Drying Clothing Post SHTF

[Scythe13]

Okay, so we're bugging in, the poop has hit the air circulating device.

But sure enough, bedsheets need to be cleaned, washed, dried. As do your socks, undies, and everything else you wear.

Firstly, you're not going to be hanging it outside on the clothes lines, right? That'll be a give away that you're kicking arse and suriving well. Plus you're broadcasting your whereabouts. Not good.

Secondly, you still need to try your clothing, or it's going to be rotting away.

So, what, where, when, and how.

The first considerations, as I've already mentioned, are people going to be able to see your activities? No point showing off what you're up to.

The next thing to think about, how much air circulation will you get? You want to be able to maximise the circulation, but minimalise visibility.

Thirdly, can you use heat to your advantage to speed the drying process? A little extra heat goes a long way.

So, let's start with number 1. Visibility.

Are you going to put your fresh new white towels outside? No. Obviously not, because it'll be a clue for anyone with eyes, that something's going on.

So you're going to have to bring things inside, right? Can anyone look through your windows? If so, then you might want to set your drying horse/rack back a little from the window. Preferably upstairs. It might well be good to do that and have a little walk outside to see how easy it is to see your stuff. One lovely trick, if you have everything back from the window a little but it's still pretty visible, consider using a dark towel on the front of the horse/rack to hide everything behind it. I would say 'just close your curtains' but that could well be a major issue. You'll want to be able to see out of the windows, right? If everyone has their curtains open and yours area closed....that would sound alarm bells for me.

2. Air circulation.

If you circulate air, it'll speed the drying process. IDEAL! But opening a window is going to be a give away to your position. Same as leaving a door open. It's still important to use circulation to help dry your clothes, but wafting a door is time consuming and not the best use of your time. There is the option of a solar powered fan just below your window, so you will have the benefits of warmth from the sun, but also the cirulation from the fan. It's a good solution, but not ideal.

3. Heat.

Now this can provide both circulation and magical drying powers. But be careful! If it's post SHTF, and there is some stinking smoke coming out of your chimney, even at night (providing there's a semi decent moon out and little cloud cover) your smoke will be seen coming from your house.

What's the solution?

Well, it may not be a total solution, but it's well worth thinking about, and it provides an outlet for the last, unmentioned consideration.....water drips.

This might sound a little crazy, but think about it.

Your loft/attic needs air to circulate. It's out of the view from prying eyes. It should be readily accessible. It would be simple enough to modify it a little, to fit in a simple drying rack....sounds pretty good right? Your loft will be toasty in the summer too.

This is the real kicker with the last consideration, the drips from your clothing could be caught in a bowl/tank, that is connected to a pipe leading to your gravity fed water tank. This means that after a few big washes, you'll get a lovely toilet flush too! Silver lining.