Drying washing outside

thriftlady_2

I don't line dry in winter either. It just never seems to get dry. I have a fantastic airing rack at one end of my kitchen, (well away from food smells )that my OH built. It's like one of those pulley ones you hoist up to the ceiling except that the poles are fixed IYSWIM. It's above the radiator, and I use a fold up airer as well.

Jo_anne_2

tawnyowls wrote:

Unfortunately, as I mentioned in my earlier post, it only works with certain makes of rotary airer/dryer.

I have used an ordinary garden gazebo over mine, and it does work well, but the problem is that I have to take it down every time, as in the winter, the wind can be strong enough to knock the gazebo over even if it's pegged into the ground. I did try putting the gazebo cover directly onto the washing line, but I found I had to pad the airer on top, otherwise it damaged the cover. Definitely not one to try with an expensive gazebo - one of the cheap polythene ones is good enough.

I might give this a go as we have fairly cheap Asda gazebo. Hanging out washing is about the only household chore I enjoy (albeit on a bright, breezy day - not so sure about all winter though

DrBenway

Wickedkitten wrote:

Aye, i find that happens as well unless there is a good strong breeze blowing. Even still though, it certainly is a right pain in the bum hanging out cold washing in the first place.

My washing machine rinses with HOT water so no cold washing to put out.

Recently moved to a new flat and the hot water is included in the rent.
So i checked the plumbing at the back of the washing machine and it was hooked into the cold supply. So swapped it to the hot and hey presto i don't pay for the machine heating the water up.

dolly_day_dream

I just love the smell of washing dried outside and tbh I ruined clothes in the drier by leaving them in too long:o

Do find it harder in the winter though cos I leave when it is still dark and get home in the dark as well so washing that might have gotten dried during the day has got wet again.:o Then I dry inside but at the week-end I just look at the pavement - if it is dry then my washing will dry outside. As for those birds though I have a wood right behind me and have lots of elderberry trees around my garden. I am sure that they feed up on the elderberries and then use my clean sheets as target practice.

Jolaaled

thriftlady wrote:

I don't line dry in winter either. It just never seems to get dry. I have a fantastic airing rack at one end of my kitchen, (well away from food smells )that my OH built. It's like one of those pulley ones you hoist up to the ceiling except that the poles are fixed IYSWIM. It's above the radiator, and I use a fold up airer as well.

Can you give some hints on how to make one of the pulley-type airers??...i guess you use 4 lengths of wood, but what did you use for the end pieces??

thanks

DianaMattos

Hello ladies,

Just a quick question - I am wanting to dry my washing outside on the days I am at home, but I am of the opinion that if it is really cold and still, that my clothes just aren't going to dry. Is this a right opinion? I don't want to spend ages hanging out the washing first thing only to find it's still damp at the end of the day and have to hang it out indoors anyway!

Thanks for your help,

Di x

thriftlady_2

I'm of the same opinion;) at least until it gets a bit warmer. I tend to start hanging washing outside in March. I give up by November because it just stays wet and cold.

Farway

I find with still air they are still damp at end of day

Sun & wind is ideal of course, but wind will do on it;s own, unless washing freezes first :rotfl:

tanith

I put mine out today and although there has hardly been any wind most of it apart from the jeans is almost dry , I will probably put it on the airer for a couple of hours... but its certainly better than having really damp washing hanging around all day long........

EDIT: I actually really enjoy hanging out the washing ...lol ... how sad is that....

MATH

Cold and still will not dry your washing (sorry) but give it a go on cold and breezy days. As a rule I never bother hanging out until the end of Feb and even then some days I'm resigned to drying the worst of the wet off before finishing in the dryer.

I've found that since I have started using a couple of clothes airers rather than a washing line I am more inclined to pop things outside. If it starts to rain I can always drag the airers indoors or into the garage and bring them in while I'm at work. I probably wouldn't bother pegging out a full line of clobber on 'changable' days because of the time to bring it all in at the first shower. HTH