If it's Raining, where do you hang four loads of washing?
By jennybianca
@jennybianca (12912)
Australia
April 12, 2008 10:24pm CST
Yesterday, I had four loads of clothes washing to do.
It was raining. not heavily, but steadily enough that the washing would never dry on the outside clothes line.
I have these two indoor clothes stands. One is flatish that I spread out & can hang quite a bit on. The other is great, a portable stand on wheels, it can fit a lot of washing on it.
Even so, I couldn't fit all my washing on these two clothes stands, there was so much.
I do own a drier, but I try very hard not too use it much. They cost so much to run, in electricity, & just add more carbon to our environment.
What do you do with your washing on a rainy day?
9 people like this
34 responses
@DCMerkle (1281)
• United States
13 Apr 08
When I was a kid we had a line that was set up to run the whole length of the backyard. It started on the back porch, that had a roof and back to the garage. It was on a pulley system.
When it was raining there were lines that were set up down in the basement. Not my favorite place to hang the clothes, but it was dry and warm down there. If, on the next day, the sun was out, all the clothes were re-hung on the outside line for a fresh smell.
DCMerkle
2 people like this
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
13 Apr 08
One option would be to have an undercover clothes line... such as under a pergola or something.
Personally, I just tend to do the necessary washing and dry it in the clothes dryer. I know it's not good for the environment but if the clothes are needed in a hurry then it's the best option
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
13 Apr 08
We do have a pergola that is covered for about one third (the rest is shadecloth). Perhaps I get could something out up there.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
14 Apr 08
Wow! I guess your parents used a lot of flexibility & iniatitive to do their household tasks, something our current generation may have lost.
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
14 Apr 08
I've even known people that hung a frame under a pergola with the lines through it. The frame was lowered or raised via a pulley system.
Apparently my parents had one in England like that in the lounge room. The ceilings were high so they just took it right up and let the warm air from the heater dry it. Would have looked a little like a chinese laundry 
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
13 Apr 08
i string it up in the basement.
it takes a bit longer than it would outside,but it does the job.best part is-no bird poop!
they're horrible around here.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
13 Apr 08
Most Australian homes dont have basements. I know what you mean about bird poo. A couple of weeks ago some bird poo got on my hubbys work shirt. No matter what I did to clean it, I couldn't get it off, so I put his shirt in the rag pile.
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
14 Apr 08
they get in the berry bushes here and..
yup,rag pile.
i'm not sure why we have basements so much.
one more thing to flood,really.
@ellie26 (4139)
• Malaysia
13 Apr 08
I usually dry my clothes in the drier. Before my youngest son was born, I used to dry my clothes outdoor. But since I gave birth up until now, there was nobody helping me around with the laundry, so I opted to use drier instead. I know it is expensive to use drier. But I find it very convenient and I can wash and dry anytime of the day.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
13 Apr 08
I know when my daughter was baby I used the drier a lot more too.
I try not to now, due to high electricity costs.
Laundry work can be a pain in the neck. No one helps me much.
1 person likes this
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
13 Apr 08
hi jennybianca! I usually dry my clothes at the back of our house. We had our backyard built with a roof a few years ago in anticipation of rainy days. We always have to be ready here because we have a long rainy season in our country. Just my thoughts friend! Take care and have a nice day! :)
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
14 Apr 08
I have a small roof over the pergola & perhaps a line could be erected there.
1 person likes this
@johndur (3052)
• Pasig, Philippines
14 Apr 08
that was a lot of load you got there...i dont wash that many loads...i usually wash one to two loads so i can hang them fit to my clothes stand in the backyard...sometimes i wash only one load every two days so as to have more room for my clothes to let them dry and when they all dripped i transfer them to my room and let them dry using blower or electric fan...
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
14 Apr 08
In total, I have about 4 to 5 loads of washing every week. think in winter I will have to diverge from my usual routine of only washing on Friday & sat, & just wash on any sunny day.
@j12345 (163)
• New Zealand
13 Apr 08
prioritize your washing .... theres no way I can think of that can was that much clothes on a wet day but anyway prioritize your washing....eg clothes you need straight away.... now do you have a hot water cylinder????? (wrap them around that ... works wonders) if you dont then do you have a loft or attic ( hang a few lines across beams, this is the place where all the lost heat rises from the house) other wise just put you clothes on a stand in the warmest or windiest part of your house.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
14 Apr 08
Our hot water system is solar & is on the roof. We dont have an attic.
But prioritising is a good idea, & perhaps spreading out my washing over sunny days.
