To effectively dry clothes outside, follow these practical steps that optimize drying while protecting your garments.
Preparing Your Clothes for Outdoor Drying
Stretching and Wrinkle Prevention
- Uncrumple: Ensure your garments are fully stretched out before hanging them. This reduces wrinkles, making ironing unnecessary for many items.
Sunlight and Fading
- Turn Inside Out: Direct sunlight can cause fading, especially in bright or dark-colored fabrics. Turn these items inside out when drying them outside.
- Seek Shade: Whenever possible, hang your clothesline or airer in a shaded area to minimize direct sunlight exposure.
Hanging Your Clothes
Using a Clothesline or Airer
- Maximize Airflow: Hang clothes so they are spread out, allowing air to circulate and dry them effectively.
- Secure Properly: Use clothes pegs or clips to ensure items don't blow away, particularly in windy conditions.
- Even Spacing: Space items apart so the air can reach every part of the garment, preventing them from staying damp in certain spots.
Additional Tips
- Weather Check: Check the weather forecast before you hang clothes outside. Avoid doing so on days with high humidity, potential rain or high winds.
- Optimal Time: Hang your clothes out when the sun is shining but it's not too intense. If it is too hot, the clothes can become brittle and stiff.
- Bring Them in Soon: Don't leave your clothes out too long; bring them in as soon as they're dry to prevent overexposure and fading.
| Step | Action | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Preparation | Stretch clothes fully; turn bright/dark items inside out | Reduces wrinkles; Prevents fading from sunlight |
| 2. Hanging | Ensure adequate spacing; Secure with pegs | Maximizes airflow for faster drying; Prevents them blowing away |
| 3. Location | Choose a shaded spot when possible | Avoids excessive sun exposure that leads to fading |
| 4. Monitoring | Check the weather; bring in dry clothes promptly | Protects from weather; Prevents overexposure and stiffness. |
By taking these measures, you can achieve efficiently dried clothes that remain vibrant in color and smooth to the touch.
