Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

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lightheir
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Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by lightheir »

Just curious - with all the summer sun we get here, it's very easy for me to dry my laundry loads outside in the sun. Even full thick towels dry within 1-2 hrs in the typical afternoon sun. I'm not a treehugger, but I get a strange sense of satisfaction by not using my dryer and just using the good ol' wooden clothesrack in the backyard.

I've heard that clothing dryers are a big source of energy consumption in a household, but I dont have any real data to support that rumor.

Is the cost or energy savings of not running a dryer, say twice per week, worth it at all? Or is it so small, even if thousands of people do it, to be not a significant factor in home energy consumption/conservation? I guess I was curious as well since we just updated our washer/dryer after the washer broke, and we did end up getting the energy-efficient washer (the dryer apparently can't readily be made more efficient), and I couldn't help but immediately thinking that I could save more energy than the efficient model just by bypassing the dryer. (Yes I'm aware that if it's cold out, rainy, outdoor drying is not going to work.)
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BestWishes
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by BestWishes »

My dryer broke several years ago. It took a few weeks to replace it. In the mean time, I sun dried most of the clothes and have been doing it ever since. I haven't figured out how much energy I actually save but it feels good doing it. It might take me 10-15 minutes more per week to actually bring the clothes outside to hang up instead of throwing them in the dryer. I think it is worth the little bit extra hassle.
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ryuns
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by ryuns »

We line dry religiously. We're a little less committed in the winter, but on sunny days, we'll do it even then. Yes, it's oddly satisfying. It's almost definitely not worth the time unless it's electric and you pay a lot for electricity. It's just kind of labor intensive. Here's a handy calculator: http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/dryers.html

The amount of labor involved also kind of depends on other factors. We end up line drying quite a bit of stuff because my fiance doesn't want some of her clothes to shrink or get worn out. "Delicates" usually get line dried, as do my "high tech" fabrics. So the fact is that I'd be sorting clothes and line drying some stuff anyway, so adding a few other things to the mix isn't a big deal.

Overall, I'm sure it saves a little and it's not a big deal. Even more than that, when it's 90 degrees outside, my constitution just won't allow me to turn on an appliance, indoor no less, that gets super hot just to evaporate some water. It just seems so perverse :wink:
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magellan
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by magellan »

Your post made me curious, so I googled and found this nifty online calculator.

It says it costs around $.50 per load if your dryer uses electricity and $.34 per load with natural gas.

Jim
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by Random Poster »

Having never done it, I'm curious about 2 things:

1) Are line-dried clothes crisper/stiffer than dryer-dried clothes; and

2) Do line-dried clothes have an "outdoor" smell to them?
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Rainier
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by Rainier »

Random Poster wrote:Having never done it, I'm curious about 2 things:

1) Are line-dried clothes crisper/stiffer than dryer-dried clothes; and

2) Do line-dried clothes have an "outdoor" smell to them?
Same two questions for me too. My wife can smell the "outside" if I got out for a few minutes.
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lightheir
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by lightheir »

I'm probably not representative of all line-drying folks, as I have mostly sports (polyester) clothes and very few cotton items. I do towels in their own separate batch.

They definitely are stiffer- you lose the softening effect of the tumble dry for sure. Really noticeable in towels that get almost crinkly. Not an issue for me at all.

My outdoor clothes haven't gotten an outdoor smell, but I rarely leave them out for more than 4hrs. Often it's all dry in <2hrs (even heavy towels) if it's noon summer sun.

I don't use clotheslines/pins - I just use a lightweight collapsing standup rack, so it adds maybe <5 minutes of extra time to get the clothes onto the rack. I just try and make sure things aren't overlapping - other than that, no special tricks/techniques.

I will add, I used to live in a small apt without good outdoor access and started drying clothes in my room on the same lightweight rack. Took longer, usually overnight or more in a dry room, but had no problems whatsoever. The outdoors is nice during summer though since it's so fast.
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frugaltype
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by frugaltype »

Random Poster wrote:Having never done it, I'm curious about 2 things:

1) Are line-dried clothes crisper/stiffer than dryer-dried clothes; and
Yes. Uncomfortably so.
mptness
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by mptness »

magellan wrote:Your post made me curious, so I googled and found this nifty online calculator.

It says it costs around $.50 per load if your dryer uses electricity and $.34 per load with natural gas.

