Why do you hang your washing outside when it always ends up smelling like damp?

[lilybit2025]

Apart from the obvious cost savings compared to using a tumble dryer, I don’t understand why people hang their washing outside because no matter what I do, mine always ends up smelling damp and completely unpleasant!

It sounds like you are bringing it in before it’s properly dry . I dry outside but also pop things on an hanging airer inside overnight just to finish off or in the airing cupboard - unless it’s really warm out .

I know what the problem is !
The OP has left the laundry out late at night and it has got "darked on", as ie, Mumsnet rules. That or it is due to spider willies.

I think you must be too used to very perfumed products. The outdoors smell just smells fresh and not perfumed.

I don’t have a dryer and only use line drying or heated airer. I’ve never had a damp smell on line dried clothes. If fact line dried clothes smell amazing

I hang my washing out when it’s dry with a bit of a breeze even if it’s not particularly sunny.
It never smells damp.
I bring it in as soon as it is dry and before the haar comes rolling in from the sea( East coast of Scotland).

Mine has always smelt great outside. Even when we were kids.

My washing always used to smell damp whether it was dried outdoors, over the radiators or in the tumble dryer. Turned out it down to using liquid washing detergents and it gradually built up an unpleasant slime. Switched to powder and it’s never been an issue since. I also run a service wash every month and wipe out the door and rubber seal and the detergent drawer.

Mine never smells damp … it smells lovely and fresh! Must better than when dried indoors, dries properly and a lot quicker!!

I think those who dislike line drying either leave their washing too long in the washing machine before hanging it out, aren't using washing powder and/or not washing at a high enough temperature, aren't regularly doing a drum clean or have something wrong with their olefactory system.

I'm in the gang! People think I'm mad but I really dislike the smell of outdoor dried washing.

I live beside the ocean and I love it if it’s dry enough it to hang laundry out. It smells amazing!

Huh?? Washing smells amazing when hung outside. You're doing something wrong.

Are you sure 'damp' is the correct word to describe what you're smelling? It's reasonable that not everyone would like the smell of fresh air (i mean sort of reasonable 😅) but makes zero sense that they would smell damp.

Come on. You’re pulling our leg. If your machine is deep cleaned regularly, filter cleared to, you use a quality detergent and fabric softener and hang out ‘well spun’ lightly damp clothes somewhere outdoors, well ventilated (so not a pokey balcony) for no more than than 8 hours in fine weather, it should not smell damp.

If you don’t like that outdoorsy smell, buy a strong smelling fabric softener you do like the smell of, and use it very generously then that’s all you will be able to smell. You surely were able to work this out for yourself?

Someone said about the city air- I’ve lived in a pretty polluted area and rural clean air and washing has never smelt dodgy unless it was the washing machine. Am so invested and intrigued!!!

I read about this amazing outside smell on here, but have never experienced it myself. I live in a very wet county and often washing just doesn't get dry and I'm out a lot so chancing hanging it out is very dicey in case it rains later. My tumble dryer is my luxury in life.

Maybe it's your detergent or softner thats making it smell unpleasant.

Mine smells great after hanging outside, much prefer this to using a dryer or an airer. Maybe it's your washing machine that smells.

Line dried washing smells better than any tumble dried fabric softener scent ever can. Maybe you’re so used to the hyper-fragranced perfume of fabric softeners that you think that real fresh air smells musty….?

Mine washing is pegged out whenever possible and it never smells damp.

I always hang my washing outside and it never smells damp.

Are you in Alaska or someplace damp?

100% with you on this one! I can’t ever smell the washing detergent if I’ve dried my clothes on the line!

Sorry to be a pedant, but you have no way of knowing that you can "always tell" - logically that can't be true.

When you can tell, you can tell. When you can't tell, you can't tell. Unless you stop everyone you see and ask them how they dry their washing, having already made your own guess, you have literally no idea what your success rate is. Maybe you are rubbish at telling! Maybe dozens of "line dryers" walk past you every day without ever offending your nose! Maybe the people who make you "gag" (I'll take your word for it...) dry their clothes in a tumble dryer! You actually have no way of knowing.

What I suspect you mean is "I know someone who smells unpleasant to me, and they dry their clothes outside, so it must be that".

Haven’t read the thread but ours smells fresh - never damp. Not sure what you’re doing but I don’t know anyone whose washing smells damp when dried outside - always fresh and lovely

Oh boy, you've done it now!