Need Help with Line Drying

Hello...My great grandmother who passed away at 96 this year lined dryed her whole life. I remember going over to great Grandma's house when I was a little girl, who we all called "Mamaw" and and wearing that apron full of cloths pins and helping her hang cloths out on the cloths line. When she got older my mom and I would go over to her house and cook and mow her yard and wash her cloths and hang um out, it is memories that I will never forget and I miss her dearly. Unfortunately most cloths hung out to dry are stiff when dry(especially towels) but the fresh smell of them is like no other. Thanks so much for asking advice on this because it really brought back sweet memories of my sweet great grandmother...we had 5 generations before she passed and what a blessing that was...good luck though and God bless!!

2 moms found this helpful

Hi D.,
I too line dry to save money. I started doing it when I started to use cloth diapers on my son (another way of saving and being green). You can put your clothes in the dryer to toss around a bit to soften after they line dry if you don't like the feel. I admit to took some getting used it though my husband likes it (?). It must bring back memories for him. ") If there is wind, the clothes don't seem to be so stiff but since we have the nice hot dry summer things don't get to move too much out there now. Just an added note: I started to make my own powder laundry detergent too. It's very easy and will cost you less then a penny per load. There are alot of "recipes" on the internet if you are interested.
Don't give up, it's great to be more self sufficient and save money. Good going mom!
C.

1 mom found this helpful

I have a product called Liquid Sunshine that I wash my clothes in that makes them really soft. It is an organic soap with aloe. Probably some of these homemade recipe ideas would work, too, if they use aloe.

I used to use alot of fabric softener, but this makes my clothes twice as soft without it, seriously.

A.
www.greenbabydiaperservice.com

1 mom found this helpful

I love clothes dried outside. They smell sooooo good. I have quite a few things (especially sweaters) that have to be washed in cold water and line dried. And most of them are stiff when they get dry. I then put them in the dryer on air fluff for about 5 to 10 minutes. They soften right up. You are not using much electricity for that short of a time. And you aren't using any electricity (I have gas) for heat because you aren't using any heat.

If I had a proper clothes line (I only have a 3-tiered drying rack that I take outside) I would dry everything out there except towels and jeans. They actually are much softer drying them totally in the dryer.

Good Luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Only 1 thing for towels - hang them until they are almost dry, then pop them in the dryer for 10 minutes.

Clothes you can either do the above or add 1/4 cup white vinegar to the second rinse. It gets the leftovers out of your clothes.

S.

1 mom found this helpful

sounds like not all the soap is rinsing from your clothes. Try this: 1)Cut back on the amount of soap that you use int eh wash. This will take some experimentation to determine the right amount. 2) Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse water. Vinegar is a natural fabric softner and it will also help to remove the last bits of soap left in the clothes. 3) Do not leave the clothes out too long. Only leave them out until they are dry. Over drying them can lead to stiff clothes.

1 mom found this helpful

Once you get use to them being alittle stiffer you wont notice it as much. I use less detergent when I do hang my clothes out and a little more softener.
This is a link to making your own softener... I haven't got to try it yet but I want to it might help too...

http://tipnut.com/frugral-fabric-softener-recipes-dryer-s...

There are some really good Ideas
Good luck

I especially love my sheets hung out. I have been hanging out clothes for 3 yrs

1 mom found this helpful

use liquid fabric softner in the wash, it won't make them dryer soft, but it will help

My advice is the same as several others. I dry my daughter's diapers outside then put them in the dryer for 5-10 minutes to fluff them up. Works like a charm! Another bonus, the sun is a natural bleaching agent...it's gotten poop stains out of my diapers!

I use alot of fabric softener in the wash when i am going to line dry some of my clothes. See if that helps.

You're leaving your clothes out too long. line dry your clothes until they are mostly but not completely dry. then hang them to air dry the rest of the way in your closet or toss them in the dryer on airfluff for about 5 - 10 minutes.

Good for you. I also line dry and love the way my clothes smell. After taking towels, jeans, etc. off the line try running them through the dryer with a wet cloth for about 10 minutes. Hope this helps.

My family and friends call me laundry queen. I use the dryer for towels, socks and husband's underwear only. The rest I hang dry. Use a fabric softener and after they are dry I put them in the dryer on air to make them soft. You clothes will last much longer.

