10 Tips for Hangin’ it All Out to Dry

Funny how regressing back to “what used to be” can instill some sense of peace and relaxation.  As I’d mentioned in my “Newbies with Green Intentions” blog, the hubster and I have been incorporating more “green” practices into our daily routines.  I’m happy to report that all is going well, and we’ve even managed to instill a few new habits since then…like line drying our clothes.

The hubster grew up with line drying.  I didn’t.  Apparently he’d suggested it awhile back, but (according to him) I either tuned him out or rejected the idea. I don’t remember that, but I’ll let him have this one.  Maybe it’s my middle aged mindset, but now I really don’t give a flying hoot if my neighbors see our skivees swinging in the breeze.

Line drying is as easy as hanging a line and pinning your clothes, right?   That’s what we did.  It works great, and it’s actually fun and somewhat therapeutic to go outside with a basket, pin wet clothes to the line and harvest and fold the clean ones.  I feel like Laura Ingall’s from Little House on the Prairie.  They dry fast too!  We did experience a few small problems, however.  The hubster had small humps in the shoulders of his t-shirts, the towels were crispy, and we found that bad timing can defeat the purpose.

10 Lessons Learned

So for those who are looking to adopt an easy “green” practice, and even save a few bucks on your energy bill, here are ten tips we learned for line drying clothes successfully…

1. Support your Line.

Wet clothes weight the line down quickly, so make sure you have a pole in the center or some means to support the weight so they don’t end up dragging on the ground.

2. You can never have too many clothes pins. 

You always need more than you think.  The dollar store is a great place to get lots of pins cheap, and clipping them on a piece of cardboard is an easy way to transport them in your basket and access them quickly.

3.  Hang from the bottom by the seams.

Prevents horns from forming in the shoulders of your shirts, prevents wrinkles in pants, and also maintains the shape of your clothes better.

4. White vinegar is a great fabric softener.

I add a 1/2 cup of white vinegar to your rinse cycle.  The fresh air has a starching effect on clothes.  The vinegar actually helps keep them soft when they dry on the line.  Don’t worry, no traces or odors are left on the clothes.  You’ll never know the vinegar was added.

5. Hang socks from the toes.  

Just keeps the shape better and doesn’t stretch out the top.

6. Dry during the day, not at night.  

The morning dew will rewet your clothes, extending your drying time (we learned this our first time).  I’ll usually throw a load in at night and then hang in the morning.

7. Be conscious of the weather.  

Timing your laundry loads with the weather is important when line drying.  Make sure your clothes aren’t ready to hang when a thunder storm is pending.

8.  Hang special clothes on hangers.  

Button down shirts and nice clothes keep their shape better and wrinkle less when dried on a hanger, and the starch effect provides an added benefit.  Just note that if it’s particularly windy outside, then the hanger could blow off the line and you may find your clothes swimming in the pool.

9.  Inside out for iron ons.  

The sun and heat can impact the appearance and longevity of iron ons.  Preserve the iron-on decorations by washing and hanging iron-on clothes inside-out.

10.  Freshen up between washings.

Hanging lightly worn clothes on the line between washings will help freshen them up, removing staleness and odors.  You’ll wash less and increase the longevity and appearance of your clothes.

Supposedly overcrowding your clothes on the line inhibits effective drying.  I’m an over crowder and this hasn’t been a problem for me.  Also, always pin for even drying rather than throwing clothes over top of the line.

Oddly enough, we actually look forward to going outside to pin and pull down our clothes.  Even the dogs come out and hang with us.  It saves energy, our clothes are just as fresh and clean, they dry amazingly fast, and there’s something nostalgic and satisfying about doing it the simple old fashioned way.  Hard to explain, I guess you’ll just have to hang a line and “dry” it for yourself.

Newbies with Green Intentions

The hubster and I have done our share of do-gooder attempts at helping the environment.  We have the reusable shopping bags in every car, our thermostat is set on a timer, we grow a fairly large organic garden, we foster rescue guinea pigs, and we recycle. Bottom line – we do respect animals, people, and the environment.  But consistency is key, and we have a long way to go before we earn our green badges.

However, we’ve been hearing more and more disturbing (but not new) information about food production companies and the extent of their harmful and deceptive practices in terms of destruction to the environment; inhumane treatment toward animals and people; ruthless legal practices to monopolize the industry and put small farmers out of work; and their monetary control and power over the federal policy and food monitoring.   For some reason this time it hit a nerve.

We asked ourselves some simple questions.  Where DOES our food come from?  How IS it produced?  Humanely? Naturally?  Are we contributing financially to the unethical companies who have respect for nothing except the almighty dollar?  I admit, we never paid much attention to it, until now.  So we decided its time to make some healthy and ethical lifestyle changes, starting with the switch to organic.

We’re fortunate to live in one of the largest farming counties in Maryland.  We have a half dozen farmers markets to choose from; a great co-op market that sells all local and organic foods; and my company is located next to one of the finest grass fed beef farms on the east coast.  We have no excuses.

Happy grass fed cows!

Is organic more expensive?  Not necessarily, although I have passed a few kidney stones over some prices since starting this venture.  In fact, we discovered that a number of our weekly staples are organic and we didn’t even know it.  It really boils down to what you’re buying and where.  The good news is that organic options are sold in virtually every grocery store in America (look for the USDA symbol), and a little internet research tells us everything we ever wanted to know about the companies producing our food. We’re thinking before we buy and we are in control of choosing what businesses we support, whether they be local farmers and businesses or large ethical companies who work for the greater good.  What a concept!

I realize we’re way behind many who’ve been waving their hippie flags for well over a decade and made it easy for the rest of us.  But it’s never too late to do the right thing.  The green movement is in motion, and going organic and local as much as possible is our first step in the right direction.  Who knows whether our mini contributions will make a difference or not.  We’re doing it because it makes us feel good. That’s exactly what’s needed to turn the system around and make the world a better place for everyone – support from consumers like us…one household at a time, demanding healthier food, humane practices for workers and animals, and respect for the environment.