I've just hung my washing out on the line

[NormaDesmondsEyebrows]

And the heavens have opened.

I'm not getting it in, as it can't get any wetter.

BIL is here and he's TWITCHING. He's asked us several times if we're sure we want to leave it. And keeps commenting that 'ooh it's really coming down now' and looking out at the garden.

I'm just glad he wasn't here at 7am when I got the darked on loads in...

I thought people who stressed about this kind of thing were just invented on MN. I didn't realise actual adults feel the need to rescue wet washing from the rain, or dry washing from the dark.

Aibu?

In all seriousness, I don't really understand the idea of just leaving the washing out for days and days on end. Presumably, you decided to wash it because, you know, you wanted to wear the items again? If you didn't, just leave it all in the laundry basket then.

I'd leave the washing out - it's already wet. If you live in a polluted area, it may get dirtier though and if it gets drenched, the weight of the water may pull delicate fabrics out of shape.

The reason you shouldn't leave washing out overnight is because moths can get in it, then they lay eggs and the caterpillars eat holes into the fabric.

I simply cannot believe there are so many threads about this topic....

If it can't get any wetter then I'd just leave it be.

Cali - I don't know maybe pollution in the air?

Washing dried outdoors when it's dry has a nice smell - as I say I use unperfumed powder so there is nothing to mask the smell. Washing that's been out in the rain or out overnight smells different. Not exactly horrible, but not pleasant either.

We've had on/off showers every day for weeks, so it seems a waste of energy to hang it out and watch it like a hawk only to end up having to bring it in to dry it.

I have an old style "pulley" - it takes a full load and dries in a day or overnight. Duvet covers and sheets get dried over the banister and can be dry in a couple of hours.

I am a bit weird about washing and would have to rescue it, this would involve me yelling and dashing out the door as soon as I noticed the rain.

Oh - we have thunder. Is it OK for laundry to be thundered on?! Looks brighter in the distance - I think it'll pass soon.

While we're on the subject of laundry, dm and mil always seem perplexed that I don't have a peg bag and instead just leave the pegs in place on the line between use. If they kindly bring my washing in for me they leave the pegs in a little pile on the outside table, where they get blown off and I have to scrabble about collecting them. AIBU to not have a peg bag? I'm not sure of the point.

I think it does depend on where you live.

It's no extra work to hang laundry outdoors- I am at home all day so I can keep an eye on the weather.

I really want one of those pulleys waxoff except every time I see one I think of the Closer film. Plus they're surprisingly expensive. Your post has tempted me anew though

It's no extra work to hang laundry outdoors as long as it's coming in dry, if it's coming in damp then you have to hang it up all over again.

I have a peg box with a lid that stays outdoors.
Pegs last longer if they are not constantly exposed to the sun. Plastic becomes brittle quickly , wood and metal pegs get damaged by rain.

Ooh Cailleach thanks for the info. I'm forever buying new pegs but neverrealised it was the sun's fault - they tend just to spring apart when I'm using them.

Great Rain and thunder and lightening now .

longest. It's the best thing we ever did. The pulley wasn't that expensive (about £60?) but converting the back of the garage to move the utility room to accommodate that and the cat flap was a bit extra :o

We have this one:

www.castinstyle.co.uk/product.php/1283/seven-lath-gismo-kitchen-maid-reg-clothes-dryer

The builder fitted it so it's rock solid. You can hang underwear etc from the end bits.

This sounds like a good place to post. We were thinking to buy a new washing line. The rotating one. I saw one online that had an breaks sort of thingy to keep clothes covered if rain comes.
Has anyone used it? Does it last? Any recommendations?

That looks great. I don't have a garage though. Would have to go in the kitchen or bathroom

Surely if he that bothered about it he can go and get it (and sort out where to put it to keep your house dry)

I am so lazy that I leave mine. But I left some a couple of weeks ago (only for the day) & they came in smelling like damp dog. No idea why.

I have one of those Brabantia things that fix on the wall & pull out. It's fantastic! I really want a pulley but my ceilings are so high f*ck knows how I'd get it up there. Plus, as a measure of my laziness, I left the wooden ladder outside so long the steps broke when I stood on it.

I dear late FIL always brought the washing in before it gets dark - it might get fairly dry and then a heavy dew can dampen it again.
But our weather is so unpredictable which is why I mostly use a couple of clothes-horses these days.

Do you know the orientation of your garden? If the wind is coming from the west it generally brings rain so it may be wiser to hang laundry indoors if you can. I've used to have railway line to the west of me - if I could hear the trains loudly it almost always meant that rain was on the way.

I hate my washing being out in the rain - it definitely doesn't smell as nice after that.

I brought it in the put it out again with next load. Bright here now.

I put my washing out st night ready for the morning.... I do three loads a day so best way to get it all dry. As for rain when we used cloth nappies was the best way to strip wash them!

Hail here.

What if your washing gets PUNCTURED?