Having a retractable clothesline is one of the few ways to save money because you don’t have to use the dryer. It works especially well if you live in a warm and drier climate. But you may live in climates where you can’t dry your clothes outside all the time, so that’s where an indoor retractable clothesline comes in.
They come in different sizes, different lengths and are made out of durable materials. Read on to see why you should get an indoor retractable clothesline and see which ones are the best on the market.
Top 3 Picks
Best Quality: Honey Can Do Retractable Clothesline
The Honey Can Do Retractable Clothesline is sure to make sure that it can hold all of your lighter load laundry. It can extend up to 8 feet and is perfect for small households.
Best Overall: Riveda Retractable Clothesline
The Riveda retractable clothesline is our favorite because it can extend up to 40 feet and can hold heavier loads of laundry. You can put comforters on it and more. It is also weather-resistant, and you get clothespins as well.
Best Value for Money: LZAOA 2 Pack Retractable Clothesline
If you are looking to get the best bang for your buck, you’ll love the LZAOA retractable clotheslines. For $16.99, you get a 2 pack, clotheslines clips and more. It’s very portable which you can bring anywhere.
Benefits of having an indoor clothesline
Environmentally Friendly
You are not using anything to dry the clothes except for the air in the house. The clothes or other laundry just hang dry naturally on the lines, making it a great environmentally friendly option.
Saves Money
Because you’re not using the dryer, you will save a significant amount of money by hanging the clothes on a clothesline. This means your electrical bills will be much lower when you have a clothesline indoors.
Can be used anytime
You are not waiting for the sunny day to dry your laundry. You can use the clothesline anytime that you do laundry. It’s perfect for people who live in wetter climates.
Easy to use
It’s extremely easy to use as all you do is hang up clothes and other laundry on the clothesline.
How to install an indoor clothesline
Measure the area
The reason we say measure the area is because you’ll want to have enough room for the line to spread across the room.
Choose the hardware you’ll be installing
Whether you are using hooks or wall mounts, you’ll want to choose something that can hold at least 10 pounds of laundry as jeans, blankets and wet clothing tends to be heavy. The same applies to the actual line. You’ll want to make sure that it’s made out of heavy-duty materials to hold the weight and that it’s long enough.
Install the wall mounts or hooks
You’ll want to put it at a height that you can reach. You’ll also need screwdrivers and a hammer if doing a homemade one. If you are buying a clothesline kit, most of them have mounting accessories that you can use as well. Most people install the hooks or wall mount with them being parallel to each other.
Attach the line
If you are making a homemade one, you can attach the line on the hooks. If there are wall mounts, there should be something in them to help hold the line. Give it a test by loading laundry on it. If it sags or falls, you’ll have to adjust it. If there is little sag and doesn’t fall, you’re done!
Pros and Cons of Indoor Retractable Clothesline
Pros
You can determine the length
Do you only have room for a 6 feet clothesline? You can set the line at 6 feet. Do you want to use the full length? Then you can use the full length, if the space allows. That’s what is beautiful about retractable clotheslines.
Can be used anytime
No more waiting for a sunny day. You can use the clothesline whenever you want to. That’s why these clotheslines are increasing in popularity.
Can be moved out of the way
Done drying your laundry? Now you can usually push a button to retract back the line to get it out of your way with most retractable clotheslines.
Cons
Expensive
Because of the high quality and durable materials that’s used, indoor retractable clotheslines are expensive. Plus, a lot of them come with extras such as clothespins and more.
Can be dangerous
When you retract the line back to make room, you’ll need to be careful because some of them can retract back quickly, causing injuries to your hands, arms and head.
Takes a long time to dry since it’s inside
Assuming your home is room temperature, if you’re in a hurry to wear something, you’ll be waiting at least 24 hours. With that said, you’ll be out of luck if you’re needing clean clothes asap.
Best Retractable Clotheslines Options
Retractable Clothesline
This retractable clothesline by Honey Can Do is extremely easy to install. Whether you want it in your laundry room or another spare room where you’d like to dry your clothes, this clothesline won’t disappoint you. Made out of stainless steel construction, it can hold up to three pounds. While it may not hold a heavier comforter, it can hold up a normal load of laundry such as shirts, blouses, jeans, and more. This clothesline can extend to 8 feet long to the other wall latch (as this comes in 2). This clothesline can be adjusted to any height so if you need it higher or lower, you can adjust it to that.
What customers are saying
“Perfect laundry room addition. Installed myself from above my shelves (hidden) with a slight slant to ¾ up the opposite wall so I can use it anytime and it is out of the way and almost invisible!”
“This has solved all of my problems”
“I got 4 of these for different places in my beach house. I’ve mounted two of them (one in the garage and the other in the laundry room) and they are super handy for towels and wetsuits.”
