Winter Clothes Drying: My Little Green Discovery

Posted by Sandy Beverly January 13, 2009 at 9:04 p.m.

Winter Clothes Drying: My Little Green Discovery

When it comes to clothes drying, I’ve been a fair-weather environmentalist for some time. Spring, summer, and fall, I hang my clothes to dry in the back yard. I want to use my clothes-line in the winter, too. But I often don’t find time to deal with my wet laundry until after lunch, and I’ve found that five hours of dappled sunshine rarely get my clothes dry. (Plus, there’s that pesky little thing called “W-I-N-D C-H-I-L-L”.)I’m trying something new this winter, inspired by my friend Kris. Kris uses a clothes-line, too, but she has also found a way to hang an entire load of laundry to dry inside her house. I haven’t gone that far--and my husband thanks me, I’m sure, for not leaving wet toddler socks and little boy briefs all around the house—but I have cut way back on my winter dryer usage. Here’s what I do: From each load, I choose the heaviest clothes to air-dry. This means the little and light stuff gets tossed in the dryer, and items like towels, jeans, heavy sweatpants, and even long sleeve t-shirts are called out for a hanging. I hang pants on hangers on the shower bar, wet towels on the towel bars, and everything else on a small wooden drying rack in my bedroom. You’d probably be amazed how quickly these items dry. Even wet towels dry in a matter of hours! I may never dry another towel in the dryer again! I also like the fact that I’m adding a little bit of moisture to the Sahara-like winter air in my house. It’s making a difference, I think. In past winters, we’ve rotated a humidifier from bedroom to bedroom. Not so, this year.Now air-dryed clothes are quite a bit stiffer than dryer-dried clothes. Some people don’t like the “crunch.” I’ve learned that crunchy bath towels will soften after a single use, and crunchy clothes soften soon after encountering a warm, moving body. But if you must have the Kenmore softness, you can always toss your dry, crunchy clothes in the dryer with your little load of toddler socks and little boy briefs. Or toss them in the dryer with a damp wash cloth. Presto! Warm, soft clothes in five minutes or so.I’m sold on this new winter routine, and I thank my friend Kris for inspiration. Any more green-ies out there with a good idea to share?

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liggyon (David Lignell) says…

Sandy,I'm not as green as I could be. Lately, though, with the push for "sustainability" in business, I've begun to take baby steps. I now use a coffee mugs instead of styrofoam cups. I handwash dishes instead of using paper plates. Still, I'm doing minimal effort. What I liked about your laundry idea is that it saves energy AND it's practical - - a hybred approach that can work with a busy schedule. Bravo! More practical ideas, please?
January 13, 2009 at 9:37 p.m.
femail (Linda Hanney) says…

Sandy, I agree that wet clothes and cold outdoor temperatures don't mix. I have a variation on your idea. I put the whole load in the dryer and set it for 15 minutes. Then pick out heavy things and hang them on hangers and a retractable line in the basement. Then reset for 10 minutes--most things are then dry enough that dumping them on the bed for an hour or two is enough to finish the job.
January 13, 2009 at 10:42 p.m.
Escapee (anonymous) says…

Here's somethin needs fixin...the 'covenants' for my neighborhood don't allow clotheslines even where they cannot be seen from the street OR by my neighbors!!! Of course same rules apply for pools, pool houses, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, RV's, and any more cars than can be 'aesthetically' parked in the resident's drive -- none allowed on street.Who makes these rules???!!!!!
January 13, 2009 at 11 p.m.
sgb (Sandy Beverly) says…

Thanks for comments so far. I like your variation, Linda, but I found when I hung my clothes in our (damp) basement they took quite awhile to try and caused my dehumidifier to run a lot. My knowledgeable husband was convinced that we were using more energy to run the dehumidifier than we would have used for the dryer.I agree, Escapee, that covenants that restrict clotheslines are a problem. Check out the "Right to Dry" movement which aims to create state laws that override these covenants. See recent articles in the CS Monitor, Wall Street Journal, and Time:http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0824/p01s03-ussc.htmlhttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB119007893529930697.html?mod=googlenews_wsjhttp://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1686822,00.html
January 14, 2009 at 8:04 a.m.
trinity (anonymous) says…

are those "rules" not insane?? about the clotheslines&other matters of how people live? i remember a very very dear gramma in law telling me, in the late 70's, that a neat and organized clothesline had, to her, always been a source of pride! that is a message i will never forget, and i am to this day a clothesline hanger outer, lol. i'd be totally screwed if i lived in a place with "neighborhood associations". if i'd ever live in one to begin with! i love the sight of laundry on the line-not to mention the fresh, wonderful smell!
January 14, 2009 at 8:05 a.m.
alm77 (anonymous) says…

I have one of those accordion style clothes drying racks. You'd be amazed how much you can fit on one once you've done it several times. Toddler socks are no sweat! The big towels can be draped down the sides and there are enough bars in the middle, that if you start with the little things on the bottom bars, there is plenty of room for jeans and long sleeves at the top. Even if you still can't figure it all out, just buy another rack. They fold up and are easy to store. I love it!!
January 14, 2009 at 8:42 a.m.
beawolf (anonymous) says…

"I handwash dishes instead of using paper plates."...Actually the paper plates are more environmental and economically friendly. They are biodegradable from a renewable resource. By handwashing, the used water (a non-renewable resource) needs to go through a treatment facility, your detergent is most likely in a plastic bottle (which needs to re-cycled) and may contain harmful chemicals (phosphates and bleach), and your water needs to be heated, further draining our energy resources as well as your pocketbook.And if you want to take it one step further, I highly recommend using tree-free biodegradable plates made from bagasse, a sugarcane byproduct. These plates can be disposed of in compost bins and are priced better than their paper counterparts.
January 14, 2009 at 8:46 a.m.
DougCounty (anonymous) says…

Escapee,How did you find out about the "no clothesline" rule? The document that you read this on should give you the information you need to petition a change in the covenant. It might take a little "community organizing" to accomplish the feat, but talking to your neighbors and getting to know them better is always a good thing. And Sandy's links might help folks understand enough to sign a petition for the change to take place. Good luck, and keep us posted!
January 14, 2009 at 10:04 a.m.
FourthRow (anonymous) says…

I've been thinking about restrictive covenants of late as I consider just how much of my yard I can turn into vegetable garden, and whether or not I am obligated to keep certain trees in place.I have NO idea where or how to discover if I am subject to any such covenants. I live in the Prairie Meadows area - between Holcum on Target. Any words of wisdom on where I could get this information?
January 14, 2009 at 10:31 a.m.
gccs14r (anonymous) says…

My washer has a 1200 rpm spin cycle. Most clothes are nearly dry before they hit the dryer. If we stay put this year, I'll think about putting up a clothesline. I just don't want to spend the effort putting up a good one, only to have it detract from resale value.
January 14, 2009 at 6:58 p.m.
Escapee (anonymous) says…

gccs...that's my remedy as well. Fisher Pakel (sp?) washer dryer much more green friendly than the old Kenmore Heavy Duty. And in the spring, I do put stuff outside anyway, regardless of covenants, and I have lovely neighbors who would never complain. It's just something that I think should 'go away' in the future in light of greener practices for daily living. It's one of those things that most people would never object to -- but it doesn't get taken out of the covenants either. Covenants exist for a lot of good reasons...but this isn't one of them.
January 15, 2009 at 9:52 a.m.