What are your line-drying hacks for laundry?
April 23, 2021 6:56 PM Subscribe
I need to improve my repertoire of line-drying techniques for pants, shirts, t-shirts, underwear, socks, towels, tea-towels, bathmats, sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, etc, etc.. What works for you? Explain like I've never line-dried before please.
Interested in the ways to hang stuff, what to hang stuff with, how to make stuff dry more quickly outside, how to reduce ironing, ... anything that can simplify and improve the process from washed wet stuff made of cloth into dry usable stuff made of cloth without using an actual powered clothes dryer. It's time to learn to love the line.
Interested in the ways to hang stuff, what to hang stuff with, how to make stuff dry more quickly outside, how to reduce ironing, ... anything that can simplify and improve the process from washed wet stuff made of cloth into dry usable stuff made of cloth without using an actual powered clothes dryer. It's time to learn to love the line.
Indoors, we have four "Stainless Steel Gull Wing Drying Racks". (The enameled steel drying racks eventually fall apart. Also, they can't support the weight of an energetic young cat. Don't buy them.) Drying indoors hasn't borked our indoor humidity levels but the heat recover ventilator might have something to do with that.
That and the larger size bamboo clothespins (1/2" W x 3-1/2" L).
posted by sebastienbailard at 7:11 PM on April 23, 2021
That and the larger size bamboo clothespins (1/2" W x 3-1/2" L).
posted by sebastienbailard at 7:11 PM on April 23, 2021
A housemate of mine turned me onto the octopus dryer (link to Ikea but there are legions of the things), it's perfect for socks, bras ,and undies and is also adorable.
posted by kalimac at 7:15 PM on April 23, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by kalimac at 7:15 PM on April 23, 2021 [5 favorites]
Peg things that have seams (such as tee shirts or skirts) inside out on the line and put the pegs right on top of the seams. This avoids crinkly ‘peg marks’ developing. If space is tight for sheets, towels etc, you can zig-zag them back and forth between two adjacent lines, which takes up much less space. Try out different pegs - some are more durable and/or leave less marks than others. Keeping them in a peg bag or peg apron is more efficient than keeping them on the line.
posted by The Patron Saint of Spices at 7:28 PM on April 23, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by The Patron Saint of Spices at 7:28 PM on April 23, 2021 [5 favorites]
Don't hang things from the shoulder with pegs if you can help it. it'll stretch the neckline and the shoulder area in the long term. I use clothes hangers immediately for shirts and tops. i use hangers for trousers as well. Side benefit is that you maximise rack space. Always turn them inside out of course, as the UV rays do bleach the colour out. If you have bras, either lay them flat across a few bars or peg/pin from the bottom edge, not the straps.
posted by cendawanita at 7:28 PM on April 23, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by cendawanita at 7:28 PM on April 23, 2021 [2 favorites]
If you have a dryer but are just trying to reduce use, tossing towels into the dryer for a few minutes before line drying seems to greatly soften them.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 8:43 PM on April 23, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 8:43 PM on April 23, 2021 [2 favorites]
If you're using clothespins, make sure you have something convenient to keep them in. I have a spare lingerie bag that I can clip to my jean pockets using a clothespin, but honestly, whatever keeps them corralled and convenient.
Snapping out the damp garment before hanging it goes a long way towards preventing wrinkles. For your larger items (duvet covers, sheets) this may require a helper. You'll want to snap out everything as you take them down too, to avoid any uninvited guests. (Not bedbugs, maybe a beetle or earwig - I just dislike being surprised.)
If you are setting up your lines outside, see if you can keep them away from bird feeders - birds like to unload while loading up.
If allergies and pollen are a significant concern in your house and climate, keep an eye on pollen count before you commit to drying a load outside in pollen season.
If you are drying large numbers of things that do better on a hanger (as discussed above), recommend a tripod to handle that specifically.
Stuff that comes off the line is usually stiffer than what comes out of the dryer. It may also depend on how hard your water is. My mom uses fabric softener, but I never have.
I am a single person and I do not line dry towels, sheets/pillowcases, socks, or underwear. The return on investment for clipping up individual socks or shorts on limited hanging space is just not that great, and I tend to do large batches of clothes at once - so my three (three! yes!) clothes racks (and two sweater racks) are already taken up with everything else I'm drying. If you get into a system where your socks are clipped together, that may change the math. YMMV
Speaking of which, sweater racks are for those nice knit cardigans and sweaters that warp easily when you try to pin or drape them, or anything with a suggestion that you "dry flat." They're also good for drying bathmats, which are of course designed to retain water and are usually significantly thicker than an average clothespin can handle.
