Editor's note: Photos were added to this story after reader requests in the comments section.
Since we live in our motorhome about three-fourths of the year, traveling from place to place, we often find ourselves in need of a clothesline. Of course, the laundry facilities in most of the campgrounds we stay in have electric or gas dryers for our convenience.
However, there are occasions when using the dryer is neither feasible nor preferable — delicate or "special care" laundry that should not be dried by machine, daily drying of dish cloths and towels, air-freshening of bath towels, drying swimsuits and beach towels, as well as finishing damp laundry that did not completely dry in the coin-operated machines.
Because of our frequent travels, we do not have access to a permanently-placed clothesline, nor are we able to make use of an umbrella-type clothesline. Even though this type folds up, it is still quite large and we do not have the space to store it and take it along with us. It is also not a good idea to try to stick this type of clothesline into the ground at our different campsites because of not knowing exactly where the underground utilities are.
After deciding that we would benefit greatly by having some sort of an outdoor clothesline for our personal use, we came up with the idea to design one to fit our needs. We used PVC pipe, PVC fittings and rope to make a portable clothesline. It was actually quite inexpensive and simple to make. Here's how:
Supplies
- 2 PVC pipes: 3/4-inch x 10-feet
- 6 PVC 90-degree elbow joints
- 2 PVC 45-degree elbow joints
- 2 PVC T-joints
- 2 caps
- Rope
- Something for cutting PVC pipe into desired lengths (we used a hack saw)
- Drill with drill bit large enough to string rope through
Directions
1. Cut PVC into two 3-foot lengths from each of the 10-foot sections; leaving a 4-foot length remaining on each of the 10-foot pipes. Cut 3 inches off each of the four 3-foot sections making them measure 33 inches each. (These 3-inch sections will be used to make the hook for the ladder in Step 6.)
2. Make a square frame out of these 33-inch PVC pieces connected by 90-degree elbow joints at the four corners.
3. Drill holes through the two side sections of the frame and thread rope through the holes, knotting at the ends. This is your clothesline. You can drill as many holes and string as many lines of rope as you wish, spacing them evenly. For us, six lines spaced 5 inches apart are sufficient for our needs.
4. Cut front bar of square frame 11 inches from both ends, forming three pieces. Connect these three pieces together by using the two T-joints.
5. Attach the two remaining 4-foot sections of PVC to act as the support bars on the top side of the framework along the front end of the frame via T-joint connectors.
6. At the open ends of both support bars, use the 45-degree elbow joint to attach a 3-inch piece of PVC. Connect the 90-degree elbow joint and the last 3-inch pieces of PVC to form your hooks to go over the rungs of the back ladder. Cap the open ends of PVC hooks to prevent bees/wasps/spiders/unwanted pests from entering.
7. Simply hang the portable PVC clothesline over the back ladder of your RV on a rung which is at a comfortably reachable height for hanging items. Using a Velcro-type strap or tightly-wrapped bungee cords, the frame can be secured to the ladder.
This travel clothesline can easily be taken apart for storage purposes while on the road. When at a campsite for an extended stay, it can remain on the RV ladder for your convenience. When not in use, it can be bent downward at the support bar joints and tied to the back ladder using the strap/bungee cord instead of staying extended out behind the RV.
Our portable PVC clothesline has proven to be useful on numerous occasions throughout our travels. It is easy to assemble, easy to store and has come in handy over the years.