Jim
Wow. This means if you average one load per day, you will save about $182.50 or less per year. Our codes allow clotheslines so we do this quite often, but this makes me rethink it.
Random Poster wrote:Having never done it, I'm curious about 2 things:

1) Are line-dried clothes crisper/stiffer than dryer-dried clothes; and

2) Do line-dried clothes have an "outdoor" smell to them?
Definitely stiffer. The outdoor smell disappears quickly. Carrying the baskets outside, hanging, and then bringing back in may have some health benefits (more exercise). We've also carried insects in to the house with the laundry.
tallgirl1204
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by tallgirl1204 »

My husband refuses to own a dryer because he thinks it's wasteful, and it was something I was willing to deal with-- so we do 100% line drying. We live in Arizona so the time-to-dry is short even in rainy weather (when we use an indoor rack). Also, when I dry indoors, I go ahead and hang shirts on hangers, which saves time when they're dry!

Items are definitely stiffer, and also they don't "shrink up," so some items like pants and t-shirts seem to slowly get bigger and bigger. I have learned to adjust by buying cotton clothes a little smaller to start with. On the other hand, I think that jeans last much longer with line drying.

I don't know what is meant by an "outdoor smell." Obviously, there is no little dryer sheet to scent the clothes, but I haven't noticed any odor from hanging them outside. Sometimes I have to re-wash a load that was hung outside on a wood-smoky day-- but usually we just use the indoor rack during woodstove season, and the drying clothes add much-needed humidity to the house.

I grew up in a humid area, and I realize that what we do would not work for everyone-- but it does work for us.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by htdrag11 »

One of the benefits with retiring is that time is on our side, so my wife made me hanging the clothes out.

Sure it's a little stiffer but there is no cost involved. Does not work in the winter for my area.

Were we not suppose to save the earth for future generation? :oops:
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Whit
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by Whit »

We line dry whenever possible, even on a sunny day in winter we will venture into the snow. :wink:
Random Poster wrote:Having never done it, I'm curious about 2 things:

1) Are line-dried clothes crisper/stiffer than dryer-dried clothes
Not really, give them one firm shake and they are fine. Except in winter when they come off the line stiff as a board(frozen), but after your bring them in and they warm up they are dry.
Random Poster wrote:2) Do line-dried clothes have an "outdoor" smell to them?
I think they smell better after being outside than in the dryer. The "outdoors" smell just fine where I live.


Added bonus to line drying, your clothes last longer. Also if you have your kids help it can teach responsibility.
jobst
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by jobst »

This thread is a bit of an eye-opener for me. Where I'm from air drying is the norm and people who use the dryer 100% are definitely a small minority. To hear that people in Arizona might consider air drying a bit of a novelty is a real shock.

I use an indoor clothes rack, about twice a week. A full load dries overnight, and adds no noticeable humidity to the apartment. Clothes last longer too, so I consider it the superior method.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by hicabob »

Whit wrote: The "outdoors" smell just fine where I live.
Added bonus to line drying, your clothes last longer.
+1 - that's what I was thinking since "indoor smell" is generally outgassing, pet dander, cooking molecules, human emissions, etc.

My Dad is an ardent outdoor dryer but finishes with 2 minutes in the tumble dryer to alleviate any stiffness. Good compromise I suppose.
Outdoor drying adds a tad of exercise too.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by obgraham »

Winter never stopped us! As a kid in Northern Canada, only the doctor's wife down the block had a "dryer". All the clothes on the line to dry. Even at 40 below! We all survived -- imagine that!

I do remember my mom bringing in the dried clothes stiff as a board. Couldn't fold them till they warmed up!
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by nisiprius »

Random Poster wrote:Having never done it, I'm curious about 2 things:

1) Are line-dried clothes crisper/stiffer than dryer-dried clothes; and
Yes. Not everyone necessarily likes this, I do. Towels have a rather harsh, scratchy feel to them, the exact opposite of what I think fabric softeners are trying to do--but they are MUCH more effective at drying; they absorb more water and do it quickly.
2) Do line-dried clothes have an "outdoor" smell to them?
Well, they have a smell, and I like the smell. I am not sure what it is. It is not an odor that it has picked up from anything outdoors. I assume it must be some chemical breakdown product from ultraviolet light doing something to the cloth, and it's probably not a good thing, but it does smell nice. Mmmm, clean sheets!

We are not purists. Depending on the season and the weather, we do a mixture of line-drying outdoors, drying on a couple of wooden racks indoors, hanging wet shirts to dry on hangers, spreading things out on radiators--and using our dryer.