I keep an oscillating fan on when I'm clothes drying indoors, and if you have an outside socket and a fan you are comfortable taking apart to clean, I don't see a reason you couldn't put it on your outdoors clothesline if it's not particularly sunny or windy.
posted by snerson at 9:04 PM on April 23, 2021 [4 favorites]
Snapping out the damp garment before hanging it goes a long way towards preventing wrinkles. For your larger items (duvet covers, sheets) this may require a helper. You'll want to snap out everything as you take them down too, to avoid any uninvited guests. (Not bedbugs, maybe a beetle or earwig - I just dislike being surprised.)
If you are setting up your lines outside, see if you can keep them away from bird feeders - birds like to unload while loading up.
If allergies and pollen are a significant concern in your house and climate, keep an eye on pollen count before you commit to drying a load outside in pollen season.
If you are drying large numbers of things that do better on a hanger (as discussed above), recommend a tripod to handle that specifically.
Stuff that comes off the line is usually stiffer than what comes out of the dryer. It may also depend on how hard your water is. My mom uses fabric softener, but I never have.
I am a single person and I do not line dry towels, sheets/pillowcases, socks, or underwear. The return on investment for clipping up individual socks or shorts on limited hanging space is just not that great, and I tend to do large batches of clothes at once - so my three (three! yes!) clothes racks (and two sweater racks) are already taken up with everything else I'm drying. If you get into a system where your socks are clipped together, that may change the math. YMMV
Speaking of which, sweater racks are for those nice knit cardigans and sweaters that warp easily when you try to pin or drape them, or anything with a suggestion that you "dry flat." They're also good for drying bathmats, which are of course designed to retain water and are usually significantly thicker than an average clothespin can handle.
I keep an oscillating fan on when I'm clothes drying indoors, and if you have an outside socket and a fan you are comfortable taking apart to clean, I don't see a reason you couldn't put it on your outdoors clothesline if it's not particularly sunny or windy.
posted by snerson at 9:04 PM on April 23, 2021 [4 favorites]
Plan your washing to fit your line. Plan your line to fit your washing. That is, have enough line to accommodate a bedding wash if you have the space, and devote a wash day to your bedding.
Spin, spin, spin. I grew up in a house without a tumble dryer but with a washing line and a top-load cylinder spin dryer to get as much moisture out of that stuff as possible. Learn to love your spin-only cycle for those things that won't be put out of shape by a spin.
Pegs matter. Peg bags are good but if you're anywhere that has the kind of sunlight where UV will degrade plastic pegs, you should think about swapping out pegs once they start to stiffen. (Traditional wooden pegs aren't as susceptible but have their own quirks.)
I've always hung jumpers / shirts from the bottom pegged at the seams. Jeans / trousers can be pegged at the waistband on the seams, or at the bottom of the legs. I'm more inclined towards the latter because the legs dry first.
posted by holgate at 9:08 PM on April 23, 2021 [1 favorite]
Spin, spin, spin. I grew up in a house without a tumble dryer but with a washing line and a top-load cylinder spin dryer to get as much moisture out of that stuff as possible. Learn to love your spin-only cycle for those things that won't be put out of shape by a spin.
Pegs matter. Peg bags are good but if you're anywhere that has the kind of sunlight where UV will degrade plastic pegs, you should think about swapping out pegs once they start to stiffen. (Traditional wooden pegs aren't as susceptible but have their own quirks.)
I've always hung jumpers / shirts from the bottom pegged at the seams. Jeans / trousers can be pegged at the waistband on the seams, or at the bottom of the legs. I'm more inclined towards the latter because the legs dry first.
posted by holgate at 9:08 PM on April 23, 2021 [1 favorite]
Woven shirts I'll sometimes dry on a puffy hanger - they don't hold enough moisture to soak the hanger (which would lead to mold), and the type of cloth means they don't stretch out from their own weight. This can help reduce wrinkles a lot. Make sure the hangers are well spaced apart, of course. Puffy hangers prevent creases in the shoulders.
Indoors, wet laundry in front of a fan can substitute for air conditioning in the summer, and can increase humidity in a dry winter. So efficient! The fan is _super important_ if you want to dry things indoors in summer; otherwise, yeah, the mildew fairy is pernicious.