Pros:
- Can be used indoors or outdoors
- Stainless steel construction
- 2 pack
Cons:
- Can be hard to mount
49′ Retractable Clothesline
If you are looking for something that is longer, you can use this Minky Retractable Clothesline. It has two length options, one single-lined 49 feet and the other double lined 98 feet. You can use this either indoors or outdoors as it’s fairly easy to mount. It is made out of high-quality plastic and it’s easy to remove in the winter if you do end up using it outdoors. This clothesline is designed to stop at any length so if you only need it for 5 feet or so, it can do that and still be sturdy. There is a weight capacity of 27.5 pounds so you can put heavier things such as comforters and more on this clothesline. This clothesline comes with all the mounting parts that you need to install it, but you’ll need to have tools to do so.
What customers are saying
“Everyone comments on the efficiency of this! We use it on our back porch when we return from the beach or pool. Saves so much money instead of using the dryer.”
“I love that this product allows me to air dry more clothes but retracts so I don’t have to give up space or aesthetics in the laundry room. Well worth the money”“We installed this by our swimming pool to hang towels and suits on to dry. It is exactly what I wanted. When not in use, we retract, and it is out of the way. Pros: Nice design, functions well”
Pros:
- Designed to stop at a certain length if needed
- Durable
- Higher weight capacity
Cons:
- Expensive
GorillaLine – Retractable Clothesline
If you are looking for a retractable clothesline that is extremely easy to use, you’ll love it. It’s also very durable as it can hold up to 40 pounds, maximum. It does retract to a maximum of 13.9 feet so keep that mind to how far you’ll want to retract. It can be used indoors or outdoors so you will have that choice. You can set up this clothesline within a few minutes as it comes with mounting accessories.
This clothesline is made out of stainless steel/plastic construction so it’s extremely durable. A nice feature about this retractable clothesline is that you can push the button to retract it back (safely of course). It’s also a modern design so that it can fit in * style-wise* pretty much anywhere you put the mounts.
What customers are saying
“I tried 3 different crappy retractable clotheslines that all failed for so many different reasons before trying this Gorilla Line. It’s perfect. Easy to install, it actually stays on the wall, the hardware was actually decent which is rare, and it looks great.”
The gorilla line easily holds the weight of both backdrops with all the decorations the kids put on them. And when it isn’t class time, I can easily roll the backdrops and the clothes line smoothly retracts into itself.”
“Needed an efficient and portable way to line dry clothes inside and this fit the bill. Very well constructed. No sagging since it has a lock.”
Pros:
- Can hold up to 40 pounds
- Has a button where you can easily retract the line
- Made out of durable materials
Cons:
- Some users said it doesn’t retract on its own
Riveda Retractable Clothesline
If you are looking for a retractable clothesline that has extra things with it, you’ll love the Riveda Retractable Clothesline. It comes with clothes pins which is always useful because there are certain items that absolutely need to be held by clothespins. This clothesline can hold up to 30 pounds and can retract at least 40 feet. So, if you have heavier laundry such as blankets, jeans and towels, this clothesline will hold and dry it for you. It is also weather resistant which is good if it’s going to be used outdoors.
What customers are saying
“One of the best clotheslines I’ve had. I’m surprised at the amount of weight it can hold. The key is to secure the hook at the far end first and then wrap the line around the bottom lock as tightly as possible.”
“So far it has been working well. I mostly use it to just air-dry towels and swimsuits and it has been working well for that. They include all the hardware and everything you will need to get this set up. I was happy they even included some clothes pins.”
“It arrived really quickly, installed in under 1 minute-you do need to drill 2 screw holes-and it was operational. The first thing I used it for was to dry a queen-sized mattress pad, and it held taut, no issues.”
Pros:
- Can be installed quickly
- Can hold up to 30 pounds
- Comes with clothespins
Cons:
- It does sag sometimes with heavier items
GorillaLine – Retractable Clothesline Premium
Yes, we have another Gorilla Line clothesline but this one has a stainless-steel laundry line that can hold 40 pounds. It can extend up to 13 feet and 9 inches so keep that in mind. You do get mounting accessories to help mount this retractable clothesline in a few minutes. With just one touch, you can easily retract it, making room or getting the clothesline out of the way as needed.
What customers are saying
“I love this indoor clothesline. I needed a green screen while teaching from home. It allowed for the perfect sturdy hold of a heavy green curtain. I can slide it across the entire room when i need it and slide it to the slide when it is not in use.”
“Easy to install, the cable seems to be metal, and it is covered by plastic which is a good thing. I used it a few times already and it works perfectly. The length of the cable is pretty good in comparison to what other brands have. I wish the main plastic box was a better material to keep it good for the long run, but all in all I’m happy with it.”
