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Original poster

Washing at night!

212 replies

fandjango · 04/04/2025 21:17

Controversial I know but is hanging your washing out at night a really bad thing?

I know I know, Spider Penises and Bugs etc but don’t these things also happen during the day?

We are a Family with small people with lots of washing and our tumble drier has recently broken down, plus cost of living and all that plus the sunshine early morning.

Husband is horrified i’ve hung some washing out on the line and also hung two clothes horses worth of clothes under our canopy this evening.

I just want to get the washing done!

Surely it’s not just me!?

OP posts:
EBearhug · 04/04/2025 23:45

Ihateslugs · 04/04/2025 22:18

I remember my next door neighbour leaving her washing out the night of the hurricane in the SE, I lived near Reading at the time. Her very large old lady knickers blew away and were never seen again! She was mortified at the thought of neighbours finding them!

She probably got away with it - unless she'd sewn her Cash's name tapes in...

Barney16 · 04/04/2025 23:45

I'm mothballing my dryer for the summer but washing out at night? No no no. There be bats.

EBearhug · 04/04/2025 23:43

Fromage · 04/04/2025 22:23

@EBearhug "Spiders have pedipalps rather than penises"

WOAH

So the penis rubbing is just an incy wincy strap on? We need not fear arachnijizz?

Not exactly. The pedipalps do the same thing as a penis does in mammals, as far as sperm goes, so it's almost the same thing.

I should add I am not an expert in arachnid anatomy, but the word pedipalp stuck in my mind when one of these threads caused me to look up whether spiders really do have willies.

MN has much to answer for.

bridgetreilly · 04/04/2025 23:42

It is completely fine and normal, but some people are bonkers.

OhWhistle · 04/04/2025 23:40

nothing to see here

black and white spider GIF
Pushmepullu · 04/04/2025 23:40

BashfulClam · 04/04/2025 21:42

My mum used to talk about bringing the washing in ‘before the dampness comes down’. The air is damper at night and I find the washing smells weird.

Agree, washing smells if left out overnight.

RogueFemale · 04/04/2025 23:31

I put washing out whenever I want, day or night. It sounds bizarre to think of / care about the odd spider.

PyongyangKipperbang · 04/04/2025 23:29

BatchCookBabe · 04/04/2025 23:19

Just put your washing out first thing in the morning. 🙄 The sun isn't even up til about 7am, and it's April, so it won't be warmish til around 11am. It's hardly likely to dry overnight. It's down to 2 degrees C overnight.

Can't believe the totes hilaire spider willies and darked on 'jokes' are still doing the rounds. I thought they'd died a death in the last decade! They weren't very funny even then! 😬

Why try to sound so superior? Its a silly joke that bothers no one, except apparently you, where is the harm?

And what exactly is the problem with hanging it out the night before?

PigletJohn · 04/04/2025 23:27

Have you got an extractor fan in your bathroom or utility?

Does it work, and is it so quiet you can't hear it from the bedrooms?

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 04/04/2025 23:25

@fandjango at least it wont fade overnight!

BelleDeJourRose · 04/04/2025 23:20

I do it a lot. It works well and still smells nice and fresh. Nice to wake up and it's already flapping on the line.

BatchCookBabe · 04/04/2025 23:19

Just put your washing out first thing in the morning. 🙄 The sun isn't even up til about 7am, and it's April, so it won't be warmish til around 11am. It's hardly likely to dry overnight. It's down to 2 degrees C overnight.

Can't believe the totes hilaire spider willies and darked on 'jokes' are still doing the rounds. I thought they'd died a death in the last decade! They weren't very funny even then! 😬

BatchCookBabe · 04/04/2025 23:19

🙄

stampin · 04/04/2025 23:14

A whole MN washing thread without a single mention of pegs.

I suppose the type, colour and matchingness matters less in the dark. 🕷🕸

Crazybaby123 · 04/04/2025 23:13

Please explain spider penises😂
I don't generally like hanging mine at night due to bugs, but when i have left it it has been fine.

chaosmaker · 04/04/2025 23:11

PluckyBamboo · 04/04/2025 21:59

It used to be a problem as everyone would light their coal fires at night to heat the water etc and the damp night air would draw the smokiness down and your clothes would smell smoky.

Don't think that's been a problem for a few decades now though....

Just spider willies to worry about 😆

Just wanker firepit people now instead.

domesticgodmess · 04/04/2025 23:09

Mum2jenny · 04/04/2025 21:31

I put my washing on the line when it’s ready. Currently got a load on, if it finishes before I go to bed, it’ll be put on the washing line. If not, it’ll be going on the line at 7am

I couldn’t couldn’t go to bed with the washing machine still on!! I would have to wait and put the clothes on a clothes horse overnight (NOT outside!)

I never leave a finished wash in the machine for more than an hour. Not sure if any logic to this, it’s how it was growing up. But when we moved into our last house the neighbour said the previous owners were ‘the type to leave washing overnight and on occasion even for 2 nights’!

YouLookNiceJackie · 04/04/2025 23:05

A know a lady who doesn't always think before she speaks ..once her Mum was on the phone to her and said she'd better go or else the dew will get her washing. This lady was horrified and said "a Jew pinches your washing?!"

I have hung mine out tonight to save time tomorrow as I want to get all the bedding done too whilst the weather is nice. Sometimes if the forecast is a bit mixed, I peg a shower curtain tautly over my rotary line and it traps the heat and helps it dry faster and doesn't matter if it rains 😀

Wheresthebeach · 04/04/2025 23:05

PyongyangKipperbang · 04/04/2025 23:03

It came from a thread years ago. Someone was horrified at the idea of washing being left out at night (may have been the OPs mother)The jokes came about that is was indeed awful because the clothes will get darked on (ie, be out in the dark) and spiders with rub their willies on it, all said in faux horror.

All just a silly MN "in joke", which makes no sense when you come to tell someone but was funny at the time and has stuck around!

Show quote history

Thank you!

PyongyangKipperbang · 04/04/2025 23:03

Wheresthebeach · 04/04/2025 22:56

But what does it mean????

Show quote history

It came from a thread years ago. Someone was horrified at the idea of washing being left out at night (may have been the OPs mother)The jokes came about that is was indeed awful because the clothes will get darked on (ie, be out in the dark) and spiders with rub their willies on it, all said in faux horror.

All just a silly MN "in joke", which makes no sense when you come to tell someone but was funny at the time and has stuck around!

Mudkipper · 04/04/2025 23:02

I put mine out at 20.00 today. Sometimes I leave it out for two or three days.

The horror.

Agenoria · 04/04/2025 23:01

What is your husband horrified about?

LordBuckley · 04/04/2025 23:01

It’s fine, I do it regularly.

I only once found thousands of newly-hatched spiderlings on the washing the next morning.

AcquadiP · 04/04/2025 23:00

Mistunza · 04/04/2025 22:46

Yes but it won't smell of Outdoors or get darked on properly if you dry it in the bathroom!

Love getting the washing out on the line in the sun, and yes overnight.

Show quote history

The only reason I'd put the washing out at night is so that I could fool my very nosy, highly critical neighbour (who goes to bed early) that I'd been up with the birds doing the washing and hanging it out when I had infact been having a lie in 😂. But, yes, you're right, air dried washing does smell lush.

OhWhistle · 04/04/2025 22:58

they get inhabited and used

have you no community spirit

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