If you end up using a dehumidifier in summer, the output from that will _really_ dry things. It's not efficient to use it all the time, but it does work well if you need to dry, say, a job interview or performance shirt in a hurry.
I'm not above hanging wet shirts (see paragraph 1) around the house to make sure they each have enough air circulation. No door handle, shower curtain hook, or door top edge is sacred.
posted by amtho at 9:36 PM on April 23, 2021
Indoors, wet laundry in front of a fan can substitute for air conditioning in the summer, and can increase humidity in a dry winter. So efficient! The fan is _super important_ if you want to dry things indoors in summer; otherwise, yeah, the mildew fairy is pernicious.
If you end up using a dehumidifier in summer, the output from that will _really_ dry things. It's not efficient to use it all the time, but it does work well if you need to dry, say, a job interview or performance shirt in a hurry.
I'm not above hanging wet shirts (see paragraph 1) around the house to make sure they each have enough air circulation. No door handle, shower curtain hook, or door top edge is sacred.
posted by amtho at 9:36 PM on April 23, 2021
Sunshine is an incredibly effective antidote to smells and stains! If you have a stubborn spot or stink, try laundering and then immediately hanging the item in the sun to dry for an afternoon. If said stink or spot remains, repeat the process.
(source: am an avid thrifter, and have removed so many undying stinks and spots this way when nothing else would do)
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 9:44 PM on April 23, 2021 [4 favorites]
(source: am an avid thrifter, and have removed so many undying stinks and spots this way when nothing else would do)
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 9:44 PM on April 23, 2021 [4 favorites]
Some things not mentioned:
- Hang inside out, the sun bleaches colour. Bring them in when they’re dry. This sounds obvious I know, but I’ve observed the hanging out habits of many housemates, and leaving clothes on the line for too long is surprisingly common (like, days and days too long).
- Watch the weather. Plan your attack. Learn to recognise good drying days (sunny with a bit of wind), and use them well. Use the delay function on your washing machine to have a load finish when you want to hang them out. In summer, I’ll often hang them out just before going to bed.
- if you’re hanging over lawn, don’t use plastic pegs. They disintegrate and then you end up with bits of plastic everywhere.
- thickest bits dry slowest. I’ll often peg socks together with one peg (we never seem to have enough pegs), but they do take longer to dry under the pegs. Always pull out legs and arms for the same reason.
- sort as you hang them out, and again as you bring them in. I hang all my socks in the middle, and then pair them as I bring them in. I like to fold my sheets off the line too (hard to explain, but essentially, I fold it in half on the line, then pull the edge over until I can grab all four corners at once, the shake and tug the folded edges).
- if the weathers nice, try to enjoy it. It’s much easier to hang out washing if you treat it like an excuse to spend ten minutes outside in the nice weather.
posted by kjs4 at 9:46 PM on April 23, 2021 [5 favorites]
- Hang inside out, the sun bleaches colour. Bring them in when they’re dry. This sounds obvious I know, but I’ve observed the hanging out habits of many housemates, and leaving clothes on the line for too long is surprisingly common (like, days and days too long).
- Watch the weather. Plan your attack. Learn to recognise good drying days (sunny with a bit of wind), and use them well. Use the delay function on your washing machine to have a load finish when you want to hang them out. In summer, I’ll often hang them out just before going to bed.
- if you’re hanging over lawn, don’t use plastic pegs. They disintegrate and then you end up with bits of plastic everywhere.
- thickest bits dry slowest. I’ll often peg socks together with one peg (we never seem to have enough pegs), but they do take longer to dry under the pegs. Always pull out legs and arms for the same reason.
- sort as you hang them out, and again as you bring them in. I hang all my socks in the middle, and then pair them as I bring them in. I like to fold my sheets off the line too (hard to explain, but essentially, I fold it in half on the line, then pull the edge over until I can grab all four corners at once, the shake and tug the folded edges).
- if the weathers nice, try to enjoy it. It’s much easier to hang out washing if you treat it like an excuse to spend ten minutes outside in the nice weather.
posted by kjs4 at 9:46 PM on April 23, 2021 [5 favorites]
Hang tshirts from the hem so you don't get peg marks in the shoulders. Also if they stretch it will be less obvious.
