No dryer for 6 weeks now
By ebsharer
@ebsharer (5515)
United States
October 29, 2008 12:13pm CST
Alright so my dryer broke about 6 weeks ago and I really haven't had the money to replace it so I have been hanging things up all over my house. It funny how resorceful you can be when needed. I used all the brooms in my house to hang stuff on I found every avaliable spot. My favorite spot is the one where its right over the heating vent ... those cloths dry quick. My daughters get put there and some of my shirts because its a lower spot and I don't want the stuff hitting the floor. Other spots I found have worked too just take a little longer. Its been rainy and cold so I couldn't put the stuff outside either!
So 6 weeks with out a dryer has done a few things for me first off my electric bill went out $30.00!!!! Thats a lot of drying!!! Second because it takes so long for every thing to dry I have been keeping up with my laundry!! NOW thats scary!!! I am the type to do laundry every 2 or 3 weeks. Yes we have too many clothes in our house! But now I have been doing it every 2 to 3 days!
So I was thinking I am going to keep hanging as much as I can. Like all my daughters cloths can get hung up they dry very quick and thats half the laundry right there. So I will still be saving money. Second I already hung a lot of my shirts I think I am going to hang all of them from now on. Only things I'd like to put back in a dryer is my jeans and towels. But if I keep every thing else out my electric bill won't go back up too much.
Now for the question - Do you hang or dry in a dryer? What would you do with out a dryer? And do you think you could last 6 weeks??
By the way my new dryer should be picked up this weekend!!!
5 people like this
30 responses
@big_paparoch (111)
• United States
30 Oct 08
well when its summer out i hang the clothing up because its free and it works faster than the dryer but it does not get the lint off so you can put it in the dryer for like 10 mins and it will take it off but for winter i like to use the dryer because it is so cold out but somethings you just have to hang up like my underwears i hang because they will last longer that way but all and all i love the dryer because when you get out of the shower in the winter and you wait for you clothing to come out when there nice and hot i love it lol
@chaska (170)
• United States
30 Oct 08
I use my dryer minimally too. I use the dryer for things like comforters, towels, pillows, and other things that are hard to dry. I hang up things like jeans, my kids nice T shirts, and dresses so that they will not shrink. I find areas to hang them like my kitchen and dining room chairs, the stair well bars, over the shower curtain, and over the doors. My house looks funny when you come in since it takes a while for all of these things to dry. LOL. My electric bill is lower because of it also
2 people like this
@livewyre (2450)
•
30 Oct 08
We have had dryers, but most people don't really appreciate just how expensive they are to run. We hang our clothes out around the house when it's not good weather for drying outdoors, otherwise it's a good old-fashioned clothes line.
Incidentally ANYTHING powered by electricity that generates a lot of heat will hammer your fuel bills:
Ironing - always check you haven't left your iron on, not only for safety but your electric bills will be racking up every second it is powered up.
Washing machines - if they need to heat the water internally, some machines will utilise your hot water tank - most dishwashers will expend a lot of energy heating up cold water.
Dryers - they really eat up electric
Kettles - especially the fast boil ones - only boil as much water as you need, don't fill the kettle to make one cup of coffee.
Check the ratings on the equipment the 'WATTS' tells you how much power they consume - most of these will be into the kW (KiloWatt) range ie. 1000Watts.
Think of it like this, your light bulb (approx 100W) is quite reasonable to run...but if you have a 3kW kettle (like me!) you are switching on the equivalent of 30 light bulbs when you switch the kettle on...
Also check out the kW ratings on your shower, and your toaster, waffle toaster, your George Foreman grill...it goes on and on...
2 people like this
@jillmalitz (5131)
• United States
30 Oct 08
Oh my, being without a dryer is such a pain. Then again so is being without a washer. Our power went off during and after Hurricane Ike so I had to do the laundry by hand. That took a little creativity. I washed clothes in the bathtub and squeezed out the water. I had clothes hanging every where. I had jeans and socks and shirts hung over chairs and some stuff I hung up on hangers. The problem for me was because it was so humid outside it took a long time to dry. Are you getting an "energy efficient" dryer?
1 person likes this
@jillmalitz (5131)
• United States
31 Oct 08
If it works and is free sounds good to me!
