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Bedding and other laundry items may be dried on a clothes line. Citations needed for other material.
Undid revision 274481922 by Whatever404 (talk)
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In [[Scotland]], many [[tenement]] buildings have a [[drying green]] which is a communal area predominantly used for clothes lines - it may also be used as a recreational space.
In [[Scotland]], many [[tenement]] buildings have a [[drying green]] which is a communal area predominantly used for clothes lines - it may also be used as a recreational space.


⚫
==Advantages of a clothes line (versus a mechanical clothes dryer)==
==Comparison==
⚫
===Advantages of a clothes line===
[[File:Wooden clothes pin.JPG|thumb|225px|Sundrying in [[Hermiston, Oregon]].]]
[[File:Wooden clothes pin.JPG|thumb|225px|Sundrying in [[Hermiston, Oregon]].]]
* Saves money<ref name="nytimes" /><ref name="washington post" />
* Saves money<ref name="nytimes" /><ref name="washington post" />
Line 38: Line 37:
|url=http://ecofx.org/wiki/index.php?title=clothes_dryer}}</ref> (2 kg of greenhouse gas emissions from the average mechanical [[clothes dryer]] per load)<ref name="ecofx"/>
|url=http://ecofx.org/wiki/index.php?title=clothes_dryer}}</ref> (2 kg of greenhouse gas emissions from the average mechanical [[clothes dryer]] per load)<ref name="ecofx"/>


* Laundry smells "clothesline fresh" without using chemicals<ref name="downy">{{Citation
* Clothes smell "clothesline fresh" without using chemicals<ref name="downy">{{Citation
| last=Brand
| last=Brand
| first=Downy
| first=Downy
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|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/16/AR2006081600394.html}}</ref><dl></dl>
|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/16/AR2006081600394.html}}</ref><dl></dl>


* Laundry items do not shrink (hot air from a mechanical [[clothes dryer]] may shrink items)
* Clothes do not shrink (hot air from a mechanical [[clothes dryer]] may shrink clothes)
* No static cling
* No static cling
* Laundry items stay softer (mechanical clothes dryers tend to remove short, soft, fine fibers)
* Clothes stay softer (mechanical clothes dryers tend to remove short, soft, fine fibers)
* Laundry items may be less wrinkled (items left in a mechanical clothes dryer tend to get wrinkled)
* Clothes may be less wrinkled (clothes left in a mechanical clothes dryer tend to get wrinkled)
* Laundry items may dry more quickly on dry or windy days (summer or winter)
* Clothes may dry more quickly on dry or windy days (summer or winter)
* No risk of fire (mechanical clothes dryers can potentially catch on fire)
* No risk of fire (mechanical clothes dryers can potentially catch on fire)
* No risk of toxic fumes (gas-powered mechanical clothes dryers can potentially leak gas)
* No risk of toxic fumes (gas-powered mechanical clothes dryers can potentially leak gas)
Line 107: Line 106:
* Eliminates the noise from a mechanical clothes dryer
* Eliminates the noise from a mechanical clothes dryer
* Provides a source of exercise and beneficial [[Vitamin D|sunshine]]
* Provides a source of exercise and beneficial [[Vitamin D|sunshine]]
* Helps protect habitat (the loss of natural habit potential from a mechanical clothes dryer is estimated to be 1.5 square metres per load of laundry based on [[Primary production]] correlations)<ref name="ecofx"/>
* Helps protect habitat (the loss of natural habit potential from a mechanical clothes dryer is estimated to be 1.5 square metres per load of laundry based on [[Primary production]] correlations.)<ref name="ecofx"/>
* When drying clothes indoors, evaporating moisture will remove heat from the air which could save on space cooling costs<ref name="enthalpy">{{Citation
| last=
| first=
| author-link=
| title= Enthalpy of Vaporization
| newspaper=[[Wikipedia]]
| volume=
| issue=
| pages=
| year=2008
| date=
|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physics}}</ref>
* More revenue for those who sell clothes lines, clothes pins, drying racks, etc.
* More revenue for those who sell clothes lines, clothes pins, drying racks, etc.


