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Clothes line
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A clothes line or washing line is any type of rope, cord, or twine that has been stretched between two points (e.g. two sticks), outside or indoors, above the level of the ground. Clothing that has recently been washed is hung along the line to dry, using clothes pegs or clothes pins.
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Encyclopedia
A clothes line or washing line is any type of rope, cord, or twine that has been stretched between two points (e.g. two sticks), outside or indoors, above the level of the ground. Clothing that has recently been washed is hung along the line to dry, using clothes pegs or clothes pins. Washing lines are attached either from a post or a wall, and are frequently located in back gardens, or on balconies. Longer washing lines often have poles holding up sections in the middle due to the weight of the clothing.
In the past, zoning regulations in some areas prohibited their use ostensibly because they were sometimes associated with poverty or considered unaesthetic. However, more recently, environmental concerns and sky-rocketing energy costs have prompted many governments to pass "right-to-dry" laws allowing their use.
More elaborate rotary washing lines save space and are typically retractable and square or triangular in shape, with multiple lines being used (such as the Hills Hoist from Australia). Some can be folded up when not in use (although there is a hazard of getting fingers caught, so there is usually a safety button).
In Scotland, many tenement buildings have a drying green which is a communal area predominantly used for clothes lines - it may also be used as a recreational space.
Comparison
Advantages of a clothes line
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- Saves money
- Zero greenhouse gas emissions per load (2 kg of greenhouse gas emissions from the average mechanical clothes dryer per load)
- Laundry smells "clothesline fresh" without using chemicals
- Less fabric wear and tear
- Laundry items do not shrink (hot air from a mechanical clothes dryer may shrink items)
- No static cling
- Laundry items stay softer (mechanical clothes dryers tend to remove short, soft, fine fibers)
- Laundry items may be less wrinkled (items left in a mechanical clothes dryer tend to get wrinkled)
- Laundry items may dry more quickly on dry or windy days (summer or winter)
- No risk of fire (mechanical clothes dryers can potentially catch on fire)
- No risk of toxic fumes (gas-powered mechanical clothes dryers can potentially leak gas)
- Avoids the potential of airborne lint and reduced air quality
- Eliminates heating up the inside of a house by a mechanical clothes dryer
- Eliminates the noise from a mechanical clothes dryer
- Provides a source of exercise and beneficial sunshine
- Helps protect habitat (the loss of natural habit potential from a mechanical clothes dryer is estimated to be 1.5 square metres per load of laundry based on Primary production correlations)
- When drying clothes indoors, evaporating moisture will remove heat from the air which could save on space cooling costs.
- More revenue for those who sell clothes lines, clothes pins, drying racks, etc.
Disadvantages of using a clothes line
- Laundry items need to be hung indoors during rainy weather
- Neighbours may find it aesthetically unpleasant
- Laundry items may be more stiff (at least initially) - with or without the fabric softener that can be used with a mechanical dryer
- Wind, temperature, and humidity can vary the drying time
- Laundry items can get dirty if they fall on the ground
- Less revenue for those associated with the production and distribution of electricity/gas
- Less revenue for those who sell or service mechanical dryers
- When drying clothes indoors, evaporating moisture will remove heat from the air which may require additional space heating to maintain room temperature
Drying laundry indoors
Laundry may be dried indoors for a variety of reasons including:
- inclement weather
- physical disability
- lack of space for a line
- legal restrictions
- to raise the humidity level indoors
- to lower the air temperature indoors
- convenience
- to preserve privacy
Several types of devices are available for indoor drying. A drying rack or clotheshorse can help save space in an apartment or clothes line can be strung in the basement during the winter. Small loads can simply be draped over furniture or a shower curtain pole. The drying time indoors will typically be longer than outdoor drying because of the lack of direct solar radiation and the convective assistance of the wind.
The evaporation of the moisture from the clothes will cool the indoor air and increase the humidity level, which may or may not be desirable. An average-sized wash load will convert approximately 3000 BTU of ambient heat into latent heat stored in the evaporated water. To determine how much heat is being removed by a load of laundry, weigh the clothes when they are wet and then again after they have dried. The difference is the weight of the evaporated water. Multiply that weight in pounds by 1050 get the BTU, or multiply by .3074 to get kilowatt-hours. (Note: If the moisture later condenses inside the house, the heat will again be released back into the room.)
Legality
In the United States, Florida, Colorado, and Utah have passed laws forbidding bans on clothes lines.
In Canada, the Province of Ontario lifted bans on clothes lines in 2008.
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