Is hanging washing on the line not a thing anymore?

[Savvyshopper81]

Interesting conversation with neighbour recently:

Him: ‘I see you like hanging your washing out to dry.’
Me: ‘Er, yeah. Doesn’t everyone?’
Him: ‘Well no, we think it’s a bit common.’

Now this was said tongue in cheek but I’ve come to realise that NONE of my neighbours have washing lines (only us!) and we all have big enough gardens. Plus a local friend recently said that they tumble dry everything because they can’t stand seeing washing hanging around.

Is this no longer a thing? Has the world gone mad?? I live on top of a very windy hill in a sunny part of the UK - unless it’s raining washing usually dries in a couple of hours. I’m baffled as to why people wouldn’t take advantage of that!

As far as I know, only Americans think hanging washing on the line is weird and always prefer driers.

I've had 3 kids, worked all my life and never had a drier. I don't like them. Nothing compares to the freshness of folding clothes dried outside.

I don’t understand why so many of you can’t think of reasons for people not to hang out washing - disabilities, allergies (including hayfever). Also some people don’t have an outside space where they can hang things. And some landlords don’t allow drying on racks because of mould. Some flats come with washers and dryers for residents to use for this reason.

Someone gave me some amazing strong clothes pegs. Not sure where from but you could try image searching them!

(Hope attaching pic works)

This thread has been a revelation for me. I always hang my washing out but neither of my neighbours do. I always thought it was a bit strange of them. They are families with children so must have lots of laundry like i do, and i wondered if they are a bit lazy and found it less hassle to use their tumble dryers instead, despite the extra cost. But now im laughing at the idea that they may not be lazy, but think it's common to hang washing outside and may have been judging me all these years.

Appreciate this post. According to some on this thread, I'm chavy. Always good to know. Sigh.

I don't do it, I dry in the utility room on a rack, which I someetimes pop out onto the patio and I tumble dry towels and bedding but I don't think its common.
Having said that now I am thinking about it its much more likely to see in less affluent areas but I am sure there are excpetions to that

My little-old-man next door neighbour rarely hangs washing out. I'm sure he thinks I'm chavvy, given the constant chaos in my life (children) and my skivvies constantly flapping away in the eye line of his kitchen window.

He ONLY hangs out tea towels and the occasional top sheet. I do wonder how his other clothes dry, because he doesn't strike me as the tumble dryer type. But he lives in a biggish house alone, so maybe he's repurposed a room as a laundry drying room.

I have a line full of washing today. For me, drying the washing outside is the best thing about the summer months. It's healthier, it's greener and I don't understand why anyone with a garden would choose to dry indoors.

Hanging washing on the line is the only household chore I actively enjoy, and I love the outdoor scent on the clothes whe I bring them in (as long as no-one's had a BBQ!).

I tumble dry in the winter - when I have to - but only things I know won't shrink or bobble.

I've never owned a tumble dryer so my washing goes out as much as it can. I use an airer (or clothes horse as my nanny used to call it) in the winter but even then I'll try and put it on the washing line if it's dry & windy first.

I don't have a tumble dryer and I love hanging out the washing (doesn't happen every day as I live in Ireland!).

Because I have severe hayfever.

I’m a line drying convert. When I first moved to England many years ago I didn’t understand why it was not only popular but considered a cultural virtue. Another difference between the U.S. and U.K.

I think it's 'common' to nosy beak into other people's gardens.

haha this made me laugh - how times change.

I remember my Granny telling me that back in the 1920/30s she used to pride herself on a whiter than white and fabulous load of washing expertly pegged on the line. She even got many compliments on her lovely washing from men and women apparently!

She'd be spinning in her grave if she knew that it was now considered to be common!

Many people living in apartments don't hang clothes on outside washing lines because they don't have access to one, or it's communal and exposed to being stolen. No issues there.

But the OP is talking about people with big gardens where buying or installing washing lines is not a problem, but they think is "below their class, common or chav" drying clothes outside, which is beyond ridiculous.

There is nothing more environmentally friendly, clean, hypoallergenic and fresh smelling than hanging a wash on a line if you can do so.

Weather permitting, I line dry clothes, linen and towels. Only a small back yard but have lines criss-crossing to maximise line drying space. Definitely not common to line dry in the UK.

Ignore your neighbou. He is a shallow and ignorant knob. A male Hyacinth Bucket

Sunlight is antibacterial. Wash your cloths in a lower temperature (saving money & emissions) then hang in sunlight and they will be both visually clean and sanitary.

Tumble driers are not necessary for 9 months of the year in the UK. I got rid of mine but I have an older house with an airing cupboard which I use during Dec - Feb.

I have two lines most of our street has a line or whirly gig. I live on a council estate all rather common in South Yorkshire and we all hang out washing out to dry. Id say it's common sense since electric prices are ridiculous and you can line dry for free.

We never hang washing out. Most things are tumble dried, some are hung inside. Not because I think hanging washing out is common though. That’s ridiculous.

Ha I think tumble drying everything is common….
Line drying all the way.

<disclaimer> socks and kids pants(lazy and uses lots of pegs 🤣) I put in the tumble dryer and sometimes out the towels in for a last minute softening blast But love line dried washing ❤️so I guess I’m 60:40 posh:common

I bet they all have leased cars, pay for everything on credit and think they're better than anyone else 🙄

I hang mine out. Nothing nicer than a line of washing. Start in spring end in autumn. Hate the winter where I have to dry indoors.

Hang my washing out at every opportunity.

What a prick. Is he unaware that people need to look after the environment? I would have struggled not to tell him he's selfish, uneducated and short sighted.