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lightlystarched_gw

If I line-dry clothes, will a FL work?

lightlystarched
13 years ago

This year I switched from using a dryer to line-drying my clothes. I have found I really prefer it, and things actually dry faster here in the desert than using the dryer. I have a 12 year old top loader and I know the time to replace it is coming soon. I had hoped to switch to a FL solely because I want to build a counter across the laundry area to have a nice big area for folding and leaving the stacks of laundry that never seem to make it to the kids' rooms (lol).

Is a front loader a good option for me? I am afraid that with the really low water use, lint and dog hair won't get removed from my laundry? It will just be *clean* lint and dog hair? I had really hoped to just get rid of the dryer as I don't use it anymore and thats a lot of valuable storage space. Any advice?

Comments (10)

  • oaa9898
    13 years ago

    Hi,

    Actually I think a FL will work better for you than your old TL - with faster spin speeds than TLs, they'll spend even less time on the line. Certain machines are less stingy with water than other (Electrolux seems to use more H20 than average), you still shouldn't have too many problems with lint or dog hair.

  • gates1
    13 years ago

    A FL will do you just fine. I too have dogs and have no issues with hair being left on clothes, even when I line dry them. From what I have seen on videos, Electrolux doesnt seem to uses any more or less water than other FL's. I did see one video where one did seem to use more, but I wonder if the owner make some kind of sdjustment to the machine to use more. He was questioned about this, but didnt reply. The brand new models do have a water plus option on them if that will help

  • davidro1
    13 years ago

    it's an almost unbelievable question, but to answer it straight faced: yes a front loading washing machine will perform great in removing lint. I don't have a dog, so someone else can vouch first hand for that particular aspect. This will assume that their dog hair is similar to your dog's coat. (!). To be really sure, find a friend who has an FL and go use their machine once or twice. Talking about it with strangers who can say anything over the internet is never the same as real life use and experience.

  • cindy_lou_who
    13 years ago

    We have 3 dogs, 3 cats and a Samsung FL. Anything that I line dry does not have lint or hair on it.

  • oregpsnow
    13 years ago

    The hair and lint may get removed but you may have more wrinkles to deal with. The high spin speeds of the FLs get the clothes much drier than TLs and put more wrinkles in the clothes. Doesn't matter which brand of machine - they all do it. In the dryer they need to be dryed for a long enough time to tumble the wrinkles out before they get dry. If you don't wash a lot of things like cotton shirts this may not be a problem, but you might need to get the iron out more often.

  • gates1
    13 years ago

    My washer spins at 120rpm max, I use it for everything I wash, never had a problem with wrinkles. When the come out of the washer, I always shake everything real good, whether it goes on the clothes line or in the dryer. Shaking them out prior to putting it in the dryer decreses drying time, less wrinkling and ironing. Ive had to use the dryer this week since we are flooding here in NC this week...anyone got a canoe?? LOL

  • suburbanmd
    13 years ago

    Wrinkles from high-speed spin aren't inevitable -- Clothes spun at 1400 RPM in our Miele don't come out any more wrinkled than from our old TL. That's true even for my wife's and daughter's clothes. Someone in some forum, I think it was on automaticwasher.org, had a theory about this. Based on his observations of two different FL washers, he said that wrinkles are reduced if the machine distributes the load between stepped spins (spins at progressively higher speeds). My Miele doesn't do exactly that. On the cycles I use most often, it does a pulse spin, distribute, pulse spin, distribute, and then a stepped, continuous final spin. So maybe that theory has to be refined, but whatever, we don't have wrinkling problems. And I computed a G-force of over 600 G's, with a 1400 RPM spin and this machine's drum diameter.

  • crashbox
    13 years ago

    As already mentioned, a FL washer should in fact be superior for line-drying as opposed to a TL. Even with my Miele set to 1200 RPM maximum (I did it to help prolong its life), the clothes get spun out fantastic!

  • laundryman
    13 years ago

    I have a Kenmore HE3 that I got 7 yrs ago. I also have 3 dogs. Over the past 3 years, I Have been line drying everything to cut down on the electric bill. Wrinkles are not a problem as some one stated before, just shake everything out really well before pinning it to the line. As far as animal hair, Don't have a problem with that either. Yes, cycle times on the FL are longer; however, when line drying this is to your advantage. When washing multiple loads, when the second load is done, the first load that you hung out is dry or almost dry because of the high spin speed. I can wash 4 loads in one day and still be done really quick.

  • steveomc
    13 years ago

    A front loader will help with both a dryer and line drying since it removes more water than average which shortens dry time. The drawback is that most lint and pet hair is generally collected by the dryer.
    Using vinegar instead of fabric softener is helps lift the hair and lint from the laundry. Heavy lint and hair will be filtered better in some models than others. Most new FL's have efficient filters that work, but will clog with a lot of lint and hair debris.

    Here is a link that might be useful: What Kind of Washing Machine Should I Buy?

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