Simplifying and Saving With a Clothesline

Posted on June 30, 2011 by GuestPost
Categories: Simplification

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This post was written by a guest author. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guest post guidelines.

As a teenager, I had really bad luck with laundry. It seemed like every time I removed a bundle of clothes from the dryer, at least one item had shrunk. So one day while I was in college I decided to start air drying my clothes. I found somewhere — anywhere — to hang my wet laundry (e.g. chairs, my bed, doorknobs). No longer did I come across shrunken items — the clothes were just as I had bought them.

Well, it turns out there are a couple of additional benefits to letting your clothes air dry. You save money and you help the environment. According to the National Geographic’s “Dryer Buying Guide,” dryer use accounts for 6 to 7 percent of U.S. residential carbon dioxide(CO2). Dryers also consume the most energy of any appliances, after the refrigerator, according to the Clean Air Trust. By adding more carbon dioxide to the environment, you are contributing to global warming. And by using more electricity you are using more fossil fuels, which means that more pollutants and greenhouses gases are being emitted.

Switching over from machine to air drying is a simple way to help the environment, and it can help your wallet, too. Here are three steps to get started:

1. Buy a clothesline and pins. Take advantage of nice weather by having your clothes dry outside. This will speed up the drying process and infuse a delicious scent into your garments. Also, the sun disinfects your items and the breeze blows out the wrinkles. Not to mention you’ll feel nice and carefree as you pin up your clothes on a lovely day.
2. Buy a clothes drying rack. You can use this when it’s cold or rainy outside. Or if your neighbors don’t appreciate the sight of your undergarments. I inherited it one from my late Grandma; although it’s a little wobbly, it serves me well. A heated mudroom or guest bedroom is a great out-of-the way place to set up your drying rack.
3. Plan ahead. When you air dry your clothes, you have to give yourself more time to let them dry. So that means don’t put your favorite pants on the clothesline just an hour before you want to wear them. You’ll be forced to organize your time, and this can only help you in your everyday life by keeping organized!

It looks like our ancestors were one step ahead of us by letting their clothes air dry (not that they had a choice, pre-dryers). And in many other countries, including France (where I lived for two years), dryers aren’t as common in family households. If you aren’t ready to commit to air drying your clothes, there are a couple of steps you can take to reduce your dryer’s environment impact.

According to the government-backed Energy Star program, you can:

1. Use the dryer’s moisture sensor option — it shuts off the machine when the clothes are dry.
2. Choose a high spin or extended spin option for your washer — this reduces the amount of remaining moisture, starting the drying process.

So far little difference has been detected in energy consumption between dryer models.

Do you air dry your clothes, or have you been thinking about it?

Christine Laubenstein is a professional writer currently working with Mr. Beams, an eco-friendly company specializing in outdoor LED lighting. Christine loves food, movies, and traveling, both overseas and exploring her local home of Boston, MA.

Photo by Peter Blanchard

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