Hanging to dry

**SixxOfDiamonds** · 06-30-2009, 01:27 AM

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?!

**frugalfranny** · 06-30-2009, 01:44 AM

Can't help you but sure makes me appreciate my 'non-humid' area.

Between this post and the 'heat index' thing....I lived in San Diego for awhile too, guess I have forgotten what it was like.

Hope you get some help on here.......I will be reading this one.

**SixxOfDiamonds** · 06-30-2009, 01:51 AM

Originally Posted by frugalfranny

Can't help you but sure makes me appreciate my 'non-humid' area.

Between this post and the 'heat index' thing....I lived in San Diego for awhile too, guess I have forgotten what it was like.

Hope you get some help on here.......I will be reading this one.

Yeah, we have lived here for a year. Prior to this we were in the Mojave Desert of Southern California. I could hang a pair of sopping wet jeans and in an hour they were dry and looked as if they were pressed! Even in the winter, t-shirts dried in under an hour.

**vickilynn** · 06-30-2009, 07:12 AM

I live about 5 miles from the beach and I'm able to hang outside and things are dry with a wonderful smell. Sometimes I just hang inside if I'm going to work to avoid an unexpected shower and those dry just fine also.

We haven't used the dryer for at least 3 months.

Sorry you're having trouble.

**nodmicks** · 06-30-2009, 08:09 AM

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?!

I had this problem last week as our humidity was so high! I left them out 2 days to dry and they stunk! I had to rewash.

Is it always that humid?

**Trishagirl** · 06-30-2009, 08:17 AM

If you put a cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle clothes won't stink when they dry.

**baxjul** · 06-30-2009, 08:25 AM

I live in Florida, with all that humidity. I hang my clothes inside, because the a/c dries them for me.

**savvy_sniper** · 06-30-2009, 08:33 AM

I live where the humidity is high. I hang my clothes outside to dry. If it is very still with no breeze, I turn the fan on so there is air movement and the clothes dry.

How and where are you hanging your clothes? I hang clothes on hangers and then hang them on rolling racks, BUT I space the hangers apart so air can get between them. Also hanging them in the sun helps them to dry faster (as opposed to under the patio cover).

Hope that helps!

**Grainlady** · 06-30-2009, 08:59 AM

Back in the "olden" days, in humid areas of the country, the damp clothes were brought in from the outdoors and hung on a drying rack around the wood/coal cookstove to finish drying.

I have a drying room in the basement with six 11-foot lines, a 6-foot clothes rod where I hang things on hangers, plus a couple drying racks if I run out of room. There's a ceiling fan to move the air, as well as a dehumidifier going in the basement during the spring/summer, so that aids in faster drying.

We set this room up to use in the winter and during wet weather, but now I use it all the time and absolutely LOVE it. We do a couple loads of laundry while we watch TV or read in the evening, and it dries overnight.

**mamamia** · 06-30-2009, 09:18 AM

I live in central FL north, and have no problems with my clothes outside. Even the jeans are dry in about 3-4 hours. That is so crazy that your humidity is so bad. I didn't think it could get any worse than FL because it's unreal some days. Too bad you don't catch ocean breezes. It would probably help.

One thing I would suggest for inside drying, is to use an oscilating fan in front of them. Do you have an indoor line? I use my shower curtain rod too. Also, if you have a drying rack, you can position it under a ceiling fan. I even hang some items from the fan's light fixture. It really speeds up the drying, and is definetely cheaper than the dryer.

When it comes to things like towels and sheets, I would bite the bullet, and just use the dryer. Those things would be just a little too much to fight with, at least for me anyway.

HTH's

Theresa

**strezzed** · 06-30-2009, 10:10 AM

We have a similar problem. I simply run the dryer for 2-3 minutes and then hang the clothes inside to dry.

**SixxOfDiamonds** · 06-30-2009, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by nodmicks

I had this problem last week as our humidity was so high! I left them out 2 days to dry and they stunk! I had to rewash.

Is it always that humid?

Yeah, it's always that humid. Sometimes we'll get a day or two that's dry. But year round, it's pretty humid.

**SixxOfDiamonds** · 06-30-2009, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by Trishagirl

If you put a cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle clothes won't stink when they dry.

Thanks for this! I will try it!

**SixxOfDiamonds** · 06-30-2009, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by strezzed

We have a similar problem. I simply run the dryer for 2-3 minutes and then hang the clothes inside to dry.

I think this is what I'll have to continue to do. I have to toss them in for a minimum of 5 minutes, larger blankets and towels sometimes longer. Aye. Thanks!

**SixxOfDiamonds** · 06-30-2009, 10:49 AM

I've tried drying flat, drying hanging, indoors and outdoors. For whatever reason (and it could be that my washer doesn't spin them dry enough) I have to at least partially dry them in a dryer.

With the exception of small things like undergarments and socks, they begin to develop a smell within an hour. I use regular detergent (Tide or Cheer, typically) and about half of their suggested amount. I wash in cold water unless it's something that necessitates warm water. I never use hot water.

I LOVE hang drying sheets and the like outside, I grew up doing it and loved the smell. It's just rather depressing that I can't do it here, haha!