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Original poster

the best way to peg your washing out

116 replies

fruitful · 09/05/2007 20:29

I'm inspired by the AIBU thread (honest).

I've only had an outside washing line for a month and am therefore a pegging-out novice.

Please tell me your methods for pegging your laundry out so it dries quickly, and doesn't need ironing, and is easy to sort and put away.

And what do you do if it gets rained on (in the absence of helpful neighbours)? Wash it again? Leave it? Spin it and hang out again?

And my neighbours don't seem to wash their knickers ... None on their lines, anyway.

OP posts:
laundrylover · 09/05/2007 23:10

thanks you....gone all Somerset for some reason!

Nikki76 · 09/05/2007 23:14

This reminds me of my MIL...ardent laundry lover and folds like its going out of fashion....

I was 3 months post c section and pretty post natal....was pegging washing out on the line under her watchful eye- she was sat on the armchair in living room btw....got really fed up with it all and so just flung a towel over the line thinking she won't see that....went back in and although she doesn't speak the English, she was gesturing away....finally realised she wanted me to go back out, take the towel off and peg it so that it would dry properly.....

Did I mention I was post c section AND post natal???!!!

SlightlyMadScarecrow · 09/05/2007 23:19

Now - I have not read teh whole thread - but I know someone that owns an irnoning company. It is their recomendation that you fold the top part of T-shirts over teh line so the actual washing line runs armpit to armpit. That way the peg marks are under the armpits so not visible. It also prevents the hem of the T-shirt being distorted by the weight of the wet T-shirt pulling it down (thats harder to explain than I imagined). I have to admit I do peg DCs T-shirts by teh bottom as the weight is not really an issue.

I guess it doesn't dry as quickly but I DO see the point about peg marks and strecthing hems.

laundrylover · 09/05/2007 23:19

Please don't compare me to your MIL....I would have been so happy to come over and peg out your washing for you...you should have posted.

Nikki76 · 09/05/2007 23:21

Please!!!! Please!!! I HATE doing it with a passion!! MIL was pegging away when we were in Syria and whinging about my folding so when DS grobag came off the line with a peg mark, instead of being gutted there was a mark on it, I was gleeful she cocked up!!!

SlightlyMadScarecrow · 09/05/2007 23:22

Oh and I can't be arsed to peg out small items such as underwear and tiny baby vests and baby grows. Do you know how many pairs of knickers, vests, newborn babygrows you can actually get in one load of washing!?!?!?!? They all go straight in the tumble dryer - hence you are highly unlikely to see underwear on my line...

laundrylover · 09/05/2007 23:22

But they run an IRONING company - of course they want you to peg things out in a ridiculous manner....then you have to pay them to iron the completely pointless crease out!!!!

I would have an involuntary sharp intake of breath if I saw washing pegged out in such a reckless manner....I'm off to bed to dream of flapping nappies.

SlightlyMadScarecrow · 09/05/2007 23:24

But I TOTALLY agree with them wrt peg marks and strecthing hems.

They don't actually recommend to their customers so they have nothing to gain from the advice - it is just something they have 'learnt' from their job IYSWIM...

laundrylover · 09/05/2007 23:24

But they look so gorgeous on the line!

To tumble dry them would be a waste....really going to bed now...look at the time!

RoundTheBend · 09/05/2007 23:31

I am also someone who pegs tops under their armpits as then you cannot see any peg marks. You want to keep the clothes in shape and by pegging them at the bottom, you risk them going out of shape. Trousers are pegged by the waistbands, knickers by their crotches and socks by their toes.

Did you also know that to keep black clothes "black" you should not wash them with fabric conditioner as that is what makes them turn grey?

Nikki76 · 09/05/2007 23:33

If you get a peg mark under the armpit though, wouldn't it look like a sweat stain???

RoundTheBend · 09/05/2007 23:34

No . It is actually very rare to get an actual peg mark from under there as you are pegging on seams most of the time. And, with the heat of your underarms, any marks would soon fade out.