===Disadvantages of using a clothes line===
==Disadvantages of using a clothes line==
* Laundry items need to be hung indoors during rainy weather
* Clothes need to be hung indoors during rainy weather
* Neighbours may find it aesthetically unpleasant<ref name="nytimes" />
* Neighbours may find it aesthetically unpleasant<ref name="nytimes" />
* Laundry items may be more stiff (at least initially) - with or without the [[fabric softener]] that can be used with a mechanical dryer
* Clothes may be more stiff (at least initially) - with or without the [[fabric softener]] that can be used with a mechanical dryer
* Wind, temperature, and humidity can vary the drying time<ref name="thermodynamics">{{Citation
* Wind, temperature, and humidity can vary the drying time<ref name="thermodynamics">{{Citation
| last=
| last=
Line 148: Line 159:
| date=
| date=
|url=}}</ref>
|url=}}</ref>
* Laundry items can get dirty if they fall on the ground
* Clothes can get dirty if they fall on the ground
* Less revenue for those associated with the production and distribution of electricity/gas<ref name="nytimes" /><ref name="washington post" />
* Less revenue for those associated with the production and distribution of electricity/gas<ref name="nytimes" /><ref name="washington post" />
* Less revenue for those who sell or service mechanical dryers
* Less revenue for those who sell or service mechanical dryers
* When drying clothes indoors, evaporating moisture will remove heat from the air which may require additional space heating to maintain room temperature<ref name="enthalpy">{{Citation
| last=
| first=
| author-link=
| title= Enthalpy of Vaporization
| newspaper=[[Wikipedia]]
| volume=
| issue=
| pages=
| year=2008
| date=
|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physics}}</ref>


==Drying laundry indoors==
==Drying indoors==


Laundry may be dried indoors for a variety of reasons including:
Clothes may be dried indoors for a variety of reasons including:


* inclement weather
* inclement weather
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Several types of devices are available for indoor drying. A [[drying rack]] or [[clotheshorse]] can help save space in an [[apartment]] or clothes line can be strung in the [[basement]] during the winter. Small loads can simply be draped over furniture or a shower curtain pole. The drying time indoors will typically be longer than outdoor drying because of the lack of direct [[solar radiation]] and the [[convection | convective]] assistance of the wind.
Several types of devices are available for indoor drying. A [[drying rack]] or [[clotheshorse]] can help save space in an [[apartment]] or clothes line can be strung in the [[basement]] during the winter. Small loads can simply be draped over furniture or a shower curtain pole. The drying time indoors will typically be longer than outdoor drying because of the lack of direct [[solar radiation]] and the [[convection | convective]] assistance of the wind.

The [[evaporation]] of the moisture from the clothes will cool the indoor air and increase the humidity level, which may or may not be desirable. An average-sized wash load will convert approximately 3000 [[BTU]] of ambient heat into latent heat stored in the evaporated water. To determine how much heat is being removed by a load of laundry, weigh the clothes when they are wet and then again after they have dried. The difference is the weight of the evaporated water. Multiply that weight in pounds by 1050 get the BTU, or multiply by .3074 to get [[kilowatt-hours]]. (Note: If the moisture later [[condensation | condenses]] inside the house, the heat will again be released back into the room.)


==Legality==
==Legality==

Revision as of 16:16, 3 March 2009

For other uses, see Clothesline (disambiguation).
A rotary or Hills Hoist type of clothes line

A clothes line or washing line is any type of rope, cord, or twine that has been stretched between two points (e.g. two sticks), outside or indoors, above the level of the ground. Clothing that has recently been washed is hung along the line to dry, using clothes pegs or clothes pins. Washing lines are attached either from a post or a wall, and are frequently located in back gardens, or on balconies. Longer washing lines often have poles holding up sections in the middle due to the weight of the clothing.

In the past, zoning regulations in some areas prohibited their use ostensibly because they were sometimes associated with poverty or considered unaesthetic. However, more recently, environmental concerns and sky-rocketing energy costs have prompted many governments to pass "right-to-dry" laws allowing their use.[1]

More elaborate rotary washing lines save space and are typically retractable and square or triangular in shape, with multiple lines being used (such as the Hills Hoist from Australia). Some can be folded up when not in use (although there is a hazard of getting fingers caught, so there is usually a safety button).

In Scotland, many tenement buildings have a drying green which is a communal area predominantly used for clothes lines - it may also be used as a recreational space.

