Clothesline FAQ's
Q: What clothesline is best for me?
A: Practically
anyone in most any situation can use a clothesline to naturally dry their
clothes. The best clothesline is one that works for you and your situation. Whether it’s used inside your home, conveniently using your
home’s heat and naturally dehumidifying your home at the same time, or
basking in the power of the sun and wind outside your home, they both
offer immense benefits. Clothes tend to dry faster on an outdoor clothesline on sunny days with a nice breeze then they would in a powered clothes dryer. Quite often, the load on the clothesline will dry before the next wash load is ready for hanging, but the time it will take your clothes to dry will depend upon several factors including weather. The following factors should be taken into consideration:
1.
One of the first things to consider is where your going to use your
clothesline the most and where you can derive the most benefit.
Clotheslines are used year round in the USA and throughout the world in
all types of weather conditions including cold weather. Keep in mind,
that if you’re going to dry your clothes in harsh weather, you’ll want
to prepare by using a strong and durable clothesline that can withstand
the harsh weather conditions. For instance, our pulley clotheslines are designed for the harshest weather conditions and thankfully you don't even have to leave the house to have clothesline fresh clothes. Clotheslines can dry clothes in freezing temperatures through the process of sublimation where the water evaporates directly from the frozen state without passing through a liquid phase although not the most desired clothes drying conditions. We recommend installing your outdoor clothesline in an open area away from trees, if possible, to avoid sap and birds. This will help maximize your drying since the sun will shine directly on your clothesline and the wind will be unobstructed.
2.
Next, you'll want to decide how much drying space you need which will depend on how
much laundry you plan on hanging to dry at once. Also, you'll want to take into account the width, length, and weight of the items you plan to hang dry especially if you plan on drying heavy larger items such as sheets. This will also help gauge how many
clothespins you’ll need to accomplish the task.
3.
Look for features you’d like such as adjustable height, weather
protected lines, and some of our clotheslines are actually removable,
leaving a covered hole that is flush so you can mow the lawn or open the
space when not drying clothes.
Q: How can I naturally soften my clothes?
A: Simply adding one cup of white vinegar to your wash load during the rinse cycle will help avoid stiff clothing. This mostly happens with jeans and towels, but can be used whenever you would like to soften your clothes. Any vinegar odors will dissipate as the clothes dry, but you can add a few drops of lavender or lemongrass essential oils in the vinegar to enjoy a natural pleasant aroma. Be sure to use only 100% natural essential oils to ensure no spotting occurs. If you want to increase the natural pleasant aroma from the essential oils, you can dilute the essential oils with water in a spray bottle and spritz your clothes while their hanging on the line. Vinegar is known to reduce fading and brighten colors.
Washers work
differently between makes and models so adding vinegar during the rinse
cycle will vary, but in most cases adding vinegar to the fabric softener
bin will release the vinegar during the rinse cycle. Using vinegar is completely safe and works
perfectly using all natural ingredients so you won't be putting the health of your family at risk and there's no need to wait around to fill the bin. Vinegar can work wonders without any harmful effects to your washing machine and it does not cause rust. Vinegar works during the rinse cycle to help remove the excess detergent still remaining in your clothes.
Store bought fabric softeners are designed to reduce static in synthetic fabrics and the recommended care for most synthetic fabrics is line drying. The care label will often say "air dry" or "line dry" because it eliminates most all of the static. Fabric softeners serve no purpose with natural fabrics. Fabric softeners work
by leaving a residue on the fabric which never completely washes out. This causes towels to become less and less absorbent over time and eventually makes them nonabsorbent. Vinegar solves this problem and can even help restore absorbancy. Store bought fabric softeners can cause allergic reactions through skin contact and inhalation.
Fabric softeners may also contain carcinogenic coal-tar dyes, ammonia
and very strong scents. When fabric softeners are exposed to hot water,
heat from dryers or ironing, vapors may be emitted which can be deeply
inhaled, increasing their impact.