How do you typically dry your jeans after washing them? If you currently use a tumble dryer, you should consider line drying them. Also known as air drying, line drying is exactly what it sounds like: It involves hanging your jeans on a line so that they can dry naturally. While it takes a little longer than using a tumble dryer, line drying offers several unique advantages. Below are seven benefits of line drying your jeans.
#1) Conserves Energy
You can conserve energy by line drying your jeans. Tumble dryers, of course, are powered by electricity. You can’t dry your jeans in a tumble dryer without using energy. Most modern-day tumble dryers use around 3,000 to 6,000 watts of electricity. Over the course of many months, all this electricity can add up, resulting in higher monthly utility bills for you and your family.
Line drying your jeans eliminates the need for electricity. You can hang them on a line without using any electricity. As a result, line drying is a more energy-efficient solution.
#2) Prevents Bleeding Colors
You don’t have to worry about your jeans bleeding their colors when line drying them. Bleeding colors, of course, refers to a phenomenon in which jeans lose some of their dye. The dye essentially “bleeds” out of your jeans and onto another garment.
There’s no risk of bleeding colors when line drying your jeans. By hanging them on a line, they won’t exposed to other garments. Therefore, your jeans won’t be able to bleed their colors. This is why many people specifically line dry their new jeans. New jeans are more likely to bleed their colors than older jeans that have already been broken in. Whether your jeans are new or old, though, you can rest assured knowing that they won’t bleed their colors if you line dry them.
#3) No Static Cling
Another benefit of line drying your jeans is that it eliminates static cling. Static cling occurs when a garment becomes charged with static electricity. As static electricity builds up within a garment, the garment will essentially stick to other fabrics and materials. It won’t necessarily damage your jeans, but static cling is still annoying, nonetheless.
To prevent static cling, you can line dry your jeans. Static cling usually occurs when jeans — or other garments for that matter — are dried in a tumble dryer. A tumble dryer will knock your jeans around so that they are directly exposed to other garments. The combination of friction and dry air encourages static cling. If you’re tired of dealing with static cling, line drying is the answer. Line drying your jeans will eliminate static cling so that they don’t stick to other fabrics or materials.
#4) Smells Fresh
Your jeans will smell fresh if you line dry them. Assuming you line dry them outdoors, which is recommended, they’ll soak up the fresh air. Exposure to fresh outdoor air will subsequently neutralize any bad odors while leaving your jeans smelling nice and fresh, instead.
With that said, you can always line dry your jeans indoors. Some people line dry their jeans in a bathroom. If you have a shower curtain rod in your bathroom, you can drape your jeans over it so that they can dry naturally. Line drying indoors, though, won’t leave your jeans smelling fresh. For a naturally fresh smell, you need to line dry them outdoors.
#5) Protection From Damage
Another benefit of line drying your jeans is protection from damage. Like all garments, jeans can sustain damage when dried in a tumble dryer. Tumble dryers are designed to knock or tumble garments around the inside of a cylinder. This process can gradually degrade your jeans, resulting in faster wear and tear. Eventually, you may be forced to replace your jeans if you dry them in a tumble dryer too many times.
To protect your jeans from premature damage, look no further than line drying. Line drying is a gentler method. It doesn’t use friction, nor does it expose your jeans to direct contact with other garments or surfaces. Therefore, line drying will allow you to get more use out of your jeans. Your jeans will last longer and be better protected against damage if you line dry them.
#6) Shape and Size Retention
Line drying your jeans will result in better shape and size retention. In other words, your jeans won’t change their shape or size when line dried. You can line dry a pair of jeans a dozen or more times without fear of them changing their shape and size.
The same can’t be said for tumble drying. Tumble dryers are more likely to cause changes in the shape or size of your jeans. This is due to the fact that tumble dryers use heat. When exposed to heat, your jeans may shrink. As they shrink, they’ll change to a smaller shape and size. Depending on how much your jeans shrink, you may not be able to wear them.
You can retain the original shape and size of your jeans, fortunately, by line drying them. Line drying only uses the heat from the sun and air; it doesn’t use artificially produced heat. Therefore, line drying won’t change the shape or size of your jeans.
#7) It’s Safer
You might be surprised to learn that line drying your jeans is safer than tumble drying them. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), clothes dryers are responsible for over 10,000 residential structure fires each year in the United States.
Tumble dryers pose a fire risk because they use artificially produced heat to dry clothes. As you may know, most tumble dryers have a lint filter. If you don’t clean the lint filter, heat may build up inside of the drum to the point where it ignites the lint. A safer way to dry your jeans is to line dry them. There’s no risk of a fire when line drying your jeans.
