A newfound trend has people ditching their dryers when doing laundry — opting to air-dry instead. Some hacks are already out there to make sure your laundry turns out the same as it would fresh out of the dryer, and one TikToker is adding to the list.
The scoop
Stacey (@greenvalleygable) is a TikToker who lives in the Appalachian Mountains and hangs her laundry outside to dry instead of using a dryer.
Her first tip starts before you even take your laundry outside — wipe down the line first. If your line is constantly exposed to animals and the elements, you want to make sure it's nice and clean before hanging up your freshly washed laundry. If you're using indoor clothing racks, it wouldn't hurt to wipe these down once in a while too.
Next, overlap your items where you can, so you won't have to use as many clothespins — which only makes your life easier.
In addition, Stacey recommends hanging your shirts and pants upside down because the waistbands of your pants are the most difficult to dry — so this will give them some extra airflow. She also suggests hanging your socks by the toes to ensure that bugs don't slip into your socks.
Lastly, if you have heavier items that you're hanging, use a propping stick — a tall beam with a groove cut into the top to put under the line — to keep heavy or long items off the ground, and try to keep like-items together. This will make it easier to sort and organize when you take it down.
"My Granny's generation would dry laundry outside on the clothesline, but not many in my generation do," Stacey wrote in the comments of her video. Luckily, it seems like that might be changing.
@greenvalleygable Raise your hand if you still hang clothes out on the line 🙋🏼♀️ My Granny's generation would dry laundry outside on a clothesline, but not many in my generation do. These are some of the tips I've gathered over the years. I'd love to hear what you can add! 🧺 #clothesline #laundryline #countryliving #countryhome #countryhumans #appalachia #laundryhack #simpleliving #homestead #selfsufficient #vintagevibes ♬ Caroline - Instrumental - Philip Bowen
How it's helping
Air drying your laundry has many benefits. Most notably, it can save you a lot of money in the long run.
Compared to other household appliances, dryers are known for using considerably more energy. Air drying your clothes — or even just one load a week — can help to cut down on your energy costs. If you use a laundromat, it'll help to cut the fees there too.
Air drying your clothes also helps to make them last longer by preserving the color and quality of fabric — all while helping the environment.
Dryers use five to 10 times the amount of power that washing machines do, and the production of this energy creates planet-warming gases, unless the energy comes from a renewable source. Access to renewable resources is progressing, but it's still not commonplace in most households.
Conserving energy with hacks like hang-drying clothes, keeping an eye on the thermostat, and unplugging your electronics continue to be a great way to save money and help the planet.
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