Now, my husband and I just built a new home, so my husband still has a few projects around the house, including my clothesline! Since I don't have an actual clothes line yet, I like to use the clothes racks you can buy at a store. I just stand the rack out on the front porch (I know, I know...what a hillbilly). But there are just so many good reasons to line dry your cloth diapers, it's worth the stares!
Here are a few of those reasons:
1. It uses NO energy (besides your own) since you don't have to run the dryer. We are always looking for ways to help the planet and our wallets!
2. The sun has the ultimate stain fighting formula! I am constantly amazed at how white my bumGenius microfiber inserts are after hanging in the sun for a few hours. It's truly awesome! And again, you aren't having to use bleach, Biz, or any other extra product to get those diapers stain-free!
3. The smell. I find that after hanging on the line for a few hours, my diapers smell like the outdoors, of course. It's nice to have that fresh smell as I diaper my little man.
4. Cloth diaper advertisement! I can't tell you how many comments I've gotten about my diapers hanging outside. Often, the conversation starts with "I didn't know people still used cloth diapers." I then follow with "Oh, these aren't your mother's cloth diapers!"
4. Lastly, I don't know about you, but how CUTE do those diapers look hanging out on the line?!
Now, I know I won't get to line dry my diapers all the time (when there's snow on the ground and it's freezing outside!); but every chance I do get, you can bet my little diapers will be gracing my front porch, happily swaying in the wind!
Of course, there is a potential downside. If you're in a hurry, line drying might not be your first choice. It typically takes my inserts 3-4 hours to dry completely on the line; the covers, though, typically dry in an hour or less. So, if you have some time, hang 'em on the line!
By Crystal B.
18 comments:
The clothes racks are great for those who live in apartments or homes with hoa's that have rules banning clothes lines. I live in military housing and we aren't allowed to have clotheslines but are encouraged to conserve energy...doesn't make sense huh?
This is how I dry mine too - except on my back porch normally. We are still redoing our back yard and house exterior, so there isn't a clothes line (yet). But, the drying rack works great. If ti gets windy or starts raining, I can carry the whole thing back insde in a second. But, with a line, it would take longer to get everything off.
thanks for posting!! I now have a clotheslines and it's wonderful!!
I wish I had a clothesline. I just bought the same rack as you, but I find it to be very flimsy. I still use it for my PUL covers, I just let them dryer overnight on the rack.
I line dry whenever I can!! yesterday it was so windy here that I used the snaps and the velcro to keep all my fluff attached securely to the clothes. Sorry for all you people who live with a HOA. you buy the house and then you pay dues to be told what you can and cant do around your house :-(
http://newworkathomemom.blogspot.com
Over here in Singapore & Malaysia, I'm lucky to get summer all year round to dry the cloth diapers. Very energy-saving indeed. :)
Any ideas for someone who lives in an area with high humidity. I've tried hanging my diapers on the clothesline, but even the covers aren't dry after hanging all day inside. Hanging them outside is not an option for us because our housing rules don't allow it.
We have one of those dying racks as well, and I have to say that sticking it in front of a window does just fine! Takes a little longer, naturally, but it isn't bad at all!
That's what we will be doing during the cold New England winters :)
I love to line dry my diapers, too. I can line dry the pocket diapers, but prefolds get too stiff. When the prefolds need it, I just dry them in the dryer, then put them in the sun.
I loved line drying with my daughter's diaper, and now she is two and is helping me hang her brothers diapers.
Katie L - have you tried throwing your prefolds int eh dryer for 5-10 minutes after line drying? That is all it takes to get them soft!
Line drying ROCKS! especially here in Denver. Everything brighter and whiter!
I don't have a clothesline yet, but I've hung mine over the porch rail and I'm amazed at how much better they look when they have been outside!
Stephanie- I never thought to put my drying rack in front of a window! That will be my plan B if the HOA ever catches onto my drying rack popped up on Thursday mornings. And really..our utilities in our city are going up...water 37%...REALLY?!
I love line drying my cloth diapers. It is great how the sun gets the stains out.
I have a drying rack as well as a clothesline. I use the clothesline in the summer and the drying rack in the winter. It was cold for a couple days where I live and Im going to be so sad in the winter days when my clothes dont smell like the great outdoors. I love that smell!!
I used a rack like that until I left it outside in the rain and it got all rusty :-(
There's nothing cuter then diapers hanging out a line. I love seeing them!!
I couldn't agree more! Even though I use a clothes line now, one thing I liked about using a rack when we did that was how easy it was to bring everything in at once in case of a sudden thunder storm!
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