I've been considering line-drying (certain) clothes for some time now. I thought I wanted to buy a clothes-line, but then after some consideration, decided to just use some cording or rope, or even 'bungee-cords' if possible, to hang stuff on outside. I don't have it figured out yet - but I'm SURE we have something around here we can rig up...lol. I have read all the posts here, & noticed the 'couple pennys savings' in energy costs some mentioned. Well, every penny counts...but what I'm looking for is not only the few cents savings, but the *Wear & Tare* - (aka *mileage* - so to speak) - on my dryer also! I grew up with washer & hanging clothes out to dry, & I absolutely hated it! "Hanging" wasn't so bad...it was the folding & ironing that came later that I dreaded - for a family of 9! LOL! But now that "I" have 'control' (haha)... Those stiff clothes...UGH! But I have plenty that can be hung out to dry. OH, and before even reading these posts...told family I want a clothes-line that is "IN NEIGHBORS' FACE" - complete with lots of undies! LOL! Last week, I noticed my neighbor has a clothes-line...but under the shade of the backyard patio, & only a couple little towels on it over a few days. (Not that I'm nosey...we've been doing yard work & 'they've' been rebuilding their patio) I also 'caught' another neighbor arranging her backyard patio chairs & draping some bedding on them to dry or air out. (She also kept it close to house - under back patio!) I find it comical that neighbors want to sorta 'hide' it. I want a full-blown clothes-line like we had in the 60's - right smack in middle of yard! Panties, bras & all! LOL Well, we're in desert on about 1/2 acre, and only chain-link fence btwn neighbors. The DUST factor concerns me some. And the tons of birds. But the biggie is those strong winds that come out of nowhere. I certainly don't want to see my undies draped on someone's chimney - a mile or two down the road! haha... ANYWAY...Like I said, the 'mileage' on the dryer...that's worth saving, for certain.

Most of the time stiffness is due to laundry detergent build up or hard water conditions. It can also occur with lack of breeze. Laundry flapping in the wind is less stiff due to the fabric constantly moving. I live in a hard water area and still hang my clothes outside. I do not mind the stiffness, even in my towels and have not found the stiff towels to be less absorbent. In fact, I read somewhere, can't remember where, that still fabric is actually good for your skin as it exfoliates there in by keeping your skin healthier. Besides most stiffness goes away with wear and/or use. As for the smell of the clothing line dried, it has been my experience that unless you use a heavily perfumed detergent, the fresh air pretty much removes any scent. Now if you live in an area where the air stinks, then you may end up with that smell on your clothes. I had a prob with that a while back due to a near by resturant and all their greasy smelling cooking. My clothes were smelling like old hamburgers. Thank God they moved their business else where and I have had no further problems. Detergent build up and using fabric softner can make your clothes smell nasty too depending on what you are using, aka ingredients in them. Type of fabric can have a factor as to scent too. On a final note regarding odor in lined dried fabrics, many people are so use to the smell they get from detergents or their driers, which actually alters the smell of clothes even washed in perfume free detergents, that they have absolutely no idea what actual fresh clothing smells like. Clothes washed in a scent free detergent and then put in the drier smell different from those that are lined dried. Once you learn what an actual outdoor fresh smell is, the rest is a piece of cake.

I run almost all of our clothing in the dryer on low heat for 5 or 6 minutes, just long enough to knock most of the wrinkles out, then hang them up on hangers, which I hang on a couple of shower rod poles in my laundry room. A few more items go on a rack hanging on the laundry room door. If I have too much to hang there, I take the rest upstairs and hang them (on hangers) over the door frames, and some items go on metal racks I have up there specifically for drying clothing. Only sheets, towels and a few other items get fully dried in the dryer. Our clothing lasts way longer since I have been doing this. It's the dryer, not the washer that is hard on clothing.

Blue Onblue, that is amazing! Years ago, a stray cat came to us, wouldn't leave and became expectant. I knew when this would happen, my indoor cat had raised a ruckus so we noticed the event. The stray lived in the garage (hence, her name was Garage Cat or GC) and when I came home the day before the expected event, she had oil all over her back! Called the vet who said she must be bathed and to use Dawn Dishwashing soap or Murphy's Oil Soap. I had neither of those so used what I had (Palmolive and the like) but none of my stock would do more than slide off the oil slick! Husband made mad dash to grocery while I held her in the bathtub, used the Dawn and have never bought any other brand since. That was probably 35 years ago! She was small and so round and heavy that she could not fight. Came home the next day and four new kittens. Kept one and had to put down at 19 years old! Our Sugarbaby!