DIY: Clothesline Tips and Tricks

One of the perks of summertime in Vermont is being able to live more “green” and that includes hanging your laundry out to dry in the warm breeze. Not only is it eco-friendly but over time it can save you money at cutting energy costs!  Not much else says summer than seeing clothesline out in the yard full of your baby’s favorite Zutano clothing! Using a clothesline is a better (and safer) alternative to drying for those more delicate clothes. Not experienced in line drying? This post will give you some quick and simple tricks for getting the best out of drying your clothes without electricity!

• Hang your shirts by hemline, not the shoulders. Hang skirts from hemline as well. For pants and shorts, turn pockets inside out for better drying.
• To avoid stiff clothes, use a half to three quarters of a cup of vinegar per load (added before the rinse cycle starts). No worries about any lingering vinegar odor, it will disappear as the clothing dries.
• Shake your clothes to even out wrinkles before hanging.
• Give clothes space for more air circulation.
• With bright or dark colored clothing, hang them in partial shade or late afternoon to prevent fading from the sun. With whites, hang them where it’s bright since sunlight acts as a natural bleaching agent!
• Even if it is cold outside, your clothes will still dry–it will just take longer.
• Running short on clothespins? Use plastic hangers (wire hangers can rust) to hang shirts on the line. And remember, it’s better to hang your clothes in the morning for more drying time!
• It’s worth mentioning again that line drying your clothes saves money, as dryers use more electricity than any other appliance.
• Don’t have a clothesline ready to use? Installing your own line can be as simple as a cotton rope and a few hooks, whether outside or even indoors. Check out this post from Apartment Therapy on building your own clothesline, quick and simple! If you build a clothesline outdoors, avoid hanging it under a tree as you could end up getting bird droppings on your clothes!
• We suggest checking out this wonderful site, Project Laundry List in the meantime! The website has some of the best info to help you get started on line drying and even features an energy/cost calculator if you would like to know how much money you are saving by skipping out on the dryer.