http://www.care2.com/greenliving/put-your-clothes-dryer-on-a-diet.html
Put Your Clothes Dryer on a Diet
Adapted from The Home Energy Diet: How to Save Money by Making Your House Energy Smart by Paul Scheckel (New Society Publishers, 2005).
There are great reasons to line-dry clothes. The sun can kill dust mites, the sun can whiten and deodorize, there is no electricity used, and more. But the convenience of the dryer is something most of us rely on with gratitude. Not only does it take no more time than it takes to move the laundry from the washing machine to the dryer, but you can easily dry clothes at any time of day or night. Fortunately, a few simple steps can help lessen the energy load your dryer may be costing you.
• Dry full loads, but don’t overload the dryer as it will take more energy to dry the clothes.
• Don’t overdry. Some new dryers have moisture sensors that automatically turn the dryer off when clothes are dry.
• Size your washer and dryer for equivalent load sizes.
• Wash and dry similar types of clothing together. Different fabrics dry at different rates.
• Clean the lint trap before every load.
• Be sure the dryer is vented to the outside to avoid moisture and lint build-up in the house.
• Be sure the outlet venting duct is free of tight turns, or elbows. Lint can build up at elbows, slowing airflow out of the machine, increasing drying time and creating a potential fire hazard.
• Rigid venting is better than corrugated flex vent at keeping air moving and avoiding blockages.
• Avoid kinking or crushing the vent material.
• Don’t exceed 25 feed of vent length (or per manufacturer’s instructions).
• A front-loading washer spins out clothes better, reducing drying time.
• Run loads in succession to capture residual heat of the previous load.
• Use the cool-down cycle to complete drying.
• If you like how your towels feel after coming out of the dryer, try using it for only ten minutes or so and then hang dry.
• If your clothes tend to take longer to dry than they used to, perhaps the thermostat or heating element has gone bad. Are the clothes hot but not dry? Check the venting system.
• Never vent a dryer into a crawlspace or attic.
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add your comment »Hanging your clothes out to dry should be mandatory to save the Earth! I use a line almost everyday, I hang everything out to dry! I don't understand how any state can ban clotheslines! That's not very ECO friendly!
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I love drying on my clotheslines inside. I have 3 lines set up and have 2 drying racks (one is salvaged from the garbage). During the winter, I have my vent in the utility room blowing on the clothes to increase the humidity and makes them dry faster. My electricity bill has dropped $$!! I cannot have multiple lines outside on my deck (condo restrictions) but I will hang things out to sun-bleach. Even with my fibromyalgia I will continue to hang up!
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If your dryer balls are made of PVC, they are not eco-friendly. PVC is a very poisonous plastic that harms the people who make it, produces dioxins in the environment, can contain lead and other hormone imitators, and isn't recyclable....
Try using three tennis balls instead, also works great for drying pillows.
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I think this is wonderful and I can't wait to get my own set up!!! In the province of Ontario, there has been new legislation in place that over-rides all by-laws forbidding clothes lines, in an effort to reduce energy consumption. It is so nice to finally have some progress! :o)
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i love dryer balls. i no longer use them as we now live in a complex with a laundry room and do a few loads at once and have not bought more balls, they definitely got my clothes dryer and hence cut down on the time when i did have a dryer in my apartment. previous to having them i would get damp waistbands/pockets but not after i started using dryer balls. our roommate at the time did seem to be afraid of them though, always took them out of dryer and would look at them for a bit before putting a dryer sheet in, it was funny.
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I wish I could hang the clothes up outside where I live. I have very strong allergies to the mold spores and pollen and have a hard enough time just dealing with my that normally. I've been warned by several doctors NOT to use a clothesline (even if they were allowed by the subdivisions!) Also, I tried it a few years ago and the clothes would get sour/mildew smelling before they dried because of the very high humidity. This was before I found out I was allergic to mold/mildew.
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You can make your clothes stiff and starchy if you hang them in the sun. If you want them to dry feeling soft and supple, dry them in the shade or on a cloudy, breezy day.
Has anyone tried drier balls? They are supposed to cut your drying time in the tumble drier by about 1/4.
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I washed some old diapers this week and put them outside on the line to dry. I still cannot believe how well the sun got rid of the old stains -- they look brand new now. It's absolutely amazing how effective the sun is -- why have I waited so long to try?
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Were I live you can not hang your clothes out side its against a bylaw that the city has.
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I've always thought the hanging the clothes out on the line was old school, but you've given me the courage to try it again. I remember how wonderful the sheets and towels smelled after hanging out on the clothes line, and you can't get anymore environmentally efficient than that!
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