Line Drying Clothes

[finn's mom]

For those that line dry some or all of their clothes, do you have any tips?

Do you still line dry when it's not warm out? Obviously, when it's raining, you wouldn't, but are there any other weather conditions that would prevent effective line drying?

And, how do you avoid the clothespin marks on your items?

Just put up my clothes line and I love it. I've always dried certain items on racks or hangers indoors, but line drying outside is relatively unknown to me.

[Daisy and Delilah]

Kari, I used to line dry all my clothes for many years. The best way I found to avoid the pin marks are to go out and remove the pins and change the position of the item on the line. That way, the clothing item is not staying in the one position so long.

I also tried to use a lighter touch with the pins if possible. Translation: hang the item up with the end of the pin if possible and avoid trying to grasp too much with the pin. With larger items like sheets, just move your pins around from one place to another without reversing them. Of course sheets, towels, etc. aren't as critical when trying to prevent pin marks.
I have known people that iron their sheets and towels, and.....underwear.

I have lived in a colder climate and I hung up my clothes in any temperature. I also used fabric softener to soften towels, unless you like them rough. Some people like the exfoliating properties of a line dried towel.

A good friend of mine, elderly lady, has the line drying down to an art. I learned alot from her. Now I use only the dryer. Sometimes I think it's a shame that people don't line dry anymore.

[finn's mom]

Thank you Terry! I will definitely try moving the pins around for clothes that I don't want the marks on.

When I line dry Clara's diapers and their inserts, I won't worry about it, but for some of our shirts and pants, I don't want the marks!

[Karen]

We always hung shirts upside down, that way the "pin marks," if they happened, would be tucked in anyway! Growing up, we'd line dry whenever it wasn't precipitating. And in cold weather, you know the object is dry when it begins to bend in the breeze!

[finn's mom]

We always hung shirts upside down, that way the "pin marks," if they happened, would be tucked in anyway! Growing up, we'd line dry whenever it wasn't precipitating. And in cold weather, you know the object is dry when it begins to bend in the breeze!

I did that today with David's work shirt, but neither of us tuck anything else in! So I have to find some creative way to hang our other shirts!

[Grace]

I have used clotheslines for decades. As D&D said - moving the pins around helps to lessen pin marks; and I hung shirts the way Karen said.

I do use a dryer now, mostly in the winter. But if the day is clear and bright, with a temp 30° F or higher, with a good breeze, certain things will dry outside.

I like my towels on the rough side, so don't use softener for them. Just for my husband's underwear

[Freedom]

I grew up with a clothes line. I love the fresh smell and the feel of things.

But the smell . . . could have been because mum's line was partially under a pine tree. Which meant any folds (like fitted sheets) collected pine needles at certain times.