On Tuesday the HH installed our new Sunshine Clothes Dryer and I absolutely LOVE it!!! The 9ft Sunshine Clothes Dryer Made in USA provided us with installation process that was super easy {I did the supervising, the HH did the digging and set up} and I think it took a whopping 30 minutes from the time he started digging the hole for the ground socket to the time I had sheets hung on the line.
We ended up going with the Sunshine Clothes Dryer for several reasons:
- The reviews were excellent
- Installation and set up were a snap
- It’s well built and made in the USA
- It can be easily removed for unrestricted yard use {just pull the pole out and place the black cap on the opening}
- It rotates in the wind
- It folds up for easy storage
- All parts, including the rope are easily replaceable
Who knew hanging clothes outside to dry could be so exciting? I LOVE this thing!
On Tuesday I hung a load of linens out to dry, and yesterday I washed and hung 2 loads of jeans, t-shirts and a few flannel shirts on the clothes dryer. The temps were in the 80’s most of the day with hardly any wind and it only took a few hours for each load to dry.
I think it will be interesting to see how long the clothes will take to dry once the weather starts to cool down a bit. Especially during the winter months.
Also, since this is my first real clothesline and I plan to use it as much as possible, I’m curious to find out how much drying our clothing outside will reduce our electricity bill.
I’ve also heard that if you add a little white vinegar to your rinse cycle, it helps to soften the clothing so it doesn’t come off the line so crisp. Has anyone tried that? Does it work?
Anyway, I am in love with my new clothes dryer and I just had to tell you about it! Hanging clothes on the line… it’s so therapeutic.
Have a great day everyone,
~Mavis
P.S. If you have any clothesline drying tips, I’d love to hear them.
P.P. S. Lisa asked to see my clothespins. 🙂 So here they are.
While looking for clothespins in a few different stores and finding that they are all imported and of poor quality {both the wood and springs}, I decided to buy a “vintage” set of 50 clothespins {that were made in the 70’s} off ebay instead.
The quality of the clothespins are just like the ones my grandmother have {made of hardwood with beefy springs}. Had I not found that set on Ebay for $14 shipped, I probably would have invested in a couple of sets of Kevin’s Clothespins {which are also made of maple, made in the USA and have awesome reviews}.
Natalie says
Vinegar works great! I run clothes through the dryer for 5 min or so, it helps with the stiffness. Love the smell!
Lesley says
Yes to the white vinegar (I buy it buy the large jug from whoever has the best price and then I transfer it to a smaller jug for easy use with every load).
Nothing makes me happier than hanging laundry on my line (same as yours). Crawling into bed at night with fresh, sunbaked sheets is a little bit of bliss.
Tips: hang shirts upside-down so you don’t get clip marks in the shoulders. Hang jeans inside-out so the pockets dry. Some will say to hang everything inside-out so things don’t fade as fast (good idea).
I fashioned myself an apron of sorts to fill with clothespins; it hangs at my waist and I made sure the pockets are right at arm’s length so I can be efficient when hanging.
Your set-up (vast property with so much sun … and the water!) is completely amazing.
Cheers from Chicago! Lesley
Elle says
I use Ecos organic laundry liquid. The only thing that’s ever “crisp” is my new organic percale sheets 😉
Janet says
When we lived in the country, my husband used to commute to the city for work. The ladies in his office always complimented him (and me!) on the fresh-air scent of his line-dried shirts. I would iron them while damp and put the shirts on hangers outside to finish drying.
Fresh air fragrance beats chemical additives every time.
Louise says
Nothing beats it.
also a natural antiseptic and bleach aka whitens white sheets.
Still fairly normal in the UK
OregonGuest says
My grandmother would take my grandfather’s dress shirts out of the washing machine and put them in the freezer until “ironing day” — this was probably back before you put water in irons, because I also remembered she had a water bottle with a shaker top on it. I like your idea about ironing damp shirts and then putting them out to finish drying!
ShirleyCurtis says
I have found running the load of clothes in the dryer on air fluff for 5 minutes before hanging them out makes a big difference.
Katelyn says
The hardest part of line drying in the winter is figuring out if the clothes are wet or just cold! Our hands are easily tricked – it’s kinda cool!
