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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to say my husband should manage his own uniform cleaning?

151 replies

Crispychillifriedbeef · 14/09/2026 10:59

We live overseas. My husband is military and has different uniforms to wear to different events.

We have a part time housekeeper who does laundry and ironing. Either her or myself will take uniform to the dry cleaners if needed. I stick any bits in the wash as and when so he has them clean when he needs them - if he leaves them in the laundry room.

This morning my husband was in a flap as he needed to wear one uniform today and it hadn’t been dry cleaned and had a stain.

That’s very much a him problem right? He said I should have had it dry cleaned but how was I know if he didn’t tell me? I made the point that if he lets me know what he needs I’ll sort it out but I am not psychic, nor do I go around inspecting or smelling his uniform to see if needs a clean.

Some other trousers were covered in cat hair because he left them on the floor so the cat slept on them…

LTB right?

OP posts:
ArseSkinForAFriend · 14/09/2026 11:06

Why are you asking if you're being unreasonable, just out of interest?

Crispychillifriedbeef · 14/09/2026 11:08

ArseSkinForAFriend · 14/09/2026 11:06

Why are you asking if you're being unreasonable, just out of interest?

Because he thinks I’m being unreasonable.
Lots of other housewives where I live apparently do everything for their husbands if they don’t work.
I need reassurance that I am not the batshit crazy one!

OP posts:
madaboutpurple · 14/09/2026 11:10

I agree with you , if his uniforms need cleaning he needs to let you or your housekeeper know.

ArseSkinForAFriend · 14/09/2026 11:19

Crispychillifriedbeef · 14/09/2026 11:08

Because he thinks I’m being unreasonable.
Lots of other housewives where I live apparently do everything for their husbands if they don’t work.
I need reassurance that I am not the batshit crazy one!

Ok, I think you're being batshit crazy in needing reassurance here.

You'd be better off putting your energy into making sure he lets you know in future what needs to be cleaned.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 14/09/2026 11:25

I’d have imagined that being responsible for his own uniform was a fundamental part of being in the military!

So you’re being kind to even take part by taking it to the cleaners etc- he should at least be letting you know when it needs doing/ putting it in the correct place etc

I can’t imagine “oh my wife didn’t do it for me” would wash as an excuse with his superiors - like saying “my Mum didn’t pack my bag” or similar at school. Even in the Scouts they’re expected to be responsible for their own stuff and “my Mum didn’t do it”
doesn’t wash.

fairislecable · 14/09/2026 11:31

I think you are being unreasonable, you should immediately apologise and assure him you are not capable of guessing when he spilt his soup. Going forward he can be sure of immaculate uniform if he does it himself.

He is obviously so perfect he will be able to look in the mirror and pat himself on the head!

AshaK · 14/09/2026 11:33

Are you a housewife?

Bjorkdidit · 14/09/2026 11:49

Even if you don't work and have agreed responsibility for household tasks, he does need to tell you of any time criticial 'uniform needs to be dry cleaned before X date' needs.

You're also not there to pick up after him, so if he leaves clothes on the floor and the cat sleeps on them, that's entirely down to him. He needs to put them somewhere where the cat can't get to them, otherwise they're fair game, says she who's not been able to sort a parcel that needs returning for the last week because the cat has claimed the box as her bed.

Crispychillifriedbeef · 14/09/2026 12:03

AshaK · 14/09/2026 11:33

Are you a housewife?

I do not have a paid job but I am a published novelist working on my next book, studying for an MSc, language lessons and volunteering at my children’s school.

OP posts:
Crispychillifriedbeef · 14/09/2026 12:04

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 14/09/2026 11:25

I’d have imagined that being responsible for his own uniform was a fundamental part of being in the military!

So you’re being kind to even take part by taking it to the cleaners etc- he should at least be letting you know when it needs doing/ putting it in the correct place etc

I can’t imagine “oh my wife didn’t do it for me” would wash as an excuse with his superiors - like saying “my Mum didn’t pack my bag” or similar at school. Even in the Scouts they’re expected to be responsible for their own stuff and “my Mum didn’t do it”
doesn’t wash.

Maybe he thinks he’s in the 1940s with a bat man? He does very little around the house…

OP posts:
TheHateIsNotGood · 14/09/2026 12:18

In most circumstances I would say that YANBU, however given that you're basically a SAHM who is in a financial position to pursue her unpaid interests, with a housekeeper who also does laundry as well as you so that it is usually done and ready for your DH, I'd hazard that he has a point.

It would be obvious that any uniform that comes home with a stain will need cleaning irrespective of when it's next needed. The military likes to spring surprises on their staff so it's not always known in advance what uniform is needed when.

We expect are military to be prepared and ready so it's not too much to ask that the part of that equation that you have been supporting so far isn't suddenly 'forgotten' about albeit even if it was just an oversight.

Crispychillifriedbeef · 14/09/2026 12:28

TheHateIsNotGood · 14/09/2026 12:18

In most circumstances I would say that YANBU, however given that you're basically a SAHM who is in a financial position to pursue her unpaid interests, with a housekeeper who also does laundry as well as you so that it is usually done and ready for your DH, I'd hazard that he has a point.

It would be obvious that any uniform that comes home with a stain will need cleaning irrespective of when it's next needed. The military likes to spring surprises on their staff so it's not always known in advance what uniform is needed when.

We expect are military to be prepared and ready so it's not too much to ask that the part of that equation that you have been supporting so far isn't suddenly 'forgotten' about albeit even if it was just an oversight.

He is a serving officer and the uniform is his professional kit. I don’t mind helping with household things, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect him to notice a stain on his own uniform and arrange dry cleaning if it matters for his work. I’m his wife, not his valet.