1 person likes this
@mrsjbelle (1640)
• United States
1 Dec 08
Oh, I'll be in your shoes our dryer went out today. I figure I can hang shirts for sure. How about towels? Seem like they would take awhile to dry and I am concerned about a musty smell. Was it not something fixable? The reason I ask is I am wondering if it would be cheaper to call a repairman or buy a new one all together. I know nothing about them. Well I'm glad you got a new one & your bill had went down.
1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
1 Dec 08
Funny thing is I started this discussion a month ago and still didn't get my new one!!! Problem is a friend is giving me one and she lives about an hour away. So we have been trying to get our schedules together and it just hasn't worked out!!
Anyway I used pant hangers for my towels. Because every thing is in the house and the heat is on I haven't had any thing smell musty. I actually found a perfect place over a heat vent to hang a lot of my clothing.
It depends on whats wrong with the dryer. If its just the heating element then its cheaper to have it fixed. If its the timer then its really cheap to fix and you could probably do it your self as the directions come in the package. Whats wrong with yours?
1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
2 Dec 08
Glad to hear yours is working. Mine was sooo very done! First the timer went and I had to remember how long the clothing was in there because it wouldn't stop - the dryer would just keep going and going. Then it stopped tumbling. It was on and would blow hot air but it wasn't turning.
That dryer was about 25 years old so it got its use!!
1 person likes this
@mrsjbelle (1640)
• United States
2 Dec 08
Oh bummer I'm sorry I hope you get your new one soon. I lucked out my boyfriend worked on it last night and he said it's working he lubricated the motor I guess. The thing is ancient though lol I'm going to try to save for a new one after the holidays:)
1 person likes this
@swarovski87 (328)
• Singapore
30 Oct 08
Hi ebsharer, i guess its pretty common in my country for a household not to have a dryer. We hang our clothes out in my backyard using bamboo sticks and clothes hangers. As it is always hot and windy in my country, its pretty easy for my clothes to dry and we dont need a dryer since it drys quickly. We have a washing machine though but we could do without a dryer. cheers
@smacksman (6053)
•
30 Oct 08
It is crazy the way houses are designed with little thought to the drying of clothes by natural means. You have to admit, clothes always smell sweeter when air dried.
In Africa where it rains a lot in the summer months I built a 3 car sized covered area outside the front door and brick paved it. This area was really useful not only for getting in and out of the car with loads of gear for the babies but it was somewhere to let them sleep in the pram outside but dry, somewhere to let them play and somewhere to hang clothes to dry.
Now in the UK it also rains a lot but the children have grown up and flown the nest. And we need heating here. So I have built a Services Room with the boiler, washing machine, drier a sink and another loo.
The boiler produces a lot of extra heat and pulls in fresh air to burn so an ideal place to hang up washing to dry. The drier is now only used for emergencies - a quick dry summer or winter.
So why don't architects design houses to make use nature and waste heat?
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
30 Oct 08
My house isn't designed with any thing in mind. Its a maze to get any where in it. I did put up a bar in my laundry room that is in the basement next to the furnace but it doesn't hold a lot and there is no room for another bar so into the computer / play room every thing went!
@smacksman (6053)
•
30 Oct 08
Haha. Well my PC runs quite hot so maybe that is another place to dry clothes?
1 person likes this
@bowtieguy (5915)
• United States
6 Nov 08
I feel sorry for you, I haev to do my laundry on a weekly basis so that I have clean things to wear each week. I could not imagine having to hang dry everything, since I am not home long enough to go throguh all of that. I guess you just have to take a situation like that and make limonade out of it.
1 person likes this
@peedielyn (1207)
• United States
30 Oct 08
Bless your heart honey! I can't live without mine. Actually, I am trying to live frugally and jsut bank the money I have saved on the bills. I still dry little things like socks and underwear but that takes 10-15 minutes tops. I hang everything on the line and with the windy days I have about 15 minutes until the next load dries. I don't think I could ever fully live without a dryer but I have done a great job trying. Best of luck on your new dryer--they save you more money when they are new!! Happy Mylotting and laundry day!!
