The other night, as my husband stepped around a drying rack that I had set up in our bedroom, he noted that he hopes we one day live in a house where I have a place to hang my clothes to dry where they won’t be in his way. This brought to mind how, when we were first married, he was surprised that I air-dry my clothes instead of using the dryer.
At that time, I wrote a post about line drying clothes indoors. I’ve learned a few things in the decade that has passed, so I’m going to revisit that topic today.
Why air-dry clothes instead of using the dryer
Given that we do have a dryer, you may wonder why I don’t just throw my clothes in it. There are several reasons.
- I want to save money. Clothes dryers are one of the biggest energy suckers in the home, accounting for approximately 6% of residential energy consumption (source). In other words, avoiding the dryer has a noticeable impact on our electric bill, saving us a lot of money each year.
- I want my clothes to last a long time. The agitation of tumble drying, especially when coupled with heat, breaks down the fabrics in clothes. In fact, items that go through the washer and dryer 20 times lose as much as 50% of their tensile strength (source). Avoiding the dryer means my family doesn’t have to purchase new items very often, and my favorite clothing items stay in good condition for a long time.
- I want my clothes to fit. In addition to breaking down the fabrics in clothes, dryers shrink them. We all know that washing a cotton shirt in hot water often results in shrinkage, but dryers also cause this—even in the absence of heat. The damage to fabrics caused by forced air and the agitation of tumble drying, even at cool temperatures, causes them to shrink.
For many, using an outdoor clothesline is the easiest way to line dry clothes. Unfortunately, we are unable to hang a clothesline in our yard. This is why I’m specifically addressing how to air-dry clothes indoors.
Tips for line drying clothes indoors
Use a drying rack
You can get your clothes dry by hanging them from doorknobs and draping them over the backs of chairs, but it is much easier to use a clothes drying rack. There are so many innovative, space-saving designs available, and they are offered at many price points.
4-Tier Foldable Stainless Steel Drying Rack
Folding Laundry Drying Rack with 3 Rotatable Arms for Hangers
Foldable 2-Level Laundry Drying Rack
Adjustable and Foldable Space Saving Laundry Drying Rack
Using drying racks is helpful because they are designed to hold lots of clothes, and they do it in a way that maximizes airflow around the clothes.
Place drying racks where there is good airflow
Speaking of airflow, it is helpful to place drying racks in a part of the home where air moves. If you don’t, it’ll take much longer for the clothes to dry. There are lots of ways to create airflow in a given room, including ceiling fans, stand fans, space heaters, and cross ventilation from open windows.
Avoid using too much soap
It is difficult for washers to completely rinse out soap if too much soap is used. The soap residue will remain on the clothes, making them stiff. This stiffness is particularly noticeable on line dried clothes. To know precisely how much soap is needed, check your washer’s use and care manual.
Avoid using fabric softeners
Fabric softeners work by depositing electrically charged chemicals onto fabrics (source). These chemicals coat the fabric fibers, causing them to fluff up so they feel soft. They also neutralize electric charges, so clothes don’t stick together. Unfortunately, the layer of chemicals intentionally left by fabric softeners builds up, leaving a residue on clothes. This residue can make clothes feel stiff. As an aside, it also makes towels less absorbent, prohibits moisture-wicking fabrics from doing their jobs, and poses a health risk because the chemicals are asthmagens (read more about the health concerns here).
Give clothes a good shake before and after drying them
An easy way to avert stiffness is to give clothing items a good shake before and after hanging them to dry. This simple action helps fluff up the fabric fibers. If you find your clothes are still too stiff, then consider popping them in the dryer for a minute or two before putting them away. This quick spin in the dryer should alleviate any remaining stiffness.
Dry certain items on flat surfaces
Certain items, like sweaters and shirts made of gauzy fabrics, will become misshapen (saggy shoulders, profound creases, etc.) if dried while on hangers, clipped to a line, or draped over a bar. However, they retain their shapes without any issue if dried while flat. Drying them flat is sometimes difficult to accomplish because you need airflow around them. Thankfully, this task is made simple by using flat drying racks.
Use the dryer for down items
Items filled with down, such as comforters, jackets, and vests, actually benefit from being in the dryer. Down clumps when wet, and line drying does nothing to break apart these clumps. To have fluffy, lump-free items, dry down-filled articles in the dryer (preferably with a couple clean tennis balls, which will help the items be fully fluffed).
Final thoughts
These strategies help me effectively and efficiently line dry my clothes inside my home. Though I love the convenience of the dryer, the benefits of line drying my clothes have kept me doing so for years (and I’ll keep doing it for years to come). However, I don’t hang all our laundry to dry. I must strike a balance between convenience and the benefits of line drying. For example, convenience wins when it comes to items such as jeans and towels, which take a long time to dry in the high humidity we have here.
What has been your experience with line drying? What tips can you share for dying clothes quickly and easily?
I really like all of these tips. I have an indoor line, but wanted something for my seaters, so the flat drying rack ideas was great. Thanks!
The flat racks really are such a great idea, aren’t they? Glad the idea is helpful to you, Michelle.
These are great tips. I didn’t know that too much detergent causes fabrics to be stiff. Now I understand why my towels are always so crispy and feel like cardboard when I take them off the line! I try and hang my washing on the clothesline as much as possible. We only got a dryer in the middle of last year because we had so many endless days of rain.
I learned about the detergent the hard way when I was using cloth diapers years ago. Using less truly helps!
I have a few drying racks; one I keep in my bathroom for drying my sweaters and other clothes I don’t want to run through the dryer. One near our woodstove that we use in the winter to dry winter hats, gloves, and ski pants, etc. after being out in the snow. And one that we keep outside on our patio all summer long for towels and bathing suits– living on the lake we used to go through an incredible amount of towel and suits on a near daily basis but giving everyone space to dry everything has helped us make it every few days or even a full week between swapping out sets.
It sounds like you have everything covered, Joanne! What a great setup.
How do you fight static forces? That is what fabric softener–to reduce static cling.
Hi Katie,
Air drying itself results in less static than using a dryer (this is because static occurs when fabrics rub together, generating an electrostatic charge). Using a little vinegar in the rinse cycle of the wash can cut down on static. If you are going to dry clothes in a dryer, wool dryer balls can also help cut down on static. Static is particularly problematic in dry environments. If it is a recurring problem, you might consider adding humidity to the air by using an air humidifier.
Hope this helps!