Dryer/Clothesline ideas to share

[fireflies~for~me]

My DH had a great idea during the winter to re-route the dryer vent to pump warm air inside our house. We probably need to make sure there are no health issues surrounding this, but WOW-it really helped heat our small 1000sq ft. house. OUr kerosene bill this year was about 700 bucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For spring and summer, we put up a clothesline. QUestion though: Is it just in the movies that the clothes are beautifully blowing and smelling so wonderful? What am I doing wrong? Mine are soo cruncy and wrinkly and they really don't smell THAT great-a little like pollen, but where's the fresh scent???

[Amys1st]

[QUOTE=For spring and summer, we put up a clothesline. QUestion though: Is it just in the movies that the clothes are beautifully blowing and smelling so wonderful? What am I doing wrong? Mine are soo cruncy and wrinkly and they really don't smell THAT great-a little like pollen, but where's the fresh scent???[/QUOTE]

It depends on the climate and time of year. I'm in the Chicago area and I usually do not use the clothesline until June. But we have been having the most excellent weather right now so we are using the clothesline.

The sheets are the best part. They smell so fresh and they are so welcoming to come into at night. But our shirts get a bit crinkled like you said. DH loves them like that, I do not. I suggest when hanging the shirts etc re arrange them half way thru when you would take them down. Give them a good shake out and that should help. I suggest keeping towels in the dryer. I hang dry our cloth napkins, table cloths, shirts, bed linens. I keep shorts, pants, jeans undergarments in the dryer. I'm at a point I seperate the laundry by loads that can go on the line and not.

But this week the laundry smells fresh and like all the periannals blooming right now. When its humid, they smell kind of damp even if they're dry. If there is a nice breeze, they smell fresh too.

I also suggest overlapping the laundry to save pins but also then you can move them around more

[PadmaMorgana]

You can 'cure' crunchy clothes by using less detergent, letting them dry slowly (like put them out first thing in the morning when cooler or in the shade), doing an extra rinse or shaking the heck out of them before folding. Once they are worn they loose that 'crunchiness'.

As for the freshness, try planting fragrant plants near your clothes line. Right now our lilacs are out....yum yum.

About the routing your dryer exhaust. I don't see a problem if you have a filter some where in the line so that the lint doesn't enter your house. Is it excessively humid in your area? That may not be a good idea in a humid environment, but in a drier environment it would be a fine thing. I guess. I would do a google search :LOL

[Jyotsna]

Where do you get one?

I want a real clothes line. Where do you get it? I went to Sears, Target, hate Walmart and don't really shop there, but could I get it there? I am just annoyed. I want the T type clothes line where you have 2 T's and 4 or 5 lines running between them. My mom used to have this type of clothes line, and I remember running through the sheets and playing hide and go seek with my brother and sister in the hanging laundry.

Last year I had just a line from the tree to the fence, but honestly it looks a little tacky. I want a real clothes line. HELP!

[root*children]

I don't think any of those stores you mentioned would have that type of clothes line (the T type). Try your hardware store.
I'd never thought of that padmamorgana about drying in the shade vs drying in direct sun. We've done both in different living situations. Now that i think of it, they are much crunchier here in the outdoors!
We don't worry about the crunchiness though anyhow, b/c after a little rub everything is much softer. I'd leave the pants, towels, other heavy things outside rather than the dryer, though b/c they take so much longer to dry (read: higher electricity costs). After one towel use or about 5 min. of wearing the pants, they feel the same anyhow

Do y'all remember the commercial of the lady wanting the "line-fresh" clothes and driving them out to the country or something to hand them? It was for a dryer sheet or somehting, but randomly I'm remembering this commercial and thinking how funny it was that she strapped the laundry basket to the top of her SUV for the drive. DH & I always thought the dead bugs would be overwhelming in the laundry :LOL ... I know, I'm a geek! Thinking about commercials way too much!

[LukeDuke]

I've read in other frugal websites about dealing with the crunchiness. After line drying, toss the clothes and towels in the dryer for 5 minutes with a wet washcloth. The steam should soften them up. I haven't tried this, but it sounds like it could work. I'm not sure what to do about the smell though... a couple drops of lavender, sage, etc. oil on the washcloth?....

[Amys1st]

I would look for the t stand lines in the hardware store. We got a little creative. DH posted two stands in cement and made them large T's facing each other. Then strung clothsline thru to each side. I have 5 rows now.

Maybe I'll try the towels when it gets a bit warmer.

[fireflies~for~me]

HA! And I forgot to tell ya'll that DH took down the rusty T lines that were in the yard when we bought the house and he put up a pulley system that runs from a big walnut tree to a window on the house So it looks like what you'd see in a children's book-that way I can reel in the clothes if it starts to rain Not sure what gave him the idea but isn't that funny

[root*children]

Originally Posted by LukeDuke

After line drying, toss the clothes and towels in the dryer for 5 minutes with a wet washcloth. The steam should soften them up. I haven't tried this, but it sounds like it could work.

