I rarely use our dryer. We have an outdoor (umbrella) line and 6 lines in the drying room in the basement, complete with a ceiling fan to aid drying.

I find the drying room in the basement the BEST deal after using outdoor lines and drying racks indoors, for years and years. For awhile I had a line strung down the center of the garage while we were having the landscaping done and the concrete work done when we first moved in. I'm VERY happy with the basement drying room. No Kansas wind tearing at fabrics, no bird poo, bugs/wasps/bees hiding in sleeves, no sun-bleached darks...

-Grainlady

Same thing happened to us many years ago. Visited England and realized how easy it was to hang laundry. We have an outside line and also racks in the basement. I can't believe utility companies and green articles/tv shows don't promote this more.

I applaud you who hang your clothes to dry. Go for it if it works for you! Ed Begley Jr. would be so happy!

I grew up in a family that didn't believe in using a dryer. We hung our clothes in a damp, dark, stinky basement in the winter and outside in a pollen-filled, bird-poop covered yard in the good weather. When I went away to college I was amazed by these things called dryers. Just imagine - clean dry clothes in about an hour! I was thrilled. To this day I love my new cavernous dryer almost as much as I love my garage door opener. I guess I should get some solar panels to make the power for my vices.

Yes, a clothes dryer is one of the highest energy-using appliances. When I went on something of a crusade to lower our energy bills last year, I remembered that we had saved a lot of money each month just by hanging clothes to dry when we had a clothesline.

Like you, we are fortunate that we don't have a HOA which forbids them. A DS and DIL do -- but she gets around it by using an umbrella clothesline on their back deck where they have a table w/ umbrella. Because they have a pool, this is especially nice when drying swimsuits. But she also uses it for many other things, and they've seen a big drop in their energy bills.

An HE washer with a high spin does make a difference, too -- a noticeable difference in our energy bill. But of course nothing is cheaper than good ol' sunshine. I used to tell friends and relatives we had a solar clothes dryer and loved watching their reaction, LOL.

My favorite "air" dryer, whether inside or out, is a retractable one -- with a number of lines.

BTW -- I learned something on our summer vacation, too. After staying in a couple of condos which had all-in-one stacked washer/dryers, I learned that Maytag's is much better at both getting the clothes clean and gentler drying than GE's, not to mention much quieter.

In England most homes have clothes dryers - but in summer they hang clothes outdoors, if possible. The dryer is merely a backup option. In continental Europe, they don't use dryers much and rely on generally warmer weather to dry clothes.

In continental Europe, they don't use dryers much and rely on generally warmer weather to dry clothes.

Is this as true in, say, Germany or Belgium, as it is in Italy and other countries in southern Europe?

Mara, I don't know the answer to that. My experience was based on people who lived in houses in the country in both England and Italy. Also, I would imagine that apartment dwellers in any country would be more likely to have dryers, or to use laundromats with dryers.

Rosefolly

I worked in India, Indonesia and Manila for 3 months where they didn't have dryers. The "houselady" did the wash by hand and then hung it outside to dry. It always came back to me stiff as cardboard, and smelled like diesel fumes. I was very happy to return to my LG Dryer back here in The States.

I remember when my Mom used to hang clothes out to dry when I was a kid in the '50s. The poor lady had to iron everything, and I mean everything, including underwear, because it came back so stiff. Smelled great, but stiff. She was pleased when my Dad bought her a dryer. That wound up to a whole lot more time for her not ironing and spending with us and at church.

There are reasons we have the conveniences we do. Not all of them somehow make us a lesser or bad people. They actually might demonstrate our cleverness and productivity.

Of course not, and I didn't at all mean to imply that such was the case. I own a dryer and have no intention of getting rid of it. When it wears out I will replace it. I will certainly continue to use it in bad weather or when I am in a hurry for a particular garment. Certain fabrics almost require a dryer to stay nice. I'm thinking of corduroy as an example. But I am really enjoying the fresh scent of my line-dried sheets, towels, and cotton clothes. As for ironing, I already iron cloth napkins, dressier cotton clothing, and fabric for sewing. It's really no big deal to me to add a half dozen more items a week.

Rosefolly

sr712, I grew up in the '50s and '60s. When I was young, we had a washer but not a dryer. We had to hang out everything on an outdoor clothesline. As you said, the clothes were stiffer than if they'd been dried in a dryer but smelled great. (No diesel fumes in our neighborhood) We did iron clothes, but not sheets or underwear. I don't remember them being stiff, but of course I didn't know anything else.

We moved to a new house in the mid-'60s which had a laundry room with a washer, dryer, and ironing center. We also had an outdoor clothesline but rarely used it -- mainly for airing and drying comforters and quilts.

As an adult with a husband in the military, we lived in many different homes. Some had washers but no dryers. So I had to use outdoor clotheslines and indoor drying racks. However, I used liquid fabric softener in the washer (except on towels) and that made a huge difference -- no stiff clothes, not even jeans.

Since we moved into our permanent home, I've had a washer, dryer, and clothesline (as well as indoor drying rack). Again, the fabric softener keeps the clothes from being stiff, and the sheets always feel and smell heavenly. On a warm, breezy day, sheets will typically dry in less than 30 minutes.

