What’s the point of a washing line prop

[LovelyYellowLabrador]

Is it to just help hold up the weight or to make the line tighter so it swings more in the wind ?

Elevate and tighten for greater drying power

Well also to make it go higher if you're hanging sheets etc. When I had a line, it would drag on the grass if not propped

It takes some of the weight of the wet washing so less pressure on the line. Also pushes the washing up a bit higher into the breeze in my garden

My line is very long so needs the prop to keep things from dragging on the ground. They catch the wind better when that little bit higher too.

Not all props are created equal though. It’s hard to find a properly robust extendable one.

Can anyone recommend a good one? Some are so flimsy they break after a short time.

So you can reach to hang long items of watching. When I was a kid I thought they were a bit magic to hold up!

I get a new one from Aldi each spring, £2.49 and do the job perfectly!

I'm still using the wooden one that was here when I moved into the house 16 years ago. There's a man in my nearest town that makes and sells them for about £15, would recommend!

Mostly because it keeps longer washing off the grass and catches more sun when higher

DH made me one with a piece of wood. A lot more sturdy than those thin plastic poles.

As for the point... gets the washing out the way so small children aren't wiping grubby hands and faces on it.

@Shopaholic100

Can anyone recommend a good one? Some are so flimsy they break after a short time.

The people we bought our house from bought the house next door and left their rather excellent prop behind. Whenever I see their washing held up by a short flimsy thing, I always feel a tiny pang of guilt that I never handed it over. But then they never asked so...

I use a thin branch pruned from a tree in my garden 😂

I would love a wooden one made by someone local!

I have one very similar to this which has lasted for a few years now and is a lot stronger than the cheapo telescopic ones which break under the strain of a medium sized bath mat.

www.robertdyas.co.uk/jvl-adjustable-telescopic-lightweight-square-clothes-line-prop-teal

get a new one from Aldi each spring, £2.49 and do the job perfectly!

Bit of a waste of resources, that.

My sister got wooden ones on a local fb group. They are much better than the plastic ones you get. Stops the line sagging if there're heavy items on it

My mum had the wooden ones….called ‘stretchers’ where I’m from.

We just had a length of 2"×2" which had a V cut in one end to hold the line. Definitely needed if you have a long line and don't want sheets dragging on the ground.

all you need is a length of wood with a notch in one end - nothing complicated and can be done with a hack saw - just cut a V shape. 2 inch by 1 inch deep then around 6 to7 ft

for storage put a couple of hooks on the side of a shed or the house and slot it in out of the way

We bought a length of timber from Wickes in the appropriate size and DH cut a notch in the top and sanded it down, it cost about £4. It is much better than my old metal one.

Do you sleep in a single bed or take your sheets to the local laundry ?
Otherwise it might well have been obvious why you need a prop.
We all need a metaphoric one but the best actual one we used was a forked hazel branch from down the field edge.

Oh I normally fold the sheets in half and it’s double line so one half Hannah on one line the other half on the other
If that makes sense
Just about to do my first outside wash well dry of the year

Ours was improvised to stop the puppy pulling the washing down. We use an extendable painting pole.

Also I need some new pegs what are the best ones ?
Sorry I know it’s a bit 😴😴😴😴

I don't need one, i have a huge pole in my garden at each end of the line and a pulley hoist system on the top line so it hoists sheets etc right up into the breeze, small things go on the bottom line.