Author Topic: Started hang drying, easier then we though  (Read 7826 times)

Matte

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Started hang drying, easier then we though
« on: December 08, 2012, 10:41:19 AM »
I just want to say that minimizing using the dryer actually saves effort and time not to mention the obvious electricity and wear on clothes.  We have been hanging all our shirts and pants up on the shower rack in our unused bathroom to dry.  At first I thought of it kind of as a pain but I quickly realized that this way you only have to hang them up once, once their dry I can put them in the closet.  It typically takes a day to dry.

PJ

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2012, 02:33:00 PM »
Good for you Matte!  It's not such a time saver for me - I've got several cats and dogs, so I put my laundry in the dryer briefly to fluff some of the pet hair out of the clothes (I still miss my older washing machine, which had a good filter and did a much better job of taking hair out during the wash cycle) then hang it to dry mostly on a clothing rack.  But I do hang up some of my shirts on hangers to dry, and you've inspired me to get enough of my "good" hangers down to the laundry room for them, so that I don't have to hang them downstairs then re-hang them upstairs!

Free in Ten Years

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2012, 05:40:21 PM »
I haven't used our dryer in years. We hang dry everything either outside or inside on a foldaway rack. It's seriously easy when you get used to it.

The dryer scares me because absolutely LOVES to eat power.

Matte

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2012, 12:11:13 AM »
I'm jealous of anyone who can hang dry clothes more then 2 months a year :)

happy

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2012, 12:32:43 AM »
Yup, just a habit, like putting the clothes in the dryer.  Hanging the shirts straight from the washing machine is a great time saver. I even have developed a technique to iron the ones that need ironing still on the hanger.

Debbie M

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2013, 04:10:34 PM »
I'm jealous of anyone who can hang dry clothes more then 2 months a year :)

I hang mine on an indoor drying rack in the bedroom.  In winter it rarely gets below 60 degrees inside, but even then, clothes can be dry in 24 hours, especially if I leave the ceiling fan on and flip the clothes over halfway through.

Problems:
* can't let the laundry go too long in the winter because I can only dry one load per day
* if I leave clothes in the washer too long, they might mildew; if the clothes rack is too close to the wall or furniture, the wall or furniture might mildew; the drying rack might mildew
* clothes are cold and stiff in the morning when I put them on
* I have to be on the ball washing clothes that I will want for a specific occasion
* if I hang them outside, they might fade, get bird poop on them, or smell like wet dog (best idea: hang them on a covered porch); you might learn the hard way about stupid HOA or other rules

Advantages:
* elastic and other stretchy things last much, much longer (socks and undies)--they never stretch out but instead eventually gets holes or tears
* don't need to buy or repair a dryer (or, if you have a dryer, don't need to pay for the gas or electricity except for maybe a fan)
* clothes hold their shape better and are less likely to shrink
* if you can hang them outside, they might dry just as fast on a warm, dry, breezy day
* if you hang them outside, you might like the wet-dog (I mean fresh spring) scent

I love how long my socks and undies last now and will never go back, even though I do miss warm tumble-dried clothes on a cold morning.

Wendyimhome

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2013, 09:55:15 PM »
Another advantage to air drying clothes inside during the winter is that the moisture goes into the air, which increases humidity in the house.  That gives the dual benefit of making the temperature feel warmer and making the dry, warm air from the furnace more comfortable.

In the summer, you don't want that humidity, which is another reason to move the drying operation outside.

BlueMR2

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2013, 06:02:49 AM »
I'm trying to increase the amount of hang drying we do, but it's difficult.  In the Summer time I pretty much have to put everything in the dryer as it's so humid here (stuff can hang for days and still be wet).  Winter time is great though, low humidity (30-40%) means I can even hang my heavy sweatshirts!  About the only thing I can't is jeans.  They take so long to dry that I'm afraid of them getting mildew.

amyable

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2013, 07:13:46 AM »
Does anyone hang-dry their towels?  It's very warm where I live, but there isn't a lot of wind, so my towels end up really stiff.  I've basically given up on hang-drying them, and they go in the dryer on the normal cycle.  Is there a secret to softer towels?  I'm O.K. with them being a little scratchy, but these are actually stand-up-on-their-own stiff!

tmac

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2013, 07:22:30 AM »
Does anyone hang-dry their towels?  It's very warm where I live, but there isn't a lot of wind, so my towels end up really stiff.  I've basically given up on hang-drying them, and they go in the dryer on the normal cycle.  Is there a secret to softer towels?  I'm O.K. with them being a little scratchy, but these are actually stand-up-on-their-own stiff!