Janet says
kiss them. i can feel damp with lips better than hands.
Kathy of PA says
When our jeans are dry from hanging them out I toss them in the dryer on a no heat setting for 10 minutes using a 1/2 of an unscented dryer sheet to soften them. And clothes that I don’t want to fade I will turn them inside out before hanging them on the line. I think I’m the only person in my neighborhood that stills hangs out laundry.
Ramona says
My last house I dried everything on the clothes line. I didn’t mind the stiffness of the clothes at all. I rarely used my dryer, except in winter when it took longer to dry. My one tip is to wipe off the lines with damp paper towel before hanging clothes to get dirt off lines.
Lesley says
Yes, great reminder about wiping dirty lines!
Donna Sanford says
My mother dried clothes outside all winter long. Can’t imagine doing that today. Is the pole cemented in the ground?
Jules says
So I’m wondering if this clothesline has an option to not spin in the wind. We get some pretty good gusts here occasionally and I can see this being a merry-go-round. I’d really like to put up a clothesline not just a rope stretched out across the yard like I use now.
Tracey says
Show us your pins!
Mavis Butterfield says
I added a picture at the bottom of the post, just for you. 🙂
Tracey says
Kate says
I’ve line dried all our stuff for years. Definitely the tip about putting a load in the dryer for 5 min. before hanging makes a big difference. Also hanging from shirt bottoms. I rarely iron and everything smells so good! Also, I think our clothes last longer. Less shrinkage and better chance catching stains that didn’t come out the first time.
Linda Sand says
For winter drying, if the clothes are stiff they are not dry as that is ice in them making them stiff. Don’t take them down until they soften unless you want to put them in the dryer to finish.
Andrea says
Some of our clothing fades in the sun, and so we’ve started to choose clothing that is less likely to fade or that will look chic when sun-faded. So, some cotton pants look great when sun-faded, white shirts, pastel items, etc. Clothing doesn’t get beaten up with friction in the dryer so might last longer, despite the sun and heat from drying outside.
Also, here’s a huge benefit. The sun can cause many toxic chemicals to evaporate or to degrade into less harmful substances. While many people are buying toxic laundry additives to make their clothing smell better, we can simply hang our clothing in the sun to remove many of the toxic chemicals including pesticides, cleaners, etc. Avoiding exposure to those toxins is best, and sometimes it’s best to discard contaminated clothing. However, light or built up exposure can be reduced by hanging clothing in the sun.
There is another way to reduce contamination. It’s not cheap, but it’s safe. Get FreshWave laundry additive, soak a washcloth in it, and add that to the dryer. Then, dry on hot until bone dry. Do not remove until the washcloth and all the clothes are bone dry if you want this to work. It’s amazing and nontoxic, made of botanical oils. Then, avoid having those toxins in your house in the first place so you won’t need to repeat very often if at all. Just hang the clothes outside after that.
You can also hang the clothing to dry in the shade if it’s going to be ruined by fading. This might be best done on a porch to avoid bird poo. Or, cover the clothesline with a clean sheet after hanging clothing to somewhat protect the clothes from droppings. Sun will still fade through a clean sheet, though.
Delma says
I bought a similar clothes line last year to replace the one that hung across the yard and literally “clotheslined ” people. I love it. Enjoy!
Rosaleen says
Haven’t used a dryer for at least 10 years. I do put a very small amount of white vinegar in the rinse, but I don’t “buy” that it softens clothes so much as helps remove remaining soap. The fragrance of line-dried laundry washed with homemade soap beats the artificial perfumes that are being pushed at us.
Zadu says
That’s some serious sheets!
Sorry, couldn’t resist, please don’t block me…
Can’t wait to get out of the HOA so we can install one. There’s nothing like it. Thanks for sharing this!
Deb says
I haven’t owned a dryer since I moved from the PNW 10 years ago. If it rains here I use a wooden drying rack inside to dry laundry. Wooden clothespins will deteriorate. Years ago I bought stainless steel clothespins…they were/are about $1 each but have a lifetime guarantee. My daughter will use them when I don’t need them anymore. I bought an Australian Hills Hoist…not only does it spin but it cranks up much higher also.
