Attitudes to line drying clothes in the UK

[Notcontent]

But of a boring topic but…. I have been thinking about this because I grew up in a country where everyone line dries their clothes whenever possible. The climate makes it easier to do this than in the UK but I think there is more to it than that. Where I live in London very few people seem to dry their clothes outside even on hot days. I almost feel like maybe it’s seen as being inappropriate and unsightly…

Is it a London thing? A class thing? In any case, I have decided to put my clothes drying racks outside whenever it’s not raining even if it offends my neighbours’ eyes!

People do prefer to line dry, it's just that as a PP said, they can't so much nowadays because of working - you can't always trust the weather enough to peg it out before heading off to work because you're not there if it starts to rain later. So you hang indoors instead sadly.

I line dry as often as possible. I check the weather first if I am working though. If OH is home while I'm at work I don't leave it out if there is any chance of rain as he seems oblivious as to what's happening outside or forgets I have washing out 🙄 probably just can't be arsed bringing it in and rehanging it 😂

I don't often line dry if I am honest. I have airers in the conservatory which gets massively hot so dries fast (on a sunny day). I have one line near my house I could use (I use it for towels and sheets mainly). I have one I can put in a hole in the lawn but if I do it's in the way for the kids so I don't often bother. And I have a tumble dryer which I do use sometimes.

I think I probably should line dry more. I didn't used to because I left at 6am each morning and got back at 5pm during the work week then was ferrying kids around to clubs at weekends. If the weather changed my laundry never dried as I could never bring it in.

Now I wfh maybe I should.....

I think it may be different in cities because here everyone line dries at every opportunity. I try and peg mine out all year round, even if I need to bring it indoors to fully dry, as I don't own a tumble dryer

There are lots of shared gardens/yards in London so line drying could be an issue. I think it's really common to line dry clothes in the UK and haven't come across any negative views on it as for example you might in parts of the USA

@VanishingAct

Just the kind of comment that would have me suddenly needing to hang a line full of washing out every day

How utterly childish!!

Unless you get some of the biggest white pants & vests & wash them with a dark wash until they decidedly grey and manky looking & leave them on the line!!🤣🤣

Now in a house with a large garden, I'm planning on a clothes line, despite not seeing others in nearby gardens

Yes, I miss my garden with a long line, so much better for bed linen. I'd be excited too!! Did the neighbours if they're too daft not to have one!!

@Crystal90567

Washing out on the line by 8.44! When did you put the wash load on, 6am? I'd forgotten. It's also the old fashioned competitiveness and the myriad rules of pegging out that put me completely off it. I will not live life that way.

Lovely hot crease free tumbling for me all the way. 35p very well spent, per load.

The washing machine has a delay function

@Pendhxa

I just don’t have time for it. Need stuff done at maximum efficiency. Dryer is next to washer so it takes seconds to switch over.

How does blathering on, on MN fit in with your 'I'm SO much busier than everyone else, I couldn't possibly spare 5 minutes to peg the washing outside' ??

I live in a hot part of Australia and, even though I have four DC, I don’t even own a drier. In summer the first load is completely dry by the time the second load is washed.

@Crystal90567

Washing out on the line by 8.44! When did you put the wash load on, 6am? I'd forgotten. It's also the old fashioned competitiveness and the myriad rules of pegging out that put me completely off it. I will not live life that way.

Lovely hot crease free tumbling for me all the way. 35p very well spent, per load.

I put it on when I got up - about 7.15. That OK with you?

Tumble driers ruin clothes, cost a fortune and are really bad for the planet.

There are no rules, are there? It's just doing it or not doing it. But keep your snippiness to yourself.

I live in the country, in a very small town and on a lovely day the parents at the school gates are usually, "oh, I got 6 loads of washing hung up today. Managed to get all the safety cushion covers hung out to dry!".

So, here it really is totally normal. On a very hot day, the older folk love talking about getting the washing out!

@PickAChew

And yes, that was one of 4 loads, that day 2 yesterday and 3 today. Wonderful life with an incontinent teen. It smells nicer for a, spell, even an hour, outside, but I need it dry quickly.

@PickAChew. Yes, an incontinent teen makes for a lot of washing & being adult sized clothing a lot more work than when they're little. 💐

Ooh, just love line drying!! Was brought up to line dry, and when I was a SAHM I was line drying up until the end of October each year, if the weather was ok. It’s so much easier if you are at home all day to rescue washing from rain, and the clothes smell fresh & divine!
Now there’s just me and Ddog, I still love getting washing out - yesterday was a fab day… warm, sunny and a good breeze, I got 3 lines worth dry!

@Cynderella

To the poster who says they don't have time to hang out washing that might just get wet again in the rain, our ex-neighbour used to claim that was a bonus - an extra rinse.

