People urged to stop using clothes pegs this summer

Hanging your laundry outdoors is undoubtedly one of the best things about summer and the warmer climate. It’s cheap, faster than indoor drying, and leaves your garments, bedding and towels with a delightful fresh scent.

However, there’s a widespread error that many people commit during this process. According to clothing specialists at Superdry, this mistake could end up ruining your beloved items. The team has put together some useful advice on better garment care to extend their lifespan, whilst highlighting unexpected factors that might be damaging them.

When it comes to clothes drying, one key method is to ‘harness the power of nature’ by taking them outdoors – though perhaps ditch the clothes pegs and put your drying rack outside instead.

The specialists explained: “This helps extend the lifespan of your clothing by minimizing wear and tear caused by heat exposure. Sunlight offers natural antimicrobial properties and acts as a gentle whitening agent for fabrics.

“Take caution when using clothes pegs, as they can leave unsightly and potentially permanent pressure marks on delicate fabrics.

“To protect delicate items, avoid using clothes pegs altogether, and be careful not to leave items outside in the wind, as they could be blown away.

“Additionally, you can enhance the whitening effect further by lightly spritzing clothes with white vinegar before hanging them outdoors, helping the sun to keep your whites looking fresh.

“However, some fabrics will become stiff if dried in this way, especially those made from natural fibres like cotton. To avoid this, trying partly drying outside and finish off with a few minutes in the tumble dryer.”

You can also gently pull garments into shape to remove creases before hanging out or placing on the drying rack – and you’ll reduce the amount of ironing needed, which is always handy.

This advice was echoed by the laundry experts at Vileda, who have taken it a step further and shared exactly how to hang specific items of clothing so that they don’t get wrecked on the line 

• Trousers – The best way to hang trousers is to fold them over the clothesline at the waistband. This helps to reduce creasing.
• Jumpers – Avoid hanging jumpers by the shoulders, as this can cause stretching and misshaping. Instead, fold your jumper lengthwise and drape both sides evenly over the line. 
• Dresses – You can fold the dress in half lengthwise and hang it over the line like a pair of trousers. 
• Sweatshirts – Treat sweaters the same way as jumpers, folding them in half lengthwise and draping them over the line.