another garment that's drying, such as a t-shirt. I hang the t-shirt upside down on the line, with a clothespin at each side. Then I take off one clothespin, tuck the edge of the underwear inside and put the pin back on. Then I take one more clothespin and use it to clip both the other side of the underwear waistband, and the center hem of the t-shirt. Is this making any sense? It's kind of hard to describe! Another way is to hang the undergarments up on the line and then hang a sheet over them, kwim? I clip one corner of the sheet at the end of the line of underwear, and then grab the other corner and hang it from the same pin. Then I do the other corners at the other end of the line. Hmmm, I don't think I'm explaining it very well...basically you're making a taco out of your sheet, and the underwear are hanging inside, lol! Once you've done it for a while, it's *very* easy and fast. I live in inland California, and my clothes pretty much dry as quickly as I put them out sometimes. How do you hang the clothes line? Does it go on a tree or a pole? Don't the clothes get stiff? Any other tips? If you really are going to hang clothes out often, I think it's worth doing the clothesline right to begin with. I'd get very frustrated if I had to use a crummy piece of clothesline hung loosely between two trees! I have a nice T-post on each end that my dh put up like you would a regular post, and then I have about 6 lines strung in between. I have nice plastic-coated cable instead of rope, which wipes down smoothly with Windex if the spiderwebs, dirt, or fly-spots build up. My dh also used some little tension adjuster thingys from the hardware store for each line, so that they can be re-tightened easily if they get loose. I realize that not everyone is committed enough to need everything *just right*, but I thought I'd let you know what *just right* would be, just in case! :D As for getting stiff, once most things are dry and folded, I don't notice the stiffness much, just the wonderful clean scent that line drying produces. The two things that do seem to get pretty stiff are towels (which I *like* stiff!) and denim jeans (which I personally don't wear much, because I'm a California baby and I wear shorts and light dresses almost exclusively). If the stiff denims bug you, you can toss them in the dryer for just a few minutes and they'll "soften up". I would love to cut our dryer time in half during the summer since the house is already so hot. It doesn't make sense to have the dryer and AC running at the same time. Kind of counter productive. Yep, I was just thinking today that it would be good if I could convince my family to just use half of a lot of things--laundry detergent & softener, dishwasher detergent, toothpaste, shampoo & conditioner, toilet paper (lol!), those little things would probably add up faster than we think! This was probably WAY more than you wanted to know, but it's one of my "areas of expertise" and I couldn't resist sharing! :D ~Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I've don't line dry my clothes right now, but like you I am interested in starting. I did read one tip which was to make sure you use a fabric softener in the wash to help, which will help cut down on the stiffness factor. Maybe someone who actually does this can chime in re: how well it works?? :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted July 19, 2008 Author Share Posted July 19, 2008 Julie, Thank you! I love the plastic coated cable idea and the 6 lines on a T-post. That makes a lot of sense. Very clever idea to hide the underware, too. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 How do you hang the clothes line? Does it go on a tree or a pole? We have ours running between the tree and the playhouse and back again to the other side of the playhouse like a triangle. I do not consider it crummy and it has served us well. Do what works for you and fits where you live. I think you just need to have strong hardware. In our case a very strong nail (my dh used to be a carpenter) has held the line VERY well over the years. We can't afford poles and concrete. Part of our line is an old dog run, but only cus we had it. I would not suggest you go out and buy one, as they are very expensive, if you are wanting to save money. Yes, the run does wipe down easier, but I have found that it also gets dirtier than our plane old close line. Stuff just likes to stick to plastic for some reason. Don't the clothes get stiff? Yes, the towels can stay stiff, and if it bothers you you can bring them in once dried and throw them in the dryer set on FLUFF (no heat there fore elcheapo to run) for a few minutes and it will lessen the stiffness. Jeans are a bit stiff, but after you wear them 5 minutes it is just as if it had been dried in the dryer. Any other tips? ~~Hang in the shade if possible, the sun will bleach your clothes ~~To save space if you don't have room for much line, hang on plastic hangers then hang on the line with pens between hangers to keep them from sliding together. ~~You can put up a small line over your washer for undies and the like if you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehon Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I've don't line dry my clothes right