I have many friends who would call themselves "eco-friendly" but who insist on using a clothes dryer which is a waste of electricity and money when we have air - also, machine drying is not good for clothes.
The heat of a dryer tightens fibres and so clothes look older sooner and indeed they wear out sooner.
One friends says that she has to iron more if she air drys her laundry - and so the use of the electricity she uses in ironing offsets what she saves by not using a clothes dryer . . . but if clothes are well shalen out and hung from the seams air dried clothes do not need more ironing than dryer-dired clothes.
To prevent the sun bleaching colours - simply hang clothes insideout . . . they will lose less colour than clothes which are put through a hot dryer. And as for rain - well, unless you live in an area of high pollution, rain is a great fabric softener.
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18
Air Drying Laundry is Best
Started by Julie, Jul 16 2012 06:40 AM
38 replies to this topic
#2
Posted 16 July 2012 - 03:25 PM
I live in a two storey home with an open plan mezzanine area, Clothes drying couldn't be any easier hung up in this area. Cotton diapers were dry in a matter of an hour. Clothing never fades from sunlight.
Fortunately in my location clothes drying on an outside line is still permitted but theses days you rarely see this happening so I gather a lot more people are using clothes drying machines.
Fortunately in my location clothes drying on an outside line is still permitted but theses days you rarely see this happening so I gather a lot more people are using clothes drying machines.
#3
Posted 16 July 2012 - 11:07 PM
I agree with the premise, but air drying is not for me. First, it's a physical thing. My arthritis makes standing and stretching difficult, so I wouldn't be able to hang clothes and bring them down.
Second, I have a natural aversion for laundry hanging on the line. Let me explain. When I grew up, we didn't have a dryer. There were 7 of us living in the house. We had 4 ropes going across the yard to hold all our laundry. We washed at least one white load every day because of all the towels two adults and five children would go through. Then, we did multiple loads of laundry on the weekend.
There was always laundry to be hung out on the lines and laundry to be brought in to be folded. Because of the size of our family, you could spend all day doing laundry. If it was one of those foggy San Francisco Bay Area days we ended up pulling the clothes off the line and heading to the laundromat. Then there was the joy of picking out the moths that decided to fall asleep inside shirts and pants and the occasional bird droppings that made you wash things over.
I do agree that the dryer wastes energy. But, I hope to never see another clothesline as long as I live.
Second, I have a natural aversion for laundry hanging on the line. Let me explain. When I grew up, we didn't have a dryer. There were 7 of us living in the house. We had 4 ropes going across the yard to hold all our laundry. We washed at least one white load every day because of all the towels two adults and five children would go through. Then, we did multiple loads of laundry on the weekend.
There was always laundry to be hung out on the lines and laundry to be brought in to be folded. Because of the size of our family, you could spend all day doing laundry. If it was one of those foggy San Francisco Bay Area days we ended up pulling the clothes off the line and heading to the laundromat. Then there was the joy of picking out the moths that decided to fall asleep inside shirts and pants and the occasional bird droppings that made you wash things over.
I do agree that the dryer wastes energy. But, I hope to never see another clothesline as long as I live.
#4
Posted 16 July 2012 - 11:23 PM
For me, there's nothing quite like the smell of freshly laundered sheets, dried outdoors on the line. I love to see them flapping in the breeze, and I always sleep really well the first night clean sheets are on the bed. I'd rather leave the washing a day or two longer than dry it by any other means, and I don't even own a tumble dryer. It's a no-brainer as far as I'm concerned.
#5
Posted 17 July 2012 - 03:28 AM
I live in a very urban area at the time, and if I hung my clothes up outside, they would probably get stolen the moment my back was turned. When I lived in a rural setting, I admit that I still did not use a clothing line as I should have. We had one, but we mainly used it just for my brother and father's blue jeans to avoid shrinking. Our dryer was old, and a large load of blue jeans would never get dry in there.
#6
Posted 17 July 2012 - 11:38 PM
I live in a tropical country and so,even we do have a dryer, we very seldom use it.
I actually prefer air or sun drying since it is more practical and definitely more earth friendly because there is no need for electricity. And we do have enough space to hang clothes outside, sometimes when it is too hot, we can even just hang clothes inside and let air passes inside through opening the door and windows.
I actually prefer air or sun drying since it is more practical and definitely more earth friendly because there is no need for electricity. And we do have enough space to hang clothes outside, sometimes when it is too hot, we can even just hang clothes inside and let air passes inside through opening the door and windows.
