Diapers on the Clothesline

Isn't it a pretty sight?

Now that the Spring-that-never-was has finally decided to give way to some warm weather, I thought it would nice to be able to hang the diapers outside to dry. I keep hearing that when you dry them this way, the sun has a natural bleaching effect that helps get rid of the...um, poo stains. A few of Sly's diapers had such stains, so I asked Tom to hang this line for me last week.

The diapers dried very quickly outside, and I think the stains may have faded a little bit. But I don't think I'll do it again. The diapers are stiff as boards, and I can't imagine they will be at all comfortable on my baby's little bottom! I'm even considering re-wetting them and just drying them in the drier with my four drier balls, like usual. That gets them pleasantly soft and pliable.

I will keep drying the covers on the line, though, since I usually hang those to dry anyways. They dry much more quickly outdoors than in the basement.

But seriously - how did people deal with the stiff, scratchy sun-dried clothing back in the days before automatic driers? Is there some forgotten secret to making them soft??