Lazy Line Dry

Step 7 What about winter?

You can actually dry clothes outside even below freezing. If the air is dry, ice will "sublimate" directly from the solid state to water vapor, "freeze drying" the clothes. When you first hang them they freeze stiff; when they become soft, you know all the ice has come out. But that can take a while, and most houses are very dry inside in the winter, so clothes dry very fast inside. That means drying inside is the best option for most people, since it's easy, fast and helps keep the humidity in the house at a comfortable level. This does very slightly increase the energy needed to heat the house, but much less than the energy that would be needed to run a dryer, so it's still a good idea energy-wise. See the appendix for more detail on this effect.

Comments

[racerrose]

My grandmother hung out clothes in Arkansas every day she washed. I have happy memories of her bringing in stiff nightgowns and dresses. She would let me "break them", and then we put them in the ironing basket. Precious thoughts....

[margann]

After you 'broke' them were they dry? it seems like they would still be damp.