This simple yet annoying laundry drying mistake could be ruining your clothes – laundry experts reveal the clever tweaks to prevent it

It might be a tad chilly outside, but the minute we get a brighter spring day, I'm straight out to the washing line. After months of drying clothes over radiators and airers, even a cold-but-crisp afternoon is a great moment to get laundry outside.

But while I'm always keen to get the air around my laundry, save money on the running costs of my heated clothes airer and dry my washing fast without my tumble dryer, I've noticed that there's one small mistake that could be ruining my clothes, and probably yours too.

You might have noticed that if you peg your clothes in the wrong place, the pegs can leave marks, stretched seams, grubby marks and faded patches. Those little shoulder horns or shiny dents where the peg was holding the clothing tight are really annoying, so I wanted to see if there's any way to avoid this from happening.

So I asked the experts why it happens and what you can do differently so your clothes remain unscathed.

Why peg marks are more damaging than you think

While wooden and plastic pegs are brilliant for keeping laundry secure, especially in the UK, where a sudden gust of wind can send your clothes flying.

'While a laundry staple, clothes pegs can sometimes leave pressure marks or small creases on clothing, especially when they are clipped too tightly or left on the line for too long,' explains Lauren Roelofs, Laundry Expert at Brabantia. 'This can be particularly frustrating when you want to wear something straight from the line.'

And because they grip tightly in one spot, there's a lot of pressure on a concentrated section of fabric, which can lead to permanent creases or dents, shiny marks, stretched shoulders and necklines (my personal pet peeve) and fading.

However, Laura Marsden, Vileda's laundry expert, says they are one of the easiest problems to fix. 'Making some small tweaks to your routine can unlock better results,' she adds.

The experts have shared the various ways you can minimise these annoying peg marks and fix the problem too.

Laura Marsden

Laura is Vileda's resident laundry expert.

How to avoid peg marks on clothing

1. Dry clothes inside out

One of the easiest ways to prevent peg marks is to turn garments inside out before hanging them, explains Laura.

'This not only reduces visible marks, but also helps prevent fading from sun exposure, which is particularly important for darker colours.'

Lauren Roelofs

Lauren Roelofs is a true laundry specialist as Laundry Category Manager. With 14 years at Brabantia, including the past four years leading the laundry category, she combines deep expertise with a passion for innovation. She translates insights into smart, thoughtful laundry solutions designed to simplify everyday chores. She is dedicated to helping consumers create laundry routines that make laundry days easier and efficient, while prolonging the life of their clothing.

2. Use hangers for shirts and delicate items

For shirts, blouses and anything more delicate, experts recommend hanging them on a hanger instead of pegging them up to avoid both peg marks and crease lines forming along the fold.

'For delicate fabrics, skip the pegs altogether,' explains Laura. 'Hanging items on clothes hangers prevents peg marks and helps garments to hold their shape.'

She recommends using a rotary dryer with hanger hooks to stop the hanger from slipping off the line. 'A great option is the Vileda Sun-Lift Rotary Dryer, £75 from Argos,' suggests Laura.

It features special hooks for hangers, to give additional drying space, but also offers 40 metres of line space (holding up to 3 wash loads). 'Plus, the patented line tensioning system allows you to keep lines perfectly tight,' she adds.

You can also buy a range of hanger hooks to add to your existing washing line.

Shop hanger hooks for washing lines

3. Hang items by their hems or seams

Lauren advises hanging garments from stronger seams, hems, or waistbands where possible, to avoid marks. 'Hanging at these points helps ensure any indentations are less noticeable than if pegs are placed across the chest or shoulders,' she explains.

Any tiny peg impression is far less noticeable at the bottom edge, and hanging tops this way, for example, will help them dry more smoothly.

Lauren adds that if you're drying t-shirts, you should turn them upside down to avoid shoulder bumps, and peg trousers by the waistband.

And Laura agrees, 'to minimise both creases and peg marks, fold trousers and jeans over the clothes line at the waistband.'

And if it's windy, you can secure them, peg at the hems instead. 'Any marks are far less noticeable at the bottom of the leg,' she explains.

4. Drape jumpers and dresses over the line

Heavier garments like knitwear and dresses are better draped over the line rather than clipped. Folding them over spreads the weight evenly and prevents the fabric from stretching under a single peg point, explains Laura.

'Fold the dress in half lengthwise and drape it over the line,' she suggests.

And the same goes for jumpers. 'Never hang sweaters by the shoulders, as this can cause stretching and misshaping. Instead, fold the sweater lengthwise and drape it evenly over the line. This distributes weight and reduces pressure from pegs.'

5. Use soft grip pegs to minimise marks

If you do need to peg garments directly to the line, switching to soft-grip or padded pegs can help reduce pressure on fabrics.

Heather Nixon, NPD and regulatory manager at eco-friendly cleaning brand Bio-D, says, 'There are also clothes pegs that have been created specifically to reduce marking - look for options with soft grips.'

These wider clips distribute the grip more evenly, which lowers the chance of dents, shiny patches or deep creases forming.

A good option is Brabantia's smart grips, £8.58 at Amazon or Minky Sure Grip Pegs, £6.39 at Amazon, which Minky's Laundry Accessories Product Manager, Olivia Coulthard, says have been specially designed with 'a unique soft grip pad that holds laundry securely in place on the line without leaving marks or damaging clothes.'

Heather Nixon

Heather Nixon is Bio-D’s sustainability, NPD and regulatory manager. Heather champions all things cleaning and sustainability at Bio-D, innovating to create products that are both eco-friendly and effective. She is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to all things cleaning - from useful tips and tricks to the science behind making cleaning products.

6. Use a drying rack outside instead of pegging clothes

Another expert trick is using a portable drying rack outside rather than attaching everything to the washing line.

This lets you lay delicate items flat or drape them gently over rails, avoiding the need for pegs altogether, while still benefiting from fresh air and the breeze.

'Some drying racks have a drying platform (flat-dry areas) to dry your delicate pieces,' says Lauren. Brabantia's Hangon drying rack is compact yet features flat-dry areas, RRP £70, at Amazon.

Olivia adds that if you have delicate items like socks and smalls, the Minky No Peg Airer, £11.99 at Amazon 'has twisted lines that grip items and keep them in place whilst drying either indoors or outdoors, making peg imprints a thing of the past!’

Olivia Coulthard leads the Laundry Accessories category at Minky Homecare, managing product strategy, innovation and development. With a strong understanding of consumer needs and market trends, she helps shape the future of Minky’s laundry solutions – creating products that take care of the home and give customers more time back.

Shop top-rated clothes airers

How to get rid of peg marks on clothes

If you've already taken laundry off the line and spotted those peg dents, don't panic, as they can usually be fixed.

'If peg marks do appear, they can be easily removed with a quick iron or steaming,' suggests Lauren.

'If you don’t want to set up an ironing board, opt for a handheld steamer, and a steam board instead, like Brabantia's foldable steam board, £35.95 at Amazon. It’s a convenient way to refresh and smooth out your clothes with minimal effort.'

For lighter marks, you try spritzing the fabric with water, advises Heather, before ironing. Alternatively, smooth it with your hands before letting the item air dry.

Heather also recommends an ice cube to soften and release the fibres.

So there you have it! Making these small tweaks to how you hang your laundry can help your clothes keep their shape and last much longer.