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When it comes to energy hogs, did you know that your electric dryer, when on, consumes the most electricity compared to every other appliance in your home? It’s true, it easily beats your refrigerator and your water heater (those in total energy consumption, those appliances use more because they are always on). So, if you’ve ever considered line drying your clothes to cut down on your electricity usage, you picked the right appliance to target. Not only will it save you big bucks on your electricity bill, line drying your laundry will make your clothing last longer, saving you money on clothing expenses too. Many people don’t like to line dry their laundry though. They cite too much work, too many wrinkles, and “still” clothing as some of the top reasons for not line drying laundry. Fortunately there are some techniques to make line drying clothing a little easier and more practical, so you can keep money in your pocket. Line Drying Technique Use Vinegar in Your Wash. I like to use 1/2 cup of vinegar in my washing machine, because it acts as a fabric softener. I put mine in a Downy ball at the beginning of the laundry cycle, but you could also put it in your fabric softener dispenser, if your washing machine has one. Snap Your Laundry. As you’re hanging your laundry , give it a good shake before putting it on the line. Doing so will get rid of wrinkles and loosen the clothing fibers, making your clothing dry softer. Spread Your Clothing Out. Do not bunch your clothing up on the line. If you squish everything together, you will create wrinkles and cause your clothing to take longer to dry. You want to stretch everything out on the line enough that your clothing hangs straight down, without actually stretching and ruining the fabric. Hang Shirts Upside Down. Yes, that’s right. By hanging shirts upside down, you don’t get funky clothespin marks on the shoulders. Hang upside down, using one clothespin on each side and one in the middle. Your shirts will dry faster, and there’s a good possibility you won’t have to iron them! That’s a huge bonus in my book! Hang Dress Pants Upside Down Too. Lightweight dress pants can be hung from the bottom. Put the legs together, matching the seams, and use two clothespins to secure. Smooth them out, and let them dry. There’s a good possibility you won’t have to iron your pants, either. Dry Jeans Right Side Up. Hang jeans from the waist, and smooth out the legs. Jeans are so heavy, that if you hang them upside down with the legs together, they’ll take forever to dry. Sheets and Towels. I fold my sheets over the line, securing with a few clothespins, because that’s the easiest way to do it. If you don’t like a crease down the middle of your sheets, though, you can fold sheets over and hang them from the end where the two sides come together, leaving the folded edge hanging at the bottom. Hang towels up vertically with two clothespins.
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