Saving Money on Drying Clothes
by Pat Verretto

Description: Tips for saving money on drying clothes.

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Of all the things I do as a housewife, laundry is my first choice! On those occasional dull days, or when I'm frustrated or tired, it's great therapy to start with grungy, smelly clothes and finish up with bright, clean and good smelling ones!

The average dryer costs 50 cents an hour to operate.  That means if you do six loads of laundry a week, and they take an average of a half hour to dry, you're spending a minimum of twelve dollars a month just drying laundry.

Some things don't line dry well, but you can beat the problem if you use your dryer only for what you need.  Put clothes in, on a hot setting, for about 10 minutes. Take them out while they're still hot, fold them into your basket so they don't wrinkle, (or put them on hangers) then hang them out as quickly as possible. They will dry smooth, with no ironing needed; no more strange creases or limp-as-a-wet-rag feel, either, and you've saved two thirds of the cost of getting them dry. 

If you have the luxury of doing so, only wash on windy, or at the least, breezy days. Hang clothes on the line early in the morning and leave them there a few hours after they're dry, If you can, and they will be soft and germ-free. 

Sunshine kills many germs and bacteria, so dry things like towels and sheets and underwear where the sun can get at them. The sun is a great natural bleacher and will fade colors eventually, which means that you should hang darker colors and things that take longer to dry, out of direct sunlight. Use this quality to your advantage, though, and hang stained or dingy things in direct sunlight, and leave them at least one full day.

You'll be surprised at how well the sun takes the place of those pricey stain removers and whiteners. Unless you live in a neighborhood where someone is apt to steal your socks from the line, it won't hurt to leave things out overnight and into the next day to continue their treatment.

Mothers used to lay diapers flat on the grass to let the sun bleach them and kill germs. It's still a good idea, but only if you have an area free of pets. Grass is clean, but don't put them on it after its been freshly cut, or you'll have grass stains!

Not only are clotheslines cheaper to use than dryers, they're more convenient. You can hang your entire wash (about five minutes per load), then go off and do whatever you want, without even thinking of it until you're ready to bring them in, fold and put away. They won't wrinkle waiting for you, and unless you have an especially small hanging area, you don't have to get them in to make room for the next load.

When you do bring them in, take a few hangers to the clothesline with you, and put shirts and blouses on them as soon as you take them from the line. This will minimize wrinkles, and  most pieces won't have to be ironed.  If you don't have enough clothesline to use it like this, think about putting up more. 

There are several options, the cheapest being to use hangers on the line. Pin a wire hanger to the clothesline, then hang socks and other small items on the hanger. You can put the hangers a couple of inches apart to allow air circulation, and hang things in about a tenth of the space. Shirts and so on, can be put on hangers, drip-dry style, and then hung on the line. You can run a wire or rope  from side to side across a corner of a fence for shorter things, too. Use your imagination instead of your dryer.

Pat is the guide for Frugal Living at Miningco.com.  Visit her on the internet at http://frugalliving.miningco.com/

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