the art of line drying.

Imagine this: it’s a beautiful, warm summer day. You’re in the backyard, drinking a glass of iced tea, and listening the wind chimes. A few feet away, your morning laundry is hanging up to dry in the sunshine, dancing in the wind. -Heather Levin

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I am currently taking a textiles class and the other day we talked about some of the benefits of line drying. Line drying used to be very common, clotheslines being in nearly every backyard. Somewhere along the line it faded into the background but it's beginning to make it's comeback as eco-friendly living and frugality increase in popularity. I would be so happy for it to come back and I would like to do my part in helping it to do so.

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Reasons to Line Dry:

Line drying your clothing and household linens as opposed to using a dryer is much better for the environment. Dryers use electricity, which is usually produced by coal powered plants. Reducing the amount of electricity you use reduces the amount of fossil fuels used.

Clothes that are line dryed tend to last longer because they aren't exposed to as much heat and electricity.

Hanging your laundry out to dry is absolutely free minus the cost of a clothes line, some pins, and poles if you find them to be necessary. But you aren't paying the expense of running an electric dryer for hours and hours each week.

The fresh air will leave your laundry with a feshness that doens't require the use of chemical additives.

The sun is a natural brightener. It helps to bleach and disinfect your laundry. Your whites will be extra bright, just make sure to keep dark pieces in the shade so they won't fade!

Hanging clothing out to dry can be therapeutic. It is a peaceful task that involves doing an easy routine task with your hands and often lets your mind rest or wander. The smell of fresh laundry in the breeze is very relaxing and the look of clothing hung on the line is asthetically pleasing to most.

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Line Drying Indoors
When you hear the term "line dry" chances are your first thoughts are a picture of clothing hanging on a line with green grass and a gentle breeze. However, that isn't the only method for line drying. Where I live, the weather doesn't exactly like to work around my schedule and I'm not always able to be home during 'drying hours' so we need another alternative. Drying racks. Drying your clothes indoors on racks is almost as good as drying them outdoors on a line. It still saves energy and it still saves money. The best part is that line drying inside during the winter months is even more beneficial. Winter air is very dry but by drying your clothes indoors, it will humidify your rooms. Not to mention, instead of using heat to dry your clothes and then sending it out through the dryer vent, you can use the heat to actually warm your house.

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Tips for Line Drying:

Check the weather before hanging laudry outside. Summer means thunderstorms and you don't want them ruining your laundry.

Don't hang your laundry under a tree. Birds can be bad.

Hang your shirts from the hemline so you don't have sagging shoulders.

Hang your dresses on a hanger on the clothes line if you want them to keep their shape.

Fold your sheets and linens in half. Since they are so big and heavy, they will often sag and sometimes touch the ground, making them dirty all over again. Fold them to keep them off the dirt and grass.

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Don't leave your clothes pins outside on the line for long amounts of time, rain will make them dark and moldy. Store them inside and keep them in a clothespin bag that hangs on your line for easy transportation and storage.

Be careful not to hang dark clothing or linens in the sun because they will fade, and usually its not an even fade. Hang them in the shade or inside on a drying rack to help them keep their color.

You can even hang your under garments out to dry. If you are self concious about people seeing them, hang them behind towels or sheets. You might need three lines side by side to fully cover them, but that just means more drying room!

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Links to check out:
Project Laundry List
5 Reasons to Line Dry Your Laundry
Earthling's Handbook - Laundry
How to Line Dry Your Clothes
Clothesline Drying Laundry - Tammy's Recipes Blog
10 Reasons to Line Dry Laundry

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