Best type of clothesline.

[nathan104]

Im in the mind to put up our clothesline this week and am wondering which works the best. I know most use the spaced out heavy steel welded T post and 3 or 4 lines run between them. But, I found in the woodline here one of the old rotating clothesline units. Its got one pole going up from the ground and then two long poles sit on top of that intersected. The wire is ran around the top structureconnecting the four long ends and again run from poll to poll at about half the distance from the center pole to the end of the top poles. Hopefully, someone knows what Im talking about.

Well, I was thinking of refinishing this one. It would be a good bit of work straightening out a pole, sanding the surface rust off all of it and painting. And replacing the rusting hanging wire with new. Then, just sticking it in the ground. Im willing to do this. Just another project. But wanted to make sure an outside clothesline in this configuration works at least as efficiently as the simple Tpost long run idea Since making one of those would definitly be easier than restoring the one I found.

May be a duh type question but its late and I cant think straight, lol.

[Valmai]

You're talking about a rotary clothes line, which I have and its perfectly fine. Mine has 5 wires going around it. I would suggest you replace the old wire with a nylon cord so you dont get snags in your washing.
If you get strong winds and your ground is a bit soft I would recommend concreting the post in. A wet heavy blanket weighs an awful lot!!!

[simplefarmgirl]

I have my clothlines up between two trees and ran a board across the heights taller than me, my lines are space are spaced about 12-18 inches apart, I only have 6 lines but they are probably 15 feet or longer
.. but the best clothesline is one that stays up

[Country Lady]

I have the T type post and 3 strands of line. 5 strands can be hooked up if needed. I love my clothes line. I lived so many years where I couldn't put up an outside clothes line. I'd be happy with any kind of line, even if just strung between trees. I feel it cuts down so much on the electric bill and I love hanging clothes out and the smell and feel of line dried clothes.

[Use Less]

A rotary clothesline works fine. I wouldn't obsess on cleaning the pole. Give a good roughing up and paint away. Or consider a little can of that stuff for iron fences, etc., that you paint right over rust. Sue

[Beeman]

We had T style posts built from 4x4's with 4 coated cables for years. Only problem with this design is it needs ground anchors and tightening cables to hold the posts straight and offset the weight of wet wash. When we covered our deck I strung clotheslines under the deck roof and did away with the T posts.

We've had many different designs including the single pole which worked well. One of the best was a pulley one strung to an out building from the house. It was high so it was never in the way and very little carrying of wash to and from the line.

[MaryE]

Another question to go along with this...what kind of clothespins do you guys use? I always end up with funny marks on my clothes (that don't come out very well even with ironing) when I use the wooden spring kind. Any ideas of how to avoid this?

[missysid]

We have the standard T style pipe poles made of heavy oil pipe. It weighted a ton and is set in concrete at both ends of the line. We use the green plastic coated wire which works great and cleans easily. Take a wet papertowel down each line to clean off dirt or bird droppings each day you hang out. Only down side ours is out 24/7 365 a year and after 3-5 years the lines have to be replaced as the plastic gets sticky. The rolls are fairly cheap at $3 for 50 foot rolls.

We have 3 strands that are about 20 foot long each and I wish it was longer when I was blankets and sheets. But it still works well for us -- Family of 3.

Close pins we just get the wood squeeze clip kind with the metal bracket in the middle. You know the kind that pinch your fingers if you are not paying attention. They work great for holding clothes on a windy day and I only loose a few each year to coming apart. I just throw those away after trying several times to pull that metal spring apart to reinsert the wood part. Ouch!

For the marks on your clothes. Always hang shirts from the bottom with 3 pins per shirt. If you have aline of T Shirts just start with one pin on one end one in the middle and one on the other end along with the first end of the next shirt. We all tuck our shirts in so you never see them if you get the folds on there. For jeans same thing 2 clips over the back inside waist band. Even if you dont tuck your shirt in most shirts hang low enough to cover this. Honestly those marks dont bother me at all since you cant see them and you dont feel them when the clothes are on.

[Wolf mom]

Heck, you guys are all sooo modern.