now, but like you I am interested in starting. I did read one tip which was to make sure you use a fabric softener in the wash to help, which will help cut down on the stiffness factor. Maybe someone who actually does this can chime in re: how well it works?? :001_smile: I don't use fabric softener; I use vinegar instead. Right before hanging the clothes I give them a good snap. This seems to cut down on the stiffness. Really, I don't have much of a problem with stiffness - mainly towels and jeans, but that doesn't bother my family very much. The stiffness works itself out pretty quicky either through use or wearing, as the case may be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Our lines run from our back deck to our garage. We just used plain clothesline rope from lowes. I don't hang out undies and socks because I am too lazy LOL. I add some vinegar to the wash for fabric softner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Our line runs from the back of the house to the back of the detached garage. It is on a pully system. I can stand on the back stoop and hang clothes and pull the line for the next section. The stiffness bothered me at first, but after two months of line drying exclusively I hardly notice it now. I tried the vinegar in the rinse, but my clothes smelled like vinegar. (YUCKY) I'll stick with the store brand fabric softner when I remember to fill the Downey ball. OH, for the underwear, I just hang them out. Dd is the only girl on the street. I've never heard dd complain about the other kids (2 boys) teasing her or saying anything about our underwear hanging out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I fold underwear in half and hang them from the waistband with one clothespin. Mainly to save space on my single line. I don't think my neighbors would be surprised to know that I wear panties, so I'm not too worried about the appearance. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 My dh built a clothesline. Two T posts with clothes lines stretched between. I rarely use my dryer. Towels are stiffer. You throw in your dryer for a few minutes after taking them down if you like. We're use to line dried towels so stiff towels seem normal. My backyard is fairly private so no-one sees the underwear except us. HOwever, it would be easy to put it i the middle - sort of hide it. I admit I like hanging clothes. It's quiet time for me; to think or to pray. As long as the kids aren't outside yelling, that is. Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorna in the boonies Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I switched to Charlie's Soap about a year ago and don't need to use any fabric softener at all any more. Even my towels come out soft. I'm also in Texas -- on some days, the first clothes on the line are dry before I get finished hanging the last of them. I frequently hang them up and take them down in one trip during the summer -- by the time I finish, the ones I hung first are finished, so I go down the line and fold them all, and they are all finished drying by the time I reach them. That only works in the summertime, though.;) (Apologizing for any nonsensical stuff in this thread -- two of my children haven't hushed since I sat down and I can't get through one sentence without seventeen interruptions.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaid Dad Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Our line runs from our second-story bedroom window to a pole across the yard. Our landlords, with whom we share the house, have a line that runs from the third story to the top of the same pole, far enough apart so that both families can use their lines at the same time. The clothes hang up high enough that they are out of the usual range of vision for an adult on the ground. It also means that, in theory, we can hang clothes out all year round without having to tramp through three feet of snow. ;) (I'm not actually sure we'll hang clothes out in the dead of winter. I'd rather hang them indoors to get the benefit of the moisture in the air.) Neither family is squeamish about hanging undergarments on the line; they're not readily visible to any of our neighbors, and they are, after all, clean. ;) I'd never thought of hanging them inside another garment, but that would be a great way to be more discreet. I sometimes hang things up in our bathroom if there are a few too many garments to fit on the line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 "I do not consider it crummy and it has served us well." Hey Susie, I sure hope this wasn't directed at me :001_smile:. I certainly didn't mean to imply that *your* line was crummy, just that I've had some that were. "We can't afford poles and concrete." Acutally, our poles came from the junkyard, and it took, I think, 2 bags of quick concrete from the hardware to get mine done. I'm not advocating that the original poster break the bank for a nice clothes drying situation, but sometimes investing a bit of time/money produces benefits over the long run. Again, none of this was meant to apply to your personal situation, I was just trying to describe which set-up worked the best for me out of the 6 configurations we've tried over the years. No dissing of your situation was