# Line-Drying Prefolds: How Long Does It Take?



## welldone (May 30, 2003)

Do you line dry your prefolds? If so, how on earth do they get dry? (I suppose this question is _not_ for people who live in Arizona or New Mexico--it's more humid here.) Our dryer is not working.







So I'm forced to find other options, which is good for me and the environment.

I tried drying all of my prefolds on my little drying rack (which I usually use for sweaters and delicates) out in the sun during a humid spring day this week. All day, and still damp. Overnight inside, still damp in the morning. By the second evening, I thought they were dry. But I just went to put one on my daughter, and the center part (the "8" of the 4 x 8 x 4) was distinctly damp.

So, now I'm all worried about moldy diapers and such. (I've had them before--NO FUN!)

Were they hanging too close together on the rack? I tried to keep them from touching, but still, they were inches from each other. I have a very, very small "yard" in the city, so I have a foldable umbrella-style clothesline coming to me in the mail, and it should be able to hold 3-4 full loads of laundry. Maybe the dipes will dry better on this, because they'll be spaced out a little better?

Thanks for advice!


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## sue2u (Feb 14, 2007)

Yes, the umbrella clothesline with help better! It will take probably 4 hours or so for them to dry. I would hang them up in the morning and with your humidity they should be done around dinner. I would pick a day with a little wind too. You can also rotate the clothesline in circles so you get the diapers right in the sun on each side--- say ever hour or 2. I line dry EVERYTHING on a make shift line out in the back. We are a family of five with about 8 ft of line and somehow we make it, even in winter (we're in northern indiana). HTH


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## susieinms (Aug 11, 2005)

On a humid day it takes about all day for my pfs to dry. We are in so Mississippi.

When you bring them in put a fan on them.

sue2u, how on earth do you get by with only 8 ft of line??? We have probably 50 ft and barely got by after Hurricane Katrina and we have a family of 6. Plus I had to hang much on hangers and place clothes pins between to keep them apart, but that made much better use of the space.

Eight feet?? Bless your heart!!!


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## eleven (Aug 14, 2004)

No advice, but I feel for ya! Prefolds were the reason we bought a dryer.


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## 3 Little Monkeys (Mar 13, 2003)

I live in central CA, it's not very humid here but I still can't dry prefolds on a drying rack, think because they are hanging over the little bar folded in half, the center doesn't get as much air as it needs to dry. Until you get your clothesline, you might try hanging them on hangers like they would be hanging on the line and see if that helps a little. Usualy when I hang mine outside it takes about 7 hours right now but in the summer heat they will dry in just a couple of hours


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## justmama (Dec 24, 2002)

We dry absolutely everything. I havent' used my dryer in 2 months now.It takes usually a day and a half to dry everything in my basement on the clothesline and we are in New England. We have about 50ft. of clothesline and a drying rack. I usually let them dry for half a day and then flip them over so the entire diaper gets good air flow.

MEg


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## MamaRabbit (May 26, 2005)

I've got 95% humidity year round. It takes all day. If I dry them in the house (during rainy season) it takes a day and a half with a fan blowing on them. But if I dry them in the house, they get too crispy, and then the snappies shred them. I've started putting them in the drier for the first part and line drying the rest of the way.


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## welldone (May 30, 2003)

Well, thanks for your encouragement and experience. I'm going to keep on trying. I suppose since we've had moldy diapers before, I'm a little afraid about dealing with that again. That makes me a pit more paranoid than usual...

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sue2u*
We are a family of five with about 8 ft of line and somehow we make it

You go, mama! That's amazing!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *3 Little Monkeys*
I still can't dry prefolds on a drying rack, think because they are hanging over the little bar folded in half, the center doesn't get as much air as it needs to dry

This could be true; though, I tried to pin them such that none were ever folded on a heavy part. Hm.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MamaRabbit*
But if I dry them in the house, they get too crispy, and then the snappies shred them.

