Line drying laundry outside can be an eco-friendly and cost-effective way to dry clothes, but it can also come with some frustrations. From clothes not drying fully to stains settling in, line drying has its challenges. Fortunately, there are solutions to many common line drying laundry problems.
Choosing the Right Location
Choosing the optimal spot to hang laundry makes a big difference in avoiding issues. Here are some tips for picking the best line drying location:
Full Sun Exposure
Clothes dry much faster and more thoroughly when hung in direct sunlight. Seek out a spot that gets sunlight for the majority of the day, without shade from trees, buildings, or other objects. South-facing spots are ideal for catching the most sun.
Shelter from Wind
While a gentle breeze can help circulate air around drying laundry, strong gusts of wind can blow clothes off the line or prevent them from drying properly. Hang laundry in an area protected from harsh winds, like a fenced yard or beneath an overhang.
Away from Pollution
Don’t line dry laundry next to busy roads or factories, as dirt, dust, and vehicle emissions can cling to your clothes as they dry. Seek out the cleanest air possible for your laundry.
On a Level Surface
Hang laundry on a line that’s strung taut and level. Sagging or crooked lines can result in improperly dried or wrinkled clothes. Set poles firmly in the ground or use a sturdy frame.
With Room to Work
Make sure there’s enough space around the clothesline to comfortably hang, remove, and sort laundry. Having to reach or squeeze by drying clothes risks knocking them down.
Avoiding Dampness
Laundry that doesn’t fully dry on the line can quickly develop mildew, mold, and sour odors. Here are tips for making sure clothes dry completely:
- Shake items out thoroughly before hanging to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Space clothes out on the line so air can circulate between them. Don’t cram too many items close together.
- Hang smaller items like socks and underwear on a secondary line beneath larger items so they don’t shade each other.
- Check laundry periodically and take items down promptly when dry. Don’t leave damp items hanging overnight.
- For thicker items like towels, periodically stop them mid-dry to redistribute moisture.
- On humid days, drying time will be longer. You may need to hang clothes over 2 days.
- Consider using clothes pins with built-in springs to keep thicker fabrics like jeans from sagging on the line with the weight of trapped moisture.
Preventing Stains from Setting
Line dried clothes look fresh, but stains can set and become permanent if left to dry in the sun. Follow these tips to avoid stubborn stains:
- Pre-treat any stained items with stain remover or diluted detergent before washing.
- Check over clothing for stains before hanging and rewash any stained garments.
- For delicate items, turn garments inside-out prior to line drying so sunlight doesn’t set external stains that didn’t come out in the wash.
- If stains appear as a garment is drying, take it down immediately and re-wash it before the stain bonds to the fabric.
- Avoid hanging dark clothes in direct sunlight, as the heat can set in sweat stains, collar grime, and underarm deodorant marks. Dry darks in shade.
- If stains do become set after line drying, re-wash the item and apply a stain treatment stick or gel to try to break up the bond prior to drying again.
Eliminating Odors
Musty or sour odors can occur when laundry doesn’t dry fully or fast enough on the line. Here are some tips for odor prevention:
Baking Soda
Add 1/2 cup baking soda to the wash cycle to help deodorize clothes. The baking soda will help absorb and neutralize odors from sweat, mildew, and other grime.
White Vinegar
For smelly towels or athletic wear, add 1 cup white vinegar to the wash. The acetic acid in vinegar kills bacteria that cause odors. Don’t use vinegar on delicate fabrics.
Lemon Juice
The fresh citrus scent of lemon juice can help eliminate unpleasant odors. Add the juice of 1 lemon to the wash cycle. Lemon juice also acts as a natural bleaching agent.
Line Dry Quickly
The longer clothes take to dry, the more likely odor-causing bacteria will multiply. Shake items out well before hanging and make sure conditions are optimal for quick drying.
Direct Sunlight
The UV radiation in direct sunlight acts as a disinfectant and can help kill odor-causing germs as clothes dry. Avoid shaded areas when possible.
Dry Thoroughly
Any moisture left trapped in fibers when taking laundry down from the line can cause odor issues. Make sure every item is completely dry before removing from the line.
Preventing Fading
The sun’s rays can fade and degrade dyes over time. Some tips for avoiding fading issues include:
- Turn garments inside-out before drying so the inner fabric takes the brunt of sunlight instead of the outer colored layers.
- Rinse clothes with cold water. Hot water can strip dye, so cooler rinses help colors stay vibrant.
- Use a color-safe bleach to wash darker items. Chlorine bleach can break down dyes.
- Avoid drying dark items in direct sun. Hang them in shade to prevent intense sunlight from fading the dyes.
- Take items down promptly once dry and avoid leaving them on the line for extended periods of time unnecessarily.
- Choose an eco-friendly, hydrogen peroxide based bleach for occasional use to brighten whites without stripping color from dyed fabrics dried on the line.
Battling Mildew and Mold
Mildew and mold growth are common line drying laundry problems. Here are tips to avoid them:
- Always hang laundry in a clean, dry area with plenty of sun and airflow. Avoid shady, humid spaces.
- Don’t overload lines with too many clothes crowded together, as damp spots can form where items touch.