intended! :) "Part of our line is an old dog run, but only cus we had it. I would not suggest you go out and buy one, as they are very expensive, if you are wanting to save money. Yes, the run does wipe down easier, but I have found that it also gets dirtier than our plane old close line. Stuff just likes to stick to plastic for some reason." The plastic coated line was actually also pretty inexpensive, especially since the original poster was looking for this as an alternative to using her dryer. Skipping using the dryer for just a little while can pay for the small price of the plastic line, if there's a preference for that. The reason the plastic was important in my situation is that I live on a farm (with all of the flies that entails), and the cotton/polyester rope type collects the fly spots and then the line leaves stains on the clothes when they're hung. It's probably only a big deal to country dwellers, lol! Being able to run a clean, damp rag down each line once in a while means cleaner clothes for me. Anyway, it sounded like maybe you were annoyed by what I posted, and I wanted to reassure you that I absolutely didn't intend to come off as a prima donna, just as someone eager to share their many years of pleasant clothesline experiences! P.S. I had forgotten about putting the hangers on the line--great tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted July 20, 2008 Author Share Posted July 20, 2008 Wow! Thanks for great ideas and feedback everyone. Time for me to go buy a clothes line and find the right spot to hang it. I can't believe how many of you hang your undies in the backyard, but maybe y'all backyards are more private than mine. You're not going to see my bloomers hanging on the line - that's for sure. :001_smile::001_smile::001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renthead Mommy Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 In our first apartment, we only had a washer, no dryer. So I hung all the clothes out a window on a pulley line. The houses were mainly converted two families and literally right on top of each other, with only a sidewalk between them. My husband (then boyfriend) was concerned about me hanging out his undies for the neighbors to see. I told him he could either buy me a dryer or get over it. As usual, saving money won out! Plus I told him the neighbors would probably be relieved to know that he wore undies, versus never seeing them on the line and having to wonder about him! In the winter (we were in NJ) I hung things on lines I ran in the basement. The dry basement air from the furnace made things a little 'crunchier', but if I used fabric softener it was fine. Here in Okinawa, it seems all the Japanese hang their clothes out. Most apartments have balconies, and they seem to be used only for drying clothes! Houses ususally have an area set for drying clothes as well. Most apartments balconies have a pull down clothes line/rack type thing that has 4 or 5 lines on it and it pulls down from the balcony ceiling and can be popped back up when not in use. But if you are driving around more than 50%, probably closer to 75% of the residences you see (outside of the 'off base American housing') will have clothes drying outside. As I understand it (we live on base so I don't know for fact) the Japanese dryers and much smaller than ours, so obviously, it takes longer for things to dry (or it takes more loads). I do know that electricity is very expensive off base, so this is a huge savings I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Lol, its so funny to see a thread on this. It's just perfectly normal here in Australia- everyone hangs their clothes on the line, knickers and all. We even have a national clothes line called the Hills Hoist, which every home in the maybe 50s, 60s and 70s had- a bit metal contraption. Here is a link to a picture of a Hills Hoist. Every home over 20 years old has one in the backyard. (its the first two pictures). http://www.onlinedirect.hills.com.au/cattleprod/products/A1000PRO However, we rent and obviously our Hills Hoist was demolished by the owners- the hole is there, but alas no Hills Hoist. There is an against the wall of the house clothesline that is right under the TV aerial, where the birds sit. You cant hang clothes there! However, the house has a laundry that is the size of a medium sized bedroom, so, I have three foldaway clothes racks in there. On sunny days, the clothes racks go out the laundry door to the backyard to the sunshine. On overcast days (there arent so many of them, but right now its winter and rainy) the racks just stay in the laundry. Its takes approximately a day for the washing to dry, on the racks, in the laundry- 24hours. 2 loads fit on the racks, fairly easily. So the system works really well for me, and its cheap! No, the clothes arent stiff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 I do a load of wash first thing in the morning almost every morning and hang all the shirts, pants, towel and nightclothes on hangers. Then I hang them from my kid's Amish swing set. It has a ladder accross the top where the swings hang from. I put undies and socks on a rack in the laundry room. Many things are dry by lunchtime, but I leave out the jeans and towels that take awhile. Then around 4pm and I bring in everything and throw the undies/socks plus anything that's still wet into the dryer. All told, I run my drier maybe 20 minutes a day now, sometimes not at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 When the weather was bad, I used to use something like this in the UK: http://www.periodhousestore.co.uk/prods/267.html Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oak Knoll Mom Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 This looks like a neat website. http://www.laundrylist.