Drying washing outside: what am I doing wrong?

[CautiousOptimist]

I do one, occasionally two, loads of washing per day, and generally shove everything that can be tumbled in the tumble and hang a few bits in the airing cupboard which can't be tumbled.

The last couple of days I decided to hang everything outside on the rotary, as I've heard people say washing dried outside smells amazing. I just put it all away and it does smell good, but it's also kind of crispy and creased. Is that just what happens if you dry outside? Or am I missing something? TIA

Apologies if you do this already, but I generally find it helps to give each item a good hard shake before hanging it - a good noisy whipcrack where possible DH doesn't bother with this and his washing always comes off the line more creased than mine.

Yes, the snap shake is essential

Are you overcrowding?

Too much detergent?

I think it depends on the fabric - I love bedding which has been line dried and I never have any problem with clothes (I also shake them slightly after taking them off the line but that also has to do with removing potential spiders - I'm still slightly traumatised by that!) I never hang out towels - nothing softens them except a quick blast in the tumble drier - it is like drying yourself with a Brillo pad otherwise.

Are you using enough pegs? I peg things out very carefully making sure to match the colours of pegs for each item but that's a different thread and I don't have that problem. Dh sometimes pegs things hanging untidily from a corner with only one peg and they dry all creased and crunchy.

Shake the creases out before pegging out and use less detergent than you would normally.

I always find towels dry crispy outside, I don't use fabric softener though, maybe that would make a difference. Never seem to need it any other time, though!

Do you use conditioner ?

Yes line dried fabrics go like this, especially in hard water areas. I get them in when still slightly damp and finish off in the tumble dryer which softens them - best of both worlds.

I like a towel to sandpaper my skin off, so towels drying crispy is good for me. I do know people who take everything off the line DBC then give it a few minutes in the tumble too, makes things softer.

Ooh, lots of things to try. Thanks all, I've keep trying and hopefully master drying outside by the time we get to proper summer!

SnugglySnerd I have secret peg orders too

Yes I do use conditioner on almost everything so I don't think that's the problem. I might try a little less detergent though.

Less detergent
Conditioner
Shake before pegging
Make sure you hang so that maximum air gets through the fabric. Don't fold the items over the line.

T shirts hang upside down and peg at side seams etc

**DBC should be and

Crispy towels are the best! Very disappointing when have to tumble them.

Marking place cos DH (who does all the laundry in our house) refuses to dry stuff outside for this reason while I think it’s a massive waste of electricity/ the planet to use the drier when it’s warm out

I finish off line dried clothes with a quick Airer cycle in the tumble drier. It softens them up and they still smell divine

@snugglysnerd (officially my favourite username) you are the second person today who has said they colour coordinate their pegs!

Use white vinegar as a fabric conditioner for towels. They don't smell of it and they don't go crispy

I have OCD and am a nightmare when hanging out the washing as the pegs have to match and also go in a pattern i.e. Pink on item one, green on item 2 and blue on item 3 and repeat...
I'm a nightmare.

Also- I wipe the line before using it, just with a damp cloth. You would be amazed at how dirty the line can get, especially if it's been raining.

Don't use fabric conditioner on towels. It inhibits them taking up moisture, which is kind of the point of a towel. I dry everything on the line but I finish towels off in the tumble dryer.

Don't forget to reshape t shirts and cotton tops or they will dry in whatever mangled shape they came out of the machine.

We get crispy stuff due to hard water; I end him having to iron more -of my stuff -everyone else has to wear crunchy clothes unless they iron it themselves.

Hang everything straight and turn it once or twice during the day so both sides get the sun/air. Mine goes out all year round unless it's actually pissing and finishes off inside during the winter. Smells and feels great