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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:
Smalline · 17/04/2007 21:10

I have been reading this thread with great interest. My clothes are not crunchy, I hang them on a clothes airer all year round, I put the airer outside in good weather, and in one of the bedrooms in winter. I use conditioner, because it makes the clothes softer and the smell is heavenly. I give the clothes a good shake before hanging them, then from the airer they are put on hangers and put away. I hardly do any ironing - no need, dh irons his shirts but is not allowed to hang the washing out.

I'm very interested in the vinegar, can you get distilled clear vinegar in the supermarket?

Clary · 17/04/2007 22:29

about DHs hanging things out wrong.

I left DH, who had the day off, with a load of washing to gather together and put in then hang up. Got home and he had done none of these!

"Well you should have reminded me" was his response! (then I would have been nagging of course )

To be fair he was feeling ill and is normally very good at the laundry when asked.

Bozza I think of you every time I hang up washing, thanks to my super duper non-marking clothes pegs. Did you know they now do the Lakeland ones in Sainsbos?

Linnet · 17/04/2007 22:45

I don't have a tumble drier so it's either put everything on clothes horses and radiators or in the summer it's hung out to dry.

I've been hanging out the washing for 7 years since we moved to this house and I don't think I've ever had crunchy washing. I use ariel liqui-tabs and fabric softner, even for towels, and they come out lovely and soft if hung out to dry. I find that when I hang them inside to dry in the winter the towels are a bit crunchy, but not in summer.

MuminBrum · 18/04/2007 08:35

What a relief to find that other women are irritated by their DH/DP's methods of hanging out washing. My DP doesn't shake anything out and hangs trousers up by their ankles!

penpal · 18/04/2007 10:27

Does anyone else hang out their washing in size order? Or am I completely mad. Drives me mad if anyone hangs out my washing. My husband took over the housework (lasted 2 days) after I had DD1 and I just HAD to re-hang it all whilst still very poorly post birth, it was driving me twitchingly mad everytime I looked out of the window.... picture mad woman bent over like a wizened old witch 'fiddling' with clothes pegs then scurrying back into house.

MuminBrum · 18/04/2007 10:58

Not so much in size order, but all items of a kind together, and socks have to be paired. OCD or what?

vimfuego · 18/04/2007 11:12

Well done anyone using a line, it's much better for the environment. I read that it uses 2kw electricity to run a tumble dryer, which is the same electricity used to boil 20 litres of water! That's roughly 40p a load too, which means you'll make real cash savings if you switch to using a line regularly.

mummyhill · 18/04/2007 11:22

socks have to be paired. Ds's clothes then dd's then mine then dh's. Nappies all together and sets of bedding together.

Original poster
Twiglett · 18/04/2007 11:23

um that's 84 messages about hanging washing

methinks maybe that's a little too much

OP posts:
glassslipper · 18/04/2007 11:23

my DH hangs things out the wrong way too. Shirts by their shoulders fgs.

I only use my tumble drier for our king size duvet cover as it takes forever. In the winter i use a clothes airer most of the time and just tumble jeans.

Elasticwoman · 18/04/2007 18:59

Wow Bozza - haven't used drier since Boxing Day? Didn't you get snow in the last couple of months?

My nextdoor neighbour and I both line-dry as much as we can and often have conversations about the ecofriendliness of it and whether it's going to get rained on today. Her dh once got my washing in when we were out and there was a deluge/thunderstorm. I knew it had to be him because it was all folded neatly, unlike when I do it myself.

LowFatMilkshake · 18/04/2007 20:18

I love to line dry! And I love the fact I love to line dry, so being ecofriendly is no hardship!

I have a 4 sided rotary and put things on equally to balance it.

Small clothes in the middle, larger clothes and towels on the outer rows.

There is an empty line between eash row of washing to allow air to get to the clothes.

I hide all my underwear in the middle.

And I like to show of my whites - as my mum did before me and as all my aunts do.

And I love to see all my childrens clothes on the line, it looks a like a real washing posder advert!

I once had a conversation with my friends mum about drying trousers ankle up or waist up is beter - her dad though we were crackers!

And I also love to iron all our clothes - so crucnhy clothes is not a problem for me. I have a mega comfy height ironing board and good iron. Stick in a musicial such as Grease or Sound of Music and I'll be in my element!

I am not sad, I love this little slice of domesticity

Now cleaning the overn....bleugh
But Ialso like to show off all my childrens clothes on the line

dingdongjustforyoufg · 18/04/2007 20:56

LOL milkshake, I hang my washing out in exactly the same way as you DH does the ironing though

MrsCellophane · 18/04/2007 21:01

I'm feeling so smug... every tea-time for the past week I've been taking in the washing and ironing it straight away.... and it's a doddle. It is soooo nice not to have an ironing pile!

MrsCellophane · 18/04/2007 21:02

DH iritates me too - leaves the washing doubled over on the line - how is that supposed to dry? I have to re-hang often!

LowFatMilkshake · 18/04/2007 21:09

So who dries trousers by the waist band and who dries them by the wasit band.

I do both depenting on whoes trousers and what the material is!

Original poster
Twiglett · 19/04/2007 12:38

you do both do you milkshake? .. what? you choose between drying them by the waistband and drying them by the waistband

must be a tough choice

OP posts:
blossomsmine · 19/04/2007 13:21

MrsCellophane well done on your speedy ironing! Thats when i have to go out to dance classes, tea time, so no chance of me doing that!

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