Page 5 | People who hang out washing in heavy rain

WhiteCloudd · 08/06/2025 08:09

PurpleYarnivore · 08/06/2025 08:06

The family opposite me leave their washing on the line for days , it’s often had two dry days ( so must be dry) then been rained on , dried out again, rained on … I don’t spend ages studying their washing but my bedroom window looks directly over their garden so it’s hard not to see and wonder the logic !

You’re overthinking it. There’s no logic, they simply forgot to get it in. Other priorities. Life happens.

nomas · 08/06/2025 08:08

DisquietingMuse · 08/06/2025 08:06

Yup. They used to leave it in a bag but now it just goes straight in the ground. It makes no sense.

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Bloody hell.

WhiteCloudd · 08/06/2025 08:08

Klonc · 08/06/2025 07:16

Previous NDN had washing out for a week! Had rain, snow, sleet on it

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This is me. If I’ve missed getting the washing in and it’s got rained on then I’ll leave it until it’s fully dry or I have time to redo it.

Life’s too short to worry about it.

PurpleYarnivore · 08/06/2025 08:06

The family opposite me leave their washing on the line for days , it’s often had two dry days ( so must be dry) then been rained on , dried out again, rained on … I don’t spend ages studying their washing but my bedroom window looks directly over their garden so it’s hard not to see and wonder the logic !

EleanorReally · 08/06/2025 08:06

i dont have a heated airer or a tumble drier
summer rain means wet washing

DisquietingMuse · 08/06/2025 08:06

nomas · 08/06/2025 08:03

They dump clean washing on the ground?

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Yup. They used to leave it in a bag but now it just goes straight in the ground. It makes no sense.

CaptainMyCaptain · 08/06/2025 08:04

Meadowfinch · 08/06/2025 06:32

Maybe they hang washing out and then go to work. I can't imagine anyone does it on purpose.

This. Rain doesn't make it stink anyway. It only stinks if you leave it in the washing machine because it's a confined space.

TheSalmonMousse · 08/06/2025 08:04

It doesn't make it smell. If the rain is passing over I'd rather it was on the line blowing the creases out than scrunched up in the machine. It'll just take longer to dry.

I wouldn't hang out towels in the rain though, the weight of the water would break the washing line.

whiteluckycat · 08/06/2025 08:04

The weather is very changeable. I started hanging washing out in sunshine the other day and it started raining before I had finished. I carried on as it was just a shower and all you need is a couple of hours of dry weather at this time of year to dry washing outside, the sunlight removes any stains and it smells great line dried too - even if it has been rained on! We don’t own a tumble dryer though, so I will dry outside whenever I can as our heated airer is great but takes a lot longer.

nomas · 08/06/2025 08:03

DisquietingMuse · 08/06/2025 07:59

This is my neighbour. As others have said it will dry eventually and it isn't going to smell.

But they'll also dump a full load on to the ground and then start to slowly hang that up over the next few days. No idea why they do it and I can't imagine letting damp clothes sit on the ground for days improves the smell. 🤷🏻‍♀️ They don't hang anything out over the winter so I assume they have alternative ways of setting their clothes.

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They dump clean washing on the ground?

nomas · 08/06/2025 08:02

ThisIsMyYearToFindMyself · 08/06/2025 06:37

‘Why do people insist on putting out washing when having heavy rain?’ Because they have no more space indoors? Because the forecast is for the rain to stop?

‘If out all day, don’t do it. If in, take it in as soon as it rains!’ Why? Are you always this tetchy and bossy?

‘Washing stinks when out in the rain.’ No it doesn’t. Not in my garden. Where do you live that has smelly rain then?

’Or when is stuck in the washing machine - as parents’ washing machine on Friday. It didn’t drain - the pump has gone. I took the load home with me and washed it as stank. Not strong, but enough to feel conscious about it.’ Thats got nothing to do with rain. Of course it will stink if you leave it in the machine.

Goodness me. Chill.

Washing stinks when out in the rain.’ No it doesn’t. Not in my garden. Where do you live that has smelly rain then?

If your washing is left in the rain all day, yes, it stinks. You might be nose-blind to it.

DisquietingMuse · 08/06/2025 07:59

PruthePrune · 08/06/2025 07:00

My NDN leaves her washing out literally for days come rain or shine. Was raining heavily yeterday and the washing is still out.

