How To Keep Your Hang Dry Clothes Wrinkle Free

Hang drying is great for maintaining the quality of your clothes and also better for the environment than it would be to run an electric or gas powered dryer. Machine drying can prevent wrinkles when certain measures are taken, but hang drying is an easier way to reduce wrinkles. Knowing the best way to hang your laundry in order to avoid those annoying creases will save you the time you would otherwise spend on smoothing them out after you remove your clothes from the line.

When air drying clothes, hang them up with hangers or clothespins so they dry straightened out instead of folded over the line, which will cause creasing. Softer items especially benefit from being placed on a hanger like normal and then hung on the line. You can also pin clothes and items like shirts from their top at the shoulders or from the bottom at the hem.

The best way to hang dry

Clothes may dry slower on the line, but it's better for them to have sufficient space to dry gently in their regular shape instead of being scrunched up in a dryer. To prevent wrinkles when air drying, hang tops, shirts, full skirts, and gathered skirts upside down from the bottom hem. Then hang straight skirts, trousers, and shorts by the waistband. When drying dresses, the best method is to hang them like normal on a hanger and place it on the clothesline or rack. Use clothespins to hold your items in place but not tight, and make sure there is adequate space between each item so they aren't bunched up. 

After taking your dry clothes off the line, fold or hang them up immediately instead of tossing them in the basket so they don't have the time to wrinkle. This is a great way to make sure your items are ready to wear straight from the line! Proper hanging should set you up for wrinkle-free clothes, but you may occasionally need to iron, steam them in the bathroom as you shower, or blow dry them to get rid of any remaining wrinkles.

Indoor vs. outdoor drying

Being able to dry your clothes no matter the weather is the top benefit of indoor hang drying. Just make sure you do small loads of laundry from time to time, rather than one large load, so you have enough space to dry everything properly. Also, ensure that you place the clothes near a fan or where there is good ventilation to avoid condensation building up in the home. Outdoor drying is a great way to make use of good weather and freshen your clothes gently in the sun and wind. It dries clothes faster but has more potential issues like clothes falling to the ground and getting stained, or the overall task getting affected by the elements.

To prevent wrinkles with both methods, shake out every item right after washing to prevent the fabric from getting stiff. Note that sensitive fabrics may be prone to ripping. They will usually come with instructions to dry them flat. If so, they can still be air dried, just not on the clothesline. Lay them out horizontally on a drying rack to prevent them from wrinkling, sagging, or getting stretched out and losing their shape.