How to Dry Laundry in the Kitchen

One easy way to save $10 or more a month in electricity is by line drying your family’s laundry instead of using a clothes dryer. Line drying is better for your laundry, better for the environment, and naturally brightens, whitens, and disinfects without the need for harsh chemicals.

Unfortunately, the sun doesn’t always cooperate on Laundry Day which means occasionally having to move the line drying indoors. In most homes, the kitchen is the warmest place in the house and the ideal location for hanging up damp laundry while the family sleeps. Here are three easy ways to line dry laundry indoors in your kitchen.

Drying racks. Drying racks are designed for indoor drying and collapse for easy storage when not in use. While you can buy cheap plastic laundry racks at the store for around $15, it’s well worth the money to buy a maple or ash rack that can hold 50 linear feet or more of clothes. My favorite resources for wood drying racks are The Amish Home place.com and Lehman’s. The wood drying racks found at these places are expensive but will last you a lifetime and then some.

Retractable clothes lines. These handy gadgets work much like a retractable measuring tape except with heavy string. The unit is attached to the wall via a mounting plate; the clothesline is then pulled out and stretched across the room where it is secured to the opposing wall with a hook. Retractable clotheslines come in all lengths. For most kitchens, a 20 ft model is large enough and is affordable priced between $10-$17. These portable clotheslines can be found online and at most hardware stores.

Over the door drying rack. For small kitchens, an over-the-door drying rack is a compact solution that doesn’t take up much space. These racks come in two styles. The streamlined “Iron Hanger Valet” is designed to hold up to 12 shirts which can be dripped dried right on the hanger. The Iron Hanger Valet is priced at $7.99 and found in discount department stores. For holding more laundry, Macy’s carries the Over the Door Brabantia Laundry Drying Rack for $69.99. This rack has nearly 14 linear feet of drying space and will also work for drying tennis shoes, mittens, and sweaters.

If you are determined to save money on electricity this year, line drying is a great solution. These three gadgets can make indoor drying possible when the weather outdoors isn’t cooperative.

More by this contributor:
How to load a washing machine correctly.
How to prevent bleach stains in your laundry.
Tips to prevent your laundry from fading.