Kind of obvious - Hang out your clothes

[reinbeau]

I'm doing an experiment right now, hanging out my laundry religiously - I know for some of you you're laughing at me, but I have never had the time to do this, and now I do, so I'm doing it!

My electric bill tells me how much I used last year, month by month, so I'm hoping to see a dip as a result of my efforts. I do three to four loads a week, that has to add up! The only complaint I have heard is from my younger son, who hates the towels dried outside, he says they feel like sandpaper. I told him consider it a spa exfoliation treatment!

 

[me&thegals]

Good for you! I'm fairly certain that driers use a ton of electricity, but I'm sure you could find the exact amount online somewhere. We also put up clothesline in our basement for year-round clothes drying ability (great heat right near our woodstove). You get used to the stiff clothes and never need to buy loufas again! Plus, that self-righteous feeling fairly makes a person float through the day

 

[krjwaj]

We hand our clothes outisde whenever practical and add a little fabric softener to the wash before hand. For the sandpaper son: Haven't tried it yet, but I learned on here to use vinegar as a softener, too.

 

[werblessd1s]

I hang dry all our clothes and bedding. Our electric bill runs $136 a month, it's a little cheaper in the winter. Plus I make my own laundry detergent.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I would be interested to see your savings. I have benen hanging clothes on the line for at least 12 years now,however, I do use the drier some in the winter.

I am on the budget plan, so I haven't really looked at the usage to see the difference.

Keep us posted!

 

[punkin]

I hang out all of my clothes year round. I usually do about 6 loads per week. If I didn't hang them out, I would be using the dryer on high heat for about an hour per load. By hanging them out, I use the dryer for about 20 minutes on air only per load. My dryer is big so I can sometimes combine 2 loads. So...

Dryer:

6 loads per week
1 hour high heat=
6 hours high heat

Clothesline:

6 loads per week
20 min. air only=
2 hours air only (if I don't combine)

It actually saves me about $25-$30 per month

I also make my own detergent.

 

[patandchickens]

If you tumble the towels in your machine - can be on cool (no heat) setting - for like 5-10 minutes after they have line-dried, your son will have nothing to complain of

Pat

 

[reinbeau]

If you tumble the towels in your machine - can be on cool (no heat) setting - for like 5-10 minutes after they have line-dried, your son will have nothing to complain of

Pat

Oh, the heck with him

No, seriously, Pat, I'll try doing that. My mother gave me those dryer balls, maybe they'll help.

 

[pioneergirl]

As long as it sunny out, I try to hang mine on the line...however, the winters here are too harsh for line drying. I do hang until they freeze on the line, though, lol. I think once I convince the DH to put in a woodstove, I'll be able to dry them inside on a line as well. Until then, its the dryer in the winter months :|

 

[BrookValley]

We have been religiously hanging out our laundry all summer. I've used the dryer a few times, mostly when the diaper situation (we use cloth, I don't even have any disposable back-ups in the house) has become, er, grave.

Our corresponding electric bills were: Pre-clothesline, ~$325; post-clothesline, ~$265. I'd say it's making a difference (though we've really buckled down on wasting energy and have become more conscious overall, so our savings isn't entirely because of not using the dryer).

I just bought a drying rack for inside (though it's quite flimsy and I'm not sure how much good it will do me) and am trying to work out a system for drying inside once the weather isn't so cooperative.

I love using my clothesline....and (I think we've discussed this here before) I also love my crunchy towels! :coolsun I also make my own detergent, and I've found that my clothes are actually pretty soft with the homemade detergent vs. the commercial stuff.