Do you use a dryer or hang your washing in the fresh air?

Fresh air and sunshine are best for drying clothes. They smell new afterwards, and the sun kills any remaining bacteria. Or so I am told.

by Vee

Don't you just love that smell of sun/fresh air on the washing?

Always hang on the line, where possible. If it hasbeen raining for a day or two, I use a clothes horse - if longer, then and only then do I resort to a dryer.

by Ali's Wonderland

I generally prefer to hang them up outside in the fresh air but if I'm in a hurry or it's raining I'll use the dryer. After travelling in Europe recently I really appreciate the fact that, due to Australia's great weather, we have the choice. It was my first trip over there and I was amazed that many homes don't have an outdoor clothes line, although many have a special heated room called a drying room that they use instead of a tumble dryer.

by Carolyn Hopping

always air dried. have a green mind

by simon

Nothing better....
and cost nothing!

by jonaja

Except your time hanging clothes out, then taking them off line!

Time well used, as it helps the planet...gives me exercise, and my electricity bill is less, and my clothes smell amazing!...win - win :)

I do both. I like my washing hanging in the sun but for clothes that need ironing, I like to cheat and put them in the dryer.

by Cookielicious

We dont use dryer. We hang our clothes in fresh air.

by Radhika

Unless it's raining heavily for days, I dry it on the line.

by Sarah Bell

I wish I could dry them outside more often, but I live in a big apartment building that only has two washing lines for everyone (but one dryer for every three apartments). It's too difficult trying to time it so I get a spot on the line, and my clothes will go mouldy if I just leave them waiting. So sadly it's dryer more often than I would like.

by Kerri

I use the free natural dryer,Mr Sun.Sun makes my clothes crisp and also gives me a feeling I contribute to the environment by that little teeny weeny bit by giving some water away into the atmosphere.

Ok the envoronment bit is really tiny but yeah I dont use the dryer particularly because it shrinks my clothes ( or so that is what i tell my husband when i cant fit into my jeans :) )

by Sasha

Use dryer on low/warm as that uses 'air' only, not heat, & clothes DON'T shrink!

I work in a Nursing Home where we wash the resident's clothing. Although we have a dryer, we prefer to hang the clothes on the clothes line. You can't beat the smell of sun-dried clothes and the special warmth they have as you bring them in off the line and the residents help fold them. Yes, can't beat old fashioned drying methods.

by fifi.

oh, I totally agree with you Fifi, and others who have said similar things.

We have an outside line and an inside line and several drying racks. If its really wet the lines go in the bathroom with a fan or heater. If I ever really need a dryer I can always go to a laundromat.

by lynne

Put it outside on clothes horse, bring inside until completely dry. Do not have a dryer.

by joan_

I only use an electric drier as the last resort, for all of the reasons/benefits already mentioned - environmental, financial, freshness/smell etc

by kimp

My super expensive washer dryer combo was wrecked by a house sitter, so now the dryer part does not work. It was going to be too expensive to fix. Not to worry, I have a covered deck for drying but miss my dryer in the rainy weather.

by grann

Grann, was it not possible to buy a new one & have house sitter pay for it?

Ufortunately not. House sitters who sit for free are generally in poor financial circumstances. They are saving me the expense of boarding my dog and providing security for my house and possessions. I now have a brand new washing machine - but still no dryer.

Could you have claimed fusion on your insurance?

I'm quite passionTe about this one for lots of reasons, everything goes out on the line to dry. I love the smell and when my children were younger it gave me a chance to escape into the garden for a few minutes each day !! the cost of electricity is expensive and should be kept to an absolute minimum. If it's raining and I have just a small amount to get dry then out comes the clothes horse.

by Aliso

I don't have a dryer so my clothes are always hung out to dry. My clothes line is under the verandah so it doesn't matter if it's raining.

by Marie Vonow

The best clothes line I ever had was right outside the laundry and had a roof over it.

I prefer to hang my laundry on the clothes line most of the time. However if it is raining I have no hesitation in using the dryer.

by jillr

Depends on the weather.

by Maria

Fresh air and Sunshine for my clothes.
Smells so good , clean and fresh thereafter.
Saves energy that makes me feel good too.
Win Win.

by Zen

Dryer's had much use last couple of months', thanks to incessant rain!
But usually, large items ie sheets & clothes go on line. Small items' into dryer for short time!

by donjo

I have never used a clothes drier as it costs money to use one is environmentally unfriendly.

by cween

In England I lived in a house with an airing cupboard. It was an empty hanging space on the 2nd floor that was over the water heater with no floor between the two. It was fantastic.

by lynne

How long did you have that luxury for, Lynne, and where are you living now?
In the land of Oz we hope!

Only a few months. There was also a washer dryer combo and an outside line. Been back in Oz for years and years.

I hang what I can on the outside line. The light coloured cloths have to hang in the bathroom, because we have trees hanging over the clothesline, which where unable to cut down. Towels go into the drawer for 1/2hr, then out onto the line. All the sheets & pillow cases, unfortunately have to go into the dryer, as I now have tree stains on a couple of them, when I did hang them out, & the marks don't come out in the next wash, (or any other wash!) I would much rather dry everything outside on the line.

by Miro

PS: DRYER, not drawer! (I've noticed over the months, I'm not the only person who makes mistakes but I do 'fix them' when I find them!)

My wife always dries her washing on the line.
The Dryer is almost redundant and only used in emergencies.
Farley

by farle