subject: Hung Out To Dry: The Advantages Of Using Clotheslines [print this page] There's no chore as pleasing as hanging up the wash. Some people might think that's a crazy thing to say, and it's true that hanging up the wash on a clothesline can be tedious, but when you're finished and it's all there, clipped and hanging to dry in the sun and the breeze, nothing can be as satisfying, or as calming. Although most people would think that with clothes dryers that make the work quicker and easier, and that clotheslines are a thing of the past, there are actually many advantages to hanging your clothes up to dry instead of sticking them in the dryer.
It's true that dryers can make the work of drying your laundry much faster and more convenient. But, there are just some things that a dryer can't do. One of them is the fresh smell of laundry that's dried in the wind and the sun. Even if you have one of those indoor clotheslines, you can still get the same freshness. If you don't have a backyard or you're shy about hanging your unmentionables in a place where everyone can see them, having an indoor clothesline installed inside your apartment or home, is the perfect solution.
Dryers tend to wear clothes out much quicker than hanging them up. The spinning action of the dryer has a tendency to strip fibers from your clothes, the heat also wears out elastics, which results in knit and stretchy garments wearing out much faster. By hanging your clothes to dry, you can slow down the wear and tear and your clothes and make them last longer.
Using a dryer, especially if you have a larger household that goes through a lot of clothes quickly, can be very expensive. In terms of utility bills, dryers use up a lot of energy. Using a clothesline may take more time and effort than just dumping your wet clothes in the dryer, but it can save you hundreds of dollars a year in utility costs. And you won't need to buy dryer sheets to ensure your clothes come out soft out of the dryer.
Because clotheslines don't need electricity to operate, this also means that clotheslines are much better for the environment. The lack of chemicals used on a clothesline is another factor that makes it eco-friendly. So by using clotheslines, you not only save yourself some money, you're also helping to save the environment.