1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
30 Oct 08
Well its not new but its not that old either. A friend just bought a new place and it had a washer dryer which she already had. See my washer and dryer was about 25 years old! The washer went about 5 months ago and my plan was once I paid off the washer I would buy a new dryer but the dryer went too soon. So I am getting a free one - which works for me!!! The funny part is my friend just bought a new dryer and needed a washer so it worked out perfect!!! Thank God for friends!!!
@peedielyn (1207)
• United States
30 Oct 08
I think God makes friends because there aren't enough wings to go around. Sounds like you got a deal. I hope this one saves time and money for you. Happy Laundering!!
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
30 Oct 08
Its horrible when a tumble dryer breaks, I felt like I had lost a limb when mine broke once. I went to load mine up the other day and nearly cried when I opened the door and it came off in my hand! One of the kids had broken it and not said anything, no way can I afford a new one, so I tried to fix it and I can get it to work by just latching it back on. How long it will last I do not know but fingers crossed for some time yet. Anyway I have been hanging washing out a lot when I can, then I just use the tumble dryer to air it off for half an hour. I only do one load of washing a day to keep my electric costs down, and I do not use the radiators to hang clothes on to dry because it would just cost too much.1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
30 Oct 08
I don't really mind hanging the stuff its the time it takes to dry that makes me nuts!
I was hanging stuff in the back yard but now its too rainy and cold so its all in the computer / play room. I have come up with some creative ways to hang stuff LOL!
@jands1 (835)
• United States
30 Oct 08
I gave up with the dryer a year ago when I learnt that if something like 100 people were to hang dry one load of laundry a week instead of drying it, the energy saved could power a third world country for a year.
I actually hang my stuff using the defunct cooking hearth in my living room. My roommate used to complain. But then I explained he could just cook for himself twice a week. Suddenly he was on board. LOL
Recently I ran across a spin dryer. Uses a tiny bit of electricity. It's about $100. Considered very green. I'm heavily debating getting that. But, it's tiny so not sure what good it would do. Though it would save on the jeans and all my velvet clothing's drying time. LOL
1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
30 Oct 08
Well I'll tell you I don't plan on putting every thing back in the dryer I didn't realize how easy it really was - I mean obvously its easier to put the stuff in the dryer but hanging it isn't sooo bad! Towels, jeans, blankets, socks! will go back in the dryer, but every thing else and almost ALLL my daughters clothes can stay hanging!
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
29 Oct 08
I hung my clothes like this for over a year! Our dryer was very old and we replaced the heating element several times. The final time that it went out I was not able to get it fixed. I hung all of our clothes, (myself and 3 boys) for over a year. It is not impossible and you do come up with some very interesting places to hang clothes! I hung them on the curtains in the house, the cabinet doors, bought the $1 over the door hangers and hung them from that. No place was safe! I did find that hanging the socks were a pain in the kiester though! When it was nice outside they went on the clothes line. It is much easier to keep you with your clothes this way. You are right, had to have them dry so kept up with them! Good luck with your new dryer. The electric savings adds up. I do dry some of my clothes now, I try to hang all of the shirts. I do like to put the socks into the dryer though. They are so tedious to hang constantly. When I was feeling bad about having to hang the clothes all over the house, I would just remind myself that at least I Had a washing machine that worked and I was not forced to go to the laundromat. When live gives you lemons, make lemonade!
1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
30 Oct 08
I found a way to hang the sock FINALLY now that I am getting a dryer of course why I couldn't think of it before!! I found 2 wire hangers and my clothes pins. I clothes pin the socks on the wire hanger it works perfect! I think that I will continue to hang more then I used to but some things JUST BELONG IN THE DRYER!!!
I don't know that I could have done it if I had 4 people in my house soo points for you!!!
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
30 Oct 08
Yep that is how I did that too, the wire hangers and the clothes pins! I am glad you conquered it. Trust me, it was tedious as all get out for quite some time. But I saved money and it didn't kill me to do it. Sometimes I think I am too spoiled now. I try to be frugal and hang clothes but there is always that short cut staring at me. Glad you are getting your dryer!
1 person likes this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
30 Oct 08
It is so hard to be without the dryer. When I dry my clothes, I dry them in the dryer only to the point when lightly wet, than I hang them all on hangers.
This way I have all dry fast and I don't have to use iron.
I was recently in Europe for over one month and I saw people hanging clothes on balcony and windows, inside the house in washrooms and kitchens....