#7
Posted 18 July 2012 - 08:34 AM
I was just having this discussion and I guess I've heard too many reasons as to why it wouldn't be healthy for me to dry my clothes on a line that it has outweighed the benefits of what it could do for the earth. I do think in our attempts to conserve and go green, there needs to be a balance of how it affects you.
#8
Posted 18 July 2012 - 10:27 AM
I agree with Newbie you do have to measure the pros and cons of hanging clothes on the line. There are 4 people in our family, the time it would take to hang up that much laundry when your day is already full is one thing to consider. It would be cost effective and save money on the electricity bill to hang the clothes but time wise not so much.
I hang up a few things that I don't want to go into the dryer.
I hang up a few things that I don't want to go into the dryer.
#9
Posted 19 July 2012 - 11:30 AM
Sugarhill, on 18 July 2012 - 08:34 AM, said:
I was just having this discussion and I guess I've heard too many reasons as to why it wouldn't be healthy for me to dry my clothes on a line that it has outweighed the benefits of what it could do for the earth. I do think in our attempts to conserve and go green, there needs to be a balance of how it affects you.
I don't understand what is unhealthy about fresh air, exercise and getting vitamin D from short amounts of sunshine.
Being in the sun too long is damaging but about 80% of women for instance, have low levels of vitamin D.
http://www.webmd.com...in-d-deficiency
That may be a bit off topic, but we line dry laundry not only to save energy, but to receive the Vitamin D
and the exercise-heart health.
#10
Posted 19 July 2012 - 01:49 PM
It's quick and easy. A woman described how she noticed some strange looking boils on her daughter and as well as sores on her own body. When she squeezed one of the boils, there was actually the formation of some kind of bug that was in it. Her neighbors told her that it came from her line laundry and that she needed to iron the clothes completely to kill the bugs that were on the clothing and sheets.
That has outweighed the benefits of putting clothes on a line for me.
That has outweighed the benefits of putting clothes on a line for me.
#11
Posted 19 July 2012 - 08:33 PM
I will put our pants out to dry on our deck, but I don't have enough sun in our yard to actually do a clothes line. Most of my yard is shaded by our neighbor's maple tree (the thing is massive and on the edge of their property) and also our cedar tree. The birds are also always hanging out in the trees over our yard. The only sun in our yard is where my plants are along the fence. I have a few worries about doing more of our laundry outside here, but if I lived in a house with a much bigger yard I would gladly air dry more of my clothes!
#12
Posted 20 July 2012 - 02:21 AM
Sugarhill, on 19 July 2012 - 01:49 PM, said:
It's quick and easy. A woman described how she noticed some strange looking boils on her daughter and as well as sores on her own body. When she squeezed one of the boils, there was actually the formation of some kind of bug that was in it. Her neighbors told her that it came from her line laundry and that she needed to iron the clothes completely to kill the bugs that were on the clothing and sheets.
That has outweighed the benefits of putting clothes on a line for me.
That has outweighed the benefits of putting clothes on a line for me.
Under their skin burrowing insects is not something to be ignored.
She should have gone to the doctor.
Location wasn't noted, but most of the insects that exhibit burrowing behavior are in
rain-forest locations or south America. Bot flies for instance. Sometimes they lay
their eggs on houseflies, horseflies or mosquitoes, and the eggs can be transferred to us,
but we have to be bitten.
It could have been a mite or a chigger, but she should have gone to the doctor. And still should,
to make sure more are not under the skin- or moving and breeding.
http://animal.discov...e-me/parasites/
#13
Posted 20 July 2012 - 10:19 AM
Yes, her neighbor. They were living in another country and learning the culture and ways as well as trying to help the community, so she had every reason to believe the "hoo-haw" since it turned out to be correct and when they ironed the clothing out, that was no longer a problem.
As for any issues in America, ticks and other types of bugs that have been mentioned in this actual thread, would still be an issue for me. I won't be drying my clothes on a line.
As for any issues in America, ticks and other types of bugs that have been mentioned in this actual thread, would still be an issue for me. I won't be drying my clothes on a line.
#14
Posted 20 July 2012 - 12:41 PM
Sugarhill, on 20 July 2012 - 10:19 AM, said:
Yes, her neighbor. They were living in another country and learning the culture and ways as well as trying to help the community, so she had every reason to believe the "hoo-haw" since it turned out to be correct and when they ironed the clothing out, that was no longer a problem.
As for any issues in America, ticks and other types of bugs that have been mentioned in this actual thread, would still be an issue for me. I won't be drying my clothes on a line.
As for any issues in America, ticks and other types of bugs that have been mentioned in this actual thread, would still be an issue for me. I won't be drying my clothes on a line.
