Hanging your laundry on a clothesline

[sheeplady]

We have one room with two machines and one drier for my entire building which is 3x23 flats - 49 flats, right (most 2-3 bedrooms, some studios and some 5 bedrooms)? And no washing before 7 am or after 9 pm. You can see why I want a machine of my own, right?

Yeah, that's a little much. One would think they would put in more to encourage people from putting in their own and using the building provided electric. I can't imagine if there were so many families living in one area. That must be a nightmare and why they have to book it. And why one drier when the driers take longer than the washers?

The worst thing I hated about communal laundry rooms is when someone would steal your washer or drier, and dump your clothes out on the floor after you had paid, because you went to the bathroom or forgot something. Urgh. I used to hate sitting with my wash and not being able to use the restroom for at least 2 hours.

 

[Flicka]

Yeah, that's a little much. One would think they would put in more to encourage people from putting in their own and using the building provided electric. I can't imagine if there were so many families living in one area. That must be a nightmare and why they have to book it. And why one drier when the driers take longer than the washers?

The worst thing I hated about communal laundry rooms is when someone would steal your washer or drier, and dump your clothes out on the floor after you had paid, because you went to the bathroom or forgot something. Urgh. I used to hate sitting with my wash and not being able to use the restroom for at least 2 hours.

No one would ever do that here. You'd be kicked out and good luck finding another place to live... No, our fights are limited to people leaving fuzz in the drier and other people putting up passive-agressive notes pointing that out. Swedish people are masters at passive-agressiveness but shy away from anything resembling a face-to-face conflict.

 

[ThesFlishThngs]

I've never had a dryer at home since moving out from my parents' place decades ago. During the nomad years, a laundromat was good enough, and I got out of the habit of having a dryer around. When we bought this 1917 home, it was clear we needed to economize on gadgets - there were no electrical breakers, only a pair of glass fuses behind a door in the kitchen wall. Plugging in the toaster and the iron at the same time could lead to chaos! So while we got ourselves a washing machine, the expense of buying and operating a dryer didn't appeal to me at all. Fortunately this old neighborhood does not prohibit outdoor drying (I'd be a serious outlaw if I had to live in one of those micromanaged developments), so our umbrella dryer is always at hand. On cold, damp, winter days, we put racks over the forced air floor vents, and maybe drape sheets across door tops. Sometimes my husband is in a hurry to complete the laundry chores; on those days (always Sunday) we take the damp washing up to our original laundromat & go have brunch while it's in the tumble dryer. We've never had a problem with leaving the clothes and coming back to get them, but my daughter did, on one of the rare occasions she took her clothes to the dryer. Maybe she left them too long, but when she finally came back to collect them, they were gone. She was so upset, and annoyed, as her laundry consisted of Target uniforms and ice skating tights - things important to her but useless to the general public.

 

[sheeplady]

No one would ever do that here. You'd be kicked out and good luck finding another place to live... No, our fights are limited to people leaving fuzz in the drier and other people putting up passive-agressive notes pointing that out. Swedish people are masters at passive-agressiveness but shy away from anything resembling a face-to-face conflict.

Yeah, people here are just rude and I'll admit that. When I lived in a "better" (read: more expensive, better location) apartment complex, that was commonplace. When I moved into the last place I lived (less expensive, less ideal location, more families) it never happened.

I never, ever, took someone's wash out of a cycle- even if they had dumped mine out and I was out the $1.25. I'm not touching some stranger's dirty clothes, especially not a stranger who is rude and steals and god knows what else. If they're brave enough to do that while I run to the bathroom, I hate to think what else they'd be brave enough to do in public or private if I did that. Thankfully, I never lost any clothes because of it, but I had a neighbor have her best jeans end up in a puddle of bleach (people weren't neat in the expensive building). Not that surprising.

