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How to Choose the Best Clothesline: Cotton vs. Nylon vs. Plastic

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Dry Your Clothes in the Fresh Air!

Written By: Jennifer Keating Digital Editor

Use a clothesline instead of a dryer to dry your clothes in warm, dry weather. You save money and energy, and the clothes smell great after drying in the fresh air! One reader says, “You get a little exercise, too!” Here are tips on how to choose an outdoor clothesline.

  • The average load of wash uses about 35 feet of line; your clothesline should accommodate at least that. Unless the height of a pulley-style line is significant, the clothesline shouldn’t be a lot longer than that, as the sag factor increases with length.
  • A load of wet wash weighs about 15 to 18 pounds (assuming it is spin-dried). It will shed about a third of that weight as it dries. This may not seem like much weight, but it won’t take long for your new clothesline to get stretched out a bit. By leaving a little “tail” when you tie your knot for either style of clothesline, you’ll be able to undo it, pull the line tight, and retie it as often as you need to.

Three Common Clothesline Types

  1. Basic plastic clothesline has the advantage of being waterproof and cleanable (you can wipe off the inevitable mildew). With wire and fiber reinforcement, it is stretch-resistant—and it’s cheap. You can find a 100-foot roll for less than $4. However, it is thin, which means that it will be harder for you to grip, and the clothespin is not going to hold as tightly as on a thicker line.
  2. Multifilament polypropylene (nylon) is tempting because it is lightweight, water- and mildew-resistant, and strong (our sample was 640-pound test). However, its slippery texture deters a firm clothespin grip, and it doesn’t tie well.
  3. Our top choice is a basic cotton clothesline. It’s about the same price as nylon, which is about $7 to $8 per 100 feet. In theory, it is weaker (only 280-pound test in our sample), but unless you’re hanging out pots and pans to dry, it should hold up fine.
Clothesline TypeProsConsBest For
Plastic Clothesline- Waterproof and easy to clean (wipe off mildew)- Reinforced with wire/fiber for stretch resistance- Inexpensive (about $4 for 100 ft)- Very thin, hard to grip- Clothespins don’t hold as tightlyBudget-friendly option; light laundry loads
Nylon/Polypropylene Line- Lightweight- Water- and mildew-resistant- Very strong (640-lb test)- Slippery texture makes clothespins slide- Harder to tie knots securelyDamp or humid climates where mildew is common
Cotton Clothesline (Top Pick)- Easy to grip- Clothespins hold securely- Affordable ($7–$8 for 100 ft)- Weaker than nylon (280-lb test)- May mildew if left dampEveryday laundry; best overall balance
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About The Author
Jennifer Keating

Jennifer Keating

Digital Editor

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at The Old Farmer’s Almanac. She is an active equestrian and spends much of her free time at the barn. When she’s not riding, she loves caring for her extensive collecti...
Read More from Jennifer Keating

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Comments

<span>Pat Griffith</span> Thu, 04/25/2024 - 08:37
I have always used a vinyl coated wire clothesline and never had trouble with clothespins not holding clothes tightly. I don't understand why you recommend cotton as the best - it will get dirty outside, not to mention the mold that gets on a clothesline. I'll take the vinyl any day, can wipe it off easily to keep it clean.
<span>Steven</span> Thu, 08/05/2021 - 13:05
Bought a circular clothes line the "Brabantia"brand also bought a spike that goes in the ground. It doesn't have to be cemented in,all though you could.Have used several years with good effect.When finished take laundry off line and put clothes pins in bag then fold clothes line up. The pole part pulls out of the spike driven into ground and store it away till ready to use again. Clothes smell good and last much longer and I enjoy using it over the dryer.
<span>Sarah</span> Thu, 08/05/2021 - 09:43
I have been using a clothesline all my life, 80+ years, and am not about to change. It's good for the clothes and environment, and smells SO good, to say nothing of saving money!!! In winter I hang the clothes in the basement. I have a dryer, but it's only used in emergencies, or for guests who don't have the time to wait for air drying.
<span>Pat Griffith</span> Thu, 04/25/2024 - 08:33
Same here! I do use the dryer for undies, and to soften towels and jeans after line drying, 10 minutes is better than over an hour to dry these.
<span>Margaret</span> Tue, 12/01/2020 - 16:04
Been clothesline drying washables for the better part of 40 years now, and having raised 6 children in old-fashioned cloth diapers, my clothesline was a blessing! Cloth diapers and rubber pants hung on the clothesline from spring to fall at our house!
<span>Dch</span> Sun, 10/11/2020 - 18:29
I had bought a paracord plastic clothesline for indoor and outdoor uses which is the exact measurement of 7/32-inch diameter with a length of 100 feet. It is the correct thickness it should be to hold clothespins without any slipping, sliding, or coming undone. But, the clothesline must be tightened really good from one end to the other end or it may sag, droop, or stretch to the ground overtime when a heavy blanket or comforter is draped over.
<span>Carole</span> Mon, 10/21/2019 - 16:11
I live in Houston where it is very humid. I have to replace my clothes line almost every year because it gets moldy. It's also about 125' that goes from my garage to way up in a tree. Are there any suggestions on what type of rope I can use that I don't have to change so often?
<span>Maria Cantelli</span> Sat, 06/29/2019 - 18:45
I am retired and moved to the Mid West with Lake Huron as my waterway. The breeze is amazing!!! I finally found 2 men that were willing to build me a metal t pole!!! Yes it is up as of last Sunday and have to say must loving all of it. The sheets and blankets after being washed smell heavenly and everything else I can find to wash. Plus I weave in a loom and spin on a spinning wheel leaving so many options to processing so many fibers in so many ways that requires that they are air dried including finished projects. Am so so happy with the t poles an old fashion way but so neutering.
<span>Kat Stewart</span> Sun, 07/08/2018 - 12:56
I use cotton clothesline and am used to it stretching when I use it. My neighbor used to tighten it when it got that way to the point that it got so tight that it sang in a light breeze. The rope also became progressively thinner until one day it broke. If you leave the rope alone it will tighten up on its own, at least in my own experience. Thank you!
<span>Clarice</span> Mon, 09/11/2017 - 09:22
Our clothes line is made from parachute cord and is strong and weather resistant!We have a newly adopted 15-month-old daughter whom we have in cloth diapers and rubber pants 24/7 and i hang her cloth diapers and the rubber pants on the clothesline and they dry quickly and smell fresh like the outdoors!