You can zigzag large items like sheets between lines to take up less total space. My mother also used to hang tshirts between 2 lines all in a row, she could easily fit twice as many shirts as if she'd hung them next to each other. I do something similar though hang my shirts from hangers before going on the line as it saves a step.
Get a stand for your laundry basket so you don't have to bend down between items and get a small basket to put your pegs in as you take things off the line. I used to hang my pegs on a basket from the line so they were always where I needed them.
Don't let the stiffness of sun dried items worry you, the way they smell of fresh air is worth it. Sun dried sheets are the best thing in the world. If you have allergies, a quick cool tumble will help blow most of the pollen off the clothes and into the lint trap.
Do not hang your clothes under a tree unless you like washing bird poop off things.
posted by wwax at 10:27 PM on April 23, 2021 [4 favorites]
You can zigzag large items like sheets between lines to take up less total space. My mother also used to hang tshirts between 2 lines all in a row, she could easily fit twice as many shirts as if she'd hung them next to each other. I do something similar though hang my shirts from hangers before going on the line as it saves a step.
Get a stand for your laundry basket so you don't have to bend down between items and get a small basket to put your pegs in as you take things off the line. I used to hang my pegs on a basket from the line so they were always where I needed them.
Don't let the stiffness of sun dried items worry you, the way they smell of fresh air is worth it. Sun dried sheets are the best thing in the world. If you have allergies, a quick cool tumble will help blow most of the pollen off the clothes and into the lint trap.
Do not hang your clothes under a tree unless you like washing bird poop off things.
posted by wwax at 10:27 PM on April 23, 2021 [4 favorites]
Wearing a thin under layer which is quicker to wash and dry will allow your (thicker, more expensive, slower-drying) outer layers to go a long time between washes.
Then, you end up with a bunch of laundry that is really easy to wash and dry; the heavier and harder-to-launder items end up only being a few pieces per load, or several pieces only once per month or so.
Also: you'll need a system of storing items that aren't 100% clean/newly washed, but that aren't yet ready to be laundered. Some call it laundry purgatory. It becomes a bit of a storage challenge, since just storing the mostly-clean items mixed in with the completely-clean items is something you'll want to avoid, but that's what your brain -- and maybe a tension rod or a set of hooks on a wall -- is for.
posted by amtho at 10:28 PM on April 23, 2021 [5 favorites]
Then, you end up with a bunch of laundry that is really easy to wash and dry; the heavier and harder-to-launder items end up only being a few pieces per load, or several pieces only once per month or so.
Also: you'll need a system of storing items that aren't 100% clean/newly washed, but that aren't yet ready to be laundered. Some call it laundry purgatory. It becomes a bit of a storage challenge, since just storing the mostly-clean items mixed in with the completely-clean items is something you'll want to avoid, but that's what your brain -- and maybe a tension rod or a set of hooks on a wall -- is for.
posted by amtho at 10:28 PM on April 23, 2021 [5 favorites]
Hang tshirts from the hem so you don't get peg marks in the shoulders.
Alternatively, hang them so that they flop over the line at underarm level, and put the pegs in the underarms. That way you don't get peg marks in the waistline either.
posted by flabdablet at 10:49 PM on April 23, 2021 [3 favorites]
Alternatively, hang them so that they flop over the line at underarm level, and put the pegs in the underarms. That way you don't get peg marks in the waistline either.
posted by flabdablet at 10:49 PM on April 23, 2021 [3 favorites]
I use a retractable clothesline so the line itself stays clean. I drape most of my laundry over the top of it rather than rely on clothespins to hold them on (but add clothespins to lighter items if it's windy).
Clothes that are thicker and less likely to dry in a single day, I put on a drying rack that can be brought inside for the night. I do the laundry first thing the morning and on sunny days to facilitate drying.
(Thicker items will also dry more quickly outside if laid flat, if that is an option.)
posted by metasarah at 11:34 PM on April 23, 2021
Clothes that are thicker and less likely to dry in a single day, I put on a drying rack that can be brought inside for the night. I do the laundry first thing the morning and on sunny days to facilitate drying.