I love having the dryer available during cold and/or rainy weather, and always use the dryer for most of our nice clothes and our underwear/socks. But air-drying laundry during nice weather makes a huge difference in our electricity bill. I like having all options available.

As an adult with a husband in the military, we lived in many different homes. Some had washers but no dryers. So I had to use outdoor clotheslines and indoor drying racks. However, I used liquid fabric softener in the washer (except on towels) and that made a huge difference -- no stiff clothes, not even jeans.

Since we moved into our permanent home, I've had a washer, dryer, and clothesline (as well as indoor drying rack). Again, the fabric softener keeps the clothes from being stiff, and the sheets always feel and smell heavenly. On a warm, breezy day, sheets will typically dry in less than 30 minutes.

I should add, I've never had to iron clothes when I've used fabric softener before hanging them out to dry. With experience I learned to hang them in such a way that they came off the line very smooth. I folded them, put them in the basket, and they were ready to put away.

Thanks for the suggestion, Mara. I never used fabric softener, relying on dryer sheets to do the trick. But my washer has a dispenser, so I might as well put it into use.

I have heard that about not using it with towels. I had forgotten, so I appreciate the reminder.

Rosefolly

Rosefolly, I use vinegar in the final rinse when I wash towels. By the time they are dry (whether in dryer or on clothesline), there is no vinegar scent.

They are not exactly soft when they come off the clothesline. To be honest, I like them like that; they are so absorbent, dry much more quickly and better than towels dried in a dryer. And they sure do a great job of exfoliating, LOL.

Other people, though, really want soft, fluffy towels. After towels have dried on the line, you can always put them in the dryer for about 10 minutes on low heat. That will soften them and fluff them up, using just a fraction of the energy required to dry a whole load of wet towels.

Hope this helps. :-)

we visit family in greece fairly often and no one owns a washer OR dryer. they wash in a tub and scrub a bit ...stains seem to disappear instantly. the water is completely pure from the streams. when done washing they hang on a line outside and are dry in TEN MINUTES. no dryer can top that!

here in the US it's a bit more of a challenge. even with ever modern convenience.

I'm fortunate to live in a very dry climate and have been able to give up using my electric dryer from April through October except for towels. I do about 10 extra-large loads a week and using an umbrella clothes line in the back yard poses no problem with this volume of laundry. Go for it!

Nothing can compare to the wonderful, sweet smell of clothes dried on a line. I've used one for 30 years (except in winter) and rarely have to iron. Since our line can be seen by neighbors I forgo hanging out bloomers and other "unmentionables!"
www.faithandrewsbedford.com

I'm a big fan of line-dried clothes too and with the energy issues we are facing it only makes sense. Hint: if you tumble the clothes for 5 minutes in the dryer when you bring them in, it will soften them and knock most of the wrinkles out.

There is a great organization here in the States that is working to promote the use of clothes lines. (They even have laundry 'art' posted on their web site . . . yes, laundry on the line can be beautiful.) www.laundrylist.org They have a lot of good information there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Project Laundry List

I can't imagine living without a clothes line. I've been fortunate that I've always had a yard (except during college and a few years afterward.) I've lived with dryers all my life and clothes have always been hung outside as much as possible. It wasn't an energy conservation issue when I was growing up. I guess it must have been a sensory issue--the clothes smelled (and still smell) great after coming in from the line. I expect the pattern will continue with my kids since they too appreciate the fresh smell of outdoor dried items as well as having an appreciation for energy conservation.

The positives of outside drying include the obvious ones of saving energy and having great smelling clothes and sheets. The less obvious reasons include having one less heat source in the house and decreasing the amount of lint escaping into the indoor air and having clothes (especially the elastic in clothes) last a lot longer (this seems the case to me, anyway). I rarely iron clothes that have been hung outside or on drying racks since wrinkles tend to straighten out (about 95% of our clothes are cotton.) Our lines aren't very close to the house and I like it that way since I enjoy being outside and having a routine that gets me there when I normally wouldn't take the time.

During bad or freezing weather (I live in New England) I dry clothes on indoor drying racks. I dry towels socks and underwear in the dryer all year round (the towels fluff better and it seems more sanitary.) Sheets get dried in the dryer during the few months they can't go outside but I chomp on the bit all winter long waiting for the first day they can go out in the sunshine.

My lines are under trees and I've had an occasional problem with birds but it's very rare. It's not a big deal--the item just gets put back in the wash.

To me, choosing not to use outside lines would be similar to choosing to live in a house with windows that don't open. It's an additional way to bring the outside indoors.

As for people who are offended at seeing clothes drying on the line in high end neighborhoods, that just seems strange to me. Maybe there could be a requirement that clothes be hung in the back yard. Most people hang them there, anyway.

Me, I think that clean clothes hanging on the line looks rather homey and cozy.

Rosefolly

rosefolly, I agree with you about HOA requirements -- some of them seem just plain silly to me. On top to that, people who live in those neighborhoods have to pay HOA fees! For the 'privilege' of spending more money on energy and in other ways, too. ???