People that live in the tropics come up against different issues than most people.
I didn't mean to offend, it just sounded weird-having insects under their skin and all they talked to were
neighbors vs. going to medical professionals.
For others though, line drying your laundry is fine and this one incident shouldn't stop you from saving energy-
most via coal=emissions=heat.
#15
Posted 20 July 2012 - 01:21 PM
No offense taken. Yes, they went to see the doctor in the area, but I didn't think that was pertinent to the discussion as it was about drying clothes on a line.
They also weren't in the tropics, but that's neither here nor there.
They also weren't in the tropics, but that's neither here nor there.
#16
Posted 20 July 2012 - 03:04 PM
Reasons to line dry clothing vs. using a dryer.
1- Saves money. Approximately $100 yearly savings.
2- Fossil fuels are not burned for the purpose.
3- Clothing smells fresh without additional chemicals via fabric softeners.
4- Repeated tumbling in a dryers drum can wear clothes out quicker.
5- It's good exercise-carrying the load, bending, stretching.
6- Sunlight can disinfect clothes. (And as mentioned above, sunlight is essential for humans too with
supplying vitamin D.
7- Indoor racks can add humidity to the dry air of a cold winter.
8- Dryer fires from lint filters that are not properly maintained cost about $100 million per year, and
have burned over 15,000 homes partially or completely.
9- Taking a chill out moment and enjoying the outdoors helps center us in a busy day; feeling the breeze,
listening to bird song, even if just for a moment or two.
10- It may be a small step towards sustainability. just long journeys always begin with that first step.
1- Saves money. Approximately $100 yearly savings.
2- Fossil fuels are not burned for the purpose.
3- Clothing smells fresh without additional chemicals via fabric softeners.
4- Repeated tumbling in a dryers drum can wear clothes out quicker.
5- It's good exercise-carrying the load, bending, stretching.
6- Sunlight can disinfect clothes. (And as mentioned above, sunlight is essential for humans too with
supplying vitamin D.
7- Indoor racks can add humidity to the dry air of a cold winter.
8- Dryer fires from lint filters that are not properly maintained cost about $100 million per year, and
have burned over 15,000 homes partially or completely.
9- Taking a chill out moment and enjoying the outdoors helps center us in a busy day; feeling the breeze,
listening to bird song, even if just for a moment or two.
10- It may be a small step towards sustainability. just long journeys always begin with that first step.
#17
Posted 20 July 2012 - 03:17 PM
Everything is not for everyone.
1. Perhaps.
2. True.
3. I don't believe clothes that have been outside all day would smell fresh or any better than what they smell like coming out of a dryer.
4. I've never had that issue with my clothes not lasting long enough due to drying. I don't even know if I believe that as I have quite a few pieces of clothing that I've had since college and that wasn't just yesterday.
5. The same amount of exercise would be had with most dryers. Especially if you're at a laundromat and using the bottom one.
6. The sun isn't the only thing that exists outside, lots of bugs flying around out there too and they are flying onto your clothes.
7. Wouldn't know.
8. Possibly, but there are other things that cause fires too.
9. I go out plenty and I don't need a load of clothes to do it.
10. A small enough step that I won't feel bad about not engaging in it.
I'm not trying to be difficult, but that's just not something that I would do and I think people should be able to express why they won't without issue. There are many other ways to be greener without having to do something that I don't and won't ever feel comfortable doing.
1. Perhaps.
2. True.
3. I don't believe clothes that have been outside all day would smell fresh or any better than what they smell like coming out of a dryer.
4. I've never had that issue with my clothes not lasting long enough due to drying. I don't even know if I believe that as I have quite a few pieces of clothing that I've had since college and that wasn't just yesterday.
5. The same amount of exercise would be had with most dryers. Especially if you're at a laundromat and using the bottom one.
6. The sun isn't the only thing that exists outside, lots of bugs flying around out there too and they are flying onto your clothes.
7. Wouldn't know.
8. Possibly, but there are other things that cause fires too.
9. I go out plenty and I don't need a load of clothes to do it.
10. A small enough step that I won't feel bad about not engaging in it.
I'm not trying to be difficult, but that's just not something that I would do and I think people should be able to express why they won't without issue. There are many other ways to be greener without having to do something that I don't and won't ever feel comfortable doing.
#20
Posted 04 August 2012 - 05:46 AM
What I do is, I hand wash what ever I am wearing as an when I go to have a wash or bath. I t just takes a couple of minutes at best. But there are times I can't do this (and certainly people who have to do the entire family's laundry can't do this) in which case what I do is precisely this. I don't use the drier. Good post Julie.
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