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whisperlily Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Why hassle with a clothesline and clothespins? Buy a drying rack or two! They can even be used indoors, and fold away nicely when you're not using them. Mine look like this, http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3342185 but were under $10 at the store itself. I have two folding drying racks that I bought at Wal-Mart. I bought one and loved it, then went back for another. For a while I was drying my clothes in the garage out of... stubbornness, I suppose. I didn't want anyone to see my clothes on the line. Finally, in the Texas heat, I realized it was silly to keep them inside when they'd dry much faster outside. I moved the racks to my back patio, and started drying things out there. like a previous poster said, many times the first things I've hung have dried before I get the last item on the rack. Underwear stayed in the garage for drying until I realized that nobody could see them on the racks if I hung them in the center, with longer items on the outside, shielding them from view. I haven't used my dryer even once in the last 2 months. We have a family of 6, including one who is potty training and requires frequent changes of clothes and bedding. I have no trouble keeping up. I have plenty of time during the day, and room on the racks to fully dry 3-4 loads if necessary. Normally I do two loads per day. One is washed before bed, and hung first thing in the morning when I wake up, before I even get breakfast. The next load gets put in the washing machine after breakfast and all the normal morning things have been accomplished. Usually the first batch is fully dry by then... if not, I just wait a while to get the next batch out of the washing machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Lol, its so funny to see a thread on this. It's just perfectly normal here in AustraliaNo, the clothes arent stiff. :iagree: This thread has shocked me! No wonder people have such frightening electricity bills. I usually hang our underwear on the inside of our Hills Hoist (evidently the world's greatest washing line) though nobody cares one way or the other. Like Peela said, everyone in Australia hangs their underwear on the line. The clothes aren't stiff, though towels can be. Just give them a shake and fold them up. In the middle of summer, you can get a load dry in a couple of hours. Tips: Hang socks together! Fold washing as you take it off the line, then you won't have to iron nearly as much. That is if you iron at all :D In summer, hang whites, towels, bedding, underwear during the day, and coloured during the night. Wow. The things we take for granted! We don't even own a dryer. :) Rosie- with a house full of clothes horses at present, since it's winter here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Lol, its so funny to see a thread on this. It's just perfectly normal here in Australia- everyone hangs their clothes on the line, knickers and all. There was a local ordinance banning hanging clothes out, even in back gardens. It was considered tacky-looking. So every day she used the drier, while the sun blazed outside. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam "SFSOM" in TN Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 There was a local ordinance banning hanging clothes out, even in back gardens. It was considered tacky-looking. So every day she used the drier, while the sun blazed outside. Laura This is one of the things about us Americans that I find so weird. That one could come up with an ordinance to force deliberate waste of energy boggles the mind. [says Thoroughly American Pam, who hasn't had opportunity to have an outdoor clothesline since ds (then 3) asked tearfully when he was going to be crucified on the wooden crosses (clothes posts) out back and the horrified mama had them taken down THE NEXT DAY!] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cin Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 regarding the underwear: I have 2 lines that go from the patio lattice to the privacy fence, the lines run parallel to our house. I hang the undies on the line closest to our house. I have a couple of these things: http://www.organizedliving.com/product/laundry/laundry+accessories/clothes+hangers/clip+and+drip+hangers.do and can hang a ton of underwear, socks, and toddler clothing on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammy Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 and all I would save is $3.90 a MONTH. So to me.....it wouldn't be worth it, LOL. Tammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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