Saving on energy costs

[NewChcikenmommy!]

Does anyone choose to line dry their clothes? I am wanting to start next summer (obviously not now too cold most days)

But I am wondering what is best to dry without making clothes stiff?
I am a dog groomer, I work from home and I have a separate set of towels just for the dogs and I line dry them after they are washed and they seem to get really very stiff despite the liquid softner I use on them.

Any tips? what type of set up do you use I know some things weigh more than others what's the best type of line materials?
Pictures would be great!
Thanks!

 

[Joz]

Frozen is kinda like dry, right?

I've heard suggested that any garments/items of unacceptable stiffness after line drying be put in the dryer for a few minutes to fluff.

 

[Mattemma]

I like to dry sheets,towels,and light blankets.Some pants like poly types dry fine.Wash cloths.No jeans or under garments since I face the neighbors.You can always run them in the dryer to soften.

I found 2 pictures. I got tired of waiting for someone to make the line,and the T post/Cross was to much of a hassle sooooooo I bought some landscape timber at $2 each,drilled holes, dug about a foot or 2 holes.I think I did cement then dirt in the hole.Finally tied some nylon rope that is $2 for 50 feet. I think I have 3 sections to hang from. I love it,but dh had the NERVE to complain that I did not make a *traditional* clothsline.I love it this way instead of 3 lines on 2 t posts.

 

[NewChcikenmommy!]

lol husbands..haha mine is the same way. He says he will do something for weeks and when I end up doing it myself it's not what he would have done haha

Thanks for the info!

 

[HEChicken]

I have always line dried and do so year round. Sure, sometimes in the winter we'll have a couple of weeks of weather that isn't conducive and then I have to use the dryer but if I see a nice day coming up on the weather forecast, I'll wait. I really prefer the stiffness of a line dried garment or towel and don't like how soft the dryer makes them, so perhaps it is just something you get used to? For me, slipping into a pair of flannel pajamas that are still a little stiff from line-drying, is the ultimate treat (yeah, I'm weird, I know). I don't use any fabric softeners as I don't think they are very good either for the clothes or the environment.

 

[Skittlez]

When I line dry, I put vinegar (white vinegar) in my rinse cycle. About 1 cup for large load. Less for smaller loads. It helps all the soap rinse out and no, the vinegar smell does not stay on the clothes. The are soft when dry. I used this method for my cloth diapers when my children were infants also. At that time I was using a wringer washer and only had a line to dry. I also dry in the winter. Yes, the clothes do freeze, but they dry eventually. I also never had a problem with the vinegar bleeding colors. I use it from jeans to undies and everything in between.

 

[SC-ChickMom]

Just so you know. You should avoid using fabric softeners on towels. It actually reduces the absorbency.

 

[Daisy8s]

I line dry all my blankets, sheets, towels, and large clothing items like jeans and sweatshirts. I stopped using any fabric softener (neither liquid nor sheets in dryer) and everything has remained soft and in good shape. I believe that softeners actually shorten the life of clothes, as well as reduce the absorbency of towels.

I might fluff jeans in the dryer if they're really stiff but usually just shaking them a few snaps when they come off the line is good enough.

In winter I spread blankets/sheets around the house but switch to doing towels in the dryer simply due to lack of room. They dry really fast because we have forced air heat so the whole house is overly dry (unfortunately).

I love the smell of line-dried sheets!

 

[Daisy8s]

Oh, you asked about set-ups, too. Originally we did a pulley system that starts at the house and runs a cotton rope out to a big 4x4 treated post about 20 feet away. The idea was to be able to stand in one spot on the porch and "wheel" the clothes out after attaching them with clothespins.

In reality this set-up never worked because the clothes made the line too heavy. It's less work to walk out and hang them as you normally would. Also, have someone help you tie the rope really tight and still expect it to stretch. About once a year I have to cut it and retie it tighter.

Tip: we made the line detachable so if my husband is doing a construction project he can detach the line rather than ducking under it (I'm short so it's hung pretty low).

Tip: if you do attach one end of the line to your house do NOT use a nylon clothesline with a metal cable in the middle. I did that originally for added strength but we got hit by lightning and the lightning followed the cable to our house!

Tip: the 4x4 post that holds the far end of my clothesline then becomes one end of a hammock. The hammock is strung between the post and a tree. Not necessary but a fun use for the end of the clothesline pole!

 

[HEChicken]

Quote:
Sorry, I didn't see this either. My local Ace Hardware had a retractable line for sale for $15 when I moved into my house. I did a quick google search and found this on Amazon that looks identical: http://www.amazon.com/Crawford-Lehigh-RC40-40-Feet-Retractable-Clothesline/dp/B0009WG6KM

I attached the main part of it to a beam under my deck, and attached the hook to a fencepost. I don't think it uses the whole 40 feet but I've learned to hang things in such a way I can get a large load hung out all at once on the line we have. I love that when I am done with the load, I just slip the end off the hook and it retracts back into the unit until the next time, so we don't have a line to work around when mowing, or just moving around the yard. In 8 years of near year-round use, its still going strong so was a good investment.