This is my neighbour. As others have said it will dry eventually and it isn't going to smell.

But they'll also dump a full load on to the ground and then start to slowly hang that up over the next few days. No idea why they do it and I can't imagine letting damp clothes sit on the ground for days improves the smell. 🤷🏻‍♀️ They don't hang anything out over the winter so I assume they have alternative ways of setting their clothes.

TheAutumnCrow · 08/06/2025 07:59

peekaboopumpkin · 08/06/2025 07:23

This will blow your mind but I do often put washing out in the rain on purpose. I have very hard water, and rain water is a natural fabric softener.

And when the sun finally appears it bleaches stains out of fabrics, and the light and the weather even work their magic on armpits.

Strangely interesting.

ThatCyanCat · 08/06/2025 07:57

BallerinaRadio · 08/06/2025 06:30

Are Sunday mornings always this exhilarating on here?

Christmas Dsy is best.

LittleHouseOnThePrarie · 08/06/2025 07:57

KickHimInTheCrotch · 08/06/2025 07:34

I've found that if my clothes dry outside in the summer when I come to folding and putting away, maybe the next day, I'm sneezing like mad because the pollen is lifting off the items as I'm doing it.

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TBH if my DH is sneezing really badly the impact of line dried closed is probably minimal.

I don't have the space to dry king sized duvet covers and cotton sheets, and towels inside and I'm not going to use electricity to dry them when it's warm outside.

Drying clothes inside can create mould spores and that's sometimes worse than pollen.

LaughingCat · 08/06/2025 07:56

cyvguhb · 08/06/2025 06:40

Tell us more about the rain that makes washing smell, that's a new one for me

It’s the spider willies - the rain magnifies their stench.

Paaseitjes · 08/06/2025 07:55

It doesn't smell in the rain. In fact it often comes back smelling lovely like summer when it's dried in the sun after! Constant drizzle would be a bad idea, but sudden summer storm, who cares

Wheech · 08/06/2025 07:53

I can talk about the benefits of hanging washing out all day long.

@Magnoliasunrise me too. Line dried washing is one of my favourite scents in the entire world. I feel like line drying gives things an extra freshen up and kills bacteria that a normal temperature wash would not. I'm especially obsessed with line drying my son's socks as he has athletes foot.

I'm intrigued by the idea that letting washing get rained on makes it smell even better.

I live in a soft water area and my towels are still crispy when line dried. Would leaving them in the rain make a difference here?

MollyRedSkirtsChandler · 08/06/2025 07:51

I've been known to risk it, then get caught out by a heavy shower. At that point it can't get any wetter (and it too wet to dry indoors without another spin in the machine) so I often leave it in the hope the rain passes.

It doesn't smell.

MsPug · 08/06/2025 07:50

Rained on is akin to being darked on in this house

Robotnik · 08/06/2025 07:48

OP is this the second bizarrely overly-intense post you've made about the rampant stupidity of people who put their washing out in the rain and the non-existent stink that results? Or maybe, there's a friend for you out there:

Washing on lines in the rain. | Mumsnet

Even with 72 hours of yellow weather warnings for heavy rain and thunderstorms from my home, I can see three gardens and yards (Victorian terraces) wi...

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5170826-washing-on-lines-in-the-rain

Brunts12 · 08/06/2025 07:48

Klonc · 08/06/2025 07:16

Previous NDN had washing out for a week! Had rain, snow, sleet on it

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Why do you care, OP?

Ilovelowry · 08/06/2025 07:47

JustAnotherDayWorkingAtHome · 08/06/2025 06:33

Are you on glue? Nobody hangs washing out in heavy rain it makes absolutely zero sense to do so.

I hang mine out irrespective of the weather. It will dry eventually (south coast).

Also it smells INCREDIBLE after a few days on the line and after being rained on.

Magnoliasunrise · 08/06/2025 07:44

I can talk about the benefits of hanging washing out all day long.

But I don't think someone would hang out IN heavy rain. Think maybe they hung it out, went out and THEN there was heavy rain.

Like last week I hung out, went to the shops and on the way back the sky went very black and I thought please just give me 20 more minutes to get home before the heavy rain comes.

Amelie2025 · 08/06/2025 07:44

You're wrong, you're bossy & you're grumpy..