How to Dry Without a Dryer

Using a clothesline is energy-efficient.

Running a clothes dryer gets your recently washed clothing dried quickly, but it also requires a substantial amount of power. If you're looking to save money on your electricity bill, especially if your region employs a peak usage program, you can dry your clothing using other methods, even in the wintertime, by using clotheslines and drying racks.

Things You'll Need

• Clothesline
• Clothespins
• Drying racks

Instructions

1. Erect a clothesline in your back yard. There are a couple of different kinds of clotheslines to consider purchasing and installing. One kind is a simple line with a pulley at each end. You mount one pulley on the back wall of your home, typically over a deck or beside a door, and mount the other pulley elsewhere in the yard, such as on a fence or tree. This way, you can pin wet clothing to the line from your deck or porch, then push the clothing out to the middle of the yard where it can dry. Another clothesline style is a tree-shaped structure that is sunk into a hole in the ground.

2. Pin your wet articles of clothing, linens and bedding onto the clothesline with clothespins, where they'll dry in the breeze and sun. Clotheslines are spring-loaded to help keep your clothing attached to the line. Depending on the amount of wind and sun in your yard, your clothing can dry in a couple of hours or take a bit longer.

3. Set up a clothesline in your basement for use during the winter when an outdoor line won't work. If you live in a cold climate, drying your clothing inside is an alternative to using the dryer. Because you might not use this method year-round, buy a temporary clothesline for the basement that you can hook to two nails and take down when you're not using it.

4. Buy drying racks to hang clothing from. Drying racks can be wall-mounted or stand on the floor, much like a sawhorse. They're equipped with several layers of metal racks on which you can pin or stretch out your clothing.

5. Hang wet clothing in various places in your home, if required. Common places to hang wet clothing are a banister and over the shower rod in your bathroom.

References

• Saving Electricity: Clothes Dryer Energy Use
• Bukisa: Installing a Simple Pulley Clothesline
• Urban Clotheslines: Clothesline & Drying Rack Shop

Resources

• Saving Electricity: Clothes Dryer Energy Use