Washing on lines in the rain.

[Mokel]

Even with 72 hours of yellow weather warnings for heavy rain and thunderstorms from my home, I can see three gardens and yards (Victorian terraces) with washing on their lines!

When they do take their washing in, they have to rewash it again as 1 it will stink and 2 probably dirty marks on the items where they rested on the line plus peg marks.

How stupid do you have to be not to remove washing from outside when it rains? If you are out for the day and its forecasted rain - you don't put it out.

I left my washing out once, it smelt so nice once it was in and dry - really fresh 😂

If it rains on our washing, it smells of fresh air and grassy rain. I love the smell of washing that has been out overnight and in rain. It never has dirty marks on it from being out in the rain- no idea what OP is talking about.

I think you need to get yourself a hobby OP.
I've got washing on my line, and have had for the last several times its rained. I'll tell you why.
It isn't because I'm stupid. It's because I have a teen DD who is starting to take responsibility of her own washing and DDs the kind of person who will not learn unless she realises it makes her life harder to not pay attention to the weather.

She has got a hobby. Other people's business!

It’s called not giving a shit - you should try it. It’s very liberating.

OP, I have two suggestions that will vastly improve your quality of life.

1. Get a new hobby, preferably one that doesn't involve staring out of your window in anger and disappointment for days at a time.
2. Find yourself a house in a normal place, where the rain doesn't smell and washing lines and pegs don't magically produce black marks when it rains. You'll be much happier.

I do have a third suggestion but it's a bit rude and I can tell you're easily upset.

Are you in 1950s London with smog, OP? Maybe 1870s in an industrial northern city with satanic mills?

Because other than that I can’t see why you think washing would be smelly or dirty in the rain.

Well joke's on you OP because I've put washing out in between the rain and got two loads dry.

Some of us are brave and bold and our reward is dry laundry whilst yours is still wet.

Perhaps they have more going on in their lives than you do and washing/drying clothes isn’t at the centre 🤷🏻‍♀️

When I was young it was really common to hear women bitching about other women’s washing. And the washing powder companies made ads about having whiter washing than the neighbours.

@Mokel if you’re a time traveller from the 1980s could I hitch a ride back with you? I’d love to visit some relatives and go shopping.

Is there nothing on telly?

Rain water is probably the cleanest water you can get. Fresh from the clouds before it’s had chance to pick up any muck.

I couldn’t care less about my neighbours’ washing.

No thunder and lightning here even though it was predicted. We only had about five drops of rain and I didn't do washing because I did listen to the incorrect weather forecast.

Thank you OP.

I was one of the "stupid" people but I was in A&E last night, so the washing got wet.

In the scheme of things, do you not have something better to watch than you neighbours washing?

Sod that. I've got far more better things to do, than to be pissing about re washing my clothes if they get rained on!!

We had a yellow weather warning here yesterday, I managed to dry about 3 loads of washing out doors. I wouldn't worry about it, it's your neighbours problem, not yours.

It's not really. It takes down all the dirt and dust with it.

An elderly neighbour I used to live next door to had the same mindset as me and she used to offer to get my washing in for me if it started raining and I wasn’t at home. She was really lovely and I miss her.

Ours was out on an airer yesterday. We kept an eye on it/the forecast as rain was due. It stayed out later than it maybe should've as I didn't want it back in the kitchen absorbing the aroma of the chilli DH was cooking. Bastard storm broke as we were eating supper so we obviously whipped it in. 10-15 more minutes and it would've come in anyway when we got up to wash up etc. It got a bit damp but it's fine this morning.

As long as one of us is home (unless it's a bone dry forecast) we stick it out as we need the space indoors and it dries better outside. We're lucky to be able to do that. Yes rain is annoying but we have windows. It's worth it for the drying speed.

When they do take their washing in, they have to rewash it again as 1 it will stink and 2 probably dirty marks on the items where they rested on the line plus peg marks.
If that was true we'd never put washing out. Dirty marks from the line? Peg marks? Stink?
Rainwater doesn't stink, very odd outlook.

Many years ago I used to think my neighbours were strange for having their washing out in the rain. Now I do it sometimes, in the hope that it will dry eventually, because it still smells fresher if dried outdoors than indoors. At the time I might have commented my surprise to family and friends in an amused way, but I never would have thought of going on an online forum to insult them.

@Skyrainlight we had 8 hours of no stop storms yesterday afternoon and it was still thundering when we went to bed. It was the loudest thunder I’ve heard for a very long time. Tomorrow there’s a yellow weather warning for rain here until Monday. Thankfully I got all my washing done in the dry window on Saturday morning,

I also bring mine in overnight in the uk- except for hot, dry high summer- just in case. I've found it gets damp otherwise. I leave it out when we're in southern Europe unless rain is actually forecast though.

I don't think the people whose laundry got a bit wet again are the stupid ones, OP....

It's often worth taking the chance that it will dry before the rain starts (or start to dry and then can bring in to finish it).

Unless it gets sopping wet and doesn't dry properly, it doesn't get stinky. If it did get sopping wet, I'd give it a spin or rinse and spin and all would be well. Not had trouble with dirty peg marks - if yours have gone rusty maybe give them a clean or buy some new ones?

If the clothes are already wet, no point bringing them in now, May as well wait for them to dry a bit...