My brother, who is in the Peace Corps, recently told me that his bed was missing. Turns out he was airing out his mattress on the roof of his building and it blew away. It was eventually discovered and returned by the embassy building next door, who found his mattress in their garden. I first chalked his story up to another strange third-world adventure, until I started thinking of all the things inside my home that I air out on occasion...
I try to bring the area rug outside for a good beating a couple of times a year. Same goes for the sofa cushions and I would hang bed linens out all the time if space weren't an issue at my small apartment building. Hanging these items on a nice sunny day gives them a good freshening that's tough to beat.
Do you air out anything from your home as part of your spring cleaning ritual? Photo via Seams of Thought
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I have completely given up my dryer and hang all my laundry out to dry. I think I am lucky because I live in an area where I can and realize its a privilege not all get. But i sure love the smell of laundry line clothes and linens, all crisp and clean and fresh......I highly recommend it if at all possible all year round!
view bagelpower's profile
Air things out?
They get dirtier outside despite my being on the 15th floor than they would if they remained inside...
That said, my project this weekend is dragging the giant flokati from the living room down to the cleaners - So if you see a guy with a huge white furry rug walking up Franklin Street, stop and say "Hi".
view bepsf's profile
I put my bed pillows out to get fresh air; also my down bedding. I use drying racks and dry my laundry inside all year long (no way I can put it outside, even though I'd love to). I will also air out wool clothing (blazers, skirts, trousers) after wearing (saves on dry cleaning).
Great idea about the sofa cushions; I hadn't though of that one.
view Sydney's profile
Regina, that story is awesome. You made my day.
view Seaside's profile
I'm sorry, this has nothing to do with your post. I just saw the picture and wondered if it's yours or someone else's. If it's yours, how did you get it to look like that? (I'm a budding photographer and love the "old look" from the 50's and such). Please help! Thanks!
view Photographer_Mommyof2's profile
I don't routinely air out anything (neighborhood cats--bah) even though I do have a backyard and no evil homeowners' association. I do, however, have a memory from '85 of dropping a pair of undies out of a Florentine window, where they'd been drying.
view pvett's profile
My mother's dog (Lab and Boxer mix) once brought home a large sofa cushion that had obviously been spot cleaned and set out in the sun to dry. She tried for a month to find the owner, but never did.
view SunnyBlue's profile
There's a hilarious video that originally appeared on CNN about Jack, the cat who steals stuff from all over the neighborhood ... his owner finally put all of it up on a clothesline for the rightful owners to come by and claim!
http://www.yourdailycute.com/2009/04/jack-cat-goes-on-crime-spree.html
view Jane's profile
@Jane -
I was ABOUT to write about Jack. Fun story!
view prairie girl's profile
This is the best title to a blog post I've seen in a long time!
view home body's profile
@Photographer_Mommyof2: Here's a link that you may find useful (I thought the clothesline photo was particularly dreamy myself):
http://wellmedicated.com/tutorials/retro-up-your-images-in-2-minutes-with-photoshop/
view Annegret's profile
Great story - and what a gorgeous photo!
view thatjessicagirl's profile
There's a coal-burning plant less than a mile away, and I live on a busy street. It never seems to take long for the outside windows to get dirty again after I clean them.
I dug the "airing things out outside" thing back when I lived in a rural area. Now, not so much.
view LindaJeanne's profile