This is the way we wash our clothes so early Monday morning

Did you know that your clothes dryer is most likely the second most expensive appliance you run in your home? Of course, the refrigerator takes the prize for the biggest energy user, but if you're using your dryer, it's vying for some attention here as well.

“Drying Clothes” by Helen Allingham

Do you remember this song:

Here we go 'round the mulberry bush,
the mulberry bush, 
the mulberry bush.
Here we go 'round the mulberry bush, 
so early Monday morning.
This is the way we wash our clothes,
wash our clothes so early Monday morning.




Monday has long been the traditional day to do laundry. Yes, laundry was done once a week. On Mondays. Never on the weekends. And certainly not on Sundays.

Today, I dried two loads of laundry in the dryer. It's not that it's not perfect weather for line drying. The problem is the little fuzzy things falling from our oak trees. The month of May is a mess around here. Just as I get used to hanging my laundry out on the clothesline again, the oaks make it impossible to do so for a few weeks. Between the long fuzzies and the layer of green dust that settles on everything, there's no way I can hang my laundry outside. During these weeks, much of my laundry will hang from indoor clotheslines in the basement. But today, there was just too much, so I tossed it in the dryer. 

In order to make sure my dryer is running efficiently, I cleaned the lint filter before running it. I also did a quick extra spin of the laundry in the washer. That way, it's just a bit less wet when I put it in the dryer. Then, I throw in 6 wool dryer balls to help separate the clothes and cut down on drying time.

Of course, I do not use any fabric softener, and I sure hope you're not using it either! Instead, I added 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle in the washer. Between the vinegar and the dryer balls, there really is no need to load up my laundry on toxins that can lead to cancer and a host of other ailments.

Okay, back to some aides in making line drying a bit easier. 

I recommend wooden clothespins with springs (versus the straight kind, which can snag your clothes).




Retractable lines (for indoors or out). I love my retractable clothesline. It only crosses my lawn when I need it and disappears when I don't. They are perfect for bathrooms and laundry rooms, too.

Note: For permanent clotheslines, make sure you walk up and down running a damp washcloth along the line to wipe away any dirt before hanging your clean laundry on it.

 
Another must-have for me, is my spinning carousel rack. I have two of these and use them to hang my underwear, bras, camisoles, hankies, etc. I use these year round for the items I never put in the dryer. By not heat drying your intimate apparel, you extend its life dramatically. 


An added bonus with the carousel racks is that you can grab them and bring them in quickly if it starts to rain. Plus, you can put your older, more worn out undies in the inside of the circle and 'hide' them behind your girlier, fancier panties. :-) Love it!

Choosing the right hangers is important, too. Metal hangers can rust with wet clothing. Plastic hangers are often a good choice, but be careful of the dreaded 'hanger marks' on the shoulders of shirts and sweaters. I prefer the slim velvet hangers, which are also great space savers in the closet.

All this talk of hanging stuff outside is making me long for June when the air will finally be free of flying fuzzies!

Happy Monday!