- Check clothing as it dries. Promptly remove any items that feel overly damp or smell musty.
- Take laundry down as soon as it’s fully dry, don’t allow extra dampness to remain in fibers overnight.
- Treat any signs of mildew immediately with lemon juice or vinegar. They contain acids that kill mold and mildew.
- For moldy spots on laundry, apply vinegar straight from the bottle. Let it soak for 1 hour before washing the clothes to kill the mold.
- Tea tree oil is a natural fungicide that also helps treat mildew outbreaks on laundry. Add a few drops to the wash.
- Don’t hang laundry where water drips on it from roofs or trees. All moisture should come from the clothes alone.
- Maintain your washer by running monthly cleaning cycles. Residual dirt inside the machine can harbor mildew spores.
Keeping Laundry Stain-Free
Besides mildew and fading, stains are the other nemesis when line drying clothes. Here are some strategies to keep laundry looking stain-free:
Pre-Treat Stains
Don’t just rely on your regular detergent to remove stains – pre-treat any stained or soiled areas before washing clothes. Spray or rub a stain remover stick directly on stains to help break up the discoloration.
Wash Stains in Cold Water
Wash clothes in the coldest water possible if they are stained. Hot water can actually set stains irreversibly into fabric fibers. Lukewarm or cold water helps lift stains out.
Air-Dry Stains Face Down
If any light stains remain after washing, have the stained area face down toward the ground as you hang items up to dry. Gravity will help pull any residual staining down and out of the fabric.
Bleach Alternative
Avoid using chlorine bleach when trying to remove stains from colored fabrics, as it can damage dyes. Opt for an oxygen bleach instead, which uses hydrogen peroxide to lift stains safely.
Dry in the Shade
Direct sunlight can bake stains into fabric and make them harder to remove. For stained or dark-colored items, hang to dry in shade to avoid setting in stains.
Act Quickly on New Stains
Check over clothing frequently as it dries, and if any new stains appear, take items down immediately to rewash before permanent staining occurs from drying.
Preventing Damage from Weather
From whipping winds to pounding rain, outdoor drying conditions can be harsh. Here are some protective measures against weather:
Take Down Before Rain
If showers move in suddenly, hastily take everything off the clothesline. A quick soaking won’t ruin clothes, but leaving laundry out in heavy rain can damage fabrics.
Use Thick Clothespins
Invest in high-quality wooden clothespins that close tightly with spring-loaded resistance. Avoid cheap plastic pins that can easily pop open from wind gusts.
Add Clothespin Reinforcements
For extra hold in windy conditions, crisscross two clothespins on each garment at different angles to reinforce their grip.
Weight Items Down
For lightweight fabrics like sheets or baby clothes, try clipping clothespins near the bottom to weigh garments down instead of just pinning at top edges.
Use Mesh Hanger Bags
Delicate items like lingerie or hosiery can blow away easily. Place them into mesh zippered bags designed for laundry to keep them contained.
Check Forecasts
Keep an eye on weather reports for wind advisories, thunderstorm warnings, etc. and avoid hanging laundry if storms are approaching.
Rinse Fabrics After Rain
If clothes do get unexpectedly rained on, rinse them thoroughly with clean water after taking them down to prevent fabric damage from pollutants in rainwater.
Fighting Wrinkles
The motion of fabrics drying in a breeze outside, plus the pull of gravity, can lead to wrinkled laundry. Here are some tips to keep clothes looking neat:
Shake Vigorously
Before hanging items up, shake them forcefully for a minute or so. This helps distribute fabric fibers evenly to minimize wrinkling as they dry.
Use a Lower Heat Setting
If your dryer has a air-dry only setting without heat, use that for 5-10 minutes after washing to get clothes partially dry and taut before line drying.
Hang Collars and Cuffs
Pay special attention to pinning up flipped over collars, hanging sleeves by their cuffs, and drying waistbands flat to prevent creasing and wrinkling in those spots as they dry.
Smooth Fabrics
Periodically check on fabrics like linens as they dry and use your hands to gently smooth out any areas starting to wrinkle. Reshake items to redistribute fibers.
Use Drying Frames
Items like sweaters and knits prone to stretching and wrinkling can be laid flat on mesh drying frames instead of hung up. This prevents gravity from dragging fibers down.
Use Wooden Hangers
For especially wrinkle-prone fabrics like linen shirts or pants, hang items on foldable wooden drying hangers so garments keep their shape as they dry.
Battling Stiffness
The lack of machine heat and fabric softener when line drying can leave some clothes feeling crisp and inflexible. Here are some tips for keeping laundry soft:
Use Liquid Fabric Softener
Add a small amount of liquid fabric softener to the rinse cycle when washing clothes to be line dried. It will coat fibers to keep them soft as they dry naturally.
Soften with Vinegar
White vinegar naturally softens up fabrics. Add 1⁄2 to 1 cup to the rinse cycle. The vinegar smell dissipates as clothes dry.
Soak in Hair Conditioner
For stiff garments, soak them in an diluted mixture of hair conditioner and water after washing. This treats fibers to keep them supple despite line drying.