Oooh, I never thought about that. They _are_ really crunchy right now--I'll have to be careful aout shredding. T


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## sue2u (Feb 14, 2007)

I have the 8 ft. of line, and then I lay them across the picnic table, rugs go over the grill, shirts can hang on the backs of the chairs, I have even hung stuff over the handle of the mower







: . Our dryer hasn't worked right in a while and we are always tight with money.....I would rather pay my rent and not get evicted while hanging all my clothes around my back yard then have a new dryer KWIM? I hang sheets and blankets over the shower rod and the backs of the dining room chairs as well. You can hang clothes on hangers and put those on the shower rod as well. I hang clothes on hangers out the little bit of line I have too to help conserve it. It makes for some ironing, but that's better on the electric bill than running the dryer.


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## sunnmama (Jul 3, 2003)

Here in southern FL, I can dry premiums in the line in about 6 hours. We are pretty humid!

But, that was too long for me to reliably line-dry.....so I bought flats. THose dry much, much faster! And I really enjoy using them. Buying flats is sure cheaper than buying a dryer


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## susieinms (Aug 11, 2005)

It's funny how you tend to forget little things when you don't do them any more!! I have done most of what you are now doing, though I never thought of the mower!!







and I wouldn't use our chairs due to the fact I am afraid that it would warp the wood.

I know what you mean about paying the rent. It's all about priorities!! If my dryer were to die right now, it would just be dead!!







I never replaced my dishwasher (came with the trailer- I would NEVER buy one) and I can't afford a dryer right now. We have a van and a truck that are showing many signs of illness. They come before a dyer to be sure!!









We need a freezer so that we can have some organic meat (fil's cows) but since we can't afford the freezer we have to buy small packs of pourposefully contaminated beef from the stores.









That close like looks better all the time!!!







Besides dipes haging on a line are sooooo beautiful!!!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sue2u* 
I have the 8 ft. of line, and then I lay them across the picnic table, rugs go over the grill, shirts can hang on the backs of the chairs, I have even hung stuff over the handle of the mower







: . Our dryer hasn't worked right in a while and we are always tight with money.....I would rather pay my rent and not get evicted while hanging all my clothes around my back yard then have a new dryer KWIM? I hang sheets and blankets over the shower rod and the backs of the dining room chairs as well. You can hang clothes on hangers and put those on the shower rod as well. I hang clothes on hangers out the little bit of line I have too to help conserve it. It makes for some ironing, but that's better on the electric bill than running the dryer.


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## susieinms (Aug 11, 2005)

welldone, I soooo agree with sunnmama!! If I had no choice in the matter : dryer/no dryer I would invest in some flats. This way you won't be out of diapers before the last batch drys because they dry so fast. They are sooooo cheep!! I think zanadu has them fro $12.50 a doz (they need to be doubled), so you could get 3 doz (would be like 1 1/2 doz dipes) for $37.50 plus shipping. Way cheeper than a dryer and you light bill will drop too!! Too bad you are too late to get in on the co-op. They were $7.50 per doz!!


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## welldone (May 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sunnmama*
Buying flats is sure cheaper than buying a dryer

I totally agree with you. I have two dozen flats (they're actually flour sack cloth that my mom no longer uses) that dry like lightning. I just need to get back into the swing of things--in terms of folding, that is.

And, my flats don't hold a Snappi well. That's almost a deal breaker for me, as I'm a Snappi girl all the way. Do "real" flats hold a Snappi alright? I'm always fighting with mine.


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## sue2u (Feb 14, 2007)

Yes the "real flats" (mine are from greenmountaindiapers) hold snappi's very well. I do the origami fold and another one folded in half and then in fourths (to make another doubler). You have to be careful not to do it to tight though


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## welldone (May 30, 2003)

Thanks! I'm going to go hunting for some real flats...

By the way, my umbrella dryer was just delivered to my doorstep! So, once it's installed in the ground, we'll have fresh, clean, dry clothes AND diapers again! Hurray!


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