Do you have a clothesline for drying your wash?

We still use the clothesline that my grandmother, and mom used. It's a pulley line and goes from the back porch to an old maple tree. It used to have a wire wrapped around the maple, to secure the pulley but the tree has grown over the wire and only e short piece f wire can be seen. I replaced it with a hook screwed in to the tree a few years ago. Actually, we use our dryer a good part of time but sheets and pillow cases go outside when possible. Handy for kids to drape their towels when coming in from the pool.

And what is with these homeowner associations? I was at our cousins home in an old folks development in Florida and she said "Here comes that xxxxx on his golfcart to see if there's any violations in the development. Car in the drive with the hood up, extra car (ours, parked in the street, and yes, no clothes hung outside along with a few other (to me) ridiculous violations. Are these places to live in or just showplaces like that town in the movie, "Stepford Wives"?
 

I have one that hooks from our back porch to a tree in our backyard. I use this one for large item in the summer and take it down when I don't need it. I have two on our back porch which I use most often, sometimes even in winter when above freezing.. They are also on hooks and removable. Our basement is quite large and sometimes I hang down there when my knees cooperate.
 
We have deed restrictions that don't allow clotheslines. But if I were so inclined I would ignore them and hang clothes anyway. To this point (24 years in this house) I have never had the urge to hang clothes on a line so I'm saved from another "Dear Resident" letter for my collection. :D
 
I live in co-operative housing and our complex does have a couple of clotheslines available. But we live in the city and I have seen how dusty a car can get in just a day so I'd never hang my clothes out there. Another thing is they would not be directly in my line of sight. But the main reason is I like my clothes fluff dried, especially when it means I don't have to iron some garments. I like my clothes to be nice and soft and that does not happen when they air dry. I remember when I was young and my mom and I used to hang clothes on the line. We lived on the second floor and had to hang out of a window to get it done.
 
I have a screened porch on the back of the house with a clothes line. I also use a device similar to what RadishRose displayed. The indoor rack is wonderful in the winter for small things because it adds a bit of moisture to the air when the heater comes on. Where I live I can have one outside but birds have relieved themselves too many times on my clean laundry.
 
Linda said:
:love_heart: I know a lot of cities now don't even allow a cloths line. We have had one in our back yard for about 20 years and I love it. I don't use it often but when I want it, it's there. I especially like to hang up sheets and let them blow in a breeze. And drying jeans on the line saves on the PG&E bill since they take longer to dry. If I put towels or washcloths on the line I have to use a lot of fabric softener or they come out kind of rough.
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Sure do, and resurrected this thread just for you, Linda! :)

Forget using fabric softener to combat stiff and scratchy towels and things off the line. Toss your freshly laundered washing into your electric tumble dryer for 3-4 minutes, and then hang on the line. You can also do it in reverse, where you line-dry first, then take down your washing when it's still slightly damp, and finish it off for a few minutes in the electric tumble dryer. My kids had the most buttery soft diapers.

Also, detergent buildup can cause stiffness in clothes and towels and such, so a good vinegar rinse every now and then works wonders to keep clothing fibers soft by breaking down and removing excess detergent residue left behind in fabrics. With my old top-loader washing machine, I used add 1 cup (250 mL) of regular household white vinegar to the washing machine on it's last fill cycle.

Additionally, try and avoid line-drying during the hottest part of the day. Early morning or early evening is ideal, and if you do have to hang washing when it's sweltering out, double-up your towels when hanging. Matching two towels together as one will help slow the drying time and add to the softness.

Also don't forget to give everything a good flap/snap before pinning to the line, not only does a brisk and smart snap help reduce wrinkles in the fabric, it also makes for easier hanging.

Happy clothesline drying! :)
 
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When we bought our home 45 years ago, I did need a clothes line.....Got rid of that when we got a dryer a couple of month's later...
I do remember my Mom hanging wash on the line outside....It took so long to dry....Then she would iron everything down the basement..
I had to take the clothes up stairs and put them in the closets....
 
Keesha said:
You bet. There’s nothing quite like clothes hung on the line. They are so fresh and clean. I ‘m using another phone right now so don’t have my regular photos but here’s my clothesline behind the woodpecker
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I totally agree! Love the picture!

From the time my oldest was born, though to when our last was born, my clothesline seldom sat idle, and for non-electric dryer safe things such as rubber crib sheets, vinyl bibs, and rubber pants, the clothesline was ideal!
 
peppermint said:
When we bought our home 45 years ago, I did need a clothes line.....Got rid of that when we got a dryer a couple of month's later...
I do remember my Mom hanging wash on the line outside....It took so long to dry....Then she would iron everything down the basement..
I had to take the clothes up stairs and put them in the closets....
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Peppermint. Let me guess... you had kids back in the day and used cloth diapers, hence your need for a clothesline? :)
 
Aunt Marg said:
I totally agree! Love the picture!

From the time my oldest was born, though to when our last was born, my clothesline seldom sat idle, and for non-electric dryer safe things such as rubber crib sheets, vinyl bibs, and rubber pants, the clothesline was ideal!
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Thanks. I go through stages of using it often to not at all . When I’m using it I love how fresh everything is. It’s heavenly.
My husband says they had no choice in his family since they didn’t have a dryer. He says he remembers bringing in frozen clothes often from the clothesline
 
Keesha said:
Thanks. I go through stages of using it often to not at all . When I’m using it I love how fresh everything is. It’s heavenly.
My husband says they had no choice in his family since they didn’t have a dryer. He says he remembers bringing in frozen clothes often from the clothesline
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I've never hung washing in the cold, but from spring until fall, oh yes, 2-3 days out of the week washing is hang drying outside!
 
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