Retractable washing lines are ideal for small apartments or houses, allowing you to dry your laundry while saving space and reducing clutter. Depending on where your washing area is, they can be mounted indoors or outdoors onto a wall. They have either single or double lines that extend and lock into place, recoiling when not in use to store neatly out of the way.
Whether you need something heavy-duty or as small as possible, this buying guide will help you pick the sturdiest, most reliable retractable washing line for your home and laundry needs. Our review of the 10 best quality retractable washing lines in the UK from online sites like Amazon and Argos will also give you plenty of ideas while shopping.
Retractable washing lines can be used both indoors and outdoors, but some suit one better than the other. For those who don't want a permanent laundry line taking up space in the garden or patio, larger multi-line styles – that look similar to a mounted clothes dryer – are a great option.
Indoor types are suited to students and people who live in smaller spaces with only a tight balcony, laundry room, or limited floor space. Many retractable lines can be used interchangeably inside and out. However, some outdoor types have bulky casings that may look awkward and out of place indoors. For use in a living space, a compact type with a sleek casing would be ideal.
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Outdoor lines are constantly exposed to the elements, whereas indoor types are also susceptible to corrosion, mould and mildew. Therefore, when buying a retractable washing line, it is important to select durable materials for the entire unit that won't rust or wear out easily.
The clothing line itself should be strong enough that it won't sag or break under the weight of heavy, damp laundry. The sturdiest lines have a metal core that is coated in PVC so that it is rust-resistant. For a strong housing or casing, go for stainless steel, plastic or higher-grade ABS plastic for durability and resistance to rust and the elements.
Especially for outdoor clothing lines, having the materials treated with a UV-resistant coating is also essential to protect against prolonged sun exposure and enhance the overall durability.
The great thing about retractable washing lines is that you get a decent amount of hanging space without any contraptions getting in the way. With that being said, you should still take into consideration how far each line can extend (in metres) and whether you have enough space for your clothes, towels or sheets to hang when in use.
The capacity (of a single, double or multi-line option) will give you an estimate of how much laundry is able to fit at once. A standard retractable washing line is around 12 to 15 m and is suitable for a small household of up to two people, whereas up to 30 m should suffice for a family of four.
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Retractable washing lines are usually mounted onto the wall with the use of a bracket. Most manufacturers will include an instruction manual plus the necessary screws, bolts, brackets and plugs that you need to attach the line yourself at home.
Nevertheless, to drill holes into the wall where the screws should be fitted, you will require a drill – and the option to do so if in a rented property. To make sure you have all the necessary tools on hand, check your purchase to see what's included and what's not.
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
This article's chosen EC site price listings are reflective of its publishing date.
Image | 1 ![]() Minky | 2 ![]() Brabantia | 3 ![]() Vileda | 4 ![]() Brabrantia | 5 ![]() Dryzem | 6 ![]() LIVIVO | 7 ![]() Beldray | 8 ![]() Hills | 9 ![]() Casa Bella | 10 ![]() Addis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Outdoor Retractable Reel Washing Line | WallFix Retractable Washing Line | Cordomatic Retractable Washing Line | Retractable Indoor Washing Line | Dual Retractable Washing Line | Dual Washing Line Airer Reel | Retractable Washing Line | Extenda 4 Retractable Washing Line | Outdoor/Indoor Washing Line | Outdoor Dual Retractable Washing Line |
Features | Hugely Popular and With Double Lines That Fit 3 Loads of Washing | A Heavy-Duty Option for Indoors or Out | An Affordable and Sturdy Pick to Help You Save Space | A Stylish and Subtle Dryer for Bathrooms or Other Living Spaces | Easy to Install and Remove With a Quick-Release Mechanism | Weather, Rust, Mould, and Mildew-Resistant Line for Indoor and Outdoor Use | Strong and Durable, Perfect for Small Gardens, Balconies, Caravans or Boats | Great Build and Quality, With a Line Tensioning Feature to Prevent Sagging | Retractable Clothing Line with Compact Casing That Can Be Left Outside All Year Round | A Family-Suitable Option With a Unique Wind-Up Handle |
Price | £19.00 | £88.00 | £9.19 | £39.99 | £24.99 | £23.98 | £6.99 | £119.99 | £13.99 | £10.00 |
Location | Outdoor | Both | Both | Indoor | Outdoor | Both | Both | Both | Both | Outdoor |
Material | Plastic | Stainless steel | Plastic | Corrosion-resistant stainless steel | Plastic | ABS plastic | Plastic | High-grade steel | Plastic | Plastic |
Weatherproof/ Rust-proof | UV protective coating | Weather- and rust-proof, UV-resistant | Yes | Rust-proof | UV stable | UV stable, weather, rust, mould and mildew resistant | Rust-proof | Rust-proof | Weatherproof | UV stable |
No. of Lines | 2 | Multiple | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
Drying Space | 30 m | 24 m | 15 m | 22 m | 30 m | 30 m | 12 m | 26 m | 15 m | 30 m |
Tools Needed | Drill | Drill | Drill | Drill | Drill | Drill | Drill | Drill | Drill | Drill |
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This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
£19.00
Location | Outdoor |
---|---|
Material | Plastic |
Weatherproof/ Rust-proof | UV protective coating |
No. of Lines | 2 |
Drying Space | 30 m |
Tools Needed | Drill |
£88.00
Location | Both |
---|---|
Material | Stainless steel |
Weatherproof/ Rust-proof | Weather- and rust-proof, UV-resistant |
No. of Lines | Multiple |
Drying Space | 24 m |
Tools Needed | Drill |
£9.19
Location | Both |
---|---|
Material | Plastic |
Weatherproof/ Rust-proof | Yes |
No. of Lines | 1 |
Drying Space | 15 m |
Tools Needed | Drill |
£39.99
Location | Indoor |
---|---|
Material | Corrosion-resistant stainless steel |
Weatherproof/ Rust-proof | Rust-proof |
No. of Lines | 5 |
Drying Space | 22 m |
Tools Needed | Drill |
£24.99
Location | Outdoor |
---|---|
Material | Plastic |
Weatherproof/ Rust-proof | UV stable |
No. of Lines | 2 |
Drying Space | 30 m |
Tools Needed | Drill |
£23.98
Location | Both |
---|---|
Material | ABS plastic |
Weatherproof/ Rust-proof | UV stable, weather, rust, mould and mildew resistant |
No. of Lines | 2 |
Drying Space | 30 m |
Tools Needed | Drill |
£6.99
Location | Both |
---|---|
Material | Plastic |
Weatherproof/ Rust-proof | Rust-proof |
No. of Lines | 1 |
Drying Space | 12 m |
Tools Needed | Drill |
£119.99
Location | Both |
---|---|
Material | High-grade steel |
Weatherproof/ Rust-proof | Rust-proof |
No. of Lines | 4 |
Drying Space | 26 m |
Tools Needed | Drill |
£13.99
Location | Both |
---|---|
Material | Plastic |
Weatherproof/ Rust-proof | Weatherproof |
No. of Lines | 1 |
Drying Space | 15 m |
Tools Needed | Drill |
£10.00
Location | Outdoor |
---|---|
Material | Plastic |
Weatherproof/ Rust-proof | UV stable |
No. of Lines | 2 |
Drying Space | 30 m |
Tools Needed | Drill |
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