 

[MissNathalieVintage]

I had that happen to me once. I loaded my clothing in the washer in the buildings laundry room one day. And I was only using the one double loader washing machine. When this teenage kid came in to do his laundry. We ran into the laundry room before and I had no problem leaving my clothing to wash. Well this one day (which was the second time I ran into the teen) he stuck around to do his laundry. When I came back to remove my clothing from the washer I noticed a bleach smell which I had not detected when I loaded my clothing into the washer. I pull out my clothing and everything was covered in bleach. I said it out loud there's bleach on my clothes. Once I said that the teen took off in a flash and I had not seen him since. The great thing was only one of my vintage skirts did not survive the bleach. I was so great full. My red towels were now peach colored and the bleach smell last for years before it disappeared. I still do not understand why it happened. After that I started using the laundry mat and plus for a while I could not find the laundry room key. After so many years of using the laundry mat I would find huge balled up clumps of hair in the dryer at the laundry. And thank goodness I finally found my laundry room key. And I never leave my clothing alone again. Sometimes I do not have the time to do a load of laundry in the laundry room and that is when my portable washing machine comes in handy. Best investment I've ever made. Now I never have any problems doing washing clothing. The one I use is called the wonder washer http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000BTDNEK With this type of washer I learned I can not use laundry soap/bleach/fabric softener when I wash clothes in the portable washer. The soap will not come out so I use a little bit of dish washing liquid. For bleach I use peroxide for fabric, softener I use vinegar. And it works like a dream.

 

[tealseal]

The worst thing I hated about communal laundry rooms is when someone would steal your washer or drier, and dump your clothes out on the floor after you had paid, because you went to the bathroom or forgot something. Urgh. I used to hate sitting with my wash and not being able to use the restroom for at least 2 hours.

That's terrible that people steal things in mid-cycle! I can honestly say that has never happened to me. Every communal laundry I've used I have sat in the room only once to time the cycles. Every subsequent time, I leave my plastic basket on top of the machine I'm using (washer or dryer), and try to come back before the cycle is done. If I'm late or forget, the people in my buildings that need to use the machine have unloaded my clothes in to my plastic basket and neatly set it aside so they could use it. I don't expect people to not be able to do their laundry because I failed to collect mine when it was done, but for someone to steal your cycle is unimaginable for me!

More on topic: I use my shower curtain rods as a clothesline; I've even hung one above my ensuite washer dryer for that purpose...does that count?

 

[sheeplady]

I had that happen to me once. I loaded my clothing in the washer in the buildings laundry room one day. And I was only using the one double loader washing machine. When this teenage kid came in to do his laundry. We ran into the laundry room before and I had no problem leaving my clothing to wash. Well this one day (which was the second time I ran into the teen) he stuck around to do his laundry. When I came back to remove my clothing from the washer I noticed a bleach smell which I had not detected when I loaded my clothing into the washer. I pull out my clothing and everything was covered in bleach. I said it out loud there's bleach on my clothes. Once I said that the teen took off in a flash and I had not seen him since. The great thing was only one of my vintage skirts did not survive the bleach. I was so great full. My red towels were now peach colored and the bleach smell last for years before it disappeared. I still do not understand why it happened. After that I started using the laundry mat and plus for a while I could not find the laundry room key. After so many years of using the laundry mat I would find huge balled up clumps of hair in the dryer at the laundry. And thank goodness I finally found my laundry room key. And I never leave my clothing alone again. Sometimes I do not have the time to do a load of laundry in the laundry room and that is when my portable washing machine comes in handy. Best investment I've ever made. Now I never have any problems doing washing clothing. The one I use is called the wonder washer http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000BTDNEK With this type of washer I learned I can not use laundry soap/bleach/fabric softener when I wash clothes in the portable washer. The soap will not come out so I use a little bit of dish washing liquid. For bleach I use peroxide for fabric, softener I use vinegar. And it works like a dream.

That's just horrible. Did you turn the kid into management?

I totally admit that I never turned my issues into management where I lived. I always wondered how many people it was. It had to be more than 2 or 3, because it happened on a somewhat regular basis and to people other than me. I always swore it was the people who lived around the laundry room, because they had to be monitoring when the doors shut and opened. If it was the current me (back then I was like 19-20 and much more timid and less creative) I would have set up a trap and caught the suckers on tape and turned a copy into the cops.

 

[scottyrocks]

During the years I had to use laundromats or laundry rooms, I never left my clothes until everything was done. I'd go to the bathroom first, bring a book with the wash, and wait it out.