OP posts:
SleepingisanArt · 14/09/2026 12:35

My father was exactly the same. He's the officer and everyone else is there to facilitate that. So despite not having a housekeeper, cook or cleaner my Mum was expected to ensure he was perfectly turned out every day. Fortunately he spent a lot of time at sea so he did have staff but when he was shore based she was essentially his staff and we were his underlings. (Bitter? Me? You bet!)

Comtesse · 14/09/2026 12:36

You are not his servant. He is having a laugh.

SceptredIsle · 14/09/2026 12:38

In most set-ups, I would say YANBU

but with your description of you being basically a housewife, with a housekeeper and the luxury to study and follow your interests in life, then YABU a bit

He shouldn't hang his uniform with the clean laundry after wearing it, who does that or leave them on the floor, but it doesn't sound outrageous to take already worn clothing to the dry cleaner.

So both wrong, and you should help out if he dispose of his own clothes reasonably, and doesn't hide dirty clothes among the clean ones, even my kids dont' do that 😂

SceptredIsle · 14/09/2026 12:39

Crispychillifriedbeef · 14/09/2026 12:28

He is a serving officer and the uniform is his professional kit. I don’t mind helping with household things, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect him to notice a stain on his own uniform and arrange dry cleaning if it matters for his work. I’m his wife, not his valet.

You are not his valet at all but he's at work, you are not, so you reasonably have more time to take things to the dry cleaning

I don’t mind helping with household things
how generous, it's your home too, and you don't work but he does 😂

Which is my point, you are both BU here

Crispychillifriedbeef · 14/09/2026 12:42

SceptredIsle · 14/09/2026 12:39

You are not his valet at all but he's at work, you are not, so you reasonably have more time to take things to the dry cleaning

I don’t mind helping with household things
how generous, it's your home too, and you don't work but he does 😂

Which is my point, you are both BU here

I didn’t realise not having paid employment meant I had enlisted as unpaid uniform support staff. Useful to know.

By that logic, if I’m busy with childcare and he notices we’re low on milk, he should ignore it because it isn’t his department?

OP posts:
purplecorkheart · 14/09/2026 12:42

I cannot understand why he would return a dirty uniform to the wardrobe. How were you/your housekeeper know that it was stained/dirty? Does he expect you to keep track of what uniform he wears everyday?

Why did he leave his trousers on the floor particularly when you have a cat? Did he expect you or your housekeeper hang them up?

Sounds like he wants a maid rather than a wife.

Lomonald · 14/09/2026 12:43

Your husband expects you to look after him so he doesn't have to think about mundane things like stained clothes. In his eyes you failed to look after him! Back in the real world decent husbands mention if they would like their wives to do something for them,

Crispychillifriedbeef · 14/09/2026 12:45

purplecorkheart · 14/09/2026 12:42

I cannot understand why he would return a dirty uniform to the wardrobe. How were you/your housekeeper know that it was stained/dirty? Does he expect you to keep track of what uniform he wears everyday?

Why did he leave his trousers on the floor particularly when you have a cat? Did he expect you or your housekeeper hang them up?

Sounds like he wants a maid rather than a wife.

Yes, most of the time his clothes are dumped on the floor. His logic is the cat likes the small and likes to sleep on them…

I’ve suggested that if he wants clothes kept clean and wearable, the floor may not be the ideal storage solution. He seems to think the cat enjoying them is a mitigating factor.

OP posts:
LastNightMyPJsSavedMyLife · 14/09/2026 12:48

I‘d think since he is funding your lifestyle the least you could do is ensure he has the uniform required to bring in the money.

SilenceInside · 14/09/2026 12:48

@Crispychillifriedbeef Have you ever had a specific conversation with your DH about this? As in, has he asked you to sort out his uniform and agreed what you'd do and what he would do?

It's unreasonable for him to expect you to sort out his clothes like he was a child, where you are totally in control of what gets washed/dry cleaned etc. Mainly because you don't know his schedule or what needs doing when. You could agree to a system where you do the practical steps of getting things dry cleaned with an agreed system of when/how you do that eg he gives you any uniform to be dry cleaned on a specific day of the week.

I must admit though that I thought that part of military training was being fully responsible for your own uniform at all times? Maybe it's different in different countries.

Londonmummy66 · 14/09/2026 12:48

I think you are getting a hard time here as you do work - I assume you will want the novel you are writing published?

As you and your HK have been taking uniform to the dry cleaners I think it is fair he expects you to do that for him BUT only if he took the responsibility for telling you it needed doing. As for complaining that there was cat hair on his uniform because he cba to put it away/hang it up tidily - that's all on him. I assume he is an officer and probably inspects squaddies' accommodation from time to time and imagine he'd not be impressed if they just dumped their clothes on the floor.....

FlatCatYellowMat · 14/09/2026 12:50

My dad was in the military for a while - his uniform was his responsibility - down to ironing, although my mum would iron 'normal' work shirts/trousers for him otherwise.

In fact, for mess events, he also took responsibility for my mum's dresses, making sure that she had something suitable that she was comfortable wearing.

YANBU. You are not a mind-reader.

Bjorkdidit · 14/09/2026 12:51

LastNightMyPJsSavedMyLife · 14/09/2026 12:48

I‘d think since he is funding your lifestyle the least you could do is ensure he has the uniform required to bring in the money.

But she's not a mind reader. She's also looking after their children and helping the local community by volunteering at their school.

Leaving clothes on the floor for others to pick up is inexcusable. I bet he never did that as a junior in the military. You'd have thought that he'd have been trained out of such slovenly behaviour.

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