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Housekeeping

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Original poster

Hello, yes its me and I have a numpty question regarding hanging washing on a line

93 replies

Twiglett · 15/04/2007 14:11

which at my grand old age of humpty-dumpty two I've barely done before .. always used tumble dryer or airer

but I have a new retractable washing line so have been gaily hanging up washing and feeling all 50's suburban housey-wifey too

but what's gone wrong? I have crispy clothes .. not sun-dried piles of freshness

OP posts:
bozza · 17/04/2007 09:08

TBH I am that a SAHM of humty-dumpty two years has barely hung out her washing. I think clothes are fine, line-dried, towels are a bit crunchy but can't be bothered to worry about it, and it all smells so fresh and lovely. I haven't used my drier since Boxing Day. I am considering freecycling it to free up more room in the garage for bikes etc.

Fauve · 17/04/2007 09:10

Call me weird, but I do a quick tumble before hanging out, for things I don't want creases in. Seems to work for me.

ihatethegym · 17/04/2007 09:46

Tend to tumble clothes that would need ironing if I put them on the line and put anyting else out on the line (but not bras, knickers, bibs). Put loads out yesterday ... and some nasty birdy pooped all over some of it!

ihatethegym · 17/04/2007 09:49

Also, agree with Imawurzel - can't stand anyone else pegging out my washing! They just do it wrong and it doesn't dry properly!

KerryMum · 17/04/2007 09:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

oliveoil · 17/04/2007 09:53

my MIL gave me a dryer even though I insisted I didn't want it

has been in the shed for 4 years

they ruin clothes - shrinkage! - are bad for the environment and use ££££ of electricity

all mine go on a maiden thing - clothes dryer doodar - or on the line in the summer

smell lovely and are not crispy

peanutbutter · 17/04/2007 09:56

agree with oliveoil. I don't mind a bit of crispiness in my dried washing.

The wonderful freshness from the wind and sunshine are worth it. On a good day I can get 3 big loads washed and dried on my long line.

Love love love seeing all my nappies blowing in the wind.

misdee · 17/04/2007 09:57

I love pegging washing out. The last lot of warm weather has seen my whirlygig full every day

i dont mind crunchy clothes, i do love the smeel, they just smell so fresh and lovely.

SJLTM · 17/04/2007 10:03

I have to admit I am very anal regarding hanging out my washing, I get this from my mum, I can remember as a little girl, mixing up her drying for a laugh!

BexieID · 17/04/2007 10:38

I thought this thread would be about how you actually peg your washing out as DF always pegs things out weird like, lol. He'll hang out, for example, a load of sleepsuits all differently, trousers all differently etc...

My mum was here last week and thought i'd hung out the washing like that. Not me, lol. I hang it out like she does!

Same when we go food shopping, I pack it away like mum does, cold bits together, smelly bits together, heavy items together and so on. DF just chucks it all in anywhere!

I don't like crisp nappies for Tom though. Crisp clothes can be a bugger to iron, but I hate the iron we have!

prettybird · 17/04/2007 10:48

Took till I was over 40 to realise that if you were careful about how you hung things out - shook the wet clothes out and hung them up nice and straight, and then were careful about how you folded them when you took them down once they were dry and put them into the washpasket, then yuo could drastically reduce the amount of ironing you need to do.

Agree about the bleaching power of the sun - great for whites, but you do need to be careful about your coloureds (I hang them out inside out).

I've learnt lo like the extra-abosrbent-if-a-little-crunchy feeling of line dried towels. A good wind does help reduce the crunchiness though.

DimpledThighs · 17/04/2007 10:54

MuminBrum - hope you get to read this!

Right now my friend works in research and she was telling me about line drying wshing being good for your imune system as when the clothes are outside there are exposed to a variety of pollen, if you line dry you get small traces of pollen on your clothes - very small and this can trigger a slight immune response from your body - not enough to give you full blown hayfever but enough for your body to 'practce' running the system and triggereing the immune response keeps everything running (a bit like starting a car every so often rather than leaving it for ages and then suddenely needing it.)

Okay - now she told me this in her kitchen with four children running around whilst we were trying to make cakes and my brain is more befuddled than I care to admit. If you want more clarity I will ask her but this is the best I can do at the moment!

mummyhill · 17/04/2007 11:02

I love to see a line of nappies or white bed sheets. My line dried stuff doesn't feel crunchy either.

I also hate anyone else pegging my washing out cause they do ndeed do it wrong.

I confess that I use the dryer in the winter or emergencies with school uniforms but am really happy that we now have some decent weather and I can festoon the garden. I know that anything the kids have caused stains on will have been bleached by the sun in no time at all.

tracyk · 17/04/2007 11:18

I use vinegar in the conditioner drawer - makes towels and dressing gowns much softer.

ginnedupmummy · 17/04/2007 11:29

Message withdrawn

MuminBrum · 17/04/2007 11:35

Thanks DT, that makes perfect sense and is another excellent reason to line-dry!

Incodnito · 17/04/2007 14:58

Do they not smell like the chip shop if you use vinegar?

bozza · 17/04/2007 15:01

DH definitely pegs the washing out incorrectly. He has improved a bit, but is still not up to my standads.

exbury · 17/04/2007 15:23

If DH actually hung some washing out, I would be too busy recovering from the shock to complain about how it was hung (for a while, at least )

KerryMum · 17/04/2007 15:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HopefullyJustParanoid · 17/04/2007 15:36

oo, great link DrNortherner - thanks, love the virtuous feeling of hanging outside but also confused by crispy washing

MotherAtLarge · 17/04/2007 16:23

Regret decision to buy washing machine, not washer-drier and never more so than when daughter is poorly. I even wrote a blog about it. Have a look at Motheratlarge

snowwonder · 17/04/2007 17:57

i think if it is really sunny and no wind it will be crunchy,

i love my towels crunchy!!!

if there is a breeze/wind it will be softer?

CorrieDale · 17/04/2007 18:25

Adding vinegar doesn't make them smell at all. I use distilled (clear) vinegar rather than malt though.

And it's true about shaking your clothes out before hanging them - that's why they're not crunchy when I hang them out, and very crunchy indeed when DH does. Now I know where DS gets his ungrateful streak from.

stripeybumpsmum · 17/04/2007 20:13

I feel so relieved I am not alone - there are other Obsessive-compulsives on the washing line front!
Excuse the rash generalisation here but am I the only one to notice it appears to be a genetic thing that the male of the species just doesn't get how to hang clothes properly? It isn't just the line, even if it is radiators he manages to have them all scrunched up, five deep. I know I shouldn't complain, he is trying but dammit he needs to try harder! (Admittedly the discussion around my demonstration usually ends with words similar to 'life, get one'
Evidentally, I have some way to go to escape from my mother's teaching that you had to fold dirty clothes before putting them for the wash, iron towels/pants/everything etc)