To hang washing outside?

[ceeveebee]

We live in an affluent borough in SW London, but both me and DH are originally from up north.

We always hang washing on the line in the back garden when the weather is nice, IMO it makes the clothes smell and feel nicer and saves electricity too (I cannot stand washing on radiators in the house so only alternative is the tumble dryer). However I have noticed that none of my neighbours do so, and today our NDN mentioned that his neighbour on the other side had commented to him that she'd noticed we always have a full line (we have baby twins).

Is it so unusual to hang washing out in nice weather? Is this a north/south divide thing?

I think it's very sensible. I've had washing out for the last couple of days, not that it comes back in dry because it's still not that warm

We're in the same area as you, and we do it all the time. Then, I am antipodean and think it is much nicer to have everything dry from the outside. My neighbours probably think I'm a nutter as if it's above zero and not raining = washing outside. Even if it only gets mostly dry, it's still water we don't want in the house as I can't bear having all the condensation in the house from the drying clothes and I don't want to cook them in the tumble dryer.

Surely the environmentally friendly way to dry your clothes?

YANBU! Its environmentally friendly and better for your clothes. The neighbour is probably jealous that you make the effort to do it!

Maybe they didnt have any to hang out, as this is the first few days of the year where it has actually been warm enough to dry any washing.

I am from up North, but have lived in SW London for 15 years now and all my neighbours hang washing out...

However my mum would have washing out in all weathers.. I remember seeing frozen sheets swaying stiffly on the line...

YANBU to hang your washing out on your line, whenever you wish, Is it some form of snobbery? A strange to comment to make. I'd have the washi8ng out all year round after that!

YANBU! I am a line dry nutter, everything goes out if it possibly can. I see it as a challenge to use the tumble dryer as little as possible. Last year I hung out during the final days of the snowy weather- glorious sunshine but snow still on the ground. Even half an hour on the line reduces the amount of indoor drying time significantly. Sheets dried in the fresh air are especially lovely to sleep in. Don't be put off, hang away!!!

No I'm from sw London and we do hand our washing on the line but I think it's still a bit cold, that's all.

I hang my washing out when ever I can, as I don't have a tumble dryer.
I'm like microserf, if it's not freezing or raining then the washing can go out and if the weather is nice then I do as much washing as possible.

Thanks all. Yes, like micro and squeaky's mother, we have washing out all the time unless its raining (when I say 'all the time' I mean all day, not overnight). We've lived here for a few years and none of our neighbours have ever hung washing outside that we can see. So I wondered if this was a southern thing - seems like its not and they are just all a bit odd!

I don't know anyone that doesn't hang their washing out ,everyone does here but then I don't live in an affluent area

South London - I always have full line, weather allowing.(weather not allowing, i take a weeks worth to the launderette industrial tumblers)

My neighbour though, only seems to out out bed linen, club towels and sportwear - never ever undies .........everything goes out on mine.

YANBU

Why would you not hang washing out if the weather is good enough to dry it? Am from the midlands, not north or south, but this has me puzzled........

I am in Canada and it's tumble dryer heaven here. When we moved I always hung my washing outside. I had to get a line hung out there especially! All our closest neighbours think we're mad, but I think they're mad wasting electricity and wrecking their clothes when things dry in under an hour in the summer months. And there is nothing better than getting into a freshly made up bed that smells of outside. I am also a bit of a wierdo in that it gives me immense inner happiness to see my washing flapping on the line I can't wait until it gets above 0oC so I can hang it out!

I had a feather duvet out on the line yesterday and it almost dried.... just aired it off in the airing cupboard. I like clothes dreid outside even if I have to finish them off in the dryer as they smell so nice.

YANBU I live in a similar area op and christened my washing line for the first time today! Whilst I satisfyingly surveyed my sheets flapping in the breeze it occured to me that as far as my eyes could see, none of my neighbours had a line. Am I lowering the tone of the street ?

If its not raining or foggy the washings out. But then I have two still in cloth nappies.

I love seeing washing blowing on the line.... but only if the pegs match!

No it's totally what you need to do to welcome in the spring. I got two loads dry today

Like others here, I really love to see a line of billowing washing. Our house on Google Earth even has a line of whites out drying!

Mind you I live in the East Mids, which those in London seem to regard as the frozen wastes of the distant north, so maybe you are right OP.

I used to love hanging my washing out but we are now in a flat with no outside drying space :(

Occasionally I have asked my mum to wash and hang out a couple of tops with some sort of sauce on so the sun can naturally bleach it out

There's nothing nicer than a line of clean baby clothes (preferably white)! Could watch mine for hours and do!

YANBU I had 3 loads out today - live in a block of flats so commandeered 2 of the lines. Everything came back in nearly dry, just finished it on the airer. Love the smell of outdoor dried clothes :)

Clary - does that mean I'm in the north? I always thought the midlands was, well, y'know, in the middle! This is fascinating...