Air Drying Sheets & Garments in the SFV

We have more days in the year, than most parts of the country, with warm & dry weather allowing a successful and very short timeframe for our sheets to dry.  We also have a large number of energy conscious statements and incentives from municipalities and utility companies which encourage and sometimes mandate us to conserve and lower our use of gas & electricity. Additionally, there are many garment tags which specify to hang dry. So why don't people air dry their clothes and/or sheets in the SFV?

• Energy...their own
  • Effort to put up the wet garments & linens 
  • Conversely to pull down the dried items without touching the ground

• Dust and pollen

• Car exhaust residue
  • Which really only comes into play if you are near a freeway or major road

• Space
  • Flailing sheets can come in contact with adjacent structures and become dirty
  • A balcony only works if you have some height - or a smaller rack and a warmer day
• HOA regulations
  • "Unless otherwise approved by declarant, no clothes, sheets, blankets, or other articles shall be hung out to dry or for any other purpose on any pa of said property excepting in a yard enclosed by a lattice or wood fence or other enclosure, approved by the Architectural Committee, at least six inches higher than such hanging articles." (Hidden Hills)
  •  Clothesline Bans Void in 19 States - Sightline Institute

Hanging Clothes Outdoors: 

• Check the air quality: AirNow.gov
• 13 Tips for Hang Drying Laundry & Saving The Planet With Your Undies - CleanTechnica
• Laundry | Department of Energy
• Efficient-clothes-dryers-IB.pdf (nrdc.org)
  • Currently, Americans spend $9 billion annually to operate their dryers, but extensive research by the Natural resources Defense Council and its consultant ecova shows that just updating residential dryers to the level of the most efficient versions sold overseas could save U.S. consumers a whopping $4 billion a year
  • There are 89 million residential clothes dryers in the United States (75 percent are electric models, 25 percent use natural gas). Although electric dryers dominate the U.S. market, natural gas dryers typically cost 50 percent to 75 percent less to operate.

Hang Dry Week - Hang Dry

• An annual event to celebrate sustainable laundry. This includes drying laundry in the sun and heat pump dryers.
• Hang Dry Week 2023! - YouTube
• Participate in Hang Dry Week — Hang Dry (the last week of August - Aug 25-31,2024)

Hanging Clothes Indoors: 

But if you do decide to dry your sheets indoors, be aware there are many who suggest it can create odors (moisture, mold) and caution should be exercised to not place the items too close to a heating register, element.

"The best approach to dry bed sheets without a dryer is to let them dry at room temperature indoors, place them close to a heater/vent, or use a hairdryer. It is not recommended to air dry your bed sheets as this can lead to a bad odor depending on where it is hung." How To Dry Bed Sheets Without A Dryer (And What to Use!) - (dropbymyhouse.com)

• Use a large clothes horse   Drying Bedding Indoors - Guide to Drying Your Sheets Fast (inthewash.co.uk)
• Use your doors (make sure the tops are dust free)
• Use your banister (again make sure it is clean of dust, oil & grime)

The Alternative to Hanging Clothes to Dry

Don't. But say you do so you look "cool"

• Use a laundromat
• Use a family member or friend's machine 
  • Until they ask for compensation
  • Until they call you on your lack of consistency in your save-energy mantra

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