My Portable Clothes Line is Stuck in the Ground Sleeve. How Do I Get It Out?

by Luanne

Luanne's Question: My portable clothes line is stuck in the ground sleeve. How do I get it out without damaging the sleeve or the pole?

Dave's Answer: I’m going to guess and say you have a portable clothes line that is square and sticks in the ground with a single mast or pole. If so, is the mast thin wall metal tubing and the sleeve in the ground just another pipe? Perhaps also thin wall tubing?

Will the mast rotate without rotating the pipe in the ground? If so, pour some WD40 around the mast. If nothing rotates, the metal has corroded or rusted into a solid mass. These are typically just a short distance in the ground and everything will pull straight up to release the mast.

Let me know exactly what you have for additional assistance.

Luanne: Actually, the clothes line has a round mast pole – thin aluminum. The sleeve in the ground is plastic seated in cement.

The rust is not an issue as this is a new clothesline. I used it a few days ago and when I went to put it away as usual, I couldn’t pull it out of the ground sleeve. It will not rotate either – just seems really “stuck”. Do you have any suggestions before I get out the saw? Ha-ha

Dave: Sorry, the mast is round but the clothes line is a square configuration? Interesting! Plastic does not usually stick to aluminum.

Pour some penetrating oil on the pole and let it run down into the joint. See if the mast will rotate and come out. It sounds like the mast may be bent.