I have an area that has 6 foot field fencing around it & that's what I use with spring clip clothes pins.

Nobody around to see & works great.

[Liese]

Like the OP I found one of those "umbrella style" multi-line, rotating clothes dyers laying around, so I tried it several times after setting the post. I much prefer a linear laid out system - clothes dry much faster and I can hang them faster too. So back to the one long line for me.

[jirwin]

Check out lehmans laundry products, lots of great stuff.
http://www.lehmans.com/
->home
->laundry
J

[sage_morgan]

Are you talking about the moldy black marks you get from using older, somewhat moldy wooden clip clothespins? I hate those black marks, don't mind the crimp marks.

I tried a couple of things. The Easiest is to monitor the pins for mold and replace the moldy ones.

I also tried to use a coating of Kilz on the throat and edges of the grabby place, to prevent the mold in the first place. Eh.

I also tried plastic clothespins, but I don't bring the clothespins in between uses, and the plastic ones fall apart in nothing flat, seems like.

Also, just keep the clothespins in the bottom of the basket, and put the wet clothes atop them, that way they go inside with you and 1. avoid so much mold, and 2. avoid carrying an extra container.

That being said, I still keep the pins outside in a cut-out vinegar bottle which hangs on one end of my pulley line.

Other thoughts: My only concern with the 4-poles atop the one pole is when you want to hang out a blanket. Regular clothes fit on those fine, but how about big things? Also mine was aluminum and folded down. I just didn't like it so much. My pulley one is just fine. I liked my long line with the two t-poles, but not so much mowing around it.

[Sparticle]

Originally Posted by MaryE

Another question to go along with this...what kind of clothespins do you guys use? I always end up with funny marks on my clothes (that don't come out very well even with ironing) when I use the wooden spring kind. Any ideas of how to avoid this?

Are you talking about the "bunching" around the shoulders? I used to get bunching patches when I hung my clothes, I also use the wooden spring kind. Now though, over the years, I've found ways to strategically place the pins and don't get those spots anymore. On the shirts, especially T-shirts, hang them upside down and clip on the seam. Since t-shirts are lighter in weight, I only clip kind of 1/2 way, only half the clipping area of the pin is used. On button down shirts, if you are picky about what they look like, use 3 pins. One for each side (also upside down) and the 3rd to hold the middle where the buttons are. By hand pull the arm holes straight and mold the collar while wet. see if that helps.

during the summer my line is between a tree and a telephone pole and during the winter, i have a drying rack next to the wood stove.

[THETOOLMAN]

I have "T" posts I use them to dry dog beds every other dat... If you can find it get the solid core wire NOT the woven closeline wire inside. the solid with a plastic coating does not strech as much as the coated woven kind & will make you a happt washer ,... don't say I didn't tell ya.
Dan

[BetsyK in Mich]

I love my pulley style clothesline. One pulley is hooked into the corner of the house off the deck and the other is in the walnut tree 75 feet away. I stand on the deck and hang/take down clothes just by rolling the line out. No more fighting with sticks to hold the lines up off the ground and those umbrella type clothes dryers seemed to need to be reset in the ground about twice a month. Lehmans has the Amish style clothes line, a bit pricey but well worth it. If you travel around any Amish neighborhoods you will see clothes strung from the house to the top of the barn, thats with the pulley system.

[Quint]

Mine are T type made from heavy pipe set in concrete. I use that green coated wire. I have to re-stretch it occasionally but it works fine.

[minnikin1]

IMO, the best clothesline is the pulley kind, right outside a window directly next to the washing machine.

[ibcnya]

I set hedge posts in the ground and ran 1/4 inch braided steel cable I got at a farm sale for 7 bucks a spool. Told the wife it was temporary and that was 5 years ago. 5 yrs is temporary isn't it?

[Shawna]

I want one of these....

What a great clothesline!

Shawna

[BetsyK in Mich]

That's it, that is what I was talking about. No post to mow around and if you get it high enough you don't have to worry about catching it on a hay wagon or such. Really a great invention - leave it to the Amish.