Dry on Low Heat
When clothes come off the line feeling overly stiff, put them in the dryer on the lowest heat setting for 5-10 minutes to loosen fibers before wearing or folding.
Use Dryer Balls
Toss wool dryer balls in with clothes when machine drying to fluff fabric fibers back up. They also help redistribute natural oils from clothing to improve softness.
Iron on Low Heat
For creased or stiff spots like collars and cuffs, touch up garments by ironing gently on the appropriate low heat setting for the fabric. The warmth will relax fibers.
Avoiding Shrinkage
Heat from the sun and wind blowing fabrics around can lead clothes to shrink up. Follow these preventative measures:
Hang Knits Flat
Don’t place woven shirts or knit tops over the line in the usual manner. Lay them flat on a clean sheet over the line instead to minimize distorting the fabric as it dries.
Skip the Heat Cycle
Before hanging laundry up, use your washer’s spin cycle to extract moisture but don’t use the heat cycle. Less agitation at high temperatures means less chance of shrinkage.
Use Cold Water
Wash clothes prone to shrinkage in cold water exclusively. Hot water causes fibers like wool and lycra to tighten up faster as they dry..
Reshape While Damp
If knit items appear shrunken or misshapen after coming off the line, gently pull and reshape them while still slightly damp, then lay flat to finish drying.
Buy Pre-Shrunk Fabrics
When purchasing prone-to-shrink fabrics like cotton jersey knits, specifically look for pre-shrunk options labeled preshrunk. This treatment helps minimize further shrinkage when washing.
Use Fabric Softener
Liquid fabric softener coats fibers to make them less prone to tightening up and tangling during line drying. Use it in the rinse cycle.
Keeping Whites Bright
The sun’s brightness can make dingy whites look whiter, but it can also eventually cause yellowing. Here are some tips for keeping whites looking crisp:
Use Lemon Juice
The natural bleaching powers of lemon juice can help lift stains and yellow discoloration from white fabrics. Add the juice of 1 lemon to the wash cycle.
Try Hydrogen Peroxide
A more powerful bleach alternative, hydrogen peroxide can safely brighten whites when used properly. Add 1⁄2 cup to the wash and rinse cycles.
Opt for Oxyclean
Look for laundry boosters like OxiClean that use sodium percarbonate to lift stains and brighten laundry. Use alongside detergent.
Dry in Direct Sunlight
For plain white items, dry them in direct sunlight instead of shade to allow the UV rays to help bleach and brighten the fabric.
Avoid Chlorine Bleach
While chlorine bleach will make whites look whiter, it eventually causes premature yellowing over time with repeated use. Use it only occasionally.
Whiten with Baking Soda
Baking soda’s alkalinity serves as a mild bleaching agent to lift stains and brighten laundry. Add 1⁄2 cup to the wash cycle.
Battling Missing Socks and Items
It’s the age-old laundry phenomenon – where did that missing sock or underwear disappear to? Here are some tips to prevent MIA clothes on the line:
- Use mesh zippered bags for small items prone to blowing away like socks, underwear, and handkerchiefs. Securely close the bags.
- Weigh down lightweight clothing like baby shirts and blouses by attaching extra clothespins near hems to keep wind from carrying items away.
- Install covers over your clothesline poles to prevent birds from landing and snatching smaller pieces.
- Quickly retrieve laundry from the line as soon as it’s dry, don’t leave it out overnight where overnight dew can weigh down items.
- Set up motion-detector lights and cameras in the drying area to deter theft of clothing and linen. Logoed towels are a frequent target.
- Use clothespins with a tighter grip to securely fasten lightweight fabrics. Avoid cheap plastic pins that can pop open.
- For things like socks, pin them together in pairs by folding them over the line before clipping.
- Periodically scan the ground under the clothesline to check for dropped items that fell off without you noticing.
Preventing Line Impressions
Clotheslines can leave imprints on garments where they pressed against fabrics as they dried. Here are tips for preventing visible lines:
Use Fewer Clothespins
Limit pinning garments in only strategic spots needed to hold them instead of all along the length. This reduces linear impressions from the pinching pressure.
Loosen Clothespins
Avoid closing clothespins tightly onto fabric. Keep them loose enough that they don’t compress fibers and imprint creases.
Fold Layers
For bulky items, fold thicker layers of material over the line before pinning so clothes make contact with the line across folded seams rather than on flat fabric panels.
Rotate While Drying
As larger items like sheets dry, periodically stop them and re-hang so a different area makes contact with the clothesline instead of just one spot the entire time.
Iron Down Lines
Once dry, use an iron on the lowest heat setting to gently press over any visible laundry line creases to help blend the impressions out of fabric.
Dry Flat Instead
Items prone to creasing like sweaters can be laid flat on drying racks instead of hung so no lines imprint fabric at all during drying.
Keeping Laundry Securely Fastened
A common frustration is having clothes fall off the line into dirt, grass or mud. Follow these tips to keep them firmly pinned:
Invest in Quality Clothespins
Cheap plastic clothespins with a weak grip will lead to clothes taking a tumble. Spend a bit more for sturdy wooden ones with strong springs.