Hanging clothes outside to dry (washer, smell, shower, condo)

[younglisa7]

I like to hang my clothes outside when I can to save on electric but my clothes always come out stiff and hard. I usually throw them into to the dryer with a fabric sheet for about 10 minutes to soften. Anyone else have this problem? What do you do? It seems like a waste to have to throw dry clothes in the dryer to soften them.

Lisa

[Cosmic]

You are probably washing them wrong.

I beat my clothes over a rock in a fresh running stream. Everything is pure and natural. When hung up on a wild cherry tree branches to dry in pure sunlite, the fibers have already been tamed and never dare to stiff me.

Just keep everything pure and natural like they did in the old dazes. I smell good too, like pure mountain air, which is always a mystery to some folks, I don't live that high up in the mountains.

[sean98125]

Use fabric softener in the washing machine.

You can tell Cosmic is not really all about pure and natural since the dude apparently wears clothes. Sell out.

[yankeegirl313]

Thats why I don`t hang mine out on the line.
I remember when I was a kid, taking the clothes off the line, and how stiff they were..

[findinghope]

i remember before my mom got a dryer--she would hang the clothes out even in winter--talk about stiff!!--lol

[cdcdguy]

I use liquid softener, then hang them. They don't come out hard at all, but you may have to iron a few things. I have a dryer, but never use it....

[GregW]

My condo association strictly forbids hanging cloths out on a line, even on the deck, because it makes the place look poor. This is ironic because if the people living here were not poor enough to afford a house in this area I am certain they would not live here.

[findinghope]

i know what you mean GREGW---our HOA doesnt allow clothes lines either. i miss th smell of fresh linens drying in the breeze

[hypocore]

Originally Posted by younglisa7

I like to hang my clothes outside when I can to save on electric but my clothes always come out stiff and hard. I usually throw them into to the dryer with a fabric sheet for about 10 minutes to soften. Anyone else have this problem? What do you do? It seems like a waste to have to throw dry clothes in the dryer to soften them.

Lisa

There could be a couple of reasons.

First, if you don't have much wind blowing and are relying upon the sun alone to dry them, then they don't move around enough to keep them soft. Instead, they dry after hanging in one position, therefore becoming stiff.

Second, areas that have really soft water or really hard water and add a softener, often have issues with detergent not rinsing out fully, which makes them stiff as well. How to tell if this is an issue...think about how you feel after taking a shower...do you feel slick (soft water) squeaky clean (hard water).
You can remedy that problem by using less detergent and/or smaller loads so that they rinse fully.

Last, it could be your washer isn't working well enough during the rinse cycle to get all the detergent out and it needs a new belt or some other type repair.

[Driller1]

I am still trying to figure out how my Downey ball know when to open. LOL LOL LOL