(Thicker items will also dry more quickly outside if laid flat, if that is an option.)
posted by metasarah at 11:34 PM on April 23, 2021
T-shirts are another item I always dry on a hanger, preferably one of those padded hangers -- the fabric provides enough friction to keep the shirt from sliding off, and the padding keeps the shoulders smooth. If the shirt has been spun in the washer (or if I've partially dried it already), it won't put too much moisture into the hanger (although the hanger has to be dried consciously too). T-shirts are also generally light enough that they won't stretch out on the hanger.
posted by amtho at 11:39 PM on April 23, 2021
posted by amtho at 11:39 PM on April 23, 2021
I came in to second the Octopus mentioned above (we call it 'Socktopus') but I'd recommend getting a couple of them, or something with larger capacity if you wash a lot of wee things together. You can pick up many variations of this device very cheaply and they are fantastic for hanging fiddly things that would otherwise use up all your pegs and line space. Also easy to bring in in a hurry if the weather turns!
If you hang it close to the line prop just use a peg as a stopper for the hook to prevent it zip-lining into clothes further down.
posted by freya_lamb at 12:26 AM on April 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
If you hang it close to the line prop just use a peg as a stopper for the hook to prevent it zip-lining into clothes further down.
posted by freya_lamb at 12:26 AM on April 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
I used to see these great clothes hangers in Malaysia, they were like horizontal figure-eights which kept the front and backs of, eg, t-shirts separated for better air flow. Here’s similar ones on AliExpress.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 2:49 AM on April 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by TWinbrook8 at 2:49 AM on April 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
Wot they sed!
If hanging shirts from the bottom, maybe pin the cuffs up next door.
Run a damp cloth [or a pair of white cotton gloves] along the line to shed raindrops, bird-shit & city-dirt.
Wooden pegs last longer than plastic but get grubby: can be soaked occasionally in super-dilute bleach.
Tea towels, bandanas can share a peg with the neighbours.
Socks dry quicker with a sock width between each. Can be doubled up if short on pegs.
All other things equal, hang heavy-end up. Trousers by the waist so that water can wick down to evaporate.
Sheets don't need to be pinned taut: loopiness saves line-length
Have been known to load pegs onto the brim of my hat. Pegs are rarely spaced optimally on the line.
posted by BobTheScientist at 6:20 AM on April 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
If hanging shirts from the bottom, maybe pin the cuffs up next door.
Run a damp cloth [or a pair of white cotton gloves] along the line to shed raindrops, bird-shit & city-dirt.
Wooden pegs last longer than plastic but get grubby: can be soaked occasionally in super-dilute bleach.
Tea towels, bandanas can share a peg with the neighbours.
Socks dry quicker with a sock width between each. Can be doubled up if short on pegs.
All other things equal, hang heavy-end up. Trousers by the waist so that water can wick down to evaporate.
Sheets don't need to be pinned taut: loopiness saves line-length
Have been known to load pegs onto the brim of my hat. Pegs are rarely spaced optimally on the line.
posted by BobTheScientist at 6:20 AM on April 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
If you have one of those long outdoor clothesline loops on a pulley, a clothesline spacer or two will help keep your clothesline from sagging in the middle, so that items don't slide together.
If you are planning on installing such a clothesline but haven't yet, it can be helpful to hang it higher than you think you would need, and have a platform at one end to stand on to hang things from. Your clothesline will say a bit when loaded up (even with clothesline spacers, just less so then), so plan its height accordingly. Depending on your yard, you might need to also worry about pets or children brushing against your laundry, as well as ensuring that the laundry is hung high enough off the ground so that it doesn't drag on the ground when the clothesline is fully loaded.
You do want to hang your clothes where they will catch some breeze... but not too much breeze. Even the best clothespins are only so strong when you have a sheet or t-shirt catching a steady wind full-on.
Those inverted pyramid stand hangers can be a good alternative to a longer clothesline.
Not having a yard per se, I hang my clothes indoors on drying racks. I fold everything in half over the racks (no clothespins for indoor drying racks), having shaken out the wrinkles first and being careful to hang the clothes tidily. A sturdier rack is necessary for jeans and other heavier items, and if you have some more delicate clothes, get a rack with wider bars instead of the really thin plastic-coated metal-wire drying racks. Getting drying racks with bars at multiple height levels saves floor space (one where the bars are offset from those below will be more versatile). A tall drying rack is also necessary to hang sheets and blankets to dry. For hanging sheets indoors, I usually end up folding them in half or thirds to fit on the drying rack. Heavier blankets or comforter need to be draped over my tall (person-height, about 2.5 x 3-foot footprint) drying rack all on their own in order to dry, and will sometimes take a couple days. The "butterfly" style hangers are good for socks and bras and underwear too, and can just hang from your shower curtain rod. I don't use a fan or dehumidifier and have never had issues with excessive moisture or mildew, but I do not live in a place with particularly humid summers - that can vary a lot by climate. If you use an air conditioner in the summer, your indoor air will be dry enough that everything will dry quite quickly (even heavy blankets will take half as long as usual). I do have a spare room that is semi-dedicated to clothes drying, that I keep a little bit warmer than other rooms in the winter, and where the drying racks aren't constantly getting in my way. The plants in that room seem to appreciate the small bit of extra humidity in the winter, too.