Terri Lindeke says
I have a collapsible rack I use as often as possible. Nothing beats the aroma of line dried clothes. AND it saves money & electricity, therefore the planet.
Outside in the summer, inside in the winter. This is the Pacific NW.
With the rack I don’t need clothes pins. Up on the deck when I know it will be sunny all day, under patio cover when I’m not so sure.
Rachel says
Hey!! I’ve been following you for years, and love your blog! I decided a few years ago to overhaul my laundry routine, so I started looking into ways to replace the laundry detergent. That really & truly went full circle back to store-bought detergent, but I absolutely quit using any commercial fabric softener. Now I use vinegar and if something really needs a good cleaning (my hubby is a welder & I have 5 kids), I use borax, and if I need a good deodorizing, I use baking soda. For tough, set-in stains, I use a biodegradable product called Laundry Saver, which you can buy in bulk on Amazon. It’s pretty much a miracle. And last but not least, when I wanna hang the clothes out to dry, I have two clotheslines I also ordered off of Amazon.
Here’s the links:
De-solv-it Laundry Saver Stain Remover Gallon https://amzn.to/3BcbAhm
Drying Natural Clothes Airer Outdoor Portable 4-arm Aluminum Drying Rack w/ Ground Stake, Carry Bag, Peg Bag & Peg https://amzn.to/3mzi5Hb
Lisa says
I have been hanging clothes on the line for as long as I can remember! I had a ‘little’ line when I was a little girl and my mom would let me hang the wash cloths!
I have put up clothes line in at all of the homes we have had. There is nothing better than getting into bed with fresh sheets off the line! It gets too cold in MN to hang clothes out in winter, but I do until it gets pretty cold.
The sun will naturally brighten your whites, I used to hang cloth diapers back in the day, really was great how the sun whitened and freshened them!
Such a simple pleasure in life!
Lisa
Lynn from NC Outer Banks says
Like Lisa, I also hung my two children’s cloth diapers on a clothesline. It was such a relaxing, satisfying ritual for me. And the southern sun made them so fresh, bright and white.
I still like hanging towels, sheets and whites on a line, as well as other items. I’ve used a simple hanging line, but currently use a retractable one. Just love the fresh smell from outside. Enjoy Mavis! That looks like an amazing version of a clothes line!
LaToya says
Miss Mavis – not sure if you remember this, but I made mention of King’s Hawaiian coconut macadamia bread. It’s back in stock in a 2-pack for $13.
https://kingshawaiian.com/products/specialty-baked-items/
AND they have a free shipping promo right now:
*Free standard mainland shipping with purchase of Savory Butter Hamburger Buns or Sliced Bread. Available while supplies last and offer cannot be combined with other discounts or promotion codes. Must order by August 29th to receive in time for Labor Day weekend.
— I’m sure you could make use of a $4 pack of hamburger buns to get the free shipping.
Mavis Butterfield says
WOW! Thanks LaToya. King’s Hawaiian coconut macadamia bread… that’s got to be good! {And seriously good as French toast!} Have you tried the HAWAII’S best creamy coconut bread pudding mix? BEST CREAMY COCONUT BREAD PUDDING MIX? Thanks for the hot tip. 🙂
LaToya says
Ha ha – it’s in the pantry right now! 😉
Laura says
I hang my clothes out year-round. I find that clothes will dry even in winter temperatures in the lower 20’s if it’s sunny out and there is a slight breeze. IMO clothes smell the best when they are hung out in the winter! I agree with the tips to hang shirts by their hems. I usually throw the hem over the line by an inch or two and clip along that line to keep the shirt square.
Lorraine says
When I was using a clothesline I would put jeans in the dryer for about 5 min to soften them and finished them outside. I would do the same for tshirts and put them on hangers. Everything else went straight from the washer.
Lindsey says
Be sparing with vinegar use. Our repair guy said it degrades the rubber parts and they crack and wear out faster. He has been right about other appliance stuff so I trust him on this.
Nanci Fitschen says
Hi Mavis. I have two T-posts with six lines. I love them. I also have a wooden indoor rack that I use year round in the basement. I hang my undies and shirts that I don’t want to fade and things that can’t be dried on it. I got a clothes pin bag off Etsy. It was made some where in MO. Best one ever. Instead of a plastic hanger to hang it by it has a piece of wood with heavy duty wire bent to hang it by. It hasn’t ever fallen off the line. I got to choose the fabric I wanted and it has multiple layers. It’s fantastic. Happy drying.
