Washing Lines

koalamummy

Our current house is a new build which we moved into 14 months ago. As you would expect it did not come with a washing line and as I was pregnant with spd, and a husband working away from home I took the easy option and used a tumble dryer

I am now at the point where this is a bit silly though as we have a good sized garden and should really be drying outside instead of being so wasteful. However, although everywhere I have ever lived has always had washing lines or rotary dryers I have never even considered where you buy them or how you tell if they are any good or not as they have just always been there.

If anybody could give me some advice on what is worthwhile I would very much appreciate it

ka7e

I would recommend a Brabantia Lift-o-matic. Not the cheapest around but well worth the bit extra! You can choose from different sizes - 40-60m of line. The lifting mechanism can be operated with one hand and individual strands of line can be replaced. (Cheaper lines have to be totally rewired and you can never get the tension right)

Ideally, you need a spike set into concrete to stop the line wobbling. They usually come with a cover so you can remove the whole washing line and store it - say if you are having a party/BBQ, and the hole won't fill with rubbish or cut little fingers!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=brabantia+washing+line&!!!!!googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=6834083289&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=19228642231878379989&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_8ebwchlzv2_b

Tiddlywinks

Another vote for the Brabantia...

Plus - if you are in the habit of taking your rotary line out of the ground that cover for the hole is really useful.

In my old house we had another older line and we would put the pole in the shed when we weren't using it. The trouble was that we always used to "lose" the hole in the ground and would spend bloomin' ages looking for it again! We ended up leaving a big stick in it - sort of like on a golf course just so we could find it again.

koalamummy

Thanks that looks ideal!

I have been using a tumble dryer constantly for 14 months so I am totally happy to spend more if it means long term savings.

jackieb

I have a Hills Hoist. It's worth every penny. It's so strong and I think even I could swing on it without breaking it! It doesn't fold though. It holds an awful lot of washing and you turn the handle 29 times (I know because I count it every time : o) so your washing is blowing high. And it doesn't wobble at all. I used to almost get garotted hanging stuff on the inside of my last rotary drier, I had to practically limbo but on this one the lines are flat, not graduated like an upside down umbrella.

I have a photo to show you what I mean (it's not snowing today just incase you're wondering. )

jackieb

And the washing line has wire in it so it doesn't sag. I've had it for more than 3 years and it hasn't been tightened yet.

You can also lock it so it doesn't blow round when you're pegging stuff up.

koalamummy

Thanks Jackieb

I am looking that one up as not being the tallest person it could make things easier!

jackieb

koalamummy wrote: »

Thanks Jackieb

I am looking that one up as not being the tallest person it could make things easier!

I think the one in the link that ka7e gave, also goes up and down.

This one is quite expensive but can only give my opinion on it - and I wouldn't buy any other. We got it cheaper from a local builders merchant (about £190) plus we bought a spike specifically for it which cost £14 and my OH cemented the spike in. He was actually going to buy a second spike so we could move the dryer as the sun is in a different part of the garden in the winter, but moving it is definitely a 2 person job! Just never got round to it though.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hills-115534-Supex-Heavy-Duty-Rotary/dp/B000TAUDDA

building_with_lego

How much wind does your garden get? Our neighbours have a rotary, though nothing so swanky as a Brabantia , and their washing just sits there. I have washing lines running the length of the garden and can get my laundry to catch any breeze- dries beautifully. (We're fairly sheltered from wind.) Just a thought.

Becles

Mine is similar to this:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8501240/Trail/searchtext%3EWASHING+LINE.htm

I like it because I can pull it out while I'm using it, then it all reels back into the box and it doesn't get in the way when we are using the garden.

fluffnutter

I've got a post set in the patio at the end of the garden with a line that attaches to a hanging basket hook on the end of the kitchen.

One thing I've noticed (and this might apply to rotary driers too)... if I leave my line out all winter the frost makes it brittle and it snaps if you put heavy stuff on it. I've learnt my lesson (took me two years though!) and now I take my line down each winter, coil it up and put it somewhere frost-free (the shed).

If you go for a line, rather than a rotary drier you can buy the lines (plus the posts) from hardware stores. They're cheap as chips.