It is hot outside and you are tempted to hang your freshly washed clothing on your balcony.

But can you?

The good news is that there is no written law that bans this practice, so it comes down to (as many other things in Switzerland do) under the heading of ‘unwritten’ rules.

Generally speaking, and provided that your rental contract doesn’t specifically prohibit this, you should be able to dry your clothes on your balcony — at least in some cases.

In practice, however, this is not always the case.

That’s because unless your landlord agrees, you are not allowed to install a clothesline on your balcony.

Reasons may range from safety concerns to (more likely) an eyesore for your neighbours.

Not surprisingly, you absolutely cannot install clotheslines outside your window either and hang your clothes to dry there. (By the same token, you can’t hang your bedding out to air either).

Your landlord could possibly make an exception in certain cases — for instance if your balcony is not facing any other building and is out of sight of others. But that is up to them (and sometimes also your municipality) to decide.

However, your clothes can still benefit from fresh air on the balcony.
There are no rules preventing you from setting up a portable laundry stand on the balcony — as long as it is not within the sight of, and detrimental to, your sensitive neighbours.

And there is more…

If you have your heart set on airing your (clean) laundry in public, you can do so in areas other than your balcony or your window.

Some buildings, for instance, have outdoor areas with special laundry hangers that tenants can use.

However, you would have to read your rental contract or house rules to see if you can bring your own laundry-hanging stand.

What if you own your property?

In your own garden you can do as you wish.

Generally, you can also have whatever equipment you want on your balcony, provided it is not unsafe and doesn’t violate any rules that your municipality may have.

If you are on your own property, you could even get away with hanging out your laundry to dry on Sunday — which would be unthinkable for tenants.

Last but not least: a laundry list of complaints

Laundry-related matters are usually among the most contentious issues among tenants in Switzerland.

As you know by now, many Swiss apartments don’t have washing machines.

Instead, tenants share a communal one in the basement, and rules on when to use it can be very strict.

There’s a posted schedule on the door assigning specific days, or half-days, to tenants on rotating basis.

Don’t even think of using these facilities on someone else’s ‘day’. Warning notes, verbal reprimands and even – in one case – physical violence could ensue. 

Changing your ‘laundry day’ and time slot often requires negotiations with your neighbours, and unless you find someone willing to switch dates with you, you are out of luck.

READ ALSO: Are you allowed to have a barbecue on your balcony in Switzerland this summer?