It is easy to exaggerate the convenience of a dryer. It is a surprisingly small time savings over line drying. True, you can just toss the wet clothes into the dryer, but it takes just as much or more time to take them out of the dryer and fold them--and a lot of things will wrinkle in the dryer if you don't follow some ritual like going to the dryer and plucking individual shirts out before the tumbler has stopped. Line drying is more work, but it's not a huge hassle. And it is the sort of job that you can sometimes get into a contemplative mood and enjoy, it's not unpleasant work.
Last edited by nisiprius on Wed Aug 21, 2013 8:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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wilked
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by wilked »

mptness wrote: Wow. This means if you average one load per day, you will save about $182.50 or less per year.
One load per day! That's a lot of clothes...
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by BuckyBadger »

nisiprius wrote:Towels have a rather harsh, scratchy feel to them, the exact opposite of what I think fabric softeners are trying to do--but they are MUCH more effective at drying; they absorb more water and do it quickly.
You are't *supposed* to dry towels with fabric softener. If you dry them in the dryer without softener you'll have the same absorption but no scratchy feel.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by hicabob »

BuckyBadger wrote:
nisiprius wrote:Towels have a rather harsh, scratchy feel to them, the exact opposite of what I think fabric softeners are trying to do--but they are MUCH more effective at drying; they absorb more water and do it quickly.
You are't *supposed* to dry towels with fabric softener. If you dry them in the dryer without softener you'll have the same absorption but no scratchy feel.
Fabric softener is kind of strange anyways - A long time ago, after a fabric softener spill on the highway, I read that the active ingredient is pig fat.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by MIGIHIDARI »

Have lived in Japan for the last 5 years. No house has a drier in this country. Everyone dries their clothes outside. If it rains, they just wait for sun to wash their clothes. It is normal to see clothes hanging on the balconies of multi storey buildings. It is a shame that my home town Honolulu condos have rules against drying clothes in the sun. I have tried and neigbors have complained to the condo board and I had to use the drier! What a waste in presence of so much sun. Then they talk about energy conservation. I have seen many people who live in single family homes in Hawaii,hang their clothes ooutside.

Regarding clothes getting stiff in the sun, yes they do but you get used to it. Iron them and no more stiff! And unless you live in some really polluted air, there is no "outside" smell to the clothes. Try it, you will like it.

Another related story from Japan: People here hang their bed cushions (Futons), bedsheets etc in the sun specially in winter. Bed feels warm in cold weather if you bring it inside before sunset.
WendyW
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by WendyW »

Whit wrote:Added bonus to line drying, your clothes last longer.
This ^

Colors seem to stay bright way longer if you can avoid the dryer.
Not sure what the science is behind this.
lindisfarne
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by lindisfarne »

What it costs to use your drier depends on how much energy costs at your home & how much energy your drier uses per your average load. You also need to factor in the cost of the drier per load (not an easy calculation but still, relevant).

Hanging clothes on a line is a form of exercise & tones muscles to some degree, so that could be seen as a benefit. It certainly takes longer than throwing the clothes in the drier. Ultraviolet light is a very good disinfectant. Having said all that, I use the drier. I'd rather get the exercise in another way, am not concerned about the disinfecting effect of UV light, and the smell of linedry is just not important enough for me (it is nice).

I do a lot to save energy & recycle, but my natural gas dryer is just too convenient (my summer bill is less than $20/month and $11 of that is the hookup fee, which I'd have to pay regardless; only my hot water heater & dryer use gas in the summer).
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by Pajamas »

I grew up with line-dried clothes and much prefer the crispness of line-dried percale sheets over machine-dried. I live in an apartment but have wooden racks and dry all of my clothes and linens on them. The dryers in my building are $1.25 per load and a big load takes several extra quarters. It also saves an extra trip to the laundry room.

Clothes do last much longer as well.

The sun will also kill germs and deodorize with the ultraviolet spectrum as well as lighten some stains on whites.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by SteveB3005 »

We dry many things on the long double clothesline, bed linens are wonderful hung outside , towels are a bit scratchy I suppose. Found out last month the mother-in-law brings her own when visiting, surely because of this roughness. I've long thought the wife keeps a stash of dryer softened towels hidden, I just can't figure why she didn't share with her mom.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by jlawrence01 »

Maybe it is personal preference BUT I am not sure that I want my drawers hanging out in the back yard where everyone can see it.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by bayview »

I dry almost everything out in the sun (and in the wind --we have a strong ocean breeze 24/7.) The one thing that I do in addition, which will sound dumb, is throw the dry laundry in the drier on air (not heat) for maybe five minutes, and maybe with a fabric softener. That's because our washer (we rent) is a piece of junk and doesn't completely rinse out any detergent, so air-dried stuff is frequently crunchy.

