Clothesline Ban Debate Heats Up as States Consider Legislation
by Amanda Wills
Published on October 15th, 2009
15 Comments
Once considered a community eyesore, the clothesline is now a hot topic of debate. While clothes dryers use at least 6 percent of all household electricity consumption, many consumers are opting for good ‘ol fashion air drying.
Over the next few years, the DOE Appliance Standards program will determine whether to revise the current federal energy conservation standards for dryers. Photo: Flickr/jilldoughtie
But instead of lowering their electric bills, some residents are receiving notices or even fines as clotheslines are commonly against the law in many communities, calling it a marker of poverty that lowers property values, according to The New York Times.
However legislation to protect the clothesline is catching on, most recently in Colorado, Hawaii, Maine and Vermont. While advocates for drying laundry outdoors feel that it is the right of the homeowner, others argue that it brings down the aesthetic appeal of a community.
For Opal Davis, 71, clotheslines are not a symbol of a low-income status, but of energy savings and cleanliness. As a resident of Maryville, Tenn., drying laundry outdoors is legal and common.
“There’s nothing better than getting clothes fresh off the line,” Davis says. “Furthermore, it really cuts down on my electric bill every month. If that option was taken away, I would feel a little cheated.”
Similar bills to protect clotheslines are being considered in Maryland, North Carolina, Oregon and Virginia. If clothesline drying is not an option in your community, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends regularly inspecting dryer vents and using indoor drying racks as an alternative.
Janet Texas
posted on October 15th, 2009 at 10:05 am
It is legal in the United States to own a gun, but against the law to hang your clothes out to dry. I feel like the United States is getting to be just one big insane asylum.
Austin
posted on October 16th, 2009 at 8:39 am
There is another solution. Even with this ban you can still hang dry your clothes! check this out bit.ly/4mzE9Z
I just got one and it works great!
Ben
posted on October 16th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Instead of using your dryer use SOLAR and WIND power to dry your clothes for FREE. People have done this for hundreds of years. This new product gets around any clothesline ban – http://www.windowdry.com
Jodi
posted on October 19th, 2009 at 9:11 am
A ban on clotheslines? That’s crazy. I never thought of a clothesline as a marker of low income. We just called it saving money.
Ellen
posted on October 21st, 2009 at 12:12 pm
This entire topic is pure insanity and shows how left-wing wacko tree-huggers gave themselves a bad name. The people who want to ban clotheslines are the same ones living in their McMansions, driving alt-fuel vehicles, and pushing for cap-and-trade legislation. “Only the rich can afford to be green”.
Pauline
posted on October 21st, 2009 at 9:23 pm
I Agree they are crazy. I have been hanging clothes out for years. When my children were growing up I had to wash at least 10 loads. On a hot day every load took 10 minutes to dry. Saving the earth,saving on the energy bill and saving me money.
Pat
posted on October 22nd, 2009 at 3:35 am
I love my clothes hung outside. I would not trade my clothes line for anything. I do not like clothes dyers. Besides the fact the sun takes out a lot of stains the wash left in.
Linda A.
posted on October 22nd, 2009 at 9:32 am
I echo the sentiment of Janet Texas. This country IS becoming one big insane asylum, that is, if it hasn’t become one already! {:-o
Fortunately, I live in rural northeastern Connecticut; I can hang my clothes up to dry anywhere I want. I don’t even OWN a clothes dryer, nor do I WANT to. No clothes dryer can make clothes smell as good as they do when they’re dried outside in the fresh air and sunshine, although I need to make an exception in the winter. In the winter, I hang my laundry in the house. You’ve got to be careful about the sunshine, though, because although the sunshine does a great job of bleaching whites, that same sunshine also fades colors.
When they make a clothes dryer that makes clothes smell as good as they do when they’re dried outside in the fresh air, THEN I’ll get one.
Amy P.
posted on October 31st, 2009 at 9:24 am
In Europe there are so many indoor and outdoor drying solutions. Here’s a ceiling-mounted indoor dryer that’s being made in the U.S. It saves floor space; the laundry is up high and out of the way while it dries–taking advantage of the natural airflow in your house. It’s smart and I use it for airing out sleeping bags and other gear, too: http://www.drynhigh.com
Trish Delaney
posted on November 3rd, 2009 at 2:28 am
Here in Ireland there would be riots in the streets if our government imposed a ban an the clothesline, even in the most affluent areas in Dublin you will see a clothesline in most back gardens. My husband Tom installed clotheslines and was often called to housed he would describe as mansions, obviously no stigma attached to using the clothesline here. We now make our own brand of rotary clothesline and sell them direct from our web site http://www.breezecatcher.com and I am happy to report that despite the clothesline ban over there we have many costomers in America using the Breezecatcher and please god we will add many more over the coming years.
Me
posted on November 19th, 2009 at 5:50 am
Stupidity at it’s finest. Pick on all the low income people just because you have more money than they do. Who can afford $2000 dryers..are you crazy people going to run out and buy the world a clothes dryer? Stop trying to control the common man they mind their own business and work to support their families like the next decent person. These are decent people leave them alone. Trouble with you people is you have too much time on your hands. Maybe if you hadn’t been born with a silver spoon in your mouth you’d understand. It’s not the neighborhood or your freakin image that is depreciating it’s your wasted mind! Why don’t you read a bible and learn some humility.
L
posted on November 19th, 2009 at 5:54 am
Not everybody can win the lottery and live up in their effiel towers..come on down from your pedestals so you can face reality. This is the backbone of America. It’s okay for them to put fancy food on your tables and fill your homes with fancy furniture and clothes but now you’re going to dis them for hanging their laundry outside. It’s smells better blowing in the breeze just shut up and find something better to do with your time and stop wasting mine with this crap!
Michelle
posted on December 9th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
I rent and is not allow to have a clothesline. So I invested in a dry rack to place in my garage or in an room. I also have one that I can put in the bath tub. Dry racks are inexpensive and portable. My mother and grandmothers hung up there clothes outside, why can’t we? My electric bill is low because I don’t use my dryer. Where I live, the older neighorhoods you see clotheslines in almost in every back yard. But if you go in these new developments, the home owners association want let home owners have clotheslines in the back yard due to property appeal.-What crock!!!
Jake
posted on January 3rd, 2010 at 4:33 pm
i cant believe they would ban clotheslines !!! Everyone is talking about being good for the enviroment, but then the states do that!! It makes no sense.
Clothesline
posted on February 22nd, 2010 at 12:46 am
It has been an informative blog regarding the clothesline debate. It describes how line drying techniques are effective in reducing electricity consumption. It describes how laundry could be rinsed or dried in the best possible manner and line drying serves being the best technique even when in use in winters or in the countries like UK etc. Indoor clotheslines can be used as a means for drying clothes for those living in apartments. I know one of the websites that deals in Eco-friendly clotheslines. Have a look at this website http://www.BREEZEDRYER.com.