About Clotheslines

Clotheslines are suspended lengths of rope, wire or metal rods that hold freshly laundered clothing, allowing it to dry. Clothing is hung from the line on plastic hangers, draped over the clothesline or fastened to it using wooden or plastic clips (clothespins). Clothes dry by any combination of air, wind sunlight and gravity slowly drawing the moisture out.

Function

Clotheslines dry clothing without using any gas or electricity. Clotheslines can be used for all types of fabric, especially delicate items that can shrink or sustain damage in a machine dryer. Large items like rugs or quilts that do not fit in a home dryer can easily be dried by air on a clothesline. Set up clotheslines in the back yard, basement, laundry room or bath, or suspend them between buildings or porch posts. Indoor clotheslines are used year round, while outdoor clotheslines work best on fair and windy days in moderate temperatures.

Type

There are many clothesline styles available to suit every person's needs and space. Outdoor clotheslines vary from T-poles with lines strung between, to space-saving umbrella styles with multiple lines in a square or octagonal shape. Spinning umbrella clotheslines dry clothing even faster. There are also retractable designs that spool out and attach anywhere and disappear again when the job is done. Labor time is saved with clotheslines on a pulley system; purchase an automated pulley clothesline and it will even attach the clothespins for you. Try folding racks that can be placed anywhere and easily folded up for storage. Brackets attached to the wall come with removable clothes rods that can be stored when not in use. Purchase clotheslines that hide under umbrellas or awnings, to disguise them and protect clothes from sun and rain.
Indoor clotheslines also come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit available space. Rolling carts with closet style rods and hooks can be moved to any room, and swinging hinged racks can be mounted behind doors to save space. There are folding rack styles, screens that fit across the bathtub and ceiling mounted brackets that allow clothes to hang to dry without taking up any floor space.

Benefits

Use clotheslines instead of machine dryers for lower energy bills and less greenhouse gas emissions. Clothes have fewer wrinkles and a pleasant fresh air smell, negating the need for fabric softener or ironing. Clothing sustains less damage and shrinkage when drying on a clothesline. The sun's ultraviolet rays also act as a natural disinfectant for clothing without using any harsh chemicals.

Evolution

Clotheslines have been around as long as people have been washing clothes. Early clotheslines were as simple as a length of rope tied between two trees. Clotheslines have evolved, particularly from the 1940s on, into a variety of styles ranging from simple metal brackets and umbrella styles to automated pulley systems. Solid carved wood pins were improved upon with hinge styles in wood and plastic. Around the 1980s, clotheslines fell out of fashion in the U.S., even being banned in many communities for being unsightly. In the new millennium, environmentally conscious ideals have caused a resurgence in clothesline use and the repealing of neighborhood bans.

Expert Insight

Delicate items can retain the clothespin imprint after drying. Hang these items on rounded plastic hangers that have metal hooks. Use a clothespin or two to attach the metal hook to the line to prevent all the hangers from sliding down the line and bunching together. Twist ties work well to attach the hanger hooks in windy conditions.

Resources

• All styles of clotheslines at The Clothesline Shop
• Greenhouse gas facts from National Geographic
• Umbrella style clotheslines at Treehugger