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Two key strategies to reducing domestic gas emissions include reducing our electricity use and switching our electricity supply to solar or other renewable sources.

Air drying your clothes, linens, etc. is one of many things we can do to reduce our electricity (or other fuel) use.

 

Options for Air Drying Your Laundry

Indoor & Outdoor Drying

In the warmer months, you can use an outdoor clothesline, and take advantage of the wind and sun. As a bonus, you get the benefit of that wonderful air-dried smell. There are as many ways to set up an outdoor clothesline as there are colors of clothing!

When the weather turns cold or rainy, bring your drying indoors with a simple clothes drying rack. A regular rack can dry an entire wash load at a time and fold up and store easily when not in use.

If you don’t have the option for a permanent outdoor clothesline, bring your indoor drying rack outside on warm or sunny days. Portable drying racks are truly an all-year solution. Even if you don’t air dry all the items in a load of laundry, you can significantly reduce the run-time of your dryer if you only machine-dry a portion of the items. 

For times when you can’t air-dry and need to use your machine dryer, here are a few handy tips to still save money and reduce your carbon footprint.

• Spin more 
  • More modern washing machines offer high-speed spin options that remove more moisture and reduce drying time resulting in a more energy-efficient drying cycle.
• Less is more 
  • Many drying cycles over-dry your clothes. Check your dryer for a “less dry” option or experiment with decreasing the number of minutes you dry. 
• Moisture sensor 
  • While you’re getting to know your dryer better, check if it has a moisture sensor, and be sure to use it. This will avoid over-drying your clothes, deducting minutes of wasted drying per load!
• Dryer maintenance 
  • Cleaning your lint filter every load to maximize the efficiency of your dryer. Also, be sure to clean out the dryer exhaust line and vent regularly to save energy and reduce fire hazards.
• Wash less 
  • Less washing means less drying! Many kinds of laundry don’t need to be washed after every use. Check out this guide from Consumer Reports click here
• Consider a more energy-efficient dryer 
  • If you are soon to be in the market for a new dryer, consider an energy-efficient version, such a condensing dryer that uses heat-pump technology. Find more information here. 

 

What if my condo association doesn’t allow clothes lines?

• Maine, like several other states, has a Right to Dry law. Condo and Homeowner Associations can not prevent clotheslines. Tell them they are “out of line”. =)
• And of course, you can air-dry inside too!