Nikki76 · 09/05/2007 23:36

DH thinks I learn nothing on Mnet...but...here you go! A laundry tip! Wait until I take that one to Syria.....cue MIL having multiple orgasm by the washing line!

I do love her really!

FiveFingeredFiend · 09/05/2007 23:39

Put do you peg out your smalls?

With babygrows the best way is to hang them inside out and from the feet. From the garden i like to add a sprig of mint. As clothes are inside out, and insects from herbs will be hopefully remain on the outside ( as it was on the inside iyswim).

Fresh & laundered and better than synthetic tumble dry sheets.

SlightlyMadScarecrow · 09/05/2007 23:39

I also wash and hang dark/bright clothes inside out (unless they NEED to be washed the right way) so that the sun doesn't bleach them. Especially given that I do most of my drying in my bright conservatory during winter..

Nikki76 · 09/05/2007 23:40

Christ if I added a sprig of mint to the clothes I think MIL would die and go right to heaven!

SlightlyMadScarecrow · 09/05/2007 23:42

I told you my babygrows don't get peg marks - they go straight in teh tumbler. I don't have enough pegs for all my white washing given it is usually underware & babygrows. I serously counted 60something items in a single load once. I don't have time to peg 60 seperate items....

Bucketsofdynomite · 10/05/2007 12:04

I've never had stretched hems from pegging t-shirts upside down! They're just not that wet when they come out of the machine, there's a non-heat spin cycle.
They might stretch if they were left out in the rain to get soaked. My nappies once pulled the whole line down in a storm they got so heavy!

Original poster
fruitful · 10/05/2007 13:29

Well I read half of this and then went and pegged my washing out.

Everything that will get hung up went straight on a hanger (on some thingies from Lakeland to keep the hanger on the line).

Trousers from the top, t-shirts from the bottom (the ones that need keeping in shape were on hangers anyway). Socks in pairs. Pegging one side only to let the wind in didn't work as its too windy out there - they were going to take off I think.

All nicely sorted - I've a 4-sided whirly so that's one side for each member of the family. Bit of a faff that, think I'd rather sort it when it comes off the line.

Anyway, came in, had lunch, put ds to bed, read the rest of this thread, looked out the window - its RAINING!

And the problem with having stuff on hangers is it is harder to lob it in the basket and get in the dry quickly. And you can't just give up and chuck them in the drier!

OP posts:
Original poster
fruitful · 10/05/2007 13:36

And what is the MN-approved method of pegging one of these out? Ds has two (one in the wash, one in bed) and he sucks them so they needed washing a lot! No knots in his any more. And it has to look like it doesn't hurt...

OP posts:
DeviousDaffodil · 10/05/2007 13:37

I take great pleasrure in hangign teddies by the goolies on the line!!

MuminBrum · 10/05/2007 13:51

Tops by the bottom, bottoms by the top, definitely. Socks in pairs by their toes. DS's socks go into a little laundry bag in the machine to keep them out of the flange. Knickers hung up by one side, except for DP's giant dad-pants which are hung up with two pegs. Towels by their edges, unless they have a non-pile band close to the edge, in which case that bit goes over the line and is pegged three or four times to keep the towel even. Babygros (not that anyone in our house wears them any more) have to be turned inside out before they are washed - I had a few hand-me-down ones that had a ton of grot in each foot, even though they were clearly fresh out of the machine - and must be hung up by their toes.

laundrylover · 10/05/2007 14:22

Fruitful, I'd say by the tip of his hat?

DD1s Pink Bunny (original name eh?)is flapping by the ears today. They get so grotty don't they, specially wih greasy Epaderm hands fondling them all night!

Panth · 10/05/2007 17:25

Seen as everyone here seems to have an opinion on pegging, thought I'd share my lovely new pegs with you all, v impressed with them and they're lovely colours too Lakeland pegs

laundrylover · 10/05/2007 23:26

Ooh Panth. that might make me do that trip to the lakeland shop that I've been meaning to do for ages.

Did anyone else enjoy an unexpectedly perfect drying day today? Two loads out and dried for me so I'm a happy bunny.