Hanging out washing and bringing it in dry is less of a chore than, say, vacuuming to me. I try to get as many loads on the line as possible when I'm home and weather is good. Even though I know spiders can't be trusted after dark, I'd rather leave my washing on the line overnight and bring it in dry the next day than bring it in wet the same day.

Me too. If it's almost dry I'll bring it in & put it on the airer/hangers, but otherwise it can stay out to get re-rinsed (aka rained on), darked on and the spiders can do what they like with their willies 💁🏻‍♀️

I'm in London, and I'd say about half my neighbours line dry.
I do try to keep underwear on a the lower part of the line so that the neighbours don't have to look at it. But if you have a rotary dryer, it is not really visible over the fences.

@VanishingAct

I think line drying in the UK is still very common.

Unlike the US, where hanging clothes out on a line is often forbidden (!) by local bylaws. Seems to be on a par with declaring yourself a toothless hillbilly who has sexual relations with their first cousins. Seen as very low-rent.

This is very true. I am in a study-related WhatsApp group with several Americans and their attitude is that you ONLY hang your washing out if you cannot afford a tumble dryer. Anyone who pegged out their laundry would be looked at in sympathy, poor soul who is so down on their luck and impoverished.

The brits in the group did point out the lunacy in places like Florida or California, where it's roasting outside, to pay money for aircon to cool your house down, and then also more money to heat your washing up again and dry it.

We were told off when on holiday in Florida for leaving towels to dry on the balcony of the apartment.

We’ve always dried clothes on the line, both in London and now a bit more countrysidey. Love seeing a line of washing blowing in the breeze!

We use the tumble dryer now and again, but things seem to shrink when I use it... We did have a line up in the conservatory in our old house which was useful.

I line dry as much as I can. I have a tumble dryer but hate using it. Also it is in a shed and I find going in and out to it so annoying. Also, like another poster, I find tumble dried clothes get so creased.

I feed the birds and often count over 30 birds in the garden. In 3 years have only ever had bird poo on the washing once.

My towels don't go crispy on the line. One of the reasons for that is using fabric conditioner on them. I use white vinegar.

Most of my neighbours line dry. Next door though doesn't. They have 3 children so must have loads of washing and the woman only works 2 days a week so is there to be able to hang washing out. They don't have a tumble dryer. The man said once they dry their washing over radiators. I would hate that

I always peg out.
My record is the bedding on Boxing Day.

I always dry outside when I can but I don't think I would if I lived in too built up an area with traffic fumes or if my garden was very tiny and close to others. But also it could be a time thing. My brother tumble dries everything, regardless of being semi rural with a big garden, because he's just so busy with work, etc.

I have a tumble drier that’s about 15 years old and used about twice a year max. Currently have the first wash drying outside and a bedding wash is on at the moment.

I do wonder about those who actively choose to tumble dry everything as a matter of course. Do they not care that they’re contributing to the global warming issues that will seriously affect their own children, grandchildren and future generations?

Few things I hate more than pegging out wet washing. It's so very very labour intensive and nasty

Morning everyone - we have a drier stacked on top of the washer, after resisting for years. This is on most days in November or post visitors, as king size bedding is bulky, wont fit on the airer, fills the laundry basket etc.
Neither of us wanted to see or smell cotton or linen bedding drying for days nor condensation.
We decided to go all out, have an airer we stand in the utility room overnight, a Lakeland airer with cover which we use, drier, whirly line for childrens clothes mostly, and looooong washing line for sunny breezy days.
The satisfaction of seeing white sheets blowing in the breeze like unhindered sails is an excellent feeling, satisfying, and the smell is wonderful.
I hang husbands shirts out on the line on frosty morns until stiffened, so the children can then dance with them. Then hung in utility room on hangers. The shirts I mean.
My MiL has washing festooned and a small wooden ‘clothes horse’ its a relic. Gran had an airer and pulley system in the scullery - her sheets always smelt of stew and apples.

I do wonder about those who actively choose to tumble dry everything as a matter of course. Do they not care that they’re contributing to the global warming issues that will seriously affect their own children, grandchildren and future generations?
I thought that too.

@PastMyBestBeforeDate

Not being able to put my washing out on the line because of disability really pisses me off. I have a tumble dryer but I really prefer to put whites out for sun bleaching.

I'm really sorry you have become disabled.💐and I totally understand not being able to hang your washing out pisses you off!

I recently had an accident & had to have surgery, part of which means the use in one arm is (at best) going to be limited. One of the things that upset me was thinking I might not be able to put the washing out, but I couldn't admit that to anyone! & so I just said the other stuff like kayaking & reaching the middle shelf in the kitchen etc (never been able to reach the top one 🤣🤣)

I won't know for about a year or so what I will/won't be able to do with that arm, but I'm lucky that the other arm is ok (and legs) so I have developed a 'one arm throw & peg, then straighten' act that greatly amuses the neighbours!

I really am sorry for your situation.