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drying washing

(63 Posts)
busybee6969 Wed 19-May-21 22:40:13

moving soon , always had a washing line outside,none at new house,what are the whirly round ones like ,never had one,or shall i put a couple of hooks up and tie a washing line up,

tanith Wed 19-May-21 22:44:45

I’ve been using a rotary washing for as long as I can remember they work very well.

aggie Wed 19-May-21 22:46:54

I’ve had one for years , great that I can stand in one positions and gather the dry washing quickly

SpringyChicken Wed 19-May-21 23:00:23

Rotary lines are fine but choose careful, not all are equal! We have set ours in concrete. The ground spike driven into soil always seems to tilt eventually.

SpringyChicken Wed 19-May-21 23:01:20

Carefully, not careful! confused

mokryna Wed 19-May-21 23:17:29

Used to have one when I live in a house with a garden in the early 70s, it was set in concrete. It dried the washing well if there was a breeze.

Cabbie21 Wed 19-May-21 23:38:30

Ours is at the top of the garden and is rarely used.
I just tend to hang things over the clothes rack indoors. I did put up a line just outside the back door but DH complained and I took it down.

welbeck Wed 19-May-21 23:40:55

they are a very good invention.

NotSpaghetti Thu 20-May-21 00:23:46

I don't like them and have gone back to a line.

Calendargirl Thu 20-May-21 06:53:09

Never had one, always used a proper washing line. I’ve been fortunate to have the space to do that, if I hadn’t, would have had to use a rotary one.

JackyB Thu 20-May-21 06:53:26

I have one and would prefer a line especially for large things like bedlinen. However, they are very practical and can be folded away so for most purposes they're fine, especially as gardens are much smaller these days.

Don't skimp, though; as others have said, it is worth getting a really sturdy one with at least a 2m stretch on the outer line (for said bedlinen)

Purpledaffodil Thu 20-May-21 07:37:36

Agree with paying for good quality one and concreting support in. Also I have found 4 sided ones seem to last longer than 3 sided.

JaneJudge Thu 20-May-21 07:41:15

Lines are better for sheets/duvet covers but rotary lines are fine for everything else smile

Puzzler61 Thu 20-May-21 07:43:12

I have a rotary one which is collapsible. It is meant for
holiday-ing. It’s small; to keep it fixed in place we have a concrete kerb stone across the base.
When we don’t want it in the garden DH takes it down.

grannysyb Thu 20-May-21 07:52:10

I have a retractable line, pull it out and attach it to a hook in the opposite wall, then when the washing is dry, it goes away again. I much prefer it to the whirly things.

BigBertha1 Thu 20-May-21 07:52:54

I have always had a rotary driver. I like to fold it up and put its cover on when not in use. DH takes it out for mowing or if we are having people in the garden .

Grandmabatty Thu 20-May-21 08:10:35

I live alone and don't have much washing. I find my portable rotary drier is big enough for my needs. It has a tendency to fall over in high winds though so probably one that is cemented in wouldn't faint! I like that I can store it out of sight when it's not in use

tanith Thu 20-May-21 08:33:05

I should of said the four sided ones are better and mine is easily collapsed and lives in the garage when not in use, B & Q sell a spike that twists into the ground and mine is 5 yrs old and it’s never moved or leaned even though it’s had my heavy king size duvet on it to air it several times.

Grammaretto Thu 20-May-21 08:41:14

I don't like the look of the rotary ones though they are perfectly efficient and prefer to watch the sheets flying on the line in the sunshine. I have a wooden clothes prop.
Being in Scotland I also have a pully in the kitchen.

Charleygirl5 Thu 20-May-21 08:42:45

My rotary dryer is 4 sided. I live on my own but I appear to wash for many because my dryer does a sterling job. The clothes appear to dry faster when there is a slight breeze and it whirls around. I love mine.

dogsmother Thu 20-May-21 09:12:01

Had both and definitely prefer a line.

Shrub Thu 20-May-21 09:18:02

I have a small courtyard and have a freestanding, four legged rotary line. It's useful for drying trousers pegged open so they dry more quickly and for looping up long items.

Nonogran Thu 20-May-21 09:27:33

I have a good quality 4 section rotary line. There's mostly just two of us so it takes everything I need to wash in one go. Heavy bedding & bath sheets, the lot. I've always had rotary lines because I like to put it away or pull a cover over it when not in use. This also helps to preserve the lines from "weathering" so it lasts years & years. Buy the best you can afford & get the sheath it sits in, set in concrete.
I try not to dry washing inside because it can lead to "life style condensation." Black on walls, mould on ceilings etc. I am fortunate to have a conservatory so occasionally use an airer out there. Crack open a window to allow air to circulate. Job done!

maytime2 Thu 20-May-21 09:33:57

I have never owned a tumble dryer and have always dried my clothes outdoors. In my previous house, where I lived for many years, I had an old fashioned line with proper line posts which meant that my clothes were about 10 ft high in the air and dried easily.
In this house, which is 5 years old, I do not have much of a garden and it is surrounded by 6ft high wooden fences. I did not think that a rotary clothes line would be a good idea. It would work ok in the summer, but not in the winter.
I bought some clothes hooks which were screwed on to the wooden fence and also some bandolier clips to which I tied the clothes line.
So now when I dry clothes I put the clothes line on the hooks and peg out. Take the washing in when dry and also the clothes line.
This means that most of the time, when I look out the garden, I do not see an unslightly washing or rotary line.
I forgot to add that I also use a prop to push the line up a bit.
It will never be as good as my old washing line, but I deliberately wanted a small garden as unfortunately I can no longer garden as I could.

LindaPat Thu 20-May-21 09:37:01

Like many above posters, I have always had a rotary dryer, cemented in to make stable. Never had a problem, washing dries fine, I like to see it turning in the wind. It is on the small lawn near the drive, not visible from the road as it is screened by a tall hedge and a fence.
At my previous house, when the children were small, my dad fixed a contraption outside the back door for the nappies. He ran a pulley line between a bracket on the wall and one on the back of the garage. I could stand at the back door and peg out the nappies, pulling the line along as I worked. Hard to describe, but the first one pegged out ended up at the far end of the line. It was a godsend, held about 15 nappies and I loved to see them blowing in the wind!