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Original poster

Neighbours washing - diagram included!

117 replies

Timetogetgone · 22/05/2026 20:34

I live in a ground floor maisonette and my garden backs on to my kitchen and I have windows from my bedroom (and bathroom) facing the garden. The weather has obviously been lush all day and I myself have done every single last piece of washing (feeling smug).

Just peered out my window to look at my flowers and seen my upstairs neighbours have hung their washing over our joining fence.

Not the crime of the century but it’s only just been hung up now at 8pm. It’s all overlapping and pieces of clothing are on the dirty, bird pooed fence.

I would love to show you a photo but it would be super putting outting.

To the ones who’ll go for the throat. It’s ok. This post is in jest but equally I can see my neighbours pants hanging off our joining fence - ew. Haha.

Neighbours washing - diagram included!
OP posts:
eish · 23/05/2026 07:47

Slinkyminky22 · 22/05/2026 21:28

Yuck. I remember years ago, my old neighbour hung the bedsheets out to dry over his bins! Literally draped them over the wheelie bins to dry in the sun!

This is SO rank. Yuk

Yetone · 23/05/2026 07:45

I saw a lot of washing out on fences and other things in rural India a while ago.

Seymour5 · 23/05/2026 07:01

I left washing out (on the line) last night, it’ll be dry now,and I’ll risk the spiders. 😁I can see a neighbour over the back has done the same. When we first moved to Yorkshire 50 years ago, we lived in a pretty multicultural area. Our neighbour there dried her washing on a couple of bushes in her yard. I used the laundrette, we were far too poor to own a washing machine.

Blondeshavemorefun · 23/05/2026 06:42

Spider Willy’s and bird poo

gonna need another wash

Steeleydan · 23/05/2026 06:37

Timetogetgone · 22/05/2026 20:34

I live in a ground floor maisonette and my garden backs on to my kitchen and I have windows from my bedroom (and bathroom) facing the garden. The weather has obviously been lush all day and I myself have done every single last piece of washing (feeling smug).

Just peered out my window to look at my flowers and seen my upstairs neighbours have hung their washing over our joining fence.

Not the crime of the century but it’s only just been hung up now at 8pm. It’s all overlapping and pieces of clothing are on the dirty, bird pooed fence.

I would love to show you a photo but it would be super putting outting.

To the ones who’ll go for the throat. It’s ok. This post is in jest but equally I can see my neighbours pants hanging off our joining fence - ew. Haha.

I'd push it back into their garden, like as though the wind blew it off! That's gross have they not got a line of their own

Flipflopsandsunhat · 23/05/2026 06:28

MrSchubertWhiskers · 23/05/2026 01:05

Apparently I can't type common..

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Midlander here. Daft h'a'porth was my Dad's favourite gentle insult.

SweetnsourNZ · 23/05/2026 06:28

StarCourt · 23/05/2026 03:21

I’m from the Midlands and yes daft apeth

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What does it translate too. Never heard it before.

Yetone · 23/05/2026 06:26

SweetnsourNZ · 23/05/2026 06:24

Same. But the sun is quite fierce here in summer.

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Due to climate change it is getting increasingly hot in summer here in SE England! We are in a heatwave now.
I was in NZ in February 2.5 years ago. The weather in the north Island wasn’t great.

SweetnsourNZ · 23/05/2026 06:24

Yetone · 22/05/2026 21:49

I have just hung my washing out now. It will be dry in the morning and as it is dark clothes they will not get bleached by the sun.
I do it all the time.

Same. But the sun is quite fierce here in summer.

Hassell · 23/05/2026 06:22

NotTheOrdinary · 22/05/2026 23:26

I'd rather be homeless than live in your village,

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My dramatic 7 year old nephew has just wandered in to the thread I see

Wannabegreenfingers · 23/05/2026 06:19

I peg my washing out at night. Its one less job to do in a morning, but on a washing line.

My neighbours used to put their washing on my fence when I moved in. I had to have a word as the constantly wet washing was rotting the fence. Plus its a fence its dirty, and I dont want their washing in my garden.