I like the ozone-y smell, too, especially sheets.
jlawrence01 wrote:Maybe it is personal preference BUT I am not sure that I want my drawers hanging out in the back yard where everyone can see it.
Oh well, that's true. I'm judicious with what I hang outside, especially since it could easily wind up two blocks away when the wind is up. :D
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by Mudpuppy »

Another thing to consider is the pollen and general dust levels when drying outdoors, particular for those prone to allergies. I have some pretty strong allergies, so the closest to line drying that I get is a drying rack in the garage. If it's particularly dusty or windy, even the garage is not sheltered enough. My cats consider racks to be cat toys, so I can't really use drying racks indoors, although I have dried individual items indoors by hanging them off hangers with clothespins.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by jidina80 »

I live in Fiji and line dry out of necessity. Two differences between sun drying and machine drying:

1) The ultra violet rays of the sun are very effective in killing any mold and fungus spores, thus help to keep clothing and bedding fresh. Much better than machines.

2) The sun also causes clothing to fade, so best to remove shirts and most articles when completely dry.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by kramer »

When I was living in a high cost of living area, the main cost of a dryer was just the space -- say 12 square feet at $1500/month for a 700 square foot 1 bedroom apartment, the annual space cost alone is about $310. Of course, outside line drying was not an option (and actually banned in most apartment complexes) so I used the communal washer/dryers.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by kramer »

When I was living in a high cost of living area, the main cost of a dryer was just the space -- say 12 square feet at $1500/month for a 700 square foot 1 bedroom apartment, the annual space cost alone is about $310. Of course, outside line drying was not an option (and actually banned in most apartment complexes) so I used the communal washer/dryers.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by frugaltype »

jlawrence01 wrote:Maybe it is personal preference BUT I am not sure that I want my drawers hanging out in the back yard where everyone can see it.
Because it's a surprise to everyone that you wear drawers? Or what?
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by frugaltype »

MIGIHIDARI wrote: Regarding clothes getting stiff in the sun, yes they do but you get used to it. Iron them and no more stiff!
Irons use energy and have the added safety problem if you have kids or pets.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by js2012 »

My mother has a large enough laundry room to run a clothes line through it during the winter and an outside clothes line in the summer. I think if you get in the habit of it, the time isn't unreasonable and I prefer the line dried clothes and wished I could have that here in the city. Maybe I'll have to go out and buy a drying rack.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by mptness »

wilked wrote:
mptness wrote: Wow. This means if you average one load per day, you will save about $182.50 or less per year.
One load per day! That's a lot of clothes...
Yes probably 2 or three times average. I'm just saying that there is not much money saved. :moneybag
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by SamGamgee »

I recently strung up some clothesline in our basement to dry them inside. It might be my imagination but it seems easier than using the drier.

I think that's because with a drier I have to remember that I'm doing the laundry twice -- instead of once. With a clothesline, as long as I remember to take the clothes out of the washer after an hour, it doesn't matter when I come back to collect the dry clothes. (They won't sit in the drier and wrinkle.)
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by nisiprius »

jlawrence01 wrote:Maybe it is personal preference BUT I am not sure that I want my drawers hanging out in the back yard where everyone can see it.
Of course. But this is part of a complicated social phenomenon. People like to reinforce their social status by concealing the common humanity they share with people lower in the pecking order. That's why there's an executive washroom and why the CEO gets a private bathroom.

And it's easy to mix up what I call "bacteriological cleanliness" and "ritual cleanliness." Indoor plumbing serves both the function of concealing your humanity--if the bathroom is hidden inside no stranger could ever testify in a court of law that you go to the bathroom just like everyone else--and preventing the spread of cholera. Sanitation is a public health miracle--but one wonders how much the popularity of indoor plumbing is due to the cholera factor, and how much is due to the "niceness" factor.

But a backyard washline is bacteriologically clean. Nobody is going to get cooties from the view over the fence of a pair of clean white cotton Munsingwear briefs. Or, for that matter, the view of a pair of $45 purple Greg Homme "Perfekbum" trunks. But, sure, everyone is going to know which I wear briefs or boxers. And whether I buy cheap or expensive underwear. And about any other social signals I might choose to send through my underwear selection.