 

[John in Covina]

I have two - one across the side patio and one across the back yard. i actually have more clothesline line that i put up in the garage now and then. My mom used the dryer on rainy days. I use the dryer to get the lint off dark clothes mostly. I hang all of the shirts on plastic hangers to dry.

 

[Stanley Doble]

I use a laundromat with an attendant. I can go get a coffee or do a little shopping. If I slip her a few bucks she will put the wash in the dryers for me and I don't have to come back for an hour.

 

[John in Covina]

When I lived at an apartment complex the little sh'ts stole all of my jeans out of the dryer.

 

[MissNathalieVintage]

Sheeplady
I was not able to since I did not know which apartment building the teen lived in. There are three apartment buildings that share the laundry room. Plus its creepy in the builds laundry room. Since there are no windows. I take my chances everytime I choose to stay and wash my clothing. Which I do not like since any one with a key can walk in with out warning. A few years ago there was gang activity going on in the neighborhood and they graffiti the laundry room ceiling. The land lord did put in a video camera. Other wise I have to suck up the courage to wash my clothing in the laundry room. I am even more greatful for my wonder washer.

 

[sheeplady]

Sheeplady
I was not able to since I did not know which apartment building the teen lived in. There are three apartment buildings that share the laundry room. Plus its creepy in the builds laundry room. Since there are no windows. I take my chances everytime I choose to stay and wash my clothing. Which I do not like since any one with a key can walk in with out warning. A few years ago there was gang activity going on in the neighborhood and they graffiti the laundry room ceiling. The land lord did put in a video camera. Other wise I have to suck up the courage to wash my clothing in the laundry room. I am even more greatful for my wonder washer.

At that point I would have dirty laundry, or as you say, use the wonder washer. Stay safe!

 

[fortworthgal]

We have an electric dryer at home, but I do use a clothesline (umbrella style, in the backyard) and drying racks as much as possible. We live in an older neighborhood and many of the houses have them, and thankfully there aren't any "rules" against them. During the summer when it is 105 here, it just makes sense to hang things outside to dry in the sun, rather than running the dryer and increasing an already-high electric bill. We went about 2 years without a dryer when our previous one died, but did end up buying one for convenience (and because we were in one of the rainiest seasons we'd had in years.) I have 2 wooden folding drying racks that I use indoors.

I grew up without a dryer at all. We were really poor and lived out in the country, and I thought only "rich" people had dryers. :laugh: We hung everything outside all the time - great big long t-post clothesline. I didn't have a dryer until I was in my mid-20s in my second apartment.

 

[Edward]

I'd love to have a great big, long drying line to hang sheets on. They always remind me of the remake of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (not anything like as good as the original, but still entertaining enough).

 

[Dan'l]

My mother has used a clothes line all her life. She's had a dryer since the late sixties but still uses a clothes line in the warm weather months.
I've used one everywhere that I've rented that had one, a few places I've lived in the country had them. Now, that the Mrs. and I have our own home we've been taking the large drying racks outside to dry clothes in the summer months. I'd like to put up a line so we can dry the bedsheets and such but I don't want to put one in the garden and right now we have a little one that needs his space in the lawn to run around but we're considering just putting up one of the umbrella styles.

 

[fortworthgal]

^ There are few things better than line-dried bedsheets!

 

[ButteMT61]

^ There are few things better than line-dried bedsheets!

Sleeping on them! I remember helping my grandma as a kid put up and take down the laundry from the lines. Everyone did it then. We too live in a neighborhood that's old, so it's not something that bothers anyone - as long as it's not done in poor taste or in the front yard lol

 

[Undertow]

I just strung up about 20ft of nylon braided cord over two hooks in our enclosed porch the other day. It's been a few years since I've had a functional laundry line.

I've been doing most laundry at my dad's for years. I dry delicates, etc. at home.

My experience is thus: A.) Apartment laundry rooms have very small machines that necessitate lots of quarters for tiny loads. B.) Laundromats have big machines, but take even more quarters, and you risk some turd stealing your clothes if you're not right there to watch your stuff.

Thank goodness my dad needs the company!

 

[Dan'l]

^ There are few things better than line-dried bedsheets!

Agreed, that fresh smell and warm feel as they are taken off the line is great. The first night's sleep in them is usually a very good night's sleep.