Have you tried throwing them in the dryer for five minutes after they come off the line?

kolorado

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2013, 08:24:09 AM »
I like my towels a bit stiff but to I soften them up for my picky hubby. I use homemade detergent in the wash or vinegar in the rinse(both remove commercial detergent residues and soften incredibly!)and fluff the wet items in the dryer for 5-10 minutes before hanging. The dried towels will have a rougher fiber feel than all dryer drying but shouldn't be stiff as a board.
And I have no idea what the previous poster is referring to with a "wet dog" laundry smell? Wet or air dried laundry should never smell this way if your washer is operating correctly and you don't leave the washed loads sitting wet in your machine too long. Even when I lived in coastal NJ, on hot and humid rainy days I could dry laundry indoors without odors on the clothing. You simply adjust how long they are in the dryer first or use the dryer only on those days if you absolutely must do laundry. I also purchased a hydrometer to use indoors(mostly for my daughter's allergies but helped with laundry). Days with less than 70% humidity were just fine for drying indoors. I usually just looked up the weather forecast for the next 5 days and planned the best sunny days to do my laundry so I could hang outdoors. It's an easy habit to get into.
I'm excited for spring in these parts so I can install a clothesline on our new property. Our neighborhood covenants allow them so long as they aren't visible from the road or disturb the neighbors. I never hang unmentionables outside anyway so I don't think our neighbor will be disturbed by the occasional laundry view through his basement window(only window facing our property). Anyway, the bigger challenge here will be watching the wind. I tried a drying rack outside as soon as we moved here and everything blew away. The air is rarely still or slow out on the prairie. Since lots of sun and dry air are the norm out here, I need to change my habit to check for the lowest wind days instead and plan laundry on those days after the installation of our clothesline.

amyable

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2013, 08:29:24 AM »
Have you tried throwing them in the dryer for five minutes after they come off the line?

Nope--this is a good idea.  I have been trying the pop them in the dryer for a few minutes before hang-drying method, and it doesn't work for me. 

I use homemade detergent in the wash or vinegar in the rinse(both remove commercial detergent residues and soften incredibly!)

I have been thinking about switching to homemade detergent and will definitely try this.  I would think vinegar would make your towels / clothes smell odd?  Does it?

kolorado

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2013, 10:03:45 AM »
No, the vinegar smell will not be present when the clothes are dry. I generally only use a vinegar rinse for washing old sheets/clothes and fabrics I wish to craft with. It's especially important to remove commercial detergent and softener residues from future cloth hankies, napkins, diapers, femcloth and rags since the oils present in the residues will reduce absorbancy. And if you are switching fully to homemade detergent it won't be necessary to use vinegar with it. At least, I've never found it to be. Homemade detergent(detergent bar+washing soda+borax+essential oil if desired)is the best thing since sliced bread! You can even use it diluted in your carpet shampooer and as a floor cleaner. ;)

happy

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2013, 11:07:32 PM »

Quote
I would think vinegar would make your towels / clothes smell odd?  Does it?

I use about the same amount of vinegar in my rinse as I would fabric softener. I never have any issues with vinegar smell: I guess its quite dilute.  Recently I started omitting the vinegar, and to be honest, I can't really tell any difference. I mainly use it now if I'm doing pet bedding.


Quote
Is there a secret to softer towels?  I'm O.K. with them being a little scratchy, but these are actually stand-up-on-their-own stiff!

1. stop using commercial laundry powder and softener, particularly using the full amount recommended. This leaves a residue, and the softener is a bit greasy as well. Hence the towels are really much softer when they come out of the dryer, since the grease is softer. If you don't want to make your own, use 1/3-1/2 the amount, add about a dessertspoon of bicarbonate of soda to the wash and the vinegar to the rinse. It may take a while to get rid of the buildup on the fabric.

2. It was suggested to me that the rate of drying when line drying, determines the stiffness of the towels. The faster the dry, the stiffer the towel. This made sense to me since some days my towels come in stiffer than others, but I always wash the same way.

