This is something I hadn't really thought about, but it makes good sense.
A clothes washer is a wonderful machine. Throw in dirty clothes, add some detergent, turn a dial and come back later to clean clothes. Ever wonder where all that dirt goes? Most of it rushes away with the drain water; but some lurks in your machine and can cause laundry to appear dull and gray.
Cleaning is really simple. Fill the washer with hot water. Add 1 quart of chlorine bleach - no detergent. Allow the washer to run through its longest wash and spin cycle. Immediately fill the washer with hot water again and add 1 quart of distilled white vinegar. Run the longest wash and spin cycle again.
Using the bleach and vinegar will clean away bacteria, soap scum and mineral deposits from the wash basket and hoses. This is especially important if you live in a hard water area and should be done every three months. Every washer should be cleaned at least twice per year.
Drying your washing in the fresh air is healthier and cheaper too. There are many types of clotheslines and airers to choose from. If you feel that your laundry won't come out as soft as in the clothes dryer, there are a few ways to solve that problem..
Use a liquid fabric softener in the wash and toss the laundry in the heat of the dryer for the first 10 minutes, then line dry.
If you don't use liquid softener, dry in the clothes dryer for 10 minutes, then remove and hang on the line.
The sun has a natural bleaching affect on some fabrics, so if you are concerned about that, leave items turned inside out, or dry in the shade.
Clothing hung outside, especially on a breezy day, smell wonderful – you just can’t beat it!
Washers, dryers and dry cleaning make doing laundry easy, but they can be tough on the environment. With a few simple changes, you can reduce your environmental impact and trim your utility bills.
If laundry day doesn’t seem like a big deal, consider this: On average, an American household washes almost 400 loads of laundry a year, according to Energy Star.
Your laundry days add up, so it’s worth thinking about how you can minimize your household’s impact.
The less energy and water you use when washing your clothes, the better. Use your washer’s energy-saver setting if available. Washing your clothes with cold water will both slash energy costs (as you no longer have to pay to get the water hot!) and keep your clothes brighter longer – a double bargain for the earth and for your pocketbook. Also, cleaning your lint tray will keep your dryer working efficiently.
When it comes to loading your laundry machines, make sure you’re working with full loads. Filling your washer and dryer with clothes will help laundry day fly by faster and reduce energy use at the same time.
Consider not using your clothes dryer and use a clothesline instead. There are many different types of lines available designed to suit every type of home - either indoors or outside.
Are you having trouble getting your laundry dry ? Here is a great solution for you to consider.
QUIKcloset fold away airer
Why not try anindoor airer or clothesline? There are many different designs to suit any situation. An airer will help cut your power bills as you don't need to use your clothes dryer all the time. Click on the link to find the best one for your home.
If you are having trouble drying your laundry why not try a fold down clothesline? Once your clothes are dry simply fold it down and use the space for other activities. Out of sight out of mind!
Click on the link to find the one that's best for you. Drying this way is easy and just think of the savings when you stop using the clothes dryer all the time.
Here are some great ideas to save you time and money.
Wait until you have a machine full of clothes before you wash a load. Don't wash a load of clothes just because you want to wear the same pair of pants the next day! When washing your clothes be sure to use the economy mode and this will save you both water and electricity! This goes for dishwashers, too. Load the dishwasher but don't overload it.
Once your clothes are washed consider drying them on a clothesline either outdoors or indoors if it is too wet. This will save electricity and your laundry will smell fresh.
There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you.
Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
Some refrigerators, air conditioners and ice-makers are cooled with wasted flows of water. Consider upgrading with air-cooled appliances for significant water savings.
Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
Choose shrubs and groundcovers instead of turf for hard-to-water areas such as steep slopes and isolated strips.
Install covers on pools and spas and check for leaks around your pumps.
Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost vegetable food waste instead and save gallons every time.
Plant in the fall when conditions are cooler and rainfall is more plentiful.
This website has a huge range of products all designed to help run your home more easily and efficiently
Listed you will find the top selling family clothesline models for families in the USA and Canada. We have included large capacity clotheslines that are quality products that won't let you down even with the biggest family wash.
We have based our recommendations on a number of key points which include country of manufacture, value for money, guarantee and usable line space.
The Hills Extenda 4 is the next generation of retractable laundry line from Hills for couples living in the US, with 4 lines that extend out to a distance of 6.5m and retract out of sight when not required or needed.
If you haven't already, tomorrow is your last chance to vote NO on Proposition
23 -- the statewide ballot initiative supported by climate deniers and paid for
by oil companies and the fossil fuel industry.
Prop 23 would kill thousands of California's clean energy jobs and small
businesses while making our energy bills skyrocket. But this Tuesday, you have
a chance to stop this dangerous proposal and protect California's economic
recovery.
Check out your polling location and make sure you don't miss out on your
chance to vote on Election Day -- Tuesday, November 2.
I found a recent excellent article in the BBC News magazine by Tom Geoghegan, that discussed the whole issue were are facing here in the US with clothes line bans.
For decades, the clothes line has had an image
problem in the US but, ahead of a rally to highlight the benefits of
natural drying, is it about to be reclaimed?
There is a new protest movement sweeping the US and at its heart are two sticks and a piece of string.
Upon the humble clothes line, a
battle line has been drawn that embodies a uniquely American clash of
ideas about class, liberty and the environment.
Rules imposed by community associations and landlords forbid
tens of millions of home owners to dry their washing outside because,
they say, it's unsightly and even lowers property prices.
But a number of clothes line rebels have risked legal action
by disobeying these rules, saying it is the duty of Americans to reduce
their carbon footprint and leave their energy-hungry tumble dryers idle.
This Sunday their supporters will make their feelings known by holding a rally in Concord, New Hampshire to promote line drying.
These unlikely dissenters come in all ages and from all
backgrounds. After moving to Witney Ridge in Pennsylvania nearly three
years ago, Deborah Brensinger, a 55-year-old nurse, immediately began
hanging her clothes in her back yard.
"Our government is trying to encourage working with the
environment and doing things to cut down electricity, yet here's
something totally free.
"I get to see my neighbours, it's clean and it smells good.
It's a contemplative practice. I don't rush it, I enjoy it. It relieves
stress. You can do it leisurely at your own pace, in a world that's so
fast-paced."
What are your thoughts on clothes line bans here in the US? It pretty clear we love clothes lines, however we just cant understand why they need to be banned and why so many HOA are on board.
Below is a brief excert and trailer for a new film that is being put together around drying laundry and clothes with a clothesline...please take the time to watch the trailer and leave a comment as it certainly makes a compelling statement.
"A conflict is raging in the US. Protests, political movements and murder have taken place in the name of an unlikely ideal: clotheslines.
Tens of millions of individuals across Northern America are banned from outdoor line drying by the very communities they live in, forcing them to turn to the dryer. Homeowners who break the rules are fined, sued and even foreclosed on. This ban is not only infringing on civil rights, it's contributing to the environmental and energy crisis.
The dryer is responsible for 6% of the average household's energy bill and it costs residential ratepayers in the US an estimated $5 billion annually.
Corporate America has sold the dryer and the consumption of electricity as a status symbol, and now they have their eyes on a much bigger prize - the world."
