Should you line dry your clothes or use an electric dryer?

Line Dry

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by Shirley Love

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Line Drying vs. Dryers

This is the age of going green to help our environment, and one of the first things we can do to accomplish this is to find ways to conserve energy. There are many benefits of drying clothes outside but conservation has to be at the top of the list.

Many in this present generation have never known the pure pleasure of sleeping on sheets that have been dried by the sun and kissed by the breeze. The fresh smell and the comfortable softness cannot be duplicated with those scented dryer sheets, regardless of what they promise.

Also near the top of the benefits is the cost factor. Once you have invested in sturdy poles and clothes line wire, the only other cost is the clothes pins, and they are very economical and purse friendly. Now you are ready to make use of the sun and the wind to let nature do the job instead of that costly gas or electric appliance.

There is an art to placing the clothes on the line, and if you have never noticed that fact, just watch grandmother as she creates a work of art in her backyard.

First, be certain to use a damp cloth to clean the wires before you pin any garment to them. Air pollution seems to settle on those wires like a magnet.

Start with the sheets. Fold them hem to hem and pin that portion to the line with at least five pins. The second sheet can slightly overlap the first so that one pin serves as the anchor for both sheets. As you hang the pillow cases, anchor them together also.

Follow the bedding with your towels and wash cloths pinning them by color and size to create a uniform look. There is a method to this madness, not to just create a pleasant look to the laundry, but to keep the longer pieces to the outside lines. The shorter garments should hang on the inner lines.

Clothes dryers are the second largest energy-using appliance in your home, and the amount you can save by drying your laundry outside has to be a factor to consider. On average a dryer can cost approximately $1500 to operate during its lifetime.

Now, we face the other side of the coin, and that is bad weather. Hanging laundry on the line in sub-freezing temperatures is certainly no picnic. There are, however, folding wooden racks known as umbrella dryers that you can use to hang the wet clothes inside either in the laundry room or the bathtub. Of course unless you have outlawed the dryer entirely you can always use that appliance when the weather is unfavorable for line drying.

Another benefit of line drying your clothes is the fact that they last much longer. The amount of lint in your dryer filter is proof of that statement. The lint is that portion of the laundry that is worn away during the drying cycle often caused by the abrasive action of zippers and buttons.

Still another benefit is the money you will save on laundry products. The sun is a natural whitening agent, so you will not need to buy bleach, and you can cut back on the use of dryer sheets since static cling is caused by the garments rubbing together in the dryer. A good brisk wind will serve as a softener, so try to pick a windy day to hang the clothes outside.

Permanent press can be placed on hangers and allowed to dry naturally to prevent wrinkling, thereby saving the energy required by the iron. It is a simple matter to shake the item vigorously before you place it on the hanger and most of the wrinkles will disappear.

If there is no wind on laundry day, and the garment dries stiffly, you can always throw them into the dryer for a few seconds to soften them.

If you are really serious about going green, consider using cloth diapers instead of disposables. These diapers are not a big laundry obstacle at all. Simple flush the mess down the stool and place the diaper in a diaper pail with a little soda, or a commercial product known as diaper sweet, then launder in mild detergent and rinse thoroughly. Sparkling white diapers and other baby clothing on you clothes line announce the fact that there is a little person inside the house, and that knowledge is a pleasant thought.

It is always good to have that dryer to fall back on when the need arises, but the freshness and crispness of line-dried clothes is a wonderful experience. You won't be the only one to notice the difference in the feel and the smell, and the difference in your wallet will also be noticeable.

If you do have to use the dryer keep these tips from the consumer energy center in mind:

1. Locate your dryer in a heated space. Putting it in a cold or damp basement or unheated garage will make the dryer work harder and less efficiently.

2. Make sure your dryer is vented properly. If you vent the exhaust outside, use the straightest and shortest metal duct available. Flexible vinyl duct is not recommended because it restricts the airflow and may not withstand the high temperature from the dryer.

3. Check the outside dryer exhaust vent periodically. If it doesn't close tightly, replace it with one that does to keep the outside air from leaking in. This will reduce heating and cooling bills.

4. Clean the lint filter in the dryer after every load to improve air circulation. Regularly clean the line from the vent hoods.

5. Dry only full loads, as small loads are less economical, but do not overload the dryer.

6. When drying, separate your clothes and dry similar types of clothes together. Lightweight synthetics, for example, dry much more quickly than bath towels and natural fiber clothes.

7. Dry two or more loads in a row, taking advantage of the dryer's retained heat.

8. Use the cool-down cycle (perma-press) to allow the clothes to finish drying with the residual heat in the dryer.

Remember, it's your money so the ultimate tip for drying the clothes is to use the clothesline instead of the dryer.

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