Hi D.,
I too have started line drying for the same reasons. I grew up hanging clothes on the line and this has brought back so much joy and excitement for me. I have been experiencing the same thing, but was going to incorporate a fabric softner into my wash as well as fluff the stiff clothes in the dryer. I think I may try hanging later in the evening as someone else suggested. I also make my own liquid (more like a gel)laundry detergent to cut back on costs. I found the recipe online. I wish you well with saving $$$. My next step is to start a garden!! Good Luck! F.

Go ahead and dry it outside, then toss in the dryer for a few minutes. Best done if the fabric is still slightly damp. If you don't have a problem with ants, toss in a "sheet" but ants love dryer sheet smell. If you don't want to buy the dryer sheets, you can use 1/4 c liquid softener to (I think) 1 qt water --adjust as you see fit, and just a 1/8 cup on the clothes/towels you are drying. Again, adjust as you see fit.

Hi,
If your washer is rinsing good and there is a good breeze blowing, you should not have a cardboard feeling. If all the suds is not rinsed out and no wind blowing, you are going to have this problem.

Downy fabric softener in the wash will help, but line-dried clothes never feel like those in an automatic dryer. However, we really prefer the line dried feel and smell.

Being a member of the generation when dryers were unheard of.. I too used a line and still do from time to time, as I love the smell of bed linens that have dried in the sun. So I would suggest first putting the clothes in the dryer with a dryer sheet for just a few minutes ,when you bring them in from the line.. Also you might try a liquid fabric softner in your rinse cycle when washing the clothes..Hopes this helps.

Use a fabric softener and dry things early in the morning or late at night. The dew and lack of direct heat/light makes the clothes dry slower, but gives the wind more time to shake them up as they dry and they come out softer. If you can, dry things overnight and pull them off approx 15 min after the dew is dry in the am.

Did you use fabric softner in the rinse cycle? I found out that the fabric softner would help with the clothes feeling like cardboard

Hi D., after bringing your clothes in off the line you can put them in the dryer to tumble around for 5-10 min. This makes them very soft and fluffy and with a dryer sheet they smell just like they were dried only in a dryer.

Hi D.....I so enjoyed reading your question. Reminded me too of my childhood and funny even the first house we bought I was so excited to see a clothesline....we eventually took it down, and now wish I had it back :)

Smart move to start thinking Green :) Good luck to you and I agree with others just a little fluff drying will solve your stiff issue.

Wow, I wish more people will get into the habit of drying outside. The Texas heat is free after all, and it is better for the planet. Good for you!

HI DIERDRE. The laundry soap you use makes a big difference.

I use Tide when I plan to use the dryer but when I plan to line-dry I use GAIN. It really helps and the clothes aren't quite as crunchy.

Try it. What have you got to lose?

Good Luck!

After you take the clothes off of the clothesline, you put them in the dryer for maybe ten minutes. That softens them and makes them easier to fold.

When your clothes are completely dry or almost dry, take them inside and put them in the dryer for 5-10 minutes on high.

My mother always either had the line in the shade or hungthe laundry in the late evening-overnight. It keeps the sun from baking everything and helps quite a bit.

And unless you are trying to sunbleach, like cloth dipers or whites, sundrying can start to bleach your clothes.

I use a double dose of liquid downy and that works for me. good luck!

For some things, I just leave as they are but some of the heavier things, I "fluff" in the dryer 5-10 minutes. For jeans and dress clothes, I run a steam iron over them to get the wrinkles out anyway, and I guess the steam gets them back to soft.

Use liquid fabric softner... My mom always line dries and she used the downey liquid fabric softner (I like the Shaklee brand myself) and her clothes are always so soft and smell so good just like in the commercials!

Hope that helps
A. J

Do you have a garage or a large laundry room? We have wire shelving in our laundry room. Got the shelving from Lowe's. Also, you could probably add the shelving to your garage. My mother still line dries her laundry. I remember the sheets being not as soft! Enjoy your day.

I love the way things smell when they are dried on the line, especially towels. Put them in the dryer for just a few minutes 4-5 minutes and then put them on the line. I am not sure about most clothes, but this works for towels which seems to take the most time to dry.