“This is the perfect clothesline for a laundry room. Just enough room to hang the few things that can’t be dried in the dryer.”
Pros:
- Stainless steel line
- Easy to set up
- Made out of durable materials
Cons:
- Doesn’t hold as much weight as it claims
LZAOA 2 Pack Retractable Clothesline
This retractable clothesline comes in a 2 pack, so it’s definitely a good value for your money. The LZAOA Retractable Clothesline is made from high quality materials and uses high quality polypropylene for their clothing lines. It can extend up to 26 feet and can hold a decent amount of weight if you need to put wet clothing and blankets on it. Besides being a 2 pack, there are 10 plastic windproof buckles, 10 metal clothespin and 1 windproof clothesline. This clothesline is adjustable at any height so you can put it as low and high as you need to. It is small enough that you can bring anywhere that you’ll need to dry clothes such as camp and more.
What customers are saying
“I am so glad I bought this clothesline for our three days weekend camping trip!! It worked just like what I expected and was also easy to use as described. Tie between the trees and it helps to dry out our wet clothes. It is strong enough to hold all our clothes plus other stuff. I love this travel clothesline. It makes our days. It’s definitely on our list now for future trips.”
Pros:
- Comes in 2 pack
- Portable
- 26 feet long
Cons:
- May not be durable like another retractable clothesline
Non Retractable Options
Whitmor 5 Line Retractable Dryer
The Whitmor 5 Line Retractable Clothesline can give up to 170 feet of dying space. Yes, it’s the largest clothesline in this roundup today and it’s built out of stainless steel. It can hold a large amount of weight when installed correctly. While you can’t take this clothesline anywhere with you, you’ll want to install it either indoors or outdoors where you’d like to put a lot of clothes on it.
What customers are saying
“Very handy to have. Just built a large screened in porch and I put it inside and it works great. Getting rid of my little wooden portable. Love it.”
“I have had 3 of these clotheslines over 53 years. They work well and take a lot of weight when installed correctly. The five lines are spaced apart just right for drying large amounts of clothes. They would have lasted longer if I had taken them down sooner in the fall and put them up later in the spring, but my electric bill thanks me for using solar whenever I can. I have had other brands and they aren’t anywhere close to the quality of this one.”
“This retractable clothesline is reliable, and the tightening knob really does work! My mom used these when I was a teenager and that was 50 years ago. Don’t buy cheap clothes lines, you get what you pay for. A nice side effect is that whites get whiter in the sun.”
Pros:
- 170 feet of drying space
- 5 lines to put clothes and other laundry on
Cons:
- Not as durable as the manufacturer’s claim to be according to some users
Step Up Laundry Drying Rack
Finally, the Step Up Laundry drying rack, while not retractable, is a perfect addition to your laundry room. You can still save money with this drying rack because it has 6 heavy duty aluminum rods and has at least 20 feet that laundry can be hung up on. The rack is also made out of stainless-steel construction so you can definitely rely on it. You can use this rack either indoors or outdoors, whichever you want to put it permanently as it requires set up.
What customers are saying
“This is an amazing laundry rack! I have a very tiny laundry space and was looking for a slim drying rack that would take up less room than the bulky one I had been using. Can’t believe how thin and flush to the wall this rack is when it’s closed. I absolutely love it – so much that I bought two! “
“I love this drying rack! It folds flat to the wall and then opens up with lots of space when needed. Highly recommend it!”
“This item was nearly perfect for what I was looking for. It’s all metal. Sturdy. Well made. Heavy.”
Pros:
- Easy to set up
- Heavy-duty aluminum rods to hold heavier laundry
- Can be used indoors or outdoors
Cons:
- Can be too much weight to install on the wall
FAQ
How much weight can a retractable clothesline hold?
They can hold up to 40 pounds on heavy-duty models.
How do you make a retractable clothesline?
Since we are talking about the indoor retractable clothesline, here’s how to make one:
- Drill holes where you’ll be putting dowels
- Put dowels in place and use PVC glue to help keep it in place
- Nail the frames through the dowels
- Attach eye hooks on each frame
- Hang the pulleys
- Screw the eyebolts tightly
- Tie the ropes with the eyebolt on each side
- Finish
Are clotheslines illegal in Canada?
Years ago, they were banned and considered illegal. It is not currently illegal in Canada. It’s one of the most environmentally friendly ways to dry your clothes.
Bottom Line
Having an indoor retractable clothesline is extremely convenient. You can decide how long it can be and you can also remove the lines if it needs to be out of the way. Do you fancy an indoor or outdoor one? You will have to consider that and other factors when it comes time to buy one. If you found this guide about indoor retractable clotheslines useful or have even more questions about them, feel free to leave us a comment if you’d like.
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