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Line dried washing tips

27 replies

HappySonHappyMum · 09/09/2022 14:02

In the summer I always put my washing on the line - saves energy, dries quickly, love it! When we get to Autumn and Winter I have no choice to dry my clothes on airers indoors and my house resembles a laundrette for the winter months. Do clothes dry outside in the cold or are they still really damp? How do you avoid clothes getting wet in the showers? Need personal experience really please.

OP posts:
needlesandpinns · 09/09/2022 14:05

No help from me, but I am really wondering the same thing!
I remember my mum constantly in and out, turning it all, moving it into new sunlight. Bringing it in when it rained , back out when it stopped. Seemed far to much work, but I suppose it is.

JuneOsborne · 09/09/2022 14:08

I think it depends on your appetite for handling laundry! If it's going to be fine, I put it out. But in the depths of autumn, verging on winter it needs to come in by 3 or it'll just get more damp. And then you still have to finish it off on airers inside. By putting it out on the line, I find it's just another step to add to the already thankless task of laundry without a tumble drier.

What I will say, is it's worth putting heavier stuff out to get at least some of the mosifure out.

We hang up as many of our clothes as possible and hang them on the curtain poles and have the windows open in the autumn and winter. It's kind of half in, half out and should mean as much of the mosifure escapes the house.

RealDeeBliss · 09/09/2022 14:10

Tip I've just learnt - don't put a long sleeve top at the end of the line that's attached to the gutter. One sleeve might fly up into said gutter. Envy

Hohofortherobbers · 09/09/2022 14:11

I dry washing outside in autumn, occasional winter day too, gets almost dry, never totally. But it smells nice

YessicaHaircut · 09/09/2022 14:12

I line dry everything in the summer and am trying to avoid using the tumble dryer as much as possible now. Now the weather’s a bit more unpredictable I’ve been putting all the wet washing on a clothes horse outside the back door and that way if it starts raining I can whisk it all inside quickly rather than having to unpeg it. On a dry day things will mostly dry outside even in the winter (though occasionally have had things freeze on the coldest days!)

MissisBoote · 09/09/2022 14:15

If the ground is dry then the washing will dry. Make sure you bring it in well before it starts getting dark.

I'm at home all day so can keep an eye out for showers but otherwise I'd just check the hourly forecast.

I try and dry outside as much as possible but a covered heated airer and dehumidifier have been a game changer for the middle of winter.

yoshiblue · 09/09/2022 14:16

I'm using a big airer with wings outside now rather than the line. If it's dry it goes out and I wheel it back in if it starts to rain.

Once winter really hits, I'll be drying on the airer in the house using a dehumidifier to suck out the extra moisture.

Like this:

https://www.vileda.co.uk/laundry-care/dryer/extra?gclid=Cj0KCQjwyOuYBhCGARIsAIdGQRPTdIBLg8WAzryb0SYYTXuvzpPhBIIRinNMyhP61eDOhXAtLyxxQgaAo59EALwwcB

BananaPie · 09/09/2022 14:23

I hang stuff out all year round as long as it’s not actually raining. It never comes in completely dry in the winter, but I hang it over an airer on the landing after it has been outside and it always then finishes off very quickly.

I can’t bear laundry draped around the house. In extremely bad weather I put it in the box room over an airer with the dehumidifier running

picklemewalnuts · 09/09/2022 14:25

Get line clips that allow you to hang the washing on hangers.

It's much faster to get in and out when the weather changes.

You can also hang them on an aired inside, or the back of a door.

Saves so much time- we put far more out now.

KangarooKenny · 09/09/2022 14:26

I hang it out on a dry day to take the worst off, then tumble it.

MsChatterbox · 09/09/2022 14:26

My tip is put it outside on an airer that you can quickly retrieve if it starts raining. If the grass is dry it should dry. If the grass is dewy it probably won't.

MoMuntervary · 09/09/2022 14:26

I check the weather and if it's going to be dry overnight, I hang it out the evening before as I don't have time in the mornings for pegging out. I care not about it getting 'darked on' GrinIf it doesn't rain, most months of the year it'll be dry before it gets dark the next day.

I also have a couple of soctopus things for smalls and hang a lot of stuff on hangers so if it's showery it's easy to whip it in.

LionessesRules · 09/09/2022 14:29

Hang it outside if it's not raining, and the ground is getting drier or dry (if the patio is getting visibly dryer, the washing will dry too). It's OK after dark as well. And when freezing.

