Endless washing! How do you keep up?!

[Sparrowlegs248]

With 2 under 2?! Ds1 us 19 months. He's very windy and this seems to mean a poo. Which leaks.

A couple of poo stained outfits yesterday after I'd dine two loads of washing

[Sparrowlegs248]

Sorry that should say ds2 is 2.5 wks and is very windy

[OuchBollocks]

How many loads a day are you doing? Is it the actual washing, or the drying or putting away that's the problem?

[Sparrowlegs248]

All of it atm, not really settled into any sort of routine. It's ds2 s clothing really. Poo.on outfit, no other pale stuff as just done s load.

[captainproton]

When dc3 was that age, I had a 3&2 yr old. She possetted a lot and I always had a wash on.

I don't have a tumble drier, I have a draughty house, spin drier and a Lakeland heated airer. Spin drier takes lots of moisture out of cottons, and great for towels. If it's not raining and freezing outside I line dry.

If I had a modern house I don't think I could get away with not having a tumble drier mind, indoor drying can cause mould.

[OuchBollocks]

Can you buy a couple more packets of cheapy pale babygros and vests then you will only need to wash them half as often? Asda have 8 vests for £7.50. Then if they're bad soak them in some napisan in a lidded bucket?

[Notanotherpawpatrol]

I have 3dc and another on the way. Although my DS is potty trained he keeps over shooting and we end up with lots and lots of washing.
The way I handle it is to have a set routine. So Monday, Wednesday and Friday I wash clothes, I do around 3-4 loads a day and often on Wednesday I only do 1 or 2 as I've caught up! Tuesdays and Thursdays are reserved for bedding and towels, and do 1 or 2 loads on thoes days. Saturday and Sunday I take as a break, but they are also my emergency days of there's been lots of accidents or something like that. It's very rare that I do more than 1 load on a weekend since I put my system into place!

Putting away the washing is a challenge. I tend to do that in the evenings a few times a week. We only iron the absolute essentials in this house, dh's work shirts, kids cotton clothes etc. And that is on an as and when needed basis!

[Notanotherpawpatrol]

Oh I also have dd2 who has diagnosed bladder problems and often wets herself and dd1 who has the occasional night time accident (we are once every fortnight now!)

[OuchBollocks]

The lake land heated airer is a MN cliché but it is brilliant, it will have a full load of baby clothes dry in about an hour. I keep mine by a window and have no problems with damp.

[elvislives2012]

We don't have gas so cheaper electric rate at night. I do a load every evening then put heated drier on over night. There is always washing to do!

[Sparrowlegs248]

What do you do with the poopy sick stuff if you move soaked it but only have a couple of items?

I do have a tumble dryer thank God.

[picklemepopcorn]

Leave it in the machine until you have enough. Or leave it soaking for a couple of days. Baby poop and sick really isn't that offensive. At least, you quickly cease to care.

[NapQueen]

I dont separate mine. The first rime I wash something red or navy I wash it with some other darks but from theb on I just do a load of whatever I can find at a time.

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

I do at least 2 loads a day with two under 2, one in cloth nappies, one a couple of weeks into potty training. We do have a tumble drier though.

It's exhausting and I hate it. I find getting time to put things away the hardest part.

[Mrscog]

I just kept items soaking until there was an appropriate wash to pop them in to.

[Crumbs1]

Our washing machines were going constantly until a year ago. Two machines, one with sluice cycle (expensive but good investment for yucky washes over the years). Husband and I just turn the washing round every time we go past. Housekeeper/nanny used to do some too as did older children if reminded. We used babygrows and not much else until about six months - no ironing, easily dried and available in all sorts of patterns colours. Plus quick to put on.
Now huge amounts when anyone home but they do some of it too. All have king size beds now so more bedding than singles but less often. Somehow we still do at least two or three loads a day by the time running gear, nightwear, tea towels and towels are done.

[bonzo77]

5 in our house, including toddler in leaky nappies. I do at least 1 load a day. Extra loads for bedding and swimming gear. 8kg machine + pulleymaid means it dries in 24 hrs. Only use the drier if I'm in a rush or have got behind or I'm ill. I've got 2 more airers upstairs if needed. Toddler vests are all white. When he shits on them I rinse the poo off then they go in the washing basket. Once ready to do a load I soak them in a bowl of diluted bleach for a while then wash at 40 with vanish powder and biological detergent. Pretty much all the stains come out this way. In summer I dry outside and the sun really does kill the stains.

[IamChipmunk]

I just leave vests soaking til I have enough to make a load. I usually end up doing washing eod anyway.

[bonzo77]

Oh, only DH shirts get ironed. Unless clothes are obviously dirty or smelly they get worn again (except underwear).

[Chinnygirl]

My SIL with three kids does a load everyday. Occasionally it might be half a load but it get's done. She has a drier as well. If it is remotely livable without ironing then don't iron. My mum used to iron her teatowels. It looked lovely in the cupboard but life is just too short for that.

[NightWanderer]

I do a load every day. I don't separate stuff, just bung it all in together.

So, I usually put on the washing machine in the evening after bathtime, hang it out in the morning or hang it up inside if the weather is bad. Then I sit and fold it and put it away in the evening when the kids are playing upstairs before bed.

[Shosha1]

A nanny to 2, now 6&8, butbeen with them since youngest was tiny.

I make sure all the machines ( washing, dishwasher, tumble, ) are on before I leave for school run.

Come back afternoon school run. Empty tumble, fold and kids put away
Put evening wash on ( towels, swim kit and such)
Empty dishwasher, cook tea and put all dishes in washer.
Boss lady turns it on after she puts their plates in.

[mimiholls]

I chuck stuff straight in the machine and have it on multiple times a day on 15 minute cycle then dryer. Its not always full but it's easier. If you put poo stains straight in to wash they usually come out.

[chloechloe]

Do you have a delay function on your machine? If so put a load in at night and set the timer so it's finished at a convenient time - I time it for the morning and then hang it out when DD1 is at nursery.

I also leave pooey clothes soaking until the wash goes on.

We also have a dehumidifier which gets the clothes dry really fast and stops any damp problems.

Washing, drying and pairing socks is a suitable toddler activity in my house so my nearly 2 year old helps!

[Sparrowlegs248]

I'm not too fussy and do just wash stuff that needs it, happy to rewear things too (me and babies if possible!)

With ds1 I washed the poopy stuff straight away but ds2 has already leaked more times in 2.5 weeks than ds1 did in months!

[FATEdestiny]

We have four children. I manage with about 10 loads a week - 1 or 2 a day.

Ours is a big washer - 8KG. But I still cannot understand why those with only 2 children are washing so much?! Fair enough for the poster using cloth nappies, I did a year of cloth nappies and soon stopped because the sheer hassle was ridiculous. But everyone else, what is it you are washing?

With a pre-crawling baby, I'd just buy about 20 or so sleep suits and vests. They are cheap as chips and look adorable. Constant use of dribble bibs and muslins for older babies. My youngest has only just (2y5m) stopped constantly wearing a dribble bib. I would often go through 3 or 4 bibs per day. But at least it saves changing tops.

Poo explosions are inevitable occasionally. But might be worth going up nappy sizes or changing brands if they are regular.