Maxine says
I have a large opening in the living room so I strung a line to hang clothes on. I think my clothes pins are from Lehman’s many moons ago. I do use the dryer though from time to time because we have two fluffy cats and the dryer removes more hair from clothes and blankets.
I also use TruEarth which is soap strips so I avoid the plastic bottles, and the wool dryer balls from Friendsheep and paid extra to get an assortment of cute animal faces on the balls.
I like the clothesline you got and considered it for some time but I didn’t trust I could install the pole straight and without it tipping over! Lol. You’re very lucky to have a handy hubby.
Mavis Butterfield says
I’ve never heard of soap strips before. Interesting! I’m going to look those up.
Tracie says
Hey Mavis, there is another type of detergent Dropps that I’ve heard good things about.
Also, my grandmother kept her pins in a clothes pin bag that she made. It lasted for DECADES.
We always put our jeans in the dryer for about five minutes after they dried on the line to soften them up. It will also remove any pollen that settles on the clothes. ❤️
Julie says
I don’t use mine as much in the winter because where we had to install it. The house casts a shadow till later in the day. I do still dry on a folding drying rack near my woodstove, most things dry overnight. My husband loves stiff crunchy towels and jeans, so that’s not an issue here. I love being able to dry multiple loads at a time and not having to wait for the dryer.
Heather says
Enjoy your outside dryer. We have had wildfire smoke for over a month so I haven’t been able to hang anything up outside. Once this ends I need to remember to wipe of the lines before hanging anything.
Thanks for the photo of your clothes pins. I hate my newish ones. Didn’t think about checking eBay, etc for replacements.
Patty P says
In the winter I use a BIG clothes rack that I put out in our stove room to dry clothes. I do have a dryer, but it quit heating and we JUST fixed it last winter (it hadn’t worked right for a couple of years). It is nice to have that option if you have a drying “emergency.”
Every other time of the year I use my Amish clothesline. I live in Amish country and bought one of those lines that they often run from their house to the peak of their barn. Mine runs from the house to an old telephone pole that we placed in the back yard. I can put four loads out on it at a time, so when we have a nice day I can do most of my laundry on one day. I’m not sure what type of clothespins I have, but I bought them at another Amish shop and they are pretty heavy duty and last forever (they are wooden ones). My mom requested one, so that’s what we got her for Mother’s Day a few years ago, since her little one would sag so badly. And then she bought one for my youngest sister who is also an avid clothesline user too.
Welcome to the clothesline club!
Donna says
I was wondering if anyone else had an Amish clothes line. We have one and I love that it’s on a pulley and I can stand on my porch and hang clothes. Ours also runs to a telephone pole.
Patty P says
They are the best, aren’t they Donna?!
Sue says
For towels and jeans, after line-drying, give them a good snap before folding. This usually softens them up a bit. I keep my clothes pegs in a hanger. I sewed mine from pet mesh and PUL. I’ve seen cute ones made by recycling toddler dresses, too.
Melissa says
I’ve always line dried. Nothing makes me happier than to see clean clothes flapping in the breeze.
sarah says
I love my Norwex detergent. It doesn’t have the fillers or waxes that make clothes stiff. That way i don’t use softeners with chemicals.. I have well water and line dry and never have stiff jeans.
Linda Practical Parsimony says
Frozen clothes in the winter means the threads will break when you handle them. so, be careful. When you hang clothes, give them a hard snap to get them to fluff on the line, especially towels. If you dry clothing too long on a hot or dry day, they will over-dry and feel hard.
If you think it may rain, hang things on hangers and it is easy to get them all off the line before it rains. If birds poop on clothing, but a rubber snake or make something that looks snake-like an put it on ground, top of clothesline or somewhere to keep the birds away. change the position often.
I am 75 and have been hanging clothes outdoors since I was 8-years-old.
Jen says
I, too, love hanging my laundry outside, and I use many of the tips and tricks mentioned here. My Mom did laundry for 7 of us, so was an expert! I have bought a clothespin bag (never used) and clothespins from rummage sales, thrift shop, and even an antique store at great prices. I got my umbrella clothesline, like yours, at the hardware store. It was less than $50. They last 5-10 years, I’d say.