I have a friend IRL who does this with her diapers. She only puts them on airdry (no heat) for 5 min. and says they are super soft for babies butt. I've never tried it either, cause I find that taking the dipe and rubbing it against itself for about 3 sec. makes it soft enough (my kids may have some tolerance for crunchy diapers though! :LOL)

If anyone lives in Omaha, I know my mom has some of those T ones in her back yard (inherited house from great-grandmother) and hates them! Free for the taking! :LOL I wonder if, whenever you see a yard with those type of lines, to knock on the door and ask where they got them. Especially if they're not in use! They might just be begging you to take them! That's how we got our swingset!

[chel]

I put my hang-dry clothes in the dryer for about 2 minutes to fluff them out after being in the washing machine. I put towels, sheets, DH wrinkle-free clothes in the dryer.

[weebitty2]

Originally Posted by fireflies~for~me

My DH had a great idea during the winter to re-route the dryer vent to pump warm air inside our house. We probably need to make sure there are no health issues surrounding this, but WOW-it really helped heat our small 1000sq ft. house. OUr kerosene bill this year was about 700 bucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Put a small piece of screen over the end of the dryer exhaust hose so you don't inhale the lint fibers - especially if not all your clothes are 100% cotton. Other than that, if it's an electric dryer, there's nothing bad about it. Gas dryers need to vent outside though, because of the fuel burning issues. I totally envy your kerosene bill - ours in NH for 1100 sq ft was close to $2000!

[Mama2ElijahNRiley]

If I'm not mistaken, they are actually plumber's pipes with a t-joint. Most older metal T type clotheslines I think are... I know my great aunt's and my mother's are. Just screw nails on the long parts to tie the line to. I'll have to ask my dh, he's built me several over the past few years. :-)

Originally Posted by dready*mama

I wonder if, whenever you see a yard with those type of lines, to knock on the door and ask where they got them. Especially if they're not in use! They might just be begging you to take them! That's how we got our swingset!

[root*children]

Mama2EnR to the rescue! I totally bet that's what they are!

[root*children]

ps~ Welcome to MDC MamatoEnR!! Glad you found the Frugal Living forum so quickly!

[kris2]

Hard water will make things extra crunchy because hard water can't rinse all the soap out - it "freezes" it (just like the mineral build up on your spigot). Years ago (when I had acne and skin problems due to hard water soap residue) I bought a water softener for my home and have sworn by them ever since. I can't possibly list all the benifits - a VERY worthwhile investment! Anyway, if you're water is not TOO hard, you can cut your laundry soap use by about 3/4 and the clothes come out just as clean, but not as stiff. I discovered once - when I had an extremely dirty load and had run out of laundry detergent - that just one tablespoon of my detergent (which instructs to use 1/3 cup) cleaned the clothes just as well as the whole amount. I've cut back every since. I never use more than half the recommended amount - usually less. I do use a premium brand (Cheer free) so I can't say if this works for bargain brands. Anyway, less detergent means less left in clothes and less "crunchy". Of course, soft water is the only way to get truly baby-soft clothes without using a fabric softner. Like I said, buying a water softner ($300. - $400.) is about the best investment you can make for your skin, clothes, water pipes, and frugality (use less shampoo, etc. too, and clean less (no build up))

[kris2]

Find clothesline pole free?

Oh, and I forgot - you might be able to find one of those old clothes dryer/hanger things by posting a "wanted" ad on Freecycle. They are an online group where people give away their extra "stuff". There are groups in almost every community. You can find your local group by visiting:

http://www.freecycle.org

A great place to find things and get rid of clutter, too!

[Amys1st]

I also use the Cheer. I am going to try that- using less.

[Mama2ElijahNRiley]

thanks!

I am an admitted forum addict! LOL!

I lurked a lot on the cloth diaper trading post, until the new rules and now I cant see it... all for the better anyway, you can find darned near anything over there and my paypal budget was seriously blown. ;-)

Originally Posted by dready*mama

ps~ Welcome to MDC MamatoEnR!! Glad you found the Frugal Living forum so quickly!

[Mama2ElijahNRiley]

while we're on the subject of laundry...

I read in this month's Baby Talk magazine that you can use baby shampoo (like the generic Johnson's No Tear Shampoo) instead of Woolite for delicates.

[judybean]

Oh I hope you find a T-style clothesline!

Before I began getting crunchy (in the GOOD way, not stiff clothes way ), my MIL had mentioned she didn't know what to do with the T-poles she had. When we bought our house she offered them to us and dh put them in. OH MY! I cannot believe I almost didn't want them at first. I just hanging up diapers, clothes and ESPECIALLY sheets!!! Sheets just smell sooooo yummy after hanging out on the line!