They call it eco-drying and it does the work, except, they have to iron everything and it takes electricity as well...not mentioned time consuming....
1 person likes this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
1 Nov 08
Yikes! I couldn't imagine not having a dryer for 6 weeks! Heck, I couldn't even imagine not having one for one day! 
I do at least one load of laundry everyday. And with having to do laundry so often I would go crazy without a dryer!
As it is, my dryer is on it's last leg. It's been holding up so far and hopefully will continue to do so for a while. I have a couple other things that need to be taken care of before my husband and I can buy a new dryer. Though I'd rather have an all-in-one washer/dryer combo. But unless my washer goes out at the same time that the dryer does I'm afraid it will only be a dream...
You must be very excited to be getting your new dryer, especially without having one for so long.
So what kind are you getting?
I do at least one load of laundry everyday. And with having to do laundry so often I would go crazy without a dryer!
As it is, my dryer is on it's last leg. It's been holding up so far and hopefully will continue to do so for a while. I have a couple other things that need to be taken care of before my husband and I can buy a new dryer. Though I'd rather have an all-in-one washer/dryer combo. But unless my washer goes out at the same time that the dryer does I'm afraid it will only be a dream...
You must be very excited to be getting your new dryer, especially without having one for so long.
So what kind are you getting?1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
1 Nov 08
My washer went about 3 months ago and I knew the dryer was going too. My plan was to buy the washer and as soon as it was paid off (no intrest!) I was going to get the dryer. But the dryer went too soon! The dryer I am getting is free - I don't know what kind all I know is it works and is fairy new (about 4 years old) so I'm happy happy! My friend just bought a new place and it has a washer dryer in it she is giving me the dryer as she just bought a new one. It was funny the weekend I went to get a new washer she went to get a new dryer! So we are both making out great!!
@YoungInLove (1254)
• Canada
30 Oct 08
We were without a dryer for a couple months actually. It happened during the summer though so it wasnt a big deal.And then it got cold. Now theres snow here and my mom cant hang clothes out on the line anymore so they had to bite the bullet and buy a new dryer. Im happy to have it. It got hard after a while, having to make sure days in advance that my clothes were all washed and dried if I needed to go somewhere, or if last minute I needed a certain shirt becuase I was called into work, I wouldnt have time to dry it. It got to be a bit stressful, plus, hanging up clothes in the house here is not an option really. Plus, since its getting cold, im happy that I can throw my clothees in the dryer for a minute to warm me up:) We just got our new dryer like a couple days ago and we love it lol
1 person likes this
@lexus54 (3572)
• Singapore
30 Oct 08
Ever heard the phrase 'Necessity is the mother of invention'? Well, that applies to you now since you have lost the use of your dryer. For me, I don't have to invent new ways of doing things because I live in an apartment and never had any dryer, only a washer. My washer does the wash and spins dry the clothes. After the wash and spin dry, I take the clothes out from the machine and lay them out on drying racks which I place at the balcony of my apartment. We get some sun part of the day, so the clothes will get dry in about half a day. So we really don't need to have a dryer over here because of the warm to hot weather we get.
1 person likes this
@mikeysmom (2088)
• United States
30 Oct 08
i would not be happy if my dryer broke as i would not be able to afford a new one or afford to have it fixed. things are so bad for us right now. i am so grateful all my appliances are running and working as it makes my life easier. we always paid for extended warranties on our appliances but we can no longer afford to do that so we had to let them all lapse. if something breaks at this point it will stay broken. sad but true.
1 person likes this
@hildas (3031)
•
30 Oct 08
I have a dryer, but I rarely use it as I do not like the way it wrinkles my clothes and shrinks them. I only use it for socks and small garments.
I always hang my clothes around my house in the winter months or wet days, but some items do take a little longer to dry, so I found if you keep turning them over every hour or two helps to dry them quicker. I use chairs, doors the stair railings.
It does cut down the cost of energy bills, and if you can dry your clothes in doors you should certainly do it.
Another tip is, if you find your clothes are a bit harder than when dryed in your dryer, put extra laundry softener in your washing machine where your powder goes. I do this and my house smells so fresh when the clothes are drying.
I hope you enjoy your new dryer, but keep hanging up some of your clothes around the house to dry and it will save you money.
