Do you air your bedding and other linens regularly? (windows, smells, furniture)

[KathrynAragon]

My grandmother used to dry everything on a clothes line, even after she got a dryer (which apparently she used as some sort of gigantic paper weight). I LOVED falling into her fabulous beds made with crisp, percale, sun dried sheets and laid with fresh pillows. I guess this made quite an impression on me.

When I was a young wife, I lived in Germany for awhile and in the region where we lived, it was customary for people to hang their duvets and comforters and pillows out the windows or on clotheslines, even on the most bracing days - apparently any day that didn't threaten much rain. (The Germans also seemed to be constantly and literally scrubbing their front porches till they gleamed - which I always appreciated.) Count on Germans to be sure things are germ free, though not of course German free.

I guess this bred into me some sort of addiction to sun and wind cleansed linens and pillows and rugs. My husband was thrilled to realize this, since in his home growing up, his mother would literally take everything out of the rooms during "spring cleaning" and air everything out at least once a year, often twice a year. I like that. I can't say that I literally do that, but I do open doors and windows as often as possible throughout the year to air out the house. I also take rugs outside often and beat them with a broom and let them lay in the sun.

We moved to a new house about two years ago and I don't have a clothesline here - I need to change that. Meanwhile, though, I've managed by hanging stuff over the fences, over outdoor furniture, from my patio umbrella - LOL. I make do.

I just love the way fresh air and sunshine make things smell - ESPECIALLY dog bedding.

Anyway, I was just wondering how many people still do this, since it seems like clothes lines and such are becoming a thing of the past. I mean, it helps that I live in the South (Texas) and that we have abundant sunshine and mild winters. Is this more a regional thing? More an age thing? More a cultural thing? What are your thoughts and practices?

[Pitt Chick]

No clothesline here... even in the summer it would be ill-advised due to all the birds and trees.

I DO air out rooms, air fluff bedding, beat rugs.

[399083453]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

Anyway, I was just wondering how many people still do this, since it seems like clothes lines and such are becoming a thing of the past.

I live in New England and I do it. I prefer the clothes line. For laundry too. And nothing beats the smell of bed sheets, blankets that have been hanging in the sun for the day.

And, why use a dryer when the sun is free.

PS. I've never had a bird poop on my laundry.

[adventuregurl]

Unfortunately , even if you wanted to, so many communities have HOAs that prevent you from doing this.

[BirdieBelle]

No, I LOATHE the smell of "outside" on linens. I've never gotten the attraction. It definitely does not smell "fresh" to me, kind of like dirty kids.

I wash and dry them in the dryer and then spread them out for a day before putting them back on the bed.

Most HOAs around here don't allow clotheslines.

[KathrynAragon]

We have an HOA but clotheslines are not prohibited in back yards. To clarify, you probably couldn't see them anyway - everyone has privacy fences.

I guess whether or not the air is fresh and clean in an area makes a significant difference. Around here it's usually pretty windy and since this is a small town and I live in the suburbs anyway, the air always smells fresh. So my stuff smells fresh.

Right now, for instance, it 47 degrees, sunny, with a 12 mph wind - to me those are perfect conditions to air things out. I've got doors open and all my bedding spread out on my patio furniture in the sun!

I really need a clothes line.

[emm74]

Does it pick up dirt from the patio furniture and fence? I think the idea of airing out stuff is nice, but I wouldn't want to have to wash off everything it was spread out on first! lol!

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by emm74

Does it pick up dirt from the patio furniture and fence? I think the idea of airing out stuff is nice, but I wouldn't want to have to wash off everything it was spread out on first! lol!

I haven't noticed any sort of problem like that. But I don't do it if there's pollen in the air. We don't have much of a dust issue here, if any.

[Pitt Chick]

I am in an HOA community, and there is nothing (except nature) keeping me form having a clothesline.

Originally Posted by 399083453

PS. I've never had a bird poop on my laundry.

Lucky you!
Your birds are more polite than our birds (and squirrels!).

[kab0906]

I don't like crisp sheets. It's a texture thing.