Like others, I need the dryer to get cat hair off clothes and lessen the crunchiness of some things. My allergist said do it after drying outside, instead before, so the dryer can remove pollen and other allergens.
Since you live in New England, I thought I’d mention Stephen King, the author, seems to have clothesline experience! I think the book is Dolores Claiborne. A woman is a housekeeper for another woman, who insists that the sheets have to be dried outside in the winter, and he vividly describes what it was like. That’s about the only thing I remember from the book.
Jude DeWitt says
Who knew line drying laundry was such a popular activity?
I wanted to chime in here and wish you and the HH a very happy Anniversary.
Linda says
I have an older washer that does not have a fabric softener dispenser. I bought a “Downy Ball” on amazon and put ¼ c white vinegar in it and drop in the tub when I start the washer. The vinegar gets dispensed during the rinse cycle. Gets all the residue out of the clothing. I wear lots of cotton shirts in the summer and I hang them on hangers right out of the washer and dry outside. They need little to no ironing esp if I snap/smooth the collars and front placket .
Gwenn F says
Question: How wide is the widest line? We use king-sized top sheets on our queen size bed (we both get covers that way even though one of us is a covers-hog) and as we all know sheets hung on the line are the best! Also, would it be strong enough to air-out blankets or light rugs? I didn’t see measurements of the distance between the arms at the widest.
My grandmother had an apron that she used for cloths pins (it went around her neck and tied in the back with nice size pockets for the pins). I’m learning to sew and that’s on the docket for me for a winter project.
Btw, thank you for the blog and I love how it has changed to reflect your life changes. You inspire me.
Mavis Butterfield says
The widest lines {there are 4} are 75 inches. A king sized sheet is about 105 inches. So folded over the line they would fit nicely. 🙂
Gwenn F says
You are the bestest!! Just ordered one, we’ve been searching for one for a while and this one will fit our needs. Similar ones are made of aluminum and rather flimsy. We live about a mile from Lake Michigan on its western shore and it is “breezy” here every day. Needless to say flimsy isn’t going to cut it here. Thanks again.
Gigi says
Another tip, don’t leave the clothespins on the line. They’ll brown and then start to leave marks on your clothes. My grandma made clothespin bag out of a wire hanger and sewed a simple bag. She deformed the wire to make a “mouth” kind of shape and then did a simple seam around the wire. It just slides along with you as you go. Also, get a milk crate or something out there to set your laundry basket on. Less bending down. I always love to match socks as I hang them up so it’s less work later on.
Side story, my mom and I would drive by a farm house often and there was always laundry hanging across the porch all year around in northern Wisconsin. We always looked forward to passing by the house and see what was hanging.
Lastly, there doesn’t seem to be a way to subscribe to the comments anymore. I thought there used to be.
Diana says
The only fabric softener I use is white vinegar. It’s secret is that it cuts through and gets rid of any leftover soap in the clothes. Excess soap is the reason clothes aren’t soft, for the most part. Hard water is another reason. Softened water allows soap to dissolve.
Don’t forget to use a damp rag to clean the lines every so often. I find lots of tiny spider webs and dirt on mine if I don’t.
Have you tried to dry blankets or anything heavy on your new lines yet? I wash lots of ‘dog blankets’ and hang them out and they get pretty heavy. I’d be worried that it wouldn’t be able to hold up to the weight.
I currently have a couple of lines strung up and every so often I need to tighten them up from stretching due to the weight of the clothes.
Robyn says
Wow what a difference in the quality of those clothespins! How sad that newer stuff is so shoddily made and more junk for the already overloaded landfills. It’s worth paying extra for better quality if you can afford it. Clothes hung out to dry- one of life’s great pleasures! That heavenly smell!
Christy Rose says
I have hung clothes on an outdoor line for 55 years, it is amazing to see how magical the sun can make a stain disappear. I have a suggestion that I prefer to hanging T shirts etc by the hems. Flop the shirt over the line, putting a pin in each armpit seam. That way there is no warping at the bottom hem if you like to wear a shirt untucked.