Does anyone dry their clothes on lines?

A secret I learned about hanging clothes out to dry. Use less soap in the wash, or at least rinse them twice. The reason they get hard and rough is there is soap residue in your clothing. (The Sears repairman told me this!) The package of detergent says to use 1 cup (or whatever) of the stuff per load. He said that this is hogwash. You may only need about 1/2 the detergent. I have a front load washer and only use 2 TBSP. per load. Finally, find a liquid fabric softener that you like and use it. I hang clothes out all summer, and very rarely have stiff jeans or scratchy towels. Best of luck with the laundry! :)

It looks like you've had some good advice here. If your clothes still turn out stiff, try bringing them in while they're still just a tiny bit damp and finishing them off in the dryer (5 minute's worth). That way, you get the best of both worlds. You save a lot of money by not running the dryer for long periods but you still get soft, fluffy clothes.

You have a good idea. I do dry my clothes on bamboo poles. Your idea may not work out if you live in a snowy place in winter. So buy bamboo poles and make some bamboo pole holes on your walls on the sunny side of your house. For soft clothes,add fabric softener. Go greener lady happythoughts !

If you want to dry your clothes on the clothes line and keep them soft, add a half cup of baking soda to the rinse. Baking soda is used in all liquid fabric softeners at the supermarket, like Downey, and Fleecy. All the store brands are is liquid fabric softener with dye and water added. Use baking soda to soften your clothes, and if you worry about dog hair, also add a half cup of vinegar to the wash, it will keep the hair off.

You're better off using a clothes airer that can sit in the sun but stay in the house :) Also, make sure you wash with fabric softener as well as the detergent, that way your clothes can dry on the line without going stiff. Another thing i have noticed, if you use too much washing powder - that can cause clothes to go stiff so maybe try & cut back a little on the amounts you're using but the fabric softener should do the trick!

I use liquid fabric softner during the last rinse and my clothes do not come out rough and stiff. I love the smell of clothes dryed on the line.It really does save alot of money too. It cut my electric bill in half when i stopped using my dryer.

My family including my mother and me dry our clothes on lines as drying naturally in the sun is the best. And moreover you conserve energy as less electricity is consumed as you don't need washing machine for it. Besides it is good exercise washing and drying clothes. Moreover i feel if you fabric softeners and use good detergents to wash clothes it will retain it's softness.

what if you put fabric softener in with your wash? as an aside, the city is looking at making it illegal to hang laundry outside as the higher ups look at outdoors laundry as an 'eye sore' (see previous posts)

I use a cloths lien when the weather allows or a drying rack or a drying rack in the hosue adn the dryer if i really need it dry fast. I cannot tell the difference between how they were dried.

yup, i dry my clothes on lines because i don't have a dryer. i don't have any problems with the clothes not being soft and fluffy? i always make it a point to put a softener after washing my clothes, perhaps that helps a bit.

i have a pool stick i put on two high pieces of furniture i hang up my wash and wear clothes on hangers on that pool stick i made a solution of little fabric softener mixed with lots of water shake and spray clothes come out good and dried

I don't, my clothes would be too wrinkled if I were to wash them on a line vs. my dryer.