Hanging to dry

**savvy_sniper** · 06-30-2009, 10:55 AM

Whitney,

My washer has an extra spin cycle option. I use it when I wash all my throw rugs. They are 100% cotton, two-sided, and HEAVY. I lay them on the hot tub cover in full sun and turn them over a couple of time and they dry completely. It does take a while though.

I live on the Texas Gulf Coast; so it is extremely humid about 360 days a year - LOL! It does sound possible that your washer isn't spinning them well enough. If you don't have the extra spin cycle, you could try putting them through the spin cycle only a second time before hanging them to dry.

**fixer** · 06-30-2009, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by savvy_sniper

Whitney,

My washer has an extra spin cycle option. I use it when I wash all my throw rugs. They are 100% cotton, two-sided, and HEAVY. I lay them on the hot tub cover in full sun and turn them over a couple of time and they dry completely. It does take a while though.

I live on the Texas Gulf Coast; so it is extremely humid about 360 days a year - LOL! It does sound possible that your washer isn't spinning them well enough. If you don't have the extra spin cycle, you could try putting them through the spin cycle only a second time before hanging them to dry.

I agree with using an extra spin cycle. I use this on towels most of the time. It costs more, but is much cheaper than running the dryer.

**Shelli_wnj** · 06-30-2009, 12:10 PM

I have this problem sometimes, too. We live in the pocono mountains and it is humid here in the spring - and spring is lasting forever this year! it rains at least part of the day every day. I have a drying station set up with a fan, but even then the clothes smell if I let them completely dry. When they are almost dry (after almost a day of drying) I will put them in the dryer and set it to dry for about 5 minutes on low setting. Then they come out smelling nice and they are dry. HTH

**ladykemma2** · 06-30-2009, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by SixxOfDiamonds

I can't seem to hang anything to dry. They just won't do it!

I have to use my dryer to at least partially dry things to hang them.

Any tips? If it helps at all, I live along the coast in North Carolina. Rather humid area. I can't even leave my clothes in the washer thirty minutes past their cycle or they start to smell.

If I hang clothes in or outside, they still stay damp. Even if I give them a full day. Then, when they're finally dry they have the worst musty/rotten smell.

Help?!

you have a nice budget, i recall. do what works for YOU.

remember you both have full time jobs and this might be a frugality thing that doesn't work for you, like couponing and shopping loss leaders doesn't work for me.

**SixxOfDiamonds** · 06-30-2009, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by ladykemma2

you have a nice budget, i recall. do what works for YOU.

remember you both have full time jobs and this might be a frugality thing that doesn't work for you, like couponing and shopping loss leaders doesn't work for me.

This is true. There's something that I love about the smell of linens hung to dry, though. I suppose I'll just have to wait for our next duty station before I get that again. Hopefully it will be somewhere MUCH less humid!

**cab54** · 07-04-2009, 01:35 PM

I am living back in the MI woods, and sometimes it's just too humid and buggy and STILL to hang things out (no wind). I just do it when I can.

**Incognito** · 07-04-2009, 02:50 PM

I never hang things to dry in my basement, because they always smell musty after an hour or two. Although I painted my basement walls and floors, it's an older building and has moisture/mold problems in the inner walls. Adding more humidity to this situation would be a serious health risk. I keep my basement very clean and organized, no cardboard boxes/rugs etc. to get smelly, everything off the floors and on open shelves to mininize it as much as possible.

When doing laundry, I'll just mention a couple of things I do that work for me. I use Sunlight Lemon, or Tide Scented, or Cheer Dark-Wash detergent; if the clothes are getting musty-smelling, I use a little more detergent. Also, when I dry the clothes, I try to keep an open window in the basement during the spring, summer and fall, to keep fresh air in the room and also because this is the air that is passing through the clothing that is drying in the dryer.

For all my good work-wardrobe clothing, I just wash it, then tumble it in the dryer for 5 minutes with a dryer sheet (1/3 of a sheet works fine). It ends up being very lightly scented this way. Then I take it out, hang on hangers and then hang the hangers on my shower rod, with the fan running, or on a door-knob.
For the other clothes, I use the dryer till they're dry.
I used to use the clothes-line outside, but the trees in the backyard are directly over it; birds left their droppings on the clothes frequently, and smoke from the neighbours barbecues, lawn toxins, dust & pollen just aggravated my allergies, and sometimes I'd have to re-wash the clothes.

Two things you might want to check are:
1. Make sure the hoses that run out of your washer are not getting plugged with dirt and wet lint. Just place the end in a large pail and run a little water through the spin cycle. Any debris in the hose should come out. That could be why your clothes aren't spinning dry enough in the washer.

2. The other thing is the dryer itself. Is the dryer screen free of lint? Does it need to be washed to remove the residue of dryer sheets which results in poor drying? Is the hose from the dryer to outside venting fully, or is it partly-clogged with lint? Is the vent cap on the outside of the building clogged with lint? All of these things will make drying time longer, and actually produce a musty smell which is in close vacinity to your drying clothes.

**frugalfranny** · 07-05-2009, 11:50 AM

Yep six, we have learned some things about humidity. (what I can remember about S. Diego is having soggy saltines!! ugh! )

This is an interesting read. Thanks to all that have posted.....

Another thing I do with my dryer is about once or twice a year I take the vent hose off the back of the dryer and put my leaf blower in the tube and turn it on.......it blows out the little bits of lint that get stuck in there. A safety factor and possbile time saver.

**SixxOfDiamonds** · 07-05-2009, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by cab54

I am living back in the MI woods, and sometimes it's just too humid and buggy and STILL to hang things out (no wind). I just do it when I can.

You live in the U.P., huh? I grew up there and all of my family lives there (husband grew up there and his family lives there, too!)

**MomToTwoBoys** · 07-05-2009, 07:29 PM

Sadly, the humidity is what's making your clothes smell all sorts of gross. I lived in North Carolina for about five years and I tried to hang clothes out behind my townhouse once. It made them smell all sorts of awful!