Avoid using GAS and ELECTRIC !

she_grinch

I have used clothes horses for years and the only problem with them is it takes so long for items like fleeces or jumpers to dry that they pick up that nasty damp dog smell! How do you stop this happening and also how do you cope with drying bedding as these things also smell as they have to be folded before hanging to fit on the lines?

sammy_kaye18

she_grinch wrote: »

How do you stop this happening and also how do you cope with drying bedding as these things also smell as they have to be folded before hanging to fit on the lines?

I dont know if that was directed at me or not butfigured id answer anyway.:D I live on the ground floor and although we are in flats it is more a masionette set up (two up, two down) and we do have a small communal garden so we each have our own washing line but even this only accomodates about 1 load of bedding (ie 1 sheet, 1 duvet cover, 2 pillowcases) so i can use this when im drying - i am considering put up another smaller tighter line underneath so i could hang all of my littlies clothes underneath them too - just makes more hanging space in my opinion but hten have the airers too - ive no idea why a family of 3 gets through so many clothes a week

stilernin

she_grinch wrote: »

I have used clothes horses for years and the only problem with them is it takes so long for items like fleeces or jumpers to dry that they pick up that nasty damp dog smell! How do you stop this happening and also how do you cope with drying bedding as these things also smell as they have to be folded before hanging to fit on the lines?

I hand wash woolies and then lay them flat of a large bath towel. Roll it up like a sausage and press down so the water is absorbed by the towel. Repeat if necessary.

I then hang the woolie (over a fresh towel) over two bars of an airer, so there is a gap between each bit hanging down IYSWIM.

The whole idea is to get the water out of the woolie quickly.

I realise this leaves you with a couple of wet towels, but better than a jumper you can't wear for a fortnight while it dries. They keep their shape better too as the water isn't dragging them down when they are handled and hung up.

sammy_kaye18

Forgot to add another good way to dry things like jumprs and tshirts os they dont take up line/drier space is to hang them on coat hangers and hang around the house or flat. I hang some tshirts/jumpers on hangers in my living room on the curtain rail if theres jsut me home or around the shower rail if im expectin guests

LearningToSave.

rchddap1 wrote: »

One of my other 'habits' is switching off the microwave and oven at the wall. Well they've got clocks so they use electricity. We don't look at the clocks anyway, so there is no point in keeping them on.

we do this too!! as you say we dont look at them or use them so no point leaving them on and also with two small children i think its a good thing for safety too!

likabu_2

sandy2 wrote: »

How about using lower wattage bulbs, or fitting a dimmer switch

They are on a dimmer switch already but I don't like a faint glow above my head. The tealights are at eyelevel and I much prefer them (at the moment!).

Lisa

exlibris

[quote=sammy_kaye18;12088619_drying_-_i_am_considering_put_up_another_smaller_tighter_line_underneath_so_i_could_hang_all_of_my_littlies_clothes_underneath_them_too_-_just_makes_more_hanging_space_in_my_opinion_but_hten_have_the_airers_too_-_ive_no_idea_why_a_family_of_3_gets_through_so_many_clothes_a_week[/quote]

I sympathize about the short lines. Since we had the conservatory built I can now only dry 8 adult garments. Fortunately there are now only 2 of us so I can cope with this.

When I line dried square terry nappies I pegged one under another to get 2 in the same line space. Is there any of your washing you could do this with.

pigpen

she_grinch wrote: »

I have used clothes horses for years and the only problem with them is it takes so long for items like fleeces or jumpers to dry that they pick up that nasty damp dog smell! How do you stop this happening and also how do you cope with drying bedding as these things also smell as they have to be folded before hanging to fit on the lines?

Fleeces dry in no time.. they are 'plastic fibres' so don't actually absorb water it just sits on the surface.

jumpers/woolens etc I hang on the airers and leave in the sun.. even in winter they dry super quick!

work trousers.. tha bane of my life!! They cannot go in the dryer so they are hung on hangers and danged in the kitchen.. Thankfully I don't fry anything so they don't ever smell of bacon and they dry pretty quick too.

I find it much easier in winter as they can go on the radiators and dry much quicker than they do in the airers in summer.

My sister lives on a third floor flat and has a small balcony.. she has an airer which she puts out there in summer and in winter she puts it in the front window in the direct light and occasionally in front of the fire to dry quicker.

I used to used my fireguard to dry stuff.. it is amazing how quick stuff dries on those things.. rapid turn over.. in very cold weather I could have an entire wash load dry by the time the next load came out of the washing machine.

I had one of the overhead airers too.. it was always full of stuff on hangers.. in the end it had to go as it made the house so unbelievably messy it drove me insane!

I have just invested in more pegs lol. When I hang out huge things like bedding I hang other stuff over the top of them as well.. usually woolly things.

rustyjemma

rchddap1 wrote: »

One of my other 'habits' is switching off the microwave and oven at the wall. Well they've got clocks so they use electricity. We don't look at the clocks anyway, so there is no point in keeping them on.

these appliances with clocks are my pet hate in life. Weve had three power cuts since last sat & I still cant remember how to set them without hours of tinkering & luck.. and i certainly dont know how to use the s**ding timer function!
Sorry rant over about silly appliances

happyaslarry_2

i started to turn off my combi bolier using the off mode setting eveytime someone turns on the H/W tap even for a few seconds the boiler comes on

it soon add up.

i'm gonna see how that makes a difference to the next gas bill.

update on combi boiler
i started this for the firs time this morning and now i've noticed the pressure bar flicking from 1.4 to 1.3 i don't know if this is normal so for now i put it back on hot water so much for me trying to save the pennies.

also for the first time i did some bulk cooking for the week this morning and made some bread as well.

i steamed all the veggies.