I don’t know about you, but I love to dry my laundry in the most environmentally friendly way possible, by using solar power.

There are many benefits to hanging your laundry out in the sun to dry. First, it saves on electricity (you don’t have to pay the sun and wind to dry your clothes) and taking advantage of the sun's drying power extends the life of both your dryer and clothes. Hanging your laundry out exercises your body and allows you to enjoy the sunshine for a while. The sun will make your colors more vivid. It will also make your whites brighter and it even bleaches stains out naturally.

What if you work outside the home and are gone most of the day? My mother-in-law was a schoolteacher. She would always hang her clothes out after she arrived home from work. The next day after work, the clothes would be dry, ready to fold and put away.

There is a hazard when hanging your laundry out you need to watch for – bees. I have folded and put away clothing, that unknown to me, had a bee nesting inside. Since I am allergic to bees, I was not amused when stung while putting on my freshly washed pajamas. So, it is a good idea to shake each item of clothing out before folding it so any bees hiding inside will fly away.

If you make your own laundry detergent and use vinegar as your fabric softener, bees are less likely to be attracted to your clothes, since they will have no artificial perfume smell. They will smell fresh, just like the outdoors.

Don't worry, vinegar does not leave a fragrance behind when used as a fabric softener. The first time I used it, I was astounded at how fresh my clothing smelled.

Your solar powered clothes dryer works best in windy, sunny weather. During cold or rainy weather, I take advantage of my electric dryer.

I really respect the pioneer women who had no choice but to hang out every piece of clothing they washed. I love hanging my clothes out to dry, but some items like my sheets (they are California king and really huge), I just throw in the dryer. They are so large that they tend to get away from me, unless someone is around to help me with them.

When the warm weather arrives, I encourage you to dry your clothes the natural way.


Whitmor 6243-2513 20 Foot Retractable Clothesline, White


Whitney Design 4000 30-Line Outdoor Parallel-Style Clothes Dryer with Steel Arms