People invent and sell clothes driers, affordable to middle-class families in detached houses. People with driers enjoy the privacy. So far, not much harm. But then, line drying starts to be perceived as emblematic of lower income and social rank. And, sure, our local high school's dress code prohibits any part of any underwear showing, and that standard sort of spills over to the idea that underwear should not ever be visible anywhere. And the next thing you know there are rules or covenants or laws actually prohibiting you from line drying your own clothing on your own line in your own backyard, and that's a shame.

As for personal choice, it is what it is. I could suggest technical fixes. In an umbrella-type dryer you can position the more private stuff closer to the center. Or, given that the total volume of underwear isn't (usually?) large, one could hang all the underwear indoors etc. etc.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by topper1296 »

Mudpuppy wrote:Another thing to consider is the pollen and general dust levels when drying outdoors, particular for those prone to allergies. I have some pretty strong allergies, so the closest to line drying that I get is a drying rack in the garage. If it's particularly dusty or windy, even the garage is not sheltered enough. My cats consider racks to be cat toys, so I can't really use drying racks indoors, although I have dried individual items indoors by hanging them off hangers with clothespins.
+1 I have allergies and live in TN which is one of the worst parts of the country (if not the worst) to live in for that (every spring and fall, cars are literally covered in yellow pollen for a several weeks). I would NOT line dry anything here (the high humidity also doesn't help).
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by nisiprius »

Huh. Just spent ten minutes Googling trying to find out the source of the "fresh smell," with no success. A fair number of postings that indicate that if there are bad-smelling things in the air your laundry can pick them up, and that laundry can pick up allergens, and one semi-scientific posting observing that clothes washed without detergent, or simply "aired out," pick up the "fresh air smell," but no real explanation.
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lightheir
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by lightheir »

MIGIHIDARI wrote:Have lived in Japan for the last 5 years. No house has a drier in this country. Everyone dries their clothes outside. If it rains, they just wait for sun to wash their clothes. It is normal to see clothes hanging on the balconies of multi storey buildings. It is a shame that my home town Honolulu condos have rules against drying clothes in the sun. I have tried and neigbors have complained to the condo board and I had to use the drier! What a waste in presence of so much sun. Then they talk about energy conservation. I have seen many people who live in single family homes in Hawaii,hang their clothes ooutside.

Regarding clothes getting stiff in the sun, yes they do but you get used to it. Iron them and no more stiff! And unless you live in some really polluted air, there is no "outside" smell to the clothes. Try it, you will like it.

Another related story from Japan: People here hang their bed cushions (Futons), bedsheets etc in the sun specially in winter. Bed feels warm in cold weather if you bring it inside before sunset.
Wow - is this actually true? I haven't been to Japan but also have never heard of a lack of dryers in the country - that would be new to me!
ilovedogs
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by ilovedogs »

I use a large drying rack in a spare bedroom and hang some things on a shower bar.

This began because my first dog when I was a new home owner loved to pull down my clothes when he was bored.

I've done it this way ever since and probably always will. There's a dryer in the house that I use to put things on top of, like a shelf.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by SimonJester »

Another factor to consider is the clothes line setup. Most T poles and other clothes lines poles are made out of cheap aluminum, these are not going to hold up with a heavy set of towels. You can find steel poles but again these are not real sturdy. I remember as a kid the best T poles were made from scrap cast iron and or thick steel pipe.

It really gnaws at me that most everything we produce today is cheaply made / doesn't last. We are such a throw away society now...
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by bungalow10 »

Sunlight is naturally antibacterial, so it's no surprise that your clothes and other items smell cleaner after being dried in the sun. It's also an amazing stain remover.

We dry on a clothesline almost all summer and as much into the winter as possible. Over the winter, our towels, shirts, sheets start looking dingy, but after a few times in the sun they brighten back up. My kitchen towels get much cleaner when we line dry too, sometimes they can hold onto a slight musty smell even through the washer and dryer. It also eliminates static cling and it's a nice little bit of exercise.

