Has your Mum told you to get a move on with laundry tonight? But you’ve got a ton of shows to binge on Netflix, and helping with the washing is so far down on your to-do list, it might as well not be on the list at all.
To get her off your back, mention one of these superstitions to her. If you tell the story really well, you’ll probably never have to hang the washing up at night again!
Superstition 1: Hanging Clothes at Night Attracts Ghosts, Witches and Spirits!
According to legend, if you hang your clothes up when the sun goes down, your outfits will attract the attention of several other-worldly foes!
So the stories go, ghosts, witches and spirits get entangled in your laundry as it’s hanging up, and they start to get up to all sorts of mischief!
Sometimes the spirits can be kind and just sit and rest in or on your laundry! But who knows what these intangible beings might do?
Don’t fancy bumping into an ethereal being at night? Make sure you put your laundry away and don’t leave it hanging about!
Superstition 2: Hanging Clothes at Night Attracts Bad Weather!
It seems that ghosts and ghouls are not the only ones attracted to your washing as it dries at night!
Apparently, popping clothes on a line at night can cause the weather to change, and not for the better.
If you plan on hanging your outfits up at night be prepared for rain and thunderstorms! So, wrap yourself up and get ready for a downpour.
Superstition 3: Hanging Clothes at Night Can Cause Illness!
This one is most likely a load of hocus pocus, but according to legend, if you hang clothes up at night to dry, you risk getting sick.
It is believed that the cool night air mixes with the wet laundry, and germs and bacteria start to form on the garments. These germs then cause respiratory issues, joint pain, and the flu.
To take things one step further, hanging clothes outside at night is said to make you infertile! But that seems to be taking things a step too far, and there’s no scientific evidence to support either of these claims!
Superstition 4: Hanging Clothes on a Sunday Can Cause Very Bad Luck!
In many countries, Sunday is considered to be a day of rest. This is when you’re not supposed to be doing any laundry or cleaning, and you should be taking time out to be with family and friends.
According to the superstition, by hanging clothes up on a Sunday, you go against this way of thinking, and in turn, and end up causing mayhem for yourself.
It’s unclear what bad luck you’ll have to endure, but it seems that you shouldn’t question the order of things, and you should take it easy on a Sunday!
By default, you definitely don’t want to go and hang clothes up at night on a Sunday, as this’ll invite even more bad luck and potential conflict into your home.
Taking it easy on a Sunday doesn’t seem like a problem to me! Who’s up for a relaxing, chore-free Sunday?
Superstition 5: Hanging Clothes Outside at Night Attracts Thieves!
It’s unclear how much truth is in this next superstition, but the idea behind it does sound sort of plausible!
If you put your clothes on the washing line at night it is said to attract burglars to your home.
By all accounts, leaving your laundry to blow in the wind after the sun has gone down is a sign that you’re not actually home to pull your washing in. In turn, it means that your property is likely to be empty and so it becomes a target for criminals!
So, if you’re looking to keep your house safe, pull your washing in at night so the burglars know you’re home!
Superstition 6: Hanging Clothes at Night Causes Bad Luck
Hanging clothes up at night may seem like a completely innocent activity, but for some, such an act can cause severe misfortune.
Legend states that by hanging clothes on a line outside at night you disrespect the moon and stars.
You see, the moon and stars are seen by some people as lucky symbols, so by putting laundry under them at night you cause great offence. And as a consequence, you’re dealt a load of bad luck!
Too big a risk to take? Stick to washing and hanging laundry up during the day!
Superstition 7: Hanging Clothes at Night Creates Negative Energy
According to some superstitious people around the world, leaving damp laundry hanging on a line overnight brings about negative energy.
This bad energy then penetrates into the washing line owner’s home and affects the lives of those it comes into contact with.
Obviously, there’s no actual data to support this unlikely legend, but perhaps it would be better to err on the side of caution.
Let’s Wrap Up
When it comes to hanging clothes at night there are many weird and wonderful superstitions to be had.
Whether or not you believe them is up to you, but perhaps you should take heed of some of them!
Of course, there isn’t any evidence to support a single one of these superstitions. So, it might be best to take these stories with a pinch of salt!
After all, people have been hanging washing up and night, both indoors and outdoors, for years.
But all the same, these fascinating superstitious tales are fun to read and share with friends.
Leaving Washing Out Overnight – Is It Really a Bad Idea?
Now you know the superstitions surrounding hanging clothes up at night, it’s time to find out if leaving your laundry outdoors overnight is going to have an adverse effect on it.
The truth is, it’s perfectly safe to leave washing out on a line overnight. Obviously, the clothes aren’t going to dry as well as they would during the day because there’s no sun, for example.
But on the whole, leaving washing out overnight isn’t a completely insane idea and there is some merit to doing this.
There are some other minor drawbacks of doing this, namely that bugs might land on your clothes and you won’t be able to make use of the sun’s natural bleaching effect.
Also, assuming you’re asleep at night you won’t be able to rush out to bring the washing in if it starts raining.
But as long as you accept these risks, there is no big issue with leaving clothes outside overnight.
Bethan has a passion for exploring, reading, cooking and gardening! When she’s not creating culinary delights for her family, she’s concocting potions to keep her house clean!
