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01 May 2013

Caring for my solar clothes dryer.


Solar clothes dryers.  Honestly, that term makes me roll my eyes a little.  The humble, but effective clothes line has been around for centuries.  Apparently it needed rebranded into something "cool".  Let's just get it straight:  a solar clothes dryer is nothing more than a clothes line. 

And you know how I love my clothes line.

There is a little bit of care that needs done to the clothes line each year.  And I do mean a little bit.

Each year, once the weather starts warming up I head outside with a rag and a bucket of vinegar and water mixed 50/50.  I simply wet my rag and wipe the lines.  Over the winter a lot of grime can build up on it.  It's good practice to give your lines a quick swipe about once a month.

Now is the perfect time to tighten those lines if need be.  Since my lines were built by my electrical lineman husband, I don't have the physical strength to tighten them.  My old line was as simple as untying the line and tightening it back or turning the screw.  Don't think I'm complaining about my current line - it is a beast!  After seven years of use, this will be the first time it's sagging and that's more from children swinging on it than from laundry.  Ronnie can build an awesome clothes line!

Now that your lines are clean and tight, the only thing left to do is check your pins and see if you need any new ones.  I try my best to not leave my pins on the line.  It wears them out too quickly. 

That's it!  It's ready to go for another year.

No wonder solar dryers are all the rage.....



I'm linking up with Frugally Sustainable.

7 comments:

Vickie said...

I just love solar clothes dryers (Ahem clothes lines)! I love drying sheets outside. They smell great and have a certain crispness when done. I do like to run my towels in the dryer for just a minute after drying on the clothes line, however, so they get a bit softer. Found you on Simple Living Wednesday.

Rachel E. said...

I prefer the plastic clothes pins for my solar clothes dryer. I just need to find some. It is time to use it, isn't it?

Charli said...

Vickie - thanks for stopping by! I run my towels thru to fluff them too. I also leave anything that needs ironed damp - makes it easier.

Charli said...

Rachel - I still like my wooden pins. Maybe because I haven't found any plastic I like yet.

Anonymous said...

You never cease to inspire and amaze me!
~Shannon

Taylor-Made Ranch said...

There are only two of us here now so I have a retractable clothesline and I absolutely love it! I have a vintage clothespin holder and I even have vintage clothespins, some belonged to my grandmother. Oddly enough, hanging laundry is one of the chores I enjoy the most, probably because it's a cherished childhood memory standing next to my grandmother helping her put clothes on the line. (sigh....) Thanks for sharing. (visiting from Frugal Days/Sustainable Ways)

~Taylor-Made Ranch~
Wolfe City, Texas

Charli said...

I hung clothes out with my grandma too. Although she would give me a hard time about not hanging things out "in order" now!