I don't do it for cost savings, but so items last longer, for the fresh smell, and to reduce stains.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by bungalow10 »

nisiprius wrote:Huh. Just spent ten minutes Googling trying to find out the source of the "fresh smell," with no success. A fair number of postings that indicate that if there are bad-smelling things in the air your laundry can pick them up, and that laundry can pick up allergens, and one semi-scientific posting observing that clothes washed without detergent, or simply "aired out," pick up the "fresh air smell," but no real explanation.
I don't think the outdoors is adding anything, its like the removal of the bacterial that still resides in the fabric after washing. Sunlight is antibacterial - your clothes are not as clean going through the dryer as they are being dried in the sun.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by jlawrence01 »

bungalow10 wrote:
nisiprius wrote:Huh. Just spent ten minutes Googling trying to find out the source of the "fresh smell," with no success. A fair number of postings that indicate that if there are bad-smelling things in the air your laundry can pick them up, and that laundry can pick up allergens, and one semi-scientific posting observing that clothes washed without detergent, or simply "aired out," pick up the "fresh air smell," but no real explanation.
I don't think the outdoors is adding anything, its like the removal of the bacterial that still resides in the fabric after washing. Sunlight is antibacterial - your clothes are not as clean going through the dryer as they are being dried in the sun.

Personally, I would think that the bleach would kill most microorganisms more than sunlight.

Besides, if I hung clothes out, I be trying to chase them around the neighborhood.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by bungalow10 »

jlawrence01 wrote:
bungalow10 wrote:
nisiprius wrote:Huh. Just spent ten minutes Googling trying to find out the source of the "fresh smell," with no success. A fair number of postings that indicate that if there are bad-smelling things in the air your laundry can pick them up, and that laundry can pick up allergens, and one semi-scientific posting observing that clothes washed without detergent, or simply "aired out," pick up the "fresh air smell," but no real explanation.
I don't think the outdoors is adding anything, its like the removal of the bacterial that still resides in the fabric after washing. Sunlight is antibacterial - your clothes are not as clean going through the dryer as they are being dried in the sun.

Personally, I would think that the bleach would kill most microorganisms more than sunlight.

Besides, if I hung clothes out, I be trying to chase them around the neighborhood.
We don't use bleach, for various reasons. It takes a lot of extra water to rinse it out (and still sometimes leaves that weird film either on the clothes or in the washer) and it's not particularly fabric-friendly, nor is it good for the environment or for people.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by fareastwarriors »

My mom still does it. Even though we got her a fancy dryer. I think that is just how she grew up .
At least we got her to use the washing machine instead of hand washing everything...
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by nisiprius »

I think line-dried clothes really do last longer, but I assume that's because of the mechanical wear caused by flexing as they are tumbled. The lint in the lint trap is coming from somewhere, and when you think about it there really is quite a lot. At a very very very rough guess... do you think a dryer load might be 20 pounds, dry? Do you think there's an ounce of lint in the trap? Then you're losing 0.3% of your cloth every time you tumble-dry them. If you have your undies on a one-week rotation, then you're laundering them fifty times a year, for a loss of 15% of their weight per year. Of course for all I know, maybe clothes on a line create just as much lint but it all blows away????

With regard to the "natural goodness" factor, I don't know how bleach and sunlight compare as antimicrobial and stain-removing agents, but either way, it's not clear to me why sunlight would necessarily be better.

Finally--as I say, we line-dry but we're not purists--if you don't use a dryer, where do you get the supply of dryer lint to use with your flint and steel on camping trips? :)
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by bungalow10 »

nisiprius wrote: With regard to the "natural goodness" factor, I don't know how bleach and sunlight compare as antimicrobial and stain-removing agents, but either way, it's not clear to me why sunlight would necessarily be better.
I think the biggest reason sunlight is better is because you can use it on any fabric, any color, without ruining it. My mom ruined a LOT of our clothes with bleach, sometimes it was even bleach from a previous load that stayed in the machine. I've never ruined anything with sunlight.
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by lws6772 »

jobst wrote:This thread is a bit of an eye-opener for me. Where I'm from air drying is the norm and people who use the dryer 100% are definitely a small minority. To hear that people in Arizona might consider air drying a bit of a novelty is a real shock.

I use an indoor clothes rack, about twice a week. A full load dries overnight, and adds no noticeable humidity to the apartment. Clothes last longer too, so I consider it the superior method.
The same for us. We don't own a dryer and neither do my parents(in their 70's).
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Re: Drying clothes in the sun - worth the hassle?

Post by technovelist »

My wife does this whenever practical, and we both like the results. Yes, some things need to be tumbled with air only in the dryer for a few minutes but we think it is still worth the savings in energy.
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