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!

I love hanging a line of washing out on a warm, windy day… dries quickly, looks homely and it’s FREE!

oh I dunno I can think of loads of nicer things......a glass of champagne, a lottery win, great sex, a new book by a favourite author....

Always hang outside and barely use tumble dryer. We moved to a nicer area and DH said no one has washing lines outside and said we should keep ours behind the wall.

I told him that was ridiculous and we now have a line along the length of the garden. Not having such a stupid snobbish idea! X

Ignore the no washing line snobs. Line dried bedding feels and smells much nicer.

Not sure if anyone answered this but having grown up in the north of Scotland where it's always very windy it's mainly your hanging technique rather than the pegs. I use traditional wooden pegs, dry inside out (so colours don't get bleached), fold over about 1" of fabric then make sure the peg is firmly attached. I'd use 2 pegs for tshirts, knickers, jeans, towels but 4 for shirts and 3-4 for heavy jumpers. Wind dries clothes better than sun, and makes your towels nice and soft.

We're all as common as muck round our way. I can see into two gardens on each side of us, and we all have washing on the line most dry days. Sometimes # shock, horror! We chat across the fence while we're pegging it out.

Absolutely 💯 and it's free!

Absolutely this re wind. Washing dries in all seasons and overnight, as long as there's wind. Sunshine can speed it up, but wind is the key to drying!

I listened to a really nerdy programme about washing once about 3 or so years ago.

The guide to whether washing will dry or not is whether the ground is wet. If it’s not they should dry!

Your neighbours are mental. No hope for the environment.

Only time I've come across this is with Americans. We were baffled when in California blazing sun everyone tumble dries everything even though it would take minutes to dry outside. American friends staying with my mum took photos of her washing on the line because it was so 'quaint' 🤷‍♀️

Hanging out washing is free, environmentally friendly and common sense, plus it's almost definitely better for your clothes.

Part of my job is to help people moving here find Rental properties and most Americans are horrified that there isn't usually a separate dryer.
Its not unusual for them to ask me how thay dry their clothes and when I suggest outside they react like I told them we don't have electricity and get all our water from streams!

I always hang my washing out on a rotary line to dry (weather permitting of course!). When we moved to our current home five years ago, our immediate neighbour would put all her wet washing to dry on an overloaded airer in her conservatory (you can see into it from our garden) and her garden is larger than ours. This year she has invested in a rotary line and now puts her washing out. I detest spending money on a dryer, although I do have one in the garage for those days when nothing dries outside. It's also doing my little bit in support of reducing climate change impacts. There's absolutely NOTHING wrong with using a washing line / rotary line if you have the space and those who think it's common, really haven't got anything better to worry about, in my view.

I got 3 loads dry outside yesterday but have resorted to the tumble dryer for 1 load today as it’s raining.
Gutted as I’m really loving my new Branantia rotary washing line.
How people can think it’s common is beyond my comprehension.
Yet another section of society who needs to give their head a wobble.

Not only does it smell better outside but drying inside can cause all sorts of condensation/ mould problems.

Yes, this for sure. I don't hang my washing out if the path is wet. Figure if the paving stones won't dry than my washing stands no chance!

I hang it out if they're wet because the rain has only just stopped and is forecast to stay away.

Well that makes sense! I was mainly thinking of my north facing garden - in the winter it gets very little sun, and if the path is damp it tends to stay that way!

We're north facing too, but have the benefit of a coastal breeze. It works wonders!

Breeze? Last year my knickers ended up in next door’s garden 😲.

Said neighbour needs another hobby, rather than monitoring other peoples washing lines - &, by the way, we just bought a new one as the old one snapped from being used frequently. (I think we would be tempted to rig one up in the front garden after such a petty comment....). x😀

Go for it! 😀

That's common sense, but apparently not to some people. I've noticed that as well

American here . I love line drying. Please tell me what is a clothes prop ?

A long stick that you use to prop up the clothes line so it catches the wind better.