OT: ? for those who line or hang dry clothes

[s7714]

I know there are a lot of people here who don't dry their clothes in the dryer. My question is, how do you get the clothes to come out soft when they're line or hung to dry? Anytime I hang something to dry, it always has a "stiffness" and wrinkly quality to it. Not stiff as in the soap didn't get rinsed out or something--they're just not "fresh from the dryer soft" iykwim. Any tips or suggestions?

TIA,
Jennifer
Mommy to
Annalia 3/03
Sophia 6/05

When raising kids the days are oh so long, but the years are short.--John Leguizamo

[spanannie]

Promise not to laugh...

I iron pretty much everything, which brings the softness and body back to the fabric.

Laundry is tedious for me. I hang most everything to dry and iron at least 75% of what we wear. I just can't stand to not have things ironed, though.

I also use fabric softener or vinegar to help soften, depending on what I'm washing. For towels, I don't use fabric softener; I use vinegar. I also don't use softener when washing my underwear (it's hard on the elastic) or when washing DH's wrinkle free shorts (since it will damage the wrinkle-free properties of the shorts).

[SarahK]

I don't dry clothes in the dryer (except for undies, socks, and jammies). I give the clothes a hard snap before I put them on the drying rack...then another hard snap after they're dry and I take them off the rack. That's about it! Some things do need to be ironed, but those are few and far between.

I know some people do toss things in the dryer on no heat or air fluff for a couple of minutes to soften them up...but that sounds like too much work to me!!

[table4three]

I don't dry most of my own clothes because I'm tall and the dryer shrinks them just enough so they look funny (pants too short, sleeves to short). So, I hang dry everything. Once they are dry, I throw them in the dryer with a fabric softener sheet for about 10 min and they come out relatively soft and less wrinkled.

[trumansmom]

LOL! I can't decide whether I'm in awe, or a little freaked out!! :P

Jeanne
Mom to Truman 11/01 and Eleanor 4/04
Independent Consultant, Do-Re-Me & You!

[spanannie]

I know...lol...it's a strange habit...and the thing is, I really don't like ironing...but I do love the way pressed clothes look, so I do it anyway.

I think I get it from my Grandmother (she practically raised me). She actually used to iron my Grandfather's underwear, lol. I'm not that bad :-)

[brittone2]

Air fluff in the dryer for the things that really need it. 10 mins or less does the trick. I despise ironing and only iron what I HAVE to iron.

[naomi01]

Fabric softener and a shake!