How to Use a Clothesline

Hanging clothes on the line to dry is not only better for your clothing, but it is also better for your wallet. This vintage skill has been lost with the convenience and price point of the dryer. But since we are all embracing our granny hobbies, let’s learn how to use a clothesline once again too.

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She Saw My Undies on the Line

I am the crazy person that follows the laundry routine everyday. Therefore, I have laundry to dry every morning. During the summer, there is almost always laundry on my clothesline. If I am expecting company, I try to hang undergarments on the second or third line out of sight.

Well my in-laws were in town for the Fourth one year. I put my clothes on the line that morning before they arrived. That afternoon I ran to my mom’s to water her plants, while she was out of town. Of course, it downpoured as soon as I turned off the last hose. When I got home, my mother-in-law told me that she brought the laundry inside. I thanked her and thought all was fine. Until…I went to put it away and realized that not only had she seen, but she had touched my underwear. I was mortified.

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Grandma Would Use a Clothesline Like Facebook

Before dryers were commonplace, everybody would use a clothesline to dry their clothing. Back then, neighbors would use clotheslines like we use Facebook today. Diapers on the line must mean the baby finally arrived. Extra bedding could mean that somebody is sick. Tablecloths and napkins indicate that company is arriving soon or just left. Nosey neighbors could learn everything they needed to know, just by checking the clothesline.

How to Use a Clothesline

Hang the longest and heaviest items close to the end.

When hanging up wet clothing, the clothesline will start to sag, especially in the middle. To keep your clean laundry off the ground, hang the heaviest and longest items near the ends.

Group like items together.

When you go to hang things up, do yourself a favor and group like items together. Then you can match socks and fold shirts as you take them off the line.

Hang things upside down.

Clothes pins and clotheslines can leave creases in the clothing. By hanging them upside down you won’t get a crease across the middle of your shirt. It also helps things to dry faster since they are doubled over.

Turn the darks inside out.

If you are worried about your darks fading in the sun, then simply turn them inside out. I do this and try to hang them towards the back in the shade when possible.

The sun will help remove stains from the whites.

Whites on the other hand need the sun to help remove stains. Let them have all the sun they want and your whites will stay bright.

Go down all the lines at once.

If you have more than one line, then you can save time by starting at one side and hanging laundry on all of them at once. I start at one post and end at the other. I reverse the process to take it all down.

Clothes pin bags are lifesavers.

Get yourself a nice bag to hold the clothes pins. Then slide it down the line ahead of the clothes you are hanging. Make sure you can cinch the top shut or you’ll be picking up clothespins out of the yard after the first windy day.

Snap out the wrinkles.

Before you hang up the wet clothing, give it a good shake to make it snap. This helps with the wrinkles.

It’s ok to soften the clothes up.

If you don’t like the stiff feeling your clothes get when you use a clothesline, there are ways to soften them up. One option is to add about a cup of vinegar to the wash to act as a natural fabric softener. Another is that once the clothes are dry, put them in the dryer for 5 minutes with a wet dryer ball. This creates steam to release the wrinkles and the heat will soften the clothing. I’ll often do both methods.