Advantages of a clothes line (versus a mechanical clothes dryer)

Sundrying in Hermiston, Oregon.
  • Clothes smell "clothesline fresh" without using chemicals[4][5][6][7]
  • Less fabric wear and tear[2]
  • Clothes do not shrink (hot air from a mechanical clothes dryer may shrink clothes)
  • No static cling
  • Clothes stay softer (mechanical clothes dryers tend to remove short, soft, fine fibers)
  • Clothes may be less wrinkled (clothes left in a mechanical clothes dryer tend to get wrinkled)
  • Clothes may dry more quickly on dry or windy days (summer or winter)
  • No risk of fire (mechanical clothes dryers can potentially catch on fire)
  • No risk of toxic fumes (gas-powered mechanical clothes dryers can potentially leak gas)
  • Avoids the potential of airborne lint and reduced air quality
  • Eliminates heating up the inside of a house by a mechanical clothes dryer
  • Eliminates the noise from a mechanical clothes dryer
  • Provides a source of exercise and beneficial sunshine
  • Helps protect habitat (the loss of natural habit potential from a mechanical clothes dryer is estimated to be 1.5 square metres per load of laundry based on Primary production correlations.)[3]
  • When drying clothes indoors, evaporating moisture will remove heat from the air which could save on space cooling costs[8]
  • More revenue for those who sell clothes lines, clothes pins, drying racks, etc.

Disadvantages of using a clothes line

  • Clothes need to be hung indoors during rainy weather
  • Neighbours may find it aesthetically unpleasant[1]
  • Clothes may be more stiff (at least initially) - with or without the fabric softener that can be used with a mechanical dryer
  • Wind, temperature, and humidity can vary the drying time[9][10][11]
  • Clothes can get dirty if they fall on the ground
  • Less revenue for those associated with the production and distribution of electricity/gas[1][2]
  • Less revenue for those who sell or service mechanical dryers
  • When drying clothes indoors, evaporating moisture will remove heat from the air which may require additional space heating to maintain room temperature[8]

Drying indoors

Clothes may be dried indoors for a variety of reasons including:

  • inclement weather
  • physical disability
  • lack of space for a line
  • legal restrictions
  • to raise the humidity level indoors
  • to lower the air temperature indoors
  • convenience
  • to preserve privacy

Several types of devices are available for indoor drying. A drying rack or clotheshorse can help save space in an apartment or clothes line can be strung in the basement during the winter. Small loads can simply be draped over furniture or a shower curtain pole. The drying time indoors will typically be longer than outdoor drying because of the lack of direct solar radiation and the convective assistance of the wind.

The evaporation of the moisture from the clothes will cool the indoor air and increase the humidity level, which may or may not be desirable. An average-sized wash load will convert approximately 3000 BTU of ambient heat into latent heat stored in the evaporated water. To determine how much heat is being removed by a load of laundry, weigh the clothes when they are wet and then again after they have dried. The difference is the weight of the evaporated water. Multiply that weight in pounds by 1050 get the BTU, or multiply by .3074 to get kilowatt-hours. (Note: If the moisture later condenses inside the house, the heat will again be released back into the room.)

Legality

In the United States, Florida, Colorado, and Utah have passed laws forbidding bans on clothes lines.[12][13]

In Canada, the Province of Ontario lifted bans on clothes lines in 2008.[14]

Images

  • Clothes pins (or pegs) on a clothes line
    Clothes pins (or pegs) on a clothes line
  • Pegs on a clothes line
    Pegs on a clothes line
  • Washing line in Iceland
    Washing line in Iceland
  • T clothes line
    T clothes line
  • Clothes lines in New York City, from a 1904 postcard
    Clothes lines in New York City, from a 1904 postcard

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Rosenthal, Elisabeth (April 17), "A Line in the Yard: The Battle Over the Right to Dry Outside", New York Times {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  2. ^ a b c d Aun, Leslie M. (August 17), "Nature's Dryer Revisited", Washington Post {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  3. ^ a b c a clothes dryer and a clothes line, ecofx, January 10, 2008
  4. ^ Brand, Downy (April 4), Fabric Softener Facts {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  5. ^ P&G, Global Operations (June 17), http://media.tide.com/en_US/messageboard/readthread.jsp?connectionID=74108 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ^ Products, Landor (April 17), Case History {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  7. ^ American Sanitary, Supply (September 5), clothesline fresh {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  8. ^ a b "Enthalpy of Vaporization", Wikipedia, 2008
  9. ^ "Second Law of Thermodynamics", Second Law of Thermodynamics
  10. ^ "Grashof number", Grashof number
  11. ^ "Clausius-Clapeyron relation", Clausius-Clapeyron relation
  12. ^ Chaker, Anne Marie, "The Right to Dry", The Wall Street Journal, September 18, 2007
  13. ^ Colorado Governor's Energy Office HOA Bill - HB 1270
  14. ^ Ontario premier lifts outdoor-clothesline ban
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