Hassell · 23/05/2026 06:09

Firstly… this is so not in their interests given all they are doing is making clean clothes dirty!

secondly… how long have you been neighbours with them?

StarCourt · 23/05/2026 03:21

OhThePotential · 23/05/2026 00:16

Me too. West Yorkshire and it was usually ‘Daft Apeth’.

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I’m from the Midlands and yes daft apeth

AffableApple · 23/05/2026 02:31

NotTheOrdinary · 22/05/2026 22:04

The spider willy stuff is not funny. It never was.

Of course it isn't. It's a serious problem.

MaySheWillStay · 23/05/2026 02:13

OhThePotential · 23/05/2026 00:16

Me too. West Yorkshire and it was usually ‘Daft Apeth’.

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West Riding (now called South Yorkshire) and I remember soft apeth.

I only learned last year to hang my washing out at night, having read about it on MN. It makes me feel very virtuous when I get up late the next morning and it’s already almost dry. I only do this when the weather forecast says no rain for several days in a row.

UnZenXennial · 23/05/2026 01:54

NotTheOrdinary · 22/05/2026 23:26

I'd rather be homeless than live in your village,

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That's quite a statement. But given you don't think the thought of spiders rubbing their willies on washing is funny, when it just is, I think you're on a wind up (or just having a bad day, in which case, I hope it improves)!

2pence · 23/05/2026 01:12

I always hang my washing out overnight. The change in temperature knocks the creases out (unless it’s the spiders rubbing their willies on it during the darking that does it). Saves loads of time and effort in having to iron stuff.

MrSchubertWhiskers · 23/05/2026 01:05

MrSchubertWhiskers · 23/05/2026 00:44

My family are all londoners and 'daft apeth' was commen growing up - maybe its a working class thing?

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Apparently I can't type common..

Woodfiresareamazing2 · 23/05/2026 00:58

MrSchubertWhiskers · 23/05/2026 00:44

My family are all londoners and 'daft apeth' was commen growing up - maybe its a working class thing?

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I grew up as part of the Sarf London Massif, and we used that saying.

MrSchubertWhiskers · 23/05/2026 00:44

OhThePotential · 23/05/2026 00:16

Me too. West Yorkshire and it was usually ‘Daft Apeth’.

Show quote history

My family are all londoners and 'daft apeth' was commen growing up - maybe its a working class thing?

Avemariamacchesney · 23/05/2026 00:40

Ohcrap082024 · 22/05/2026 21:04

Oh my goodness, their washing is about to get darked on. “Filthy apeths”as my Nan would have said.

I haven't heard this in ages! Thank you! A much loved family phrase of old.

Raccoonsmacaroons · 23/05/2026 00:23

A lesser mortal than me might be tempted to creep out after dark and ensure some extra fence dirt stains the clean washing, to dissuade them from this becoming a habit.

Not me, though. I’m much more sensible than that.

OhThePotential · 23/05/2026 00:16

StarCourt · 22/05/2026 22:55

I haven’t heard apeth in years! Takes me right back to my childhood

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Me too. West Yorkshire and it was usually ‘Daft Apeth’.

WaryHiker · 23/05/2026 00:15

ToadRage · 22/05/2026 21:16

Are they British? I have a neighbour who puts her washing out at night. They have a line but at night seems odd. It confuses me and when I mentioned it to my husband he said maybe that's normal where they are from. They are Eritrean. Any Eritreans here who would like to confirm this for me?

Are they relatively new? I didn't have a washing line straightway when we moved in. i would pull my old clothes racks outside but I never hung it on the fence.

Edited

I put my washing out at night because the line is in the part of the garden that faces due east and only gets the morning sun. I don't want to wake up at six to put it out, so as long as the weather forecast is good, I put it out the night before and it's always dry by mid-morning. It may help that I live in Australia, but it works in the winter months too.

OhThePotential · 23/05/2026 00:14

NotTheOrdinary · 22/05/2026 22:04

The spider willy stuff is not funny. It never was.

Oh come on. There’s nothing wrong with a little in-joke. Fosters a sense of community.