In looking for ways to both save money AND be eco-friendly, I decided I should try hanging my clothes outside again, something I haven't done for years. One thing I wanted to avoid was cluttering up my small backyard with a clothesline, so I opted for this retractable line. When not being used it coils up into the holder and eliminates the eyesore!
Here is a round-up of benefits from drying outside:
**Less damage to the goods. Repeated drying at high-temps can reduce fabric strength by 25% or more, and the tumbling action of the dryer (not the heat, believe it or not) causes shrinkage.
**Enlarging your bank account. You can save up to $135 per year on electricity bills by forgoing the machine. (And if you don't have your own dryer, you'll spend a lot less time searching under couch cushions for quarters.)
**It's softer on the earth. Except for fridges and washing machines, dryers use more energy annually than other major household appliances. (And summer sun-drying gets it done in a jif.)
**Less shocking. Line-drying clothes means less static cling.
I gathered these facts from Ideal Bite, which I love. They describe themselves as: "The ultimate online source of free, fun eco-living tips - served each day via email. Green gurus dish out clever tips ranging from pets to wine. The approach is real, and really fun. Ideal Bite is a sassier shade of green." They send short and fun e-mails with lots of good information and it is FREE to sign up. Try it out - I'm sure you'll like it!
QUESTION: Do you dry your clothes outdoors? What tips do you recommend?
I like it when my clothes fit.
ReplyDeleteNormally when I buy clothes they start out fitting.
After 21 years of machine drying, shrinking and subsequently throwing out clothes I highly endorse not using those peace of crap machine dryers...
"permanent press" setting? Yeah right.
I hang my clothes now and they stay looking store bought for much, much longer.
Saves me money on clothes and electricity!