# stiff line-dried clothes



## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Hi all,
We've been drying our laundered clothes outside on a line, but they're much stiffer than when we use the dryer. DH says it's inevitable, but I wonder if there isn't someway to keep the clothes softer. Are we using too much laundry detergent? The wrong kind? Or is he right and we just have to learn to love stiff towels? Any words of wisdom?


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## junie (Jun 25, 2007)

Try adding a half cup of vinegar to the rinse water and, when you take them off the line, give them a couple of good shakes before you fold them. They won't be as soft as the dryer gets them, but they'll be softer than they are now.


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## Pink_Carnation (Apr 21, 2006)

Hang them out on windy days  You can also sometimes put them in the dryer on air only for about 5 min to soften them.


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## PinkBat (Jul 15, 2006)

You'll get used to the stiff laundry after while. I've never had soft laundry in my life and hotel towels feel mighty strange to me....lol.


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## MountAiry (May 30, 2007)

You might want to try adding a bit of baking soda to your laundry soap when you wash. It softens up clothes nicely.


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## shellycoley (Mar 6, 2003)

Give them a good shake before you hang each piece and a good shake when
you take it down. I personally prefer stiff towels to ones with fabric softner.


Shelly


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## patnewmex (Aug 11, 2006)

You are using too much soap. Cut back. Don't rely on what the manufacturer says to use, you can get away with much less soap.


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## Guest (Jul 2, 2007)

I like the way a good stiff towel feels, too! Saves me time when it comes to exfoliating!


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## MountAiry (May 30, 2007)

> I like the way a good stiff towel feels, too! Saves me time when it comes to exfoliating!


LOL Tonya!


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## QuiltingLady2 (Jan 3, 2007)

Dried out too much. Take them down a bit earlier. 

Soap, soda, vinegar. Yes, do that too.


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## cow whisperer (May 3, 2007)

I love the feel of a good stiff towel.... or a pair of jeans...... But I have found that on cooler, windy days the clothes are not as stiff as a hot day..... I hang my laundry out no matter what..... I have a dryer that is only 2 years old, and it has only been used about 10 times since my hubby bought it..... I even hang out in 10* weather.... I get picked on a lot.... But I like what I like....


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Thank you!! Time to do laundry experiments...


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## vickiesmom (Feb 25, 2005)

Wow..I miss those stiff clothes :Bawling: I really miss having a yard....a clothes line...clothes pins....I just ironed my stuff after they came off the line and they were fine...that takes me back


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## Farmerwilly2 (Oct 14, 2006)

Use the vinegar trick, I bought one of those Downey balls and put it in there. Clothes are a bit softer. I also throw DH's work shirts in the dryer for a couple of minutes to knock the wrinkles out since iron is a four letter word to me!


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## Guest (Jul 5, 2007)

Definitely vinegar in the rinse water - a half cup to a cup depending on how hard your water is. 

I hate stiff towels.

.....Alan.


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## Truly lost (Jun 29, 2007)

patnewmex said:


> You are using too much soap. Cut back. Don't rely on what the manufacturer says to use, you can get away with much less soap.



I tried this and it made a world of different - in softer clothes and less money spent on detergent. I use less than a quarter of what the manufacturer calls for and still get very clean clothes.

Chris in PA


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## MariaAZ (Jun 5, 2007)

I've found the same thing; when I hang out the laundry during hot days, despite a good shaking before and after hanging the clothes come off the line so stiff they stand on their own  When we're having warm/hot weather my favorite time to hang clothes is in the evening, then take them off the line in the morning. For items I want soft (I guess I'm too used to soft towels!) I toss them in the dryer on air fluff for a few minutes.


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## dragonfly1113 (Nov 29, 2006)

The stiff clothes dont bother me that much but my kids throw a fit. So I toss them in the dryer for just a few mins and they soften right up. Also helps get lint off some of the darker items.


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## Shepherd (Jan 23, 2005)

In the times that I was unable to get things off the line the same day, I've noticed the next day when I take them off, they're much softer.

And I recall as a child my mom being happy when she had clothes on the line and rain would start. She'd say she loved that natural rinse cycle.

Patnewmex - how much less laundry detergent would you recommend? Half as much? Less?


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## simplefarmgirl (Mar 31, 2006)

My husband loves his towels stiff, he says they absorb more water,, not sure if thats true but since we dont have a dryer I guess he'll saty happy with stiff clothes LOL


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## DenverGirlie (Dec 22, 2005)

I don't line dry socks, so I toss the wet socks and line dried clothing in the dryer for a few minutes. I basically "steam my clothing soft.

However, my system is far from perfect as I save all line dried clothes and tumble with the socks. Every ten minutes I pull everything out but the socks and tumble some more clothes. If the socks are still damp when all 4+ loads have tumbled for 5 minutes, they just air dry the rest of the way.

It's time consuming for sure, but if I had a "real" laundry room where the washer and dryer were in the same place it would be a lot easier.


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