Will still need finishing on airers, but will be much quicker.

WhoppingBigBackside · 09/09/2022 14:31

They dry outside most of the year. You'll need a crisp bright day in November, December and January, which you'll be unlikely to get.

Plan what clothes to wear by how easy to dry they are. Heavy cotton hoodies are not practical but thin layers are.

Vapeyvapevape · 09/09/2022 14:34

A sharp frost makes whites really bright , although I have had to bring them in stiff as a board.

Orangedaisy · 09/09/2022 14:34

Yeah we do the washing Hokey Cokey here too. On an airer or hangers on the line and in out, in out all day long to avoid showers. And only do laundry on days when it’s not dreadful rain forecast if we can help in.

chipsandpeas · 09/09/2022 14:42

plan to dry inside when the heating will be on, so i will likely do a washing and put it on the airer overnight knowing when the heating kicks on in the morning it will dry or wash during the day and heating kicking in at say 6pm it will get a few hours

nachoavocado · 09/09/2022 14:46

Even if you line dry it for a bit and then bring it in it is better than not line drying it. If drying indoors open windows (unless heating is on)

Rutland2022 · 09/09/2022 14:51

Use a high spin if you have one, our 1600 gets things so much drier to start with than 1200.

We dry outside as much as we can and stuff often gets rained on, it just gets left again. I actually like how it smells after rain so it’s a bit of a bonus. I’ve been known to hang things out in light rain if it’s due to dry up later and I’m going out. Feels a bit mad but it’s fine!

We don’t currently have a washing line due to garden works so I will be using an airer which is easier than pegging. Unfortunately no room for it inside unless we completely block the front door!

ShowOfHands · 09/09/2022 14:51

I dry outdoors all year round. We don't have a tumble dryer. It goes out early and comes in early and it's fine.

PosiePerkinPootleFlump · 09/09/2022 15:10

Get a long prop or two (we have extendible ones) to push the line much higher in the air where it will catch more breeze. Our washing dries much better like this than it ever did on the old rotary airer (and line is retractable so can put it away when not in use).
Socktopi for smaller things so you can bring them in more quickly if it rains

TheOrigRights · 09/09/2022 15:16

I only ever use my drier in the cooler months - I hang it out if it's sunny or dry or windy and then finish it off in the drier.
This works well for towels and bedding, ie something that flaps about a bit.

I also have an airing cupboard which is also good for finishing off things I've hung up.

I WFH so can keep an eye on things.

Stravaig · 09/09/2022 15:57

Most important thing for people completely new to line drying (not OP) is that you no longer put on a wash when you want to, you wash when the weather will allow you to dry it outside afterwards. The more so in winter. Some people struggle with this re-ordering of our place in the world :)

Winter drying.
Even a short spell outside will pick up the line-dried smell, before indoors to drape over wherever.

Things do slowly freeze-dry outside, even in baltic temps, especially if it's windy. Weight seems to be a good guide. If your frozen solid garment shapes feel light, they might be dry-ish. Finish on clothes-hangers hung from curtain rails, or wherever. If they feel heavy, then when you bring them into the warm, and stack them neatly against a wall until they're pliable, they'll collapse into a soggy puddle on the floor. Only extensive practice lets you gauge which is which.

Always wondered what winter freeze drying is doing to the fibres ... ?

Longer drying times outside and limited daylight means greater risk of being darked on and the dreaded spider willies. Personally I like clothes dried by starlight best of all.

Summer is the time when all blankets, curtains, under-bedding, sheepskins etc are washed and dried outside. Not winter. Woollens are hand-washed in summer, in winter airing on the line is fine, no washing necessary. The magic of real wool.

(Gods I miss line-drying. It's not home without a washing line. Even in the frozen north.)

Indoor airers. After years of traditional wooden concertina airers which are awkward, heavy and go mouldy, I discovered Lakeland do an extra-wide model with aluminium bars. Lightweight, no mold, fewer trapped fingers and lots more space.

KirstenBlest · 09/09/2022 16:10

A long washing line in a sunny garden is one of the joys in life.
A full washing line on a sunny day is a delight.

PerkingFaintly · 09/09/2022 16:21

Yes, agree with PP that on days you don't fancy risking putting everything out, it's still worth hanging out the most water-heavy items - jeans, towels, etc.

I do mostly mixed loads with a lower spin-speed, so in winter after the wash I separate out the jeans & towels and put them back in for another spin at 1400.