Bring back the clotheslines!

[VintageJess]

This is an aspect of the golden era that I would like to see return. I know that lots of neighborhood homeowners associations don't allow for allow clotheslines because they are considered unsightly and are believed to lower property values.

I personally think there is something so lovely about fresh sheets flapping in the breeze on a sunny summer's day. I have very distinct memories of my great-grandmother hanging out the wash on her farm in Iowa. I've never really thought about the social aspects of clotheslines until I read this cute little article: http://www.guyana.org/special/heydornclothes-lines.html

I was also interested to see that some environmental groups are advocating the use of clotheslines to save energy. http://www.laundrylist.org/advocacy/index.htm

Jessica

 

[Matt Deckard]

My grandmother was a clotheline user and I remember playing in her back yard and being able to hide behnd the hanging sheets before a daring sneek attack on my brother.

The clothes had that baked in the sun feel to them and, well... It's a good memory.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I used clotheslines in Santiago, the capital of Chile, because I (and most others there) did not own a clothesdryer, and there were practically no laundromats.

My problem with clotheslines (especially in the winter) is that some items (heavy cotton jeans, for example) take forever to dry; and when they do, they tend to be very stiff. Wrinkled too -- and it's difficult to remove wrinkles from rigid, stiff fabric.

Finally, the air in Santiago is so dusty and smoggy, your clothes get dirty again as they're hanging out to dry!


.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

I used clotheslines in Chile because I (and most others there) did not own a clothesdryer, and there were practically no laundromats.

And the problem with clotheslines in the Amazon...is that everything mildews before it ever gets actually dry.

When I came back from living there I just -threw- stuff away....

 

[Matt Deckard]

And the problem with clotheslines in the Amazon...is that everything mildews before it ever gets actually dry.

When I came back from living there I just -threw- stuff away....

Molding on the clothesline huh?

When I travel I just let my clothes mold in my backpack.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Molding on the clothesline huh?

When I travel I just let my clothes mold in my backpack.

Well when it rains pretty much every day...getting enough time to have the clothes dry before its raining on them....

Add in like 95% humidity on most days....just makes for no dry clothes in general.

 

[KAT]

it sure is a good memory, we used to hang our clothes in our backyard too, and it always smelled so good, but im not sure if we had a dryer back then [huh] i still hung my clothes in my apartments cause i couldnt afford a dryer, here in germany you have to bring your own stuff when you rent a place, no laundry machines included...
a lot of people still use clothelines, for example: a lot of families in european cities, they dont have a backyard, you can see the clotheslines reaching from window to window
another fact is..people got too lazy to hang their clothes, everything has to be quick and easy..it just takes a lot of time
something else i dont like about clotheslines is that the evil:rage: sun takes out all the wonderful color of your new "old" ebay dress for 170 bucks :eusa_doh: (not me)
i think if i would have enough backyard space, enough time ...i would try to use the clothesline again...

 

[Wild Root]

I recall having an old clothesline in the back yard when I was growing up... I recall my mother hanging out sheets and such on it... ours was like a big tree... it was a pole that had four or six branches that had three or four rows of wire to hang clothes on... looked kind of like an old antenna... it was fun to make it spin in it's hole in the ground... my brother and I would make it spin wile there were things on it... it was soooo funny! My mother wasn't to happy about it... oh well, that's the way kids are!

=WR=

 

[KAT]

yeah we call those "W?§schespinne" Spinne =spider, W?§sche= laundry
my mom didnt like us playing with it either..kids are kids...and its good the way it is they will grow up fast enough

 

[mysterygal]

we had a clothesline too in our backyard growing up..there is nothing like sheetsthat's been out on the line all day, they smell so fresh, and have the perfect crispness to them..bad memories I have are towels and jeans that were to dry outside..OUCH!

 

[fortworthgal]

We had a clothesline while I was growing up. We lived in an extremely rural area and did not have a dryer. I loved it! There is nothing better than sheets dried on a clothesline! But yes, towels and jeans - yuck!

We have a large backyard and I keep trying to talk my husband into putting a clothesline in for me. Unfortunately his association with them is negative since around here you really only see them in the "bad" parts of town.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

The jeans that are brought in to stand in the corner for a while in winter.

My mother still uses a clothesline ... as does pretty much everyone else in my home town.

I've never seen a clothesline in America.

bk

 

[Wild Root]

yeah we call those "W?§schespinne" Spinne =spider, W?§sche= laundry
my mom didnt like us playing with it either..kids are kids...and its good the way it is they will grow up fast enough

lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol THAT'S THE ONE WE HAD!!! PERFECT!!!

Now I'm going to be laughing all day long!!!

I Love IT!!!

=WR=

 

[Lauren]

I used a clothesline in Brasil as well. It was really therapeutic and a lovely thing to do. The only thing was it made your jeans as stiff as a board! I would like to hang clothes on a line more often but for now my delicates get draped in my bathroom or garage.

I remember my grandma hanging out clothes on the metal wires in Atwater. I would sit outside with her and watch her do it when I was really young.

Recently I bought a clothespin bag made of 30's feedsack cotton filled with clothespins at an estate sale and hope to do a mini revival!

 

[KAT]

lol lol lol lol lol THAT'S THE ONE WE HAD!!! PERFECT!!!

Now I'm going to be laughing all day long!!!

I Love IT!!!

=WR=

HAHHA I KNEW IT! YOU WOULD DO THAT ANYWAYS! HAHHAHA
lol lol lol lol lol

 

[Rosie]

I use a clothesline now, in Brooklyn, NY. There isn't anything like freshly washed clothes being dried in the sunshine. Actually, when I wash clothes tomorrow, I will put them on my line to dry since it is supposed to be approaching the 80's here.

 

[Paisley]

Have you ever noticed how much lint collects in the dryer trap? That lint used to be part of your clothes and linens.

I don't have a standing clothesline, and don't have room for one, so I string a nylon coated cable from the back porch to the garage, and roll it up when I'm finished.

 

[KAT]

[huh] if i dont find it on the clothes ill find it in my husbands belly button[huh]

 

[mysterygal]

[huh] if i dont find it on the clothes ill find it in my husbands belly button[huh]

ewwwwww! must have an 'innie' then

 

[jamespowers]

No way! I can remember clothesline dried towels growing up. If I want sandpaper I will go to the hardware store and buy it.
My mother always manged to screw up my expensive Guess T shirts back then too. Red on the front and pink on the back? Uh, no thanks.
This is, of course, leaving out how birds, dust in the air and dogs that love to eat clothes might affect your wardrobe. It has all happened to me.

Regards to all,

J