Stretchy washing line

DWhite · 20 July 2019 at 2:06PM

Hi!
I’m relatively new to having an outside space to dry my clothes. I put up a washing line which works great. Though it has stretched a lot and I’m wondering if it’s something I’ve done or if it’s cheap line and a more expensive one won’t stretch as much? Also, tips for getting the best from drying outside will be much appreciated

joedenise · 20 July 2019 at 3:09PM

Lines don't usually stretch a lot; usual they stretch a little. Is it a thin plastic coated line? If so a thicker one may be better.

Try to give your clothes room to move on the line so that the wind can do it's work on drying, the sun helps too but isn't so important.

I always hang clothes by the waist so T-Shirts from the bottom; trousers from the waistband; socks I hang individually but in pairs, ie next to each other, as it makes it easier when sorting clothes out.

Try and dry your washing outside as often as possible even if it's only for a couple of hours to get the worst of the dampness out then you won't have stuff hanging around damp indoors for too long or even having to use a tumble dryer which isn't the most MSE way of drying!

Denise

DWhite · 20 July 2019 at 5:54PM

Thanks for the reply, my line is quite saggy in the middle now (like it’s owner!!) maybe I’ll replace it with a thicker one and see how it fares

YorksLass · 20 July 2019 at 6:21PM

Sounds like you need a clothes prop!

An old fashioned wooden one would probably be more sturdy than a plastic or metal one.

oystercatcher · 20 July 2019 at 7:24PM

You need one of these to prop the line up higher in the middle.

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-extendable-clothes-prop/p/1289640

oystercatcher · 20 July 2019 at 7:32PM

Other tips are, give clothes a good shake before pegging, this helps minimise ironing. Hang clothes as open as possible, ie, shirts with buttons open , zips undone etc. and so that the air can blow through them as much as possible, you might be used to hanging things double on an indoor airer but outdoors ( or indoors) clothes take much longer to dry if they are doubled over so spread things out and try and hang them so they dont fold back on themselves, you will find damp patches where the air can't go.

Try and bring washing in before dusk as the air goes damp and things that may have been bone dry in the sunshine will get wet again.

If you like to feed the birds in your garden you may find they leave 'thank you messages' on your laundry :eek:

Personally I prefer the whirligig type washing lines to a long line. I find it easier and think you can get more washing out at once.

If you are organised wash things overnight and peg out first thing to get the most of the sunshine !

GreyQueen · 20 July 2019 at 9:30PM

They're dearer and not so easily found but the steel laundry lines are a great thing, with a steel pole to prop up in the middle, to loft those duds up into the breeze.

Seconding what Oystercatcher said, and always look out for clothes which have collars and make sure they're not folded down or you risk a basically dry garment with a very damp part.

When pegging out bedlinen, peg pillowcases by one side of the open end, so they billow out like a bag when the wind catches them. This helps drying. For the same reason, fold bedsheets in half, top to bottom, and peg them with 4 pegs. One peg on each side, holding the doubled cloth, and the other two in the middle, each holding one thickness of the sheet, but the pegs offset by a couple of feet.

This allows the sheet to billow out like a bag and gets it dry quicker. And nothing beats the fresh smell of line-dried laundry.

PS; you might want to run a wet rag down the length of the line as birds perch on them and some have mucky feet.;)

trailingspouse · 21 July 2019 at 5:15AM

If it's a rotary airer that you've got, you can tighten them up simply by finding the knot where the line is fastened to the airer, untying it, then pulling the slack up (you'll have to go round and round the airer a few times), then re-tying the knot. Do it with the airer 'up' so you know you're getting the tension right.

Eenymeeny · 21 July 2019 at 3:02PM

I find that pegging socks etc on one of those carousel-type airers makes it easy to take them in and out if the weather turns showery. (I have a couple of indoor airers in my utility room which are handy for airing after they've been outside)

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Stretchy washing line

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