Whites are on my mind too, MamaP, as I just put my white cotton percale sheets on the bed tonight. Allergy season is upon us so I've been changing the sheets even 3-4 days to keep symptoms down (and maybe also because I've been looking for reasons to do laundry, LOL). Wish I could hang outside but I don't have a lot of space, and the space I do have doesn't get good sun. The clothes will dry, sure, but I won't get the nice bleaching effects of direct sunlight.

With the nicer weather I wind up having a lot more synthetics to wash (biking gear). That's not nearly as challenging, or fun, as gardening and kids' clothes. I'm a bit envious. I've joked with our Larsi that maybe I'll open up a neighborhood wash/fold service this summer :)

Please share your tragic stains, and the results, as they come.

xoxo

Yes, and reading your posts in the summer makes it even better. You rock.

Yep, more dirty and stinky clothes in the summer. I didn't like the smell of the Persil Pearls, but they do clean well. My gardening clothes are filthy and stink. When I take off my socks they go into an Oxi solution or they would never come clean. Oh, the joy of summer.

Alex...years ago I started washing my own bedding every 3/4 days than i couldn't go back to weekly LOL...once a week unless you have allergies is perfectly fine, but I have some sort of sickness when it comes to bedding lol. But it starts out like you every 3/4 days than it escalates...I never go more than 3 days on my personal bedding and pillowcases are changed daily. Yes its a full time job when you factor in I iron bedding.

A worthy note on drying in the sun: never dry fine linen or any type of bedding in the sun if there's any chance of sodium carbonate residue as it can and will cause yellowing. The sun can be a great way to get some bleaching action, but fabrics better be rinsed well first.

Yes Pennsylvania someday will also have a MamaP's Fluff and Fold...LOL

Pat, you also rock, and you don't post nearly enough.

Summer laundry started last monday..... been doing I think 20 loads of laundry and sheets. Have had some guests here over night.

It is so lovely to iron outdoor dryed clothes and then put them on, the scent is there all day long. Dont get me stated on freshly laundered sheets, cold mangled, put on my bed, to dig my nose into the pillowcase, it is erotic (sorry, dont take offence).

It is so easy to do laundry in the summer, but there are a few week out of the summer I need to dry indoor because there is an insect that are tiny 1/16 of and inch and there are so many of them and they into everything. In the evening I go around my house with the vacuum to vacuum my windows, I have 3 panes of glas in each window with trim inbetween, I vacumm 100 , 1000 each night.

Björn...spending MANY summers in Sweden, Ughhhhhh!!! I know those darn little insects. They are everywhere and I hate them!! :-O

Larsi...but in the garage you won't get that lovely fresh air scent...on the other hand it depends on where you live I guess...I'm in the country...farm land. .and I'm not complaining when I say country farm land town...farm land is beautiful...ask Enduring

Regarding line-drying: with intense allergies I don't line dry outdoors either (especially not bedding) but I do want to start line drying some items both to cut down on electricity and limit the amount of time some of my favorite clothing is subjected to the dryer heat. I've ordered this from Amazon and will install this weekend. There are also some interesting options for ceiling-mounted drying, but they are more costly and are quite big.

Alex I have a similar rack mounted above my washer and love it. Mine looks a bit flimsier but works great for scarves, lingerie and dressier clothes that can't go in the dryer. It's very handy to tuck the rack away when you are done with it.

When I lived in Ontario I always line-dried cloth diapers and heavier items like floor mats and pet bedding. Bedding, towels and clothes got too stiff for me and I also couldn't handle the allergens. Now I'm in Alberta and it's way too dusty and dry to hang anything outside.

I am definitely noticing more and dirtier laundry with my kids playing outside in warmer weather though, grass, dirt, pollen and sunscreen are the stains I see the most but Persil does well on all of them. The bottle of Cheer I am using up doesn't cut it for kids clothes so I save it for bedding and towels.

I love line drying my bedding linens. I don't suffer from allergies so I'm OK with pollen/dust.

When they are done drying, I give them a good shake before folding them up.

I don't iron bedding either.

I've never had a problem with bird poops or bugs (all my bedding is white so I would see them).

Bring on the summer whites and dirt. I am an avid gardener and home canner. That means lot of dirty clothing, stained shirts, aprons, and kitchen towels. I camp often, and that is lots of dirt, ashes, smoke smell, and must. And then teenagers seem to think they have to shower once an hour because they did 5 minutes of work, and broke a sweat. Endless bath towels to wash around here, Lord have mercy. Basically for me, summer time laundry is much more challenging than winter laundry.

Oh Joel, I wish I were a canner! My mom canned a lot (especially tomatoes) and we would enjoy them all through the colder months for sauces. My tiny garden in the city gets little sun so I've given up on the hopes of growing my own veggies (other than low-light ones) until we move someday. I guess that doesn't mean I couldn't buy up a bunch of tomatoes at the Farmers' Market and can. It would still be so much better than anything store bought! Plus, I'd love to have an endless supply of homemade pickles...

Though it isn't an outdoor activity, my next big project is sewing. Hoping to pick up my mom's old machine when I visit in a few weeks and starting to get myself re-acclimated with how they work. Haven't touched one since middle school.

I've been trying to find someone who cans to teach me. It seems to be a dying art. I grow sauce tomatos. I puree then simmer them down and freeze in ziplock bags. It works but I bet the canned are better :).

Sorry, I have been MIA. lol. Canning tomatoes actually makes them healthier, mainly for men. Sandy, canning tomatoes is so easy!! I can EVERYTHING, from soups, to fruits and pie fillings, to meats, veggies, and starches. I try not to buy anything from the grocery store. I also do a lot of dehydrating, which is super easy. :)

I would LOVE someday to have a dehydrator as the boys love dried friut. And I love those strawberries in Special K LOL.

You guys are all great!!! I love reading all these comments.