Gransnet forums

Chat

Hang the washing out

(117 Posts)
Teetime Tue 29-Aug-17 12:15:54

Further to my 'Open those windows' thread I observe that locally I seem to be one of the few who hang washing out- has this practice fallen from favour too?

Charleygirl Tue 29-Aug-17 12:23:55

At present it is something I do daily. I do not have a tumble drier and have no desire for one. I cannot believe my friends and neighbours who could easily hang washing outside but prefer to waste money popping it in the tumble drier. More money than sense.

devongirl Tue 29-Aug-17 12:25:13

I'd love to do it but live in a leasehold maisonette, lease forbids having a washing line outside sad

kittylester Tue 29-Aug-17 12:32:27

I don't. I used to have a twirly but we decided that it took up too much room in our small garden.

I dry on a Molly Maid in the utility room although I do have a tumble dryer for panic situations.

tanith Tue 29-Aug-17 12:32:40

My washing goes on the line Summer and most of the Winter. My neighbour has 5 adults to wash for and hardly ever uses her line I assume it's the tumble dryer for her too. Got rid of mine years ago and like Charleygirl wouldn't give one house room now.

Greyduster Tue 29-Aug-17 12:35:26

I also hang washing out, having consigned my tumble dryer to moulder in the garage. My only regret is that I have to make do with a rotary clothes line, as there is nowhere in the garden to attach a long line. Rotary dryers are a pain.

nanaK54 Tue 29-Aug-17 12:37:28

One lot out on the line, second lot spinning now!

MissAdventure Tue 29-Aug-17 12:41:03

I hang my washing out, even though I live in a flat, and its quite a trek (20 or so steps!) to the line
I can't bring myself to pay out for electricity if it can be avoided.

cornergran Tue 29-Aug-17 12:54:51

Ours gets on the line when the weather is reliable enough. Can't bear to keep taking it in and out. Otherwise on an airer in the conservatory.

dustyangel Tue 29-Aug-17 13:13:50

Interesting this, I have always hung my washing out in the past even if it has meant battling the wind but now we have had the building work done there's less room and I've been trying to persuade myself that a rotary would be just as good possibly better.

Teetime Tue 29-Aug-17 13:14:27

Well I do have a tumble drier mostly for towels - I like them fluffy!!!

tanith Tue 29-Aug-17 13:23:08

Love my rotary drier it takes loads of washing and when I take the washing off it goes back in the garage .

kittylester Tue 29-Aug-17 13:48:20

Couldn't be doing with taking it in and out Tanith so, while we still used ours, I bought a snazzy cover which had flowers and leaves all over.

shysal Tue 29-Aug-17 13:49:10

I dry most of mine outside in good weather, or on an airer in the spare bedroom. However, I must confess to using the tumble dryer for towels and the little things like socks and pants, due to laziness and reluctance to show off my large smalls to the neighbours.

ginny Tue 29-Aug-17 13:51:38

Put mine out as often as possible. Once I need a coat to go into the garden it goes in the tumble drier.

Pittcity Tue 29-Aug-17 13:53:06

We always have lots of washing out here. The whole close has a rotary line.
I am the only one with a cover though, most just stay up.
One neighbour puts washing out every day including in rain and snow. I use an airer in the spare room on those days.
I do love tumble dried towels though.

Day6 Tue 29-Aug-17 14:01:46

I get a wonderful sense of satisfaction from seeing clothes drying on the line. As they blow in the breeze I feel like I've done something well. (How sad!) I remember having this conversation with my Mum. I often use her phrase too - "Good drying weather" - on a blowy day.

I cannot get on with rotary lines though. I am lucky enough to have room for a long line which goes right down the length of the garden.

I found my tumble dryer expensive to use and it shrank things too! I gave it away. I

J52 Tue 29-Aug-17 14:02:41

I gave up tumbling when the machines began to catch fire and a professional textile designer told me that they shortened the life of fabric.
I always dry outside, weather permitting. It the winter washing goes on an airer overnight in the room with a wood burning stove. ( well away from it).
It helps to have a high spin on the washing machine.

Day6 Tue 29-Aug-17 14:05:46

Or is it tumble 'drier' ? confused

M0nica Tue 29-Aug-17 14:11:20

I have never had a tumble dryer because as well as drying outside I have also had somewhere convenient to dry clothes inside as well.

Currently I have a drying rack in our extra wide single garage, which is integral with the house, not only that, the door to it is right next to the cupboard where the washing machine lives.

DD & DDiL, both dry washing outside, but both have tumble dryers because of the lack of a convenient place to dry indoors.

SusanCh Tue 29-Aug-17 14:58:01

I like to hang out on the line if the weather's nice. Otherwise I hang things on a rack in the spare bedroom. Heavier things like sheets and towels go in the tumble dryer. I have a neighbour who likes to hang her washing out overnight - I haven't quite worked out why yet.

Nannapat1 Tue 29-Aug-17 15:07:04

I hang my washing out whenever the weather permits but use the tumble dryer when it doesn't.

Juggernaut Tue 29-Aug-17 15:09:59

I only use the tumbler when absolutely necessary!
Washing's almost always dried on the line, or in winter I use one of the heated airers from Lakeland.
I have a rotary line in the back, but also sometimes have a line running the length of the back garden, I love using that, but it's only suitable until late spring when the plants grow so tall that the washing hits them! Then it gets wound up and put in the garage until autumn!
I also have stainless steel pegs, otherwise it took me an age to hang my washing out, as the pegs on each item had to match, two green, two blue etc.......yes, I know, weird!

benhamslc Tue 29-Aug-17 15:30:35

Washing out on line, just purchased a new rotary line that spins around like mad and dries the washing in half the time of the old one that never moved.

Oriel Tue 29-Aug-17 15:41:05

Unless its raining my washing goes out on my rotary line. We live on a hill so it's in a good drying position for both sun and wind.

When wet my washing goes in my drying cupboard. I made this when I had the old immersion tank taken out. The cupboard had the tank below and wooden slatted airing shelving above. I took it all out and added hanging rails and had a very small radiator put lower down I also have the backup of a small oil filled electric radiator if the heating isn't on. I put the wet clothes on hangers and put them on the rails. It works really well and doesn't mess clothes up like my tumble drier does. I only use the tumble drier occasionally for towels.