@minnie_98214 (10557)
• United States
13 Apr 08
I rely on my drier way too much. I just dont have anywhere to hang my clothing. I used to when I had my deck id hang em over the railing but we had to tear it out and are still trying to find the money to put up a new one.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
14 Apr 08
Perhaps you could make some sort of temporary line, this would save money on using your drier so much.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
13 Apr 08
We try to close one eye on the electricity used by the dryer.
After all, there are other big users around lol - like the heater, iron, aircon, TV, computer, what-not.
Drying clothes using dryer really makes the clothes more "crisp". If you feel good wearing the clothes, that definitely means the money is well spent.
If you get stressed, irritated or totally inconvenienced because you have to use alternative ways to dry it, well, saving on dryer may not be the best idea.
But of course, if you are trying to cut costs in the household, then you just have to bite down hard to decide which things have to go.
Good luck! 
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
14 Apr 08
I am trying to cut costs. Electricity is one of our biggest bills & they say this summer our bills will be horific, due to the 15 day heatwave.
I dont get stressed about finding alternative ways of drying my wash, but I do get stressed if I overuse the drier.
@youless (112123)
• Guangzhou, China
13 Apr 08
It's the raining season here. Many families have different ways to dry the clothes. In my family, I have a machine and that can absorb the water and it won't be moist any more. It works well to make our clothes dry in this moist season.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
14 Apr 08
I have never heard of a machine that can absorb water. What a great idea.
@bowtieguy (5915)
• United States
13 Apr 08
If you have a dryer then why not use it. It may cost more but I find them to be a lot more affective then letting nature do all the work and from what I hear she wasn't in the working spirit anyways.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
14 Apr 08
Electricity costs a great deal here & driers are one of the heaviest users of electricity.
@alangardner (185)
• United States
14 Apr 08
I would hang them in my restroom or if you are impatient and want your clothes done that minute just pull out your hair dryer lol but only use the hair dryer as your last resort.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
14 Apr 08
What is the restroom? The toilet?
I have been know to use a hand drier when I got my clothes soaking in the rain.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
14 Apr 08
I have to use driers as I live in an apartment complex and have no room for clothes lines. We have five different places here to do your laundry in and no clothes lines. I love clothes that are hung out to dry . they always smell of fresh air and sunshine. However I have to use the driers here.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
14 Apr 08
I can understand this. Apartment builders tend not to allow space for outdoor clothes lines. You have no choice.
@andreialijen (11)
• Philippines
14 Apr 08
Well. our washing machine doesnt have a drier, so we are force to make an improvised clothes hanger in the garage. I always wash tons of clothes thats why its really a problem hanging them when it rains... I remember one time when I need to wea that specific shirt but it is still wet, I have to put the electricfan beside it...
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
14 Apr 08
A garage is a helpful idea. We have a carport which only has space to hang a few items.
@cheenlly (3477)
• Philippines
13 Apr 08
We have a dry place where we hang our wash clothes when its raining but it rarely happens as usually it's very hot and sunny here in our place as we are in a tropical place but of course when it's rainy season we usually hang it on the dry place near the washing area at the back of our home.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
13 Apr 08
I guess I need to find a few more dry places inside & outside my house.
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
13 Apr 08
I have 3 clothes stands that each can hold one washer of clothes. The rest I would put on hangers and hang them from the door sills. Normally, I can dry clothes in a day indoors unless its pants or socks.
I avoid using a dryer, as it causes a high electric bill. It also doesn't help the environment. Many of my neighbors hang their clothes even when its a little wet and just wait for the weather to improve. My area gets very little rain, so the wait will be short.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
13 Apr 08
You sound like you have the best solution of what I have read so far. I should buy a third indoor clothes hanger.,
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
13 Apr 08
I'd use the dryer. It's a matter of having to meaning you haven't a choice in the matter. I don't like useing the dryer either for it costs too much in electricity, actually it's double the amount than normal because of the plug needing a 220 amp. A regular plug uses 110 amps. That's a lot to run for a hour but when you haven't a choice then you've got to use it.... or you could go to a laundry mat and dry your clothes there.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
13 Apr 08
Yes, I guess some places rain so much that you dont have much choice. Or maybe some people dont have a ashing line to hang things on.
@julyteen (13252)
• Davao, Philippines
13 Apr 08
that's my problem before but nowadays it is not my problem. it is the problem of my washer because i pay her everytime she wash my clothes, she bought all my clothes in her house and return it when it is dry already. before i made a line of wire inside our garage so i can hang my clothes.
@valatha1969 (246)
•
13 Apr 08
Generally i don't wash on rainy day,if it is must i will tie rope n dry them in guest room.
1 person likes this
@rhane7315 (5649)
• Philippines
13 Apr 08
i use dryer or sometimes hang them inside our house. we have a small clothesline inside our house and on our kitchen
1 person likes this
