In Case You Were Wondering...

When it's 104 degrees outside, it takes exactly the same amount of time to dry clothes on the line as it does in an electric dryer. Even if it's not 104 degrees, it doesn't take too much longer for clothes to dry on the line during summer. So save a little power and get a little exercise by hauling your laundry outdoors. BONUS: Sunshine is a natural whitener and deodorizer! TIP: If you're hanging stuff you don't want to fade, hang them inside out in the shade (my laundry line is in the sun in the a.m. and in the shade from about 4 p.m. on, so I plan my loads accordingly. ALLERGY ALERT: My husband is terribly allergic to pollens, so I thought I could never hang his stuff on the line. I read, though, that you can start them on the line and then finish them in the dryer for about 5 minutes to knock off all the pollen. I'm dubious, but I'm trying it. Anything to save some electricity, especially because we're facing a 9% hike. Water and sewer bill is going up 7%. I don't even want to calculate how much gasoline has risen. All I know is, our income most certainly has not gone up 7-9%!

--Sparki