Really stupid question about line-drying

YORKSHIRELASS

Has anyone ever used white vinegar instead of fab conditioner? Its supposed to stop towels going stiff and scratchy. Heard this tip on the radio but scared to do it in case I get stiff scratchy towels that smell of vinegar!!!

Hate using the tumbler but love soft towels.

Oh and I also had a neighbour who used to leave the same washing out for days. Used to drive me batty, how sad is that???

gemmaj

Leaving nappies out over night so they get the dew on them, and then leave them to dry in the day, will soften them up if they have gone crispy in a hard water area. I have very hard water and have done this before, and it does work - but not well enough for me so I switched to bamboo and microfibre! Suprised no one else mentioned it?!

Patchwork_Quilt

I use wooden pegs, because I feel they might be more eco-friendly

I do often hang washing out at night in the summer, so I'm probably quite a common person, but I do always make sure that the smalls are hung either close to the house, where no-one can see them or behind a shirt so that they can't be seen from the street.

Also, I only hang out once. If it starts to rain, they get taken in and put in the drier or on the airer.

We do have crispy towels but I'm thinking of the electricity it saves us.

[Deleted User]

Loopy_Lobes wrote: »

When I was small I seem ro remember that people didn't hang their washing out on Sundays, I wonder why that was.. religious reasons maybe?

The main reason was that Monday was washday and if you hadn't got all your washing done by Monday night then you were considered a lazy mare.:rotfl:
My Mum never hung washing out on a Sunday and she also never ever left pegs on the line after taking the clothes in I must admit I hate to see pegs left on the line as well :rotfl:and feel the urge to collect them up and put them in a bag:rotfl:I too am a wooden peg lady I hate those plastic things

skintchick

JackieO wrote: »

skintchick wrote: »

<<20 washable nappies cost me over £200 - so people WOULD want to steal them!>>

:eek::eek::eek: How Much !!! good grief what are they gold lined ? I know its a long while since I bought my 2 dozen Harringtons nappies for my two children ( around 40 odd years ago) but that is serious money so I can see why you would be worried. I have always used a washing line and in 47 years have only lost things if they wern't pegged securely enough and the wind blew them away . I have left stuff on the line overnight without any problem ,a bit of rain water if there is a shower won't hurt them and they smell so fresh when they come indoors.
P.S I still have several of my nappies left and I use them as dusters, and they are very thin and threadbare but very soft still after all these years, but I don't think I could part with them

That's cheap when you think how much you will spend on Pampers over the years! They are shaped and for birth to potty if you look at the link JackieO, so it's not really that much over time, and the cost did include the bucket and liners and other bits and pieces.

AprilLady

YORKSHIRELASS wrote: »

Has anyone ever used white vinegar instead of fab conditioner? Its supposed to stop towels going stiff and scratchy. Heard this tip on the radio but scared to do it in case I get stiff scratchy towels that smell of vinegar!!!

I occasionally use vinegar in the wash - I'm not sure how much of a fabric conditioner it really is, but your clothes definitely don't come out smelling of it so you don't need to worry! : )

Nicki

Two easy options spring to mind Skinty.

The first, if your machine has this option, is to wash the nappies the previous evening before you go to bed, but to select the rinse hold option on your machine. This will mean that your nappies, after they have been washed, will soak overnight in clean water (getting rid of even more soap residue hopefully and also making them a little cleaner) and it should only take about 20 mins or so to complete the cycle when you get up in the morning. Tbh if baby lets you sleep in until 10.30am, you'll be very lucky!

The second option, is to buy a timer plug, and programme your machine to come on in the morning at say 8.00am. Then all you have to do is load everything up before you go to bed, and it will start all by itself and be chugging through the programme while you are showering, getting dressed and having your breakfast.

You also need a back up plan for when its too wet to dry outside, if you don't want to use the TD and airers take too long.

For your original question though, I would leave stuff out overnight but my back garden has 8 feet walls on all four sides and isn't overlooked by anyone, so I don't feel there's much chance of anything being pinched!

Swampmonster

What i've done that has saved me fortune is, i bought a value gazebo from Tesco's and put it outside the back door and I put my washing on airers under it. It dries so much quicker than inside.

We had a major rainstorm last light and all the clothes are still on there and are all dry.

I don't bother with the tumble drier at all now.

skintchick

Nicki - I know baby won;t let me lie in! And I am OK with using the tumble sometimes, I just woudl like to use the line and have no idea what I'm doing!

Timer is a good idea - dunno why I didn;t think of that.

OrkneyStar

Well I put my washing out at 12.30 and it was dry by 2! That's how windy our garden is here today. There was even slight drizzle but the things did not get wet as so much wind . In fact the undies did not even go out as they would have been blown up the street, so they are sitting on airer in lounge.