I'm sure that this has been covered before but I'm new to the game so I was hoping that some of you ladies could give me some tips.

I've just recently decided to start hanging clothes out to dry. I got DH to rig me a line between a couple trees and I've been doing it off and on for the last couple weeks, (depending on the weather.)

DH does NOT like the fact that I want to hang clothes to dry. I don't know if he feels like there is a "stigma" of that's what "poor" people have to do (HUGE story about his birth mother as a child!) or what BUT he says that he doesn't like the fact that his clothes come out stiff. He insists that his clothes be put in the dryer.

I've changed my laundry soap to Tide w/ Downey to help with that but they are still a little stiff.

SO... what do you do? Is there a certain laundry soap or fabric softener that is geared towards clothes hung out to dry? How do you deal with fuzz or lint?? Do you iron everything (I've noticed lots of wrinkles...) Do you "fold" the clothes over the line or do you actually "hang" everything with a clothes pin?

I LOVE the idea of hanging clothes out to dry in the fresh air and saving money but I think I need some tips! Any input is greatly appreciated! TIA!

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i hang clothes out on my line and inside on my line in the basement...yes they tend to be a bit stiff...i use sunlight powdered soap and i use vinegar in the rinse and they are not as stiff as without it in the rinse....i shake them out before i hang them and after they are dry before i fold them and that seems to help with wrinkles.
you are saving money hanging them..and if the towels are still too stiff...toss them in the dryer for 5 minutes to soften them up if thats the problem.

This is what I was going to tell you.

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Okay... I'll definatly try the vinegar in the rinse and maybe a quick trip in the dryer won't be so bad!

Thanks for your help!

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I use a vinegar rinse and put everything through the dryer for 5 or 10 minutes before I hang it on the line or in the basement. Sometimes the jeans are a little "crunchy", but everything else turns out really soft.

I don't recommend hanging up jeans, towels, or socks. I find they get crunchy no matter what I do. I use liquid Downy and have no problems with the other clothes.

i have been wanting to do this as well! thanks for the tips!

I hang everything outside except the socks, underwear and wash rags. With a family of six it actually takes me longer to hang these items than it takes to run them through the dryer. Not to mention there is absolutely nothing cool about stiff socks and underwear.

As for the stiffness, my DH actually had a coniption fit about his jeans being so stiff until I showed him how much the electric bill came down by not using that dryer. He found that the stiffness only lasted for a short time anyway, just long enough for his body heat to melt it away, where as the money paid out to our electric company was forever.

I have found nothing on the market that takes out the stiffness of clothes that are lined dried and really hate the towels being like that, but did discover that a 10 minute tumble on air fluff--no heat-- took care of it for the most part. Also removes that lint.

My Dh was the same way last year- but when I showed him the electric bill from April 07 ~ 176.00 to May's ~ 45.00 he quit whining...
I iron his work shirts... so that they are soft
other wise i told him get used to scratchy undies and sock it saves money LOL

I line dry almost all our clothing. For me, it's really more about preserving our clothes, than saving energy, but that's an added bonus! IMO the dryer is really hard on clothing. I toss things into the dryer for a few minutes, and then pull them out, shake them out and put them on hangers. I don't have a problem with anything being stuff. I don't use any fabric softeners, dryer sheets or any other additives. The type of water you have is also probably a factor.

I do dry all my linens in the dryer.