Hanging out clothes to dry always brings up the issue of stiff towels....Tiny Detail Exaggeration Syndrome http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/12/26/cure-yourself-of-tiny-details-exaggeration-syndrome/ ...IMO :)

different but real

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #14 on: January 14, 2013, 11:36:08 AM »
Anyone know of a good drying rack? We used to have the old wooden one but it gave out due to heavier jeans. Better yet, anyone have plans so I can build one?

chicagomeg

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #15 on: January 14, 2013, 12:48:25 PM »
I got one for $30 at Ikea that holds almost two whole loads of clothes:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40233154/

My mom says she got a similar one from Amazon.

NumberJohnny5

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #16 on: January 14, 2013, 10:12:19 PM »
I've been line-drying our clothes for over a year now.  Some days it's a hassle (like when the forecast is sunny with 0% chance of rain, and it just rains off and on all day).  Winter's not so bad, but with the gas heater going I just use a rack inside (and often employ the ironing board too).  Some things may fade a bit quicker (no quicker than if you were outside wearing them), and the clothespins do make a bit of a mark (so, it may be possible, if you know what you're looking for, to tell that our clothes were line dried).  But it definitely saves $ in a variety of ways.  Clothes last longer, we didn't have to pay for a dryer, and don't have electricity/gas costs related to the dryer (ok, SOMETIMES I may run the gas heater a bit longer than necessary if I'm trying finish drying a load inside...so sue me).

tmac

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #17 on: January 15, 2013, 06:37:26 AM »
I'm on my second week of hanging our laundry. I started with just putting stuff on hangers and then hanging them all over the house -- most successfully from the ceiling fans. Then on a nice day, I brought the hangers outside and hung* them from a convenient tree branch. I do that now when it's nice out. But now it's been raining for two days, so I strung some old kite string between two cabinets in our home office, put the hangers on it, and turn the ceiling fan on low. I tied loops every few inches to keep the hangers from sliding together. Pants and towels are too long for that set-up, so I'm hanging them from a wall shelf in the corner of our bedroom.

My expenses so far as some additional hangers from the Goodwill ($2) and some laundry clips that fit around plastic hangers from the Walmart ($2), and I do a load every day, so I think I've broken even (http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/dryers.html). I'm doing it to save electricity, but I'm also finding it very satisfying for some reason. :)


* hanged?
« Last Edit: January 16, 2013, 07:35:36 AM by tamara »

Nudelkopf

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #18 on: January 15, 2013, 04:49:15 PM »
I want to get one of these multi-peg thingies. I borrow my housemate's one sometimes when I have a lot of knickers & socks, and it's AMAZING.

http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/60189664/

kt

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #19 on: January 16, 2013, 06:40:43 AM »
i've recently moved to somewhere much wetter and miss being able to line-dry clothes most of the year. i can hang-dry inside in the summer but during the winter my place just isn't warm enough and things smell funny if i let them dry naturally!

tmac

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #20 on: January 16, 2013, 07:33:48 AM »
I want to get one of these multi-peg thingies. I borrow my housemate's one sometimes when I have a lot of knickers & socks, and it's AMAZING.

http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/60189664/

The Walmart sells little clips that snap onto regular plastic hangers to serve this same function. Well, I think the manufacturer intends you to use two clips to convert a regular hanger into a pants hanger, but I put six clips on each hanger and use it for small things. They're 12 in a pack for less than $2.

Jack

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #21 on: January 16, 2013, 08:57:38 AM »
Then on a nice day, I brought the hangers outside and hung* them from a convenient tree branch.

* hanged?

You weren't trying to execute the poor clothes, were you? If not, "hung" was correct.

Personally, my crimes against clothes usually involve bleach...

tmac

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Re: Started hang drying, easier then we though
« Reply #22 on: January 16, 2013, 09:08:30 AM »
Then on a nice day, I brought the hangers outside and hung* them from a convenient tree branch.

* hanged?

You weren't trying to execute the poor clothes, were you? If not, "hung" was correct.

Personally, my crimes against clothes usually involve bleach...

Thanks. I was, in fact, attempting to protect them in some small way, so, yes, I hung them. :)

 

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