Page 2 | How many loads of washing do you generate a week?

SoEasyToFall · 2025-11-01T22:36:41+00:00

Inspired by the tumble drying thread, I’m curious. im not talking about as a family, or your kids who do seven sports. Just you, as one person. I generate three - two of clothes and one of bedding. Just curious how much other people are washing their stuff as apparently this is a huge amount to do in a week!

ishimbob · 02/11/2025 13:10

noworklifebalance · 02/11/2025 12:32

The flip side of that is buying “excessive” number of clothing. Damned if you do damned if you don’t.

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Is it really excessive to have more than a week's worth of clothing?

Do people really run out of things to wear after 7 days?

North87 · 02/11/2025 12:56

Family of four, I do at least 2 washes every day, sometimes more. If I lived on my own, I imagine it would be about 2 - 3 washes a week. I know I'm terribly guilty of washing clothes after 1 wear.

noworklifebalance · 02/11/2025 12:34

Pharazon · 02/11/2025 12:32

See I just don’t get this. I don’t run a wash until I have enough for a full load. So I only run eg a towel wash every couple of weeks (for a family of three). Do you only have one weeks worth of clothes/towels etc?

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We do towels every week, not because we only have one week’s supply. But all our towels plus the hand towels from the bathrooms and kitchen will fill the machine. Whilst they wash and dry, we take out the next weeks worth of towels for use.

noworklifebalance · 02/11/2025 12:32

Pharazon · 02/11/2025 12:27

We do 3 loads a week for 3 people. We have a big 9kg machine and never do partial loads. The trick is to have more than one weeks worth of clothes/towels/bedding/sports kit. You

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The flip side of that is buying “excessive” number of clothing. Damned if you do damned if you don’t.

FunnyOrca · 02/11/2025 12:32

With a newborn my washing machine is never off 😭😭😭

I am dreading the first energy bill since her arrival!

Pharazon · 02/11/2025 12:32

user1497787065 · 02/11/2025 07:55

I would think as a single person during the winter I would generate one load lights, one load darks, one bedlinen, one towels
and one woollens. So five in total.

See I just don’t get this. I don’t run a wash until I have enough for a full load. So I only run eg a towel wash every couple of weeks (for a family of three). Do you only have one weeks worth of clothes/towels etc?

Nopayrise · 02/11/2025 12:28

For my clothes, towels, face cloths etc 2-4 per week. 1-2 wash only, 1-2 wash and dry, maybe a whites wash every other week possibly shared with DH. Closer to 2 of each in winter and 1 of each in summer.

then bedding, cleaning cloths, pet stuff is shared.

Pharazon · 02/11/2025 12:27

WingBingo · 01/11/2025 22:57

So varied!

3 loads a week for 4 people? I do about 12. Towels, bedding, dishcloths and tea towels all need washing, as well as clothes.

We do 3 loads a week for 3 people. We have a big 9kg machine and never do partial loads. The trick is to have more than one weeks worth of clothes/towels/bedding/sports kit. You

Katemax82 · 02/11/2025 12:23

It's hard to say just me alone but as a family of 6, about 26 to 30

noworklifebalance · 02/11/2025 12:21

I wash my towels at 90deg to clean the machine at the same time.

noworklifebalance · 02/11/2025 12:19

Just my laundry - probably just one load, as I have a 9kg machine.
I change out of work clothes into home clothes - work clothes get aired and reworn a few times. Home clothes get worn for three or so days, as it’s only in the evening for a few hours (unless smelly from cooking). PJs for about 3 nights. Bedsheets every fortnight and towel weekly.

However, my household of 4 - probably 7+ loads. Uniform, PE kit, my clothes, DH’s clothes, bed sheets, towels,

pokewoman · 02/11/2025 12:14

Six of us. I do at least one load a day. Usually two (normal load plus a load of towels/bedsheets/husbands bakers whites/dog blankets)

Kitchenbattle · 02/11/2025 12:12

notatinydancer · 02/11/2025 12:05

my towels aren’t dirty. They dry you off when you’ve washed the dirt off yourself. Kitchen towels dry clean dishes.

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Yeah I was just going to say this. Kitchen towels are for wiping dishes after washing if I wipe anything with food on then I use a sponge first and rinse and dry with a cloth. Kitchen paper is for food removal etc

notatinydancer · 02/11/2025 12:05

FancyCatSlave · 02/11/2025 11:02

I don’t understand though why you wash your clothes and towels on the same programme? Towels get a 40 or 60 cotton wash, my clothes get a much cooler and shorter 30 synthetic wash. The towel temp would damage my clothes, the cooler wash is unhygienic for towels, especially tea towels.

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my towels aren’t dirty. They dry you off when you’ve washed the dirt off yourself. Kitchen towels dry clean dishes.

notatinydancer · 02/11/2025 12:03

ItIsNotTheDog · 01/11/2025 22:40

1 load per week for 2 people

Really ?

Kitchenbattle · 02/11/2025 11:42

FancyCatSlave · 02/11/2025 11:02

I don’t understand though why you wash your clothes and towels on the same programme? Towels get a 40 or 60 cotton wash, my clothes get a much cooler and shorter 30 synthetic wash. The towel temp would damage my clothes, the cooler wash is unhygienic for towels, especially tea towels.

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I wash everything at 40 and with biological powder.

FalseSpring · 02/11/2025 11:15

Single person - Two or three a week (clothes, bedding and towels). Bedding is every other week which is why it's not consistent.

All my washing is done at lowest possible temperature (30/40 degrees) unless the towels or bedding have been used by someone else. This means I don't need to separate colours or wool, etc.

SantiagoSky · 02/11/2025 11:04

Less is better for health, environment, time required and costs so I wash minimally using the smell test (e.g. towels/bedding every other week)

GiddyDog · 02/11/2025 11:02

Family of 4.
I'd say 6 loads a week of clothes then bedding and towels on top.

FancyCatSlave · 02/11/2025 11:02

Kitchenbattle · 02/11/2025 10:22

My towels are a light/mid grey so they can be put in with either lights or darks, no need for a separate towel wash

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I don’t understand though why you wash your clothes and towels on the same programme? Towels get a 40 or 60 cotton wash, my clothes get a much cooler and shorter 30 synthetic wash. The towel temp would damage my clothes, the cooler wash is unhygienic for towels, especially tea towels.

Caterina99 · 02/11/2025 11:00

Our family of 4 - one load per day approximately. And if you skip a day the washing pile seems to magically triple in size

Me on my own - I’d guess one load per week of clothes and then another load of towels/bedding etc that I’d probably alternate every other week or so - so 1.5- 2 per week!

Junioh · 02/11/2025 10:48

SALaw · 01/11/2025 23:36

You can fit all bedding for 4 people in a single wash?!

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No, I only do each bed every three weeks, thus one load per week.

MaryGreenhill · 02/11/2025 10:47

As 1 person probably 3 per fortnight

DiscoBeat · 02/11/2025 10:43

Loads! Towels twice a week, four King and double bed sets a week, five if guests, towels for 4 or 6 people, pet bedding, sportswear, school uniform, tablecloths, clothes of course! I find the bulky stuff really make for extra loads. I also run an empty wash once a week.

GottaBeStrong · 02/11/2025 10:36

On average, I generate around 3 washes a week but not full washes by myself.

I separate, so when you add in my child's, they become full washes:

Whites
Colours
Darks
Bedding x 2
Towels and wash cloths

Additionally as needed:
Pet bedding
Cushion covers and sofa throws/blankets