posted by eviemath at 9:11 AM on April 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
If you are planning on installing such a clothesline but haven't yet, it can be helpful to hang it higher than you think you would need, and have a platform at one end to stand on to hang things from. Your clothesline will say a bit when loaded up (even with clothesline spacers, just less so then), so plan its height accordingly. Depending on your yard, you might need to also worry about pets or children brushing against your laundry, as well as ensuring that the laundry is hung high enough off the ground so that it doesn't drag on the ground when the clothesline is fully loaded.
You do want to hang your clothes where they will catch some breeze... but not too much breeze. Even the best clothespins are only so strong when you have a sheet or t-shirt catching a steady wind full-on.
Those inverted pyramid stand hangers can be a good alternative to a longer clothesline.
Not having a yard per se, I hang my clothes indoors on drying racks. I fold everything in half over the racks (no clothespins for indoor drying racks), having shaken out the wrinkles first and being careful to hang the clothes tidily. A sturdier rack is necessary for jeans and other heavier items, and if you have some more delicate clothes, get a rack with wider bars instead of the really thin plastic-coated metal-wire drying racks. Getting drying racks with bars at multiple height levels saves floor space (one where the bars are offset from those below will be more versatile). A tall drying rack is also necessary to hang sheets and blankets to dry. For hanging sheets indoors, I usually end up folding them in half or thirds to fit on the drying rack. Heavier blankets or comforter need to be draped over my tall (person-height, about 2.5 x 3-foot footprint) drying rack all on their own in order to dry, and will sometimes take a couple days. The "butterfly" style hangers are good for socks and bras and underwear too, and can just hang from your shower curtain rod. I don't use a fan or dehumidifier and have never had issues with excessive moisture or mildew, but I do not live in a place with particularly humid summers - that can vary a lot by climate. If you use an air conditioner in the summer, your indoor air will be dry enough that everything will dry quite quickly (even heavy blankets will take half as long as usual). I do have a spare room that is semi-dedicated to clothes drying, that I keep a little bit warmer than other rooms in the winter, and where the drying racks aren't constantly getting in my way. The plants in that room seem to appreciate the small bit of extra humidity in the winter, too.
posted by eviemath at 9:11 AM on April 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
For the things that we line dry, we have several different locations/methods depending on item. The simplest thing we've done is a closet-rod type bar in the hall outside the laundry room, up high enough that the door opens under it and just far enough from the doorway that you can hang a shirt without the hanger hitting the door/frame. This is also where dryer-dried clothes go as they get hung up out of the dryer, and then delivered back to their closets when they're all done, but because we live in a dry climate it's no problem to hang wet clothes slightly-spaced on that rod as well.
Instead of traditional clothesline, I have this stuff hung along the least-used edge of our back patio roof across 4 hooks, for tension. It's ugly, I have never found it in a non-garish color, but stuff doesn't slide - you can hang hangers through the segments, or use them to secure clips, and it means that you can hang clipped things pulled more or less taut. I also have shorter segments of this stuff on my craft room shelves for hanging things to dry, and I have about half a roll in my camping supplies.
These are my preferred clips for...everything in my life. Clothespins, chip clips, towel hangers in the kitchen, cable clips, etc etc.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:19 AM on April 24, 2021 [2 favorites]
Instead of traditional clothesline, I have this stuff hung along the least-used edge of our back patio roof across 4 hooks, for tension. It's ugly, I have never found it in a non-garish color, but stuff doesn't slide - you can hang hangers through the segments, or use them to secure clips, and it means that you can hang clipped things pulled more or less taut. I also have shorter segments of this stuff on my craft room shelves for hanging things to dry, and I have about half a roll in my camping supplies.
