Something I've picked up over the years of being on the information super highway, is that generally Americans don't hang washing outside to dry. There must be plenty of opportunities to dry clothing on a line outside in the warmer months, but it doesn't seem to be a thing they do, even if they have a freestanding house.
I can't dry clothing outside, even on the balcony, as that is prohibited by Owners' Corporation rules. But when we had a free standing house, we dried clothes on an outside clothes line, perhaps at times having to give them a final finish in a clothes dryer for ten minutes in the winter. Truly, I could never tell the difference but people used to say how lovely and fresh their clothing, bedding and towels were if they were dried outside (in air full of traffic exhaust fumes).
Now, I and my tenants hang our washing on the clothes rack in the spare bedroom and turn on the ceiling fan. Maybe twelve hours after being under the overhead fan, the garments will dry. They never use the clothes dryer, but I do for a short time to soften up my towels once they are dryish. My worn socks and jocks are washed about once a fortnight, and dried in the dryer. I am not hanging up 42 small garments on a clothes rack. Not shown in yesterday's post of our house was a pull out clothes line attached the neighbour's brick wall, but I can't remember what it was attached to when pulled out. The clothes dryer was rarely used.
Of course the Australian invention, the Hills Hoist, dried clothes in most back yards of Australian houses. They would spin around in the wind and they were raised higher by a crank handle, or if you were posh but without staff, mains water pressure. On very hot days with a strong wind, you could almost hang your washing out and take inside as dry the first garment you hung up by the time you hung out the last garment. Strong horizontal bars on something that could spin were very enticing to children, so a number of inferior brands would have bent bars. Yes, I was guilty.
I expect if people have the space, a form of the Hills Hoist is still used, now made by aluminium and nylon cord but back in the day, galvanised steel and twisted wire rope.
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So be it Britain, Europe or America, how do you dry your clothes, and is it economical?
Back when I had a freestanding house I got fed up of birds pooping red on my laundry, from eating local mulberries, also squirrels tearing down small stuff, so I ended up using the basement to dry clothes.
ReplyDeleteNow in a town house I air dry everything except sheets and towels. Can't dry outside, HOA rules.
I use my apartment building's dryer. That's really my only option.
ReplyDeleteThere are so few days here that allow me to dry clothes outside on the line that I tend to just hang them up on a rail in the boiler room. They dry in just a couple of hours. In the summer when the central heating boiler is not switched on I use a dehumidifier in there, or I hang them on a clothes airer upstairs in the south facing spare bedroom which gets most sun. As mentioned above, the garden birds usually poop all over my washing if it is outside on the line.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I just dry it in the backyard on the stands
ReplyDeleteI have a folding rack in the bathroom, but usually, I throw it in the dryer. When we return to the woods, I will have an outdoor clothes line.
ReplyDeleteI use an electric clothes dryer because the weather here is so seldom conducive. However, I think taking out shirts that are a bit damp keeps their fabric in better shape. So I've taken to hanging those garments indoors and, like you, might finish them with a few minutes in the dryer afterward. It softens both the fabric and visible wrinkles.
ReplyDelete~grin~
In my youth, my maternal grandmother hung clothes outside; I have fond memories of helping her and the wonderful fresh fragrance that resulted. Thanks for the smile you've put on my face. Be well, my dear.
It's interesting how different cultures have such varied approaches to drying clothes! Here in the U.S., many people do prefer using dryers for convenience, especially with busy lifestyles. It’s true that you don’t see as many clotheslines as you might in other countries. I think it has to do with a mix of convenience, space, and sometimes even local regulations, like you mentioned with your Owners' Corporation rules.
ReplyDeleteThe Hills Hoist sounds like a fantastic invention! It's not only practical but also brings back memories of childhood for many, which adds a personal touch to the chore of laundry. I can imagine how tempting it must have been to spin around on those bars!
As for drying clothes, I usually use a combination of drying racks and the dryer, especially during the colder months. It's nice to air-dry delicate items and save on energy costs, but there’s nothing quite like the fluffiness of towels after a quick spin in the dryer! Plus, in the summer, I love the idea of hanging things outside to enjoy that fresh scent.
In terms of economy, using a clothesline or rack is definitely more energy-efficient, and it's great to hear how you and your tenants make the most of that setup! Do you find any significant difference in your energy bills when you use the drying rack compared to using a dryer?
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My mother used to hang clothes outside when I was younger but then dryers became the thing and it was easier and quicker to do it indoors.
ReplyDeleteThere are a couple of reasons why I use my electric clothes dryer. First, I'm fairly certain our homeowners' association frowns on this, I don't see any clotheslines in the neighborhood. Second, birds.... my house seems to be under a flyover zone and why bother if they have to be washed again. My electric bill isn't terribly high so I guess it's economical enough.
ReplyDeleteI love a clothes line.
ReplyDelete