What is the secret to actually getting your washing DRIED on the washing line?

[JuanSheetIsPlenty]

Because it’s never dry when I bring it in. Except for maybe one day in July.

It’s always damp meaning I have to put it in the tumble drier for at least half an hour which shrinks it or I have to hang it on airers and turn the dehumidifier on which I might as well just do in the first place and leave it on longer to save hanging twice.

So what it is the secret?

I just have a straight line so it’s all spread out.

It gets sun from early morning, a bit of shade from about 10ish -12ish due to neighbours trees and then sun again until the about 5:30/6ish. Not enough wind because we’re in a terrace and a hill at the back.

Her solution for getting washing dried on the line here in our wet climate was to leave it out there for a whole week, 'because after a week, it's dry'

and willyful

I never put it out if it’s still damp on the ground at 9am - it never dries if I do. Also lots of breeze and a second spin.

The dew starts falling early on these evenings especially if there is a frost coming

Mine felt damp despite being out from 9am in full sun and lots of wind as we are on the coast. I put it still in the basket inside the airing cupboard which has the hot water tank in it and usually takes the chill off even the stuff at the bottom / in the middle of the basket.

Thank god someone's mentioned the spider willies! Couldn't believe we could have a thread about drying washing outside without them! 😂😂

Can’t have a washing line thread without the willies!

I’m making a list of all these tips!

Extra spin
Spread out
Jeans from wasitband
Only if ground dry at 9am
In by 3pm

Watch your garden tomorrow,and see which bit gets the most sun ,we moved our washing line ,a round one ,to the sunniest spot ,I also go out through the day and change it round or bring in what’s dry ,

If the ground is damp underneath the lines it doesn’t dry as well. It’s best to have the line where it’s dry if possible, but if not sunny breezy days are usually best. The breeze is what displaces the water in the laundry with drier air, which is why if the ground is damp or it’s been raining very recently and the air is humid then it takes longer to dry. Get it in as soon as the sun is no longer on it too or it goes cold and can feel damp again.

I moved my whirligig about 2m away from the house and bought one which went slightly higher; it made a big difference.

I dried 4 loads today and they only went on the line at 12. Definitely need it to come in before it starts to be late afternoon-dusk or you’ll find it damp again. We have had a lovely sunny breezy day today so it all dried in no time.

I can’t move the line unfortunately its all concreted in and it’s a rented house. But I think it’s at the best spot anyway tbh. The rest of the garden is even more in the shade of the neighbours trees.

I dried 4 loads today and they only went on the line at 12.

Wow. Thank you for the thread. Like yourself I left it out for as long as possible. Will now be bringing it in at 3!

Agree about bringing it in mid afternoon at this time of the year. Yesterday didn't bring it in until 5 and it needed half an hour in the dryer, today brought it in about 3 and it was fine.
I also have a high line which catches the wind.

Sunny and windy position for the line, and turn the washing when it's getting dry (re-peg it in a different position) so that any folded or creased bits get their moment in the sun.

I have a tumble dryer (a gift) and I have never used it! And I live in the wet west of England.

Space between items if you've got a spinning line.
Get it out early and have another load ready to go so there's no dead time.
Take washing in before late afternoon/early evening.

I got 3 loads dry today.

I can never understand people hanging washing out in winter. Where we are it's shady and windy all winter but never ever have I gotten clothes dry and I've put them out at every time. I've spun the life out of them. I seen my next door neighbour taking in jeans just over a week ago and she put them on the garden table and the legs didn't even bend 😮 they were practically frozen. My sister dries her clothes outside all year but she always smells of damp 🤢

Glad I found out about spiderwillies. Thank god for Mumsnet

I don't get it either. Mine only dries in summer and even then needs 5 mins in the dryer.

South facing garden.

I've got a garden that faces north. I get my washing dry outside between May and August.

My mum line dries all year in her south facing garden!

Trouble is lots of things shrink in the drier. Do you know, I concede that this is an overused truism but if men had to deal with the mind numbing soul sapping almighty faff that is getting washing dry we would have come up with a solution to the problem by now. Like fuck would men be feeling cuffs of shirts on radiators and turning fucking towels over en masse.

Do you know I think you’re right santa.

Get it in before before 4.00 at this time of year.

Mine went on the line at about 9a.m.and the thicker things were still damp at 3:30. In rainy Cumbria I rarely get to hang the washing out anyway, and it only dries properly if it's really windy or actually warm (not just sunny) or both.