These are my preferred clips for...everything in my life. Clothespins, chip clips, towel hangers in the kitchen, cable clips, etc etc.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:19 AM on April 24, 2021 [2 favorites]
Oh yes, a high line with a stand for the laundryperson is great. Add a higher stand for the laundry basket if you can! I got to use one of these originally built for my very short landlady raising a very tall family, it was so nice. So now I remember to put my basket on a lawn chair or the car hood or whatever. Noticeably less physical effort.
posted by clew at 10:22 AM on April 24, 2021
posted by clew at 10:22 AM on April 24, 2021
I primarily line-dry inside the apartment now (partly to increase the indoor humidity, especially when using space heaters in winter). I use hangers for most shirts, especially blouses or button-downs. I put a tension rod across two doorways for drying space.
posted by spamandkimchi at 12:09 PM on April 24, 2021
posted by spamandkimchi at 12:09 PM on April 24, 2021
Always wipe the line clean with a damp cloth or paper towel before you hang anything on it.
There's also a saying "If you wear it on the bottom, hang it from the top and if you wear it on the top, hang it from the bottom". That works for t-shirts and the like, but not blouses or shirts, which have a wide bottom hem so anything button-through gets hung by the shoulders. Likewise, I always hang pants at the hem, because pinning them at the waistband means that the thickest part of the garment is then the most compressed.
Have a variety of pegs for different things - I like the old-fashioned wooden dolly pegs for towels, although be aware that towels will dry stiff on the line, so for fluffy towels, the drier is the best option. I have pegs for a tight grip on thin fabrics and looser pegs for thicker garments.
You'll also need something to hold the laundry - and I have this folding laundry basket, which holds a lot of laundry but folds flat.
Line drying is my preference - there's nothing better than the smell of line-dried bedsheets.
posted by essexjan at 1:48 PM on April 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
There's also a saying "If you wear it on the bottom, hang it from the top and if you wear it on the top, hang it from the bottom". That works for t-shirts and the like, but not blouses or shirts, which have a wide bottom hem so anything button-through gets hung by the shoulders. Likewise, I always hang pants at the hem, because pinning them at the waistband means that the thickest part of the garment is then the most compressed.
Have a variety of pegs for different things - I like the old-fashioned wooden dolly pegs for towels, although be aware that towels will dry stiff on the line, so for fluffy towels, the drier is the best option. I have pegs for a tight grip on thin fabrics and looser pegs for thicker garments.
You'll also need something to hold the laundry - and I have this folding laundry basket, which holds a lot of laundry but folds flat.
Line drying is my preference - there's nothing better than the smell of line-dried bedsheets.
posted by essexjan at 1:48 PM on April 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
Lots of great advice here (and oh yes line-dried bedsheets are the best). We have a retractable line outside but I also bought a collapsible wooden clothes rack that holds an entire load. It's made in Pennsylvania!
posted by bluesky43 at 3:42 PM on April 24, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by bluesky43 at 3:42 PM on April 24, 2021 [3 favorites]
I LOVE line drying. I enjoy hanging up all my clothes and sheets as if it's a review of the past week. I plan my weekend around the line drying weather and have put lines outside of every place I've ever lived.
People have given great advice above and the only thing I'll add is that these are the best clothes pins I've ever used. (Lifetime Clothespins from Lee Valley Tools). You can leave them out on the line and they won't get rusty or degrade. This is as much for all the other line drying enthusiasts who have commented above as it is for the OP, who might not be THAT into line drying yet.
posted by zem at 9:24 AM on April 29, 2021 [1 favorite]
People have given great advice above and the only thing I'll add is that these are the best clothes pins I've ever used. (Lifetime Clothespins from Lee Valley Tools). You can leave them out on the line and they won't get rusty or degrade. This is as much for all the other line drying enthusiasts who have commented above as it is for the OP, who might not be THAT into line drying yet.
posted by zem at 9:24 AM on April 29, 2021 [1 favorite]
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Big sheets go up with two edges on the line - find an edge in the basket, bring its corners together and pin them up, keep pinning the opposite edges that are now on the line. Then I fanfold it as it comes down and I never have a huge sheet to drag on the ground, it’s a rectangular packet instead.
And I find line laundry fairly cheerful- looking especially in a breeze, so I pause to appreciate that. Plus it knocks a lot off the power bill and everything with elastic lasts longer.
posted by clew at 7:08 PM on April 23, 2021 [7 favorites]