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Hanging washing out

42 replies

xxxJess123xxx · 19/10/2026 08:58

Hi! Are we still hanging washing outside at this time of year?
im in a first floor flat with a communal garden. It doesn’t get the sun. I have been hanging washing outside but seem to be the only one in the block
doing so.
it doesn’t get completely dry but a bit
is anyone else?

OP posts:
HoldMyWine · 19/10/2026 09:00

I do if it’s sunny or windy. If neither it doesn’t really dry.

AutumnLover1999 · 19/10/2026 09:00

Yes. As a rule,if the ground is dry then the washing should dry.

Naijamama · 19/10/2026 09:01

Yes, I'm lucky enough to have a south facing garden, so get sun year round. If the sun is out, my laundry is drying outside. Doesn't dry it completely in mid winter, but if I put everything on an airer for a couple of hours once it's in, everything dries, but still has that nice fresh smell like it's dried outside.

EventuallyDiscussed · 19/10/2026 09:04

Yes, but from next week when it will be dark when I get home from work it will probably only be on non-work days so it doesn't get dewy again.

YYURYYUCICYYUR4ME · 19/10/2026 09:07

Yes, when conditions allow.

Needacalminginfluence · 19/10/2026 09:20

Yes if the weather is dry.

I live in a town renowned for it's wind so it's very rare for the weather to be still enough for the laundry just to hang without getting a good blow about.

It doesn't come into the house dry but it smells so much fresher and I find if it's been outside it dries quickly on the clothes airer. And I just like it out of the way outside so it's not cluttering up the house - I realise this wouldn't be in an issue if I was out at work but i'm retired.

SausageLabLady · 19/10/2026 09:24

AutumnLover1999 · 19/10/2026 09:00

Yes. As a rule,if the ground is dry then the washing should dry.

I go by this rule too. If the paving is dry and there’s no rain forecast then it goes outside.

Tiddlywinks63 · 19/10/2026 09:38

SausageLabLady · 19/10/2026 09:24

I go by this rule too. If the paving is dry and there’s no rain forecast then it goes outside.

Me too.
Even if it only half dries it’s better than nothing, I just finish it off on the clothes horse.

AreThereSomewhereIslands · 19/10/2026 09:50

I've got lightweight stuff out on the line this morning as it's sunny here. But our garden faces north-east and by 2.30pm or so we won't have any sunlight on the whirligig at the foot of the garden. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it'll all be dry by then.

Medicalgrademusic · 19/10/2026 09:55

I keep hanging out until the point where I'm bringing it in and it's barely any drier. At the moment it's still pretty much dry when I bring it in. I find even when the ground is dry, if it's cold and no wind, it really doesn't dry off much so there's no point.

Thingcanonlygetbetter · 19/10/2026 10:02

We have a mini weather station and if the humidity is not too high we still hang it out. Then either put in the tumbler for 10 minutes or hang to air.

fridaynightzzz · 19/10/2026 10:10

I’m finding things are still drying well especially if it’s windy. I did put out some towels the other day and they weren’t dry but they were drier than when I put them out. So that’s less moisture in my house at least.

Justploddingonandon · 19/10/2026 10:25

Yes if it’s not raining, but I have a west facing garden. I usually stop when the clocks change because by the time the machine has finished there just aren’t enough hours of daylight for it to dry (especially as on my work days I usually can’t get it out before lunchtime).

DorsetKnobBiscuit · 19/10/2026 10:29

I dried two loads of washing in the garden yesterday. Was dry enough to iron by tea time.

MarcusBrigstockesfringe · 19/10/2026 10:32

Yes. I dried all my towels on Saturday.

I do have a cooker that's like an aha though and I did warm them off on the cooker when I brought them in.

But all sheets and thin cotton stuff dries.

Bikergran · 19/10/2026 10:33

I do if it's breezy, it takes some of the moisture out before finishing it off inside or in the dryer.

Iliketulips · 19/10/2026 10:36

Mine went out at 9am this morning. The washing line gets early morning sun - not much if a breeze but I expect it to be 90% dry later. Better than being inside. The only time it doesn't benefit from being outside is obviously during rain, and if colder than 5c

Notgrowing · 19/10/2026 10:40

Ive got a tumble dryer.

SometimesthingsMatter · 19/10/2026 10:45

xxxJess123xxx · 19/10/2026 08:58

Hi! Are we still hanging washing outside at this time of year?
im in a first floor flat with a communal garden. It doesn’t get the sun. I have been hanging washing outside but seem to be the only one in the block
doing so.
it doesn’t get completely dry but a bit
is anyone else?

I was, and do , but the air is really damp outside today, and no breeze and no sun with intimittent drizzling. It is drying quicker indoors.
This is the first day I've had to keep it in to dry. I can tumble dry bedding, socks, underwear, towels. Some things shrink (gradually) when tumble dried repeatedly, or state no tumble, so I like to dry those separately.

EventuallyDiscussed · 19/10/2026 10:54

MarcusBrigstockesfringe · 19/10/2026 10:32

Yes. I dried all my towels on Saturday.

I do have a cooker that's like an aha though and I did warm them off on the cooker when I brought them in.

But all sheets and thin cotton stuff dries.

Yes, we have an Everhot and can dry or finish laundry over that, but it does depend on no one wanting to use the hotplates at the time.

maddiemookins16mum · 19/10/2026 10:56

Yep, if my patio is dry out it goes. I have bedding out now - will come in by 3pm.

MarcusBrigstockesfringe · 19/10/2026 10:56

EventuallyDiscussed · 19/10/2026 10:54

Yes, we have an Everhot and can dry or finish laundry over that, but it does depend on no one wanting to use the hotplates at the time.

I spend my life moving things from the hotplate side to the cold side of the everhot!

I dry most things on it at night as we keep it on low heat as the eco setting.

But it is a lovely smell when you bring winter dried sheets and towels in and the kitchen smells incredible.

Belladog1 · 19/10/2026 11:09

No, I have stopped. The only thing I still peg out is when I hand wash my underwired bras, so they are dripping. I pop them on the outside line until the dripping stops, then put them in the shower room.

Pootles34 · 19/10/2026 11:11

Yes it goes out during the day, then 'airs' inside on clothes hangers during the night, normally dry by morning. I find hanging them up inside open door frames works best weirdly.

EventuallyDiscussed · 19/10/2026 11:36

MarcusBrigstockesfringe · 19/10/2026 10:56

I spend my life moving things from the hotplate side to the cold side of the everhot!

I dry most things on it at night as we keep it on low heat as the eco setting.

But it is a lovely smell when you bring winter dried sheets and towels in and the kitchen smells incredible.

Ours is only a 90i so not huge amounts of space over it, so I only hang things when I am sure everyone is either out or gone to bed but my adult DCs have nocturnal cooking habits.

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