Outdoor laundry drying tips/tricks/techniques?

[Teaandsleep]

I’ve recently bought a house with a lovely big garden and want to make good use of drying clothes outdoors whenever I can…

Any tips/tricks or products you recommend?

I’m looking for gadgets or nice quality pegs!

If I had a huge garden I would have two washing lines - one in the sun and one in the shade. That would mean in the height of summer I could choose to hang things on the line in the shade so they didn't fade, or on the line in the sun so that the sun bleached out the stains.

Never consider inviting in any TV garden makeover teams - they always seem to remove washing lines of whatever type.

If you're hanging socks on the line, pair them up so they can easily be put away after

@OddSocksSparklyDocsandDungaree

If you're hanging socks on the line, pair them up so they can easily be put away after

And peg by the toes so that you can turn the tops over while they’re still hanging and then release the pegs to drop them into the basket. My favourite part of laundry

If you can persuade your nearest and dearest to use these before putting their socks in the laundry basket, they can go straight on the washing line.

@RoyKentsChestHair Going to try that tomorrow!!!!

Not outdoor specific but I always send the washing for an extra spin before getting it out of the machine, makes it dry much quicker (thanks TOMM!)

French stainless steel pegs. They’re one of my favourite things

Only do washing at night after I have looked at the BBC weather app, if it’s going to be dry then washing goes on, then when I get up In Morning put in on again for another spin 1600. I put stuff out all year even in mid winter if its dry and a bit of wind it will dry. This week has been such good weather I am now running out of stuff to wash , bath matts, dressing downs , bedding and towels have all been done. I love a good drying day . Tomorrow I think will start washing the winter jackets, as spring really seems to be here , so they are ready for next November.

I use stainless steel pegs-they don't perish in the sun, and if they get dirty a quick swoosh in soapy water gets them clean again.

I have found my people

Big plastic pegs with soft grips, loads of them, you'll need more than you think. A peg bag for hanging and I love our soctopus on our line.

I have a washing line and a Minky clothes airer. only peg washing on the line if it's pretty much guaranteed to be dry all day. If the weather is less predictable I will put the airer out on the patio so that at least then if it rains it can all be easily brought inside quickly and doesn't need to be re-hung.

I hang everything coloured inside out to prevent fading and dry black or very dark clothes in the shade, again on the clothes horse.

I mainly just use the line for sheets and towels in the summer. It's quicker to put things on the clothes horse (don't need pegs).

I only have space for a rotary line - it's better than nothing but a straight long line is best definitely. But having it on a pulley to raise it up when full is very useful (and to drop it down for those of a shorter stature to hang things is also very useful....as a short squat myself!).

I am also veering towards annual replacement of pegs, as DH cannot bring them in out of the weather....I have a bag for holding the pegs that can unclip and come indoors easily (or move to another arm/other end of long line), except DH just leaves it out.

I use a few Ikea socktopusses to hang socks, jcloths, etc that only need 1 peg. It can save space and also makes those things easier to grab when the rain starts. And can make it easier to sort as you hang out, and then pair up as you take in, if you have that inclination.

Hang anything like tshirts/tops, jumpers, hoodies etc from under the armpits and have half hanging over each side of the line. There is far less stretching and distorting out of shape if you do that compared with hanging from the waistband always.

Having a rotary line or a clothes horse to put outdoors can give extra options for delicate handwash only woollens etc, that come out very heavy but you don't want them to stretch - as you can hang them over a few lines/bars at once.

And if you have choices where to put it in the garden, think about the direction of the sun's journey over the course of the day, where the prevailing wind comes from, and what times of day you are most likely to be using it - if you hang before going to work in the morning but sit outdoors at night, try to position it to get good morning to afternoon sun - but if you hang in the evenings to stay out overnight (I know, MN hates it but it is very practical and they still get dry!), you might want to find the more evening sun spot. And having a good breeze over it is always useful for speedier drying and better softness to the end results - I ADORE fluffy towels which are line dried on a very windy day for their softness next time they are used!

We have a long line with wooden line props that DH made from lengths of timber from Wickes which he bought for about a fiver and cut a notch in the top and sanded down a bit, they seem better than the metal ones you buy. Our line is next to the path as you wouldn't want to be walking on the grass if it's a bit damp.

I have a retractable washing line (the Vileda one - the line does eventually weaken/fray so the whole unit has to be replaced, which is a bit annoying, but the line itself is good quality and doesn't stretch out like some of the cheaper ones do).
I also dry a lot of clothes on hangers as they dry much more quickly. These hanger hooks from Lakeland are brilliant, the hangers very occasionally fall out in very strong gusts of wind but the hooks are pretty secure and it means I can dry far more washing on the line (I only have a small back yard and no tumble dryer). I use wooden pegs but I don't leave them pegged out on the line all the time as they'd get damp and then discolour/stain the washing as others have mentioned. I have several socktopus-type things for drying socks & small things, they hook on the line with the Lakeland hanger hooks.

I’m in my 50s and made a huge exciting discovery this week. My washing machine has a timer so I can set it to go on before I get up. And it doesn’t wake everyone up. I can’t believe I never thought about this before - probably the only person in the world who didn’t know!

Get a Brabantia if you decide to go for a rotary - they are so much better than an el cheapo one.
When I get the clothes in, I leave them on an airer (or hanging off furniture) overnight before putting away. (Why is this??!! Maybe just because my mum did it!!!).
Nothing beats washing hung out - I don't have a tumble dryer.

Anything that is going to hung in wardrobes, hang when wet and pop the hangers on the line. Saves space and makes for easier putting away once dry.