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Elderly parents
Original poster

Packing to cope with care home laundry

63 replies

Frankinsenseless · 27/03/2024 21:15

DM is going into a care home within days so I’m packing her bags.

I’ve read threads that say the care home laundries wash clothes on a super hot wash. Is this true in your case? I might have to buy DM some more clothes as her wardrobe seems to exist entirely of clothes that say a 30 degree wash. And a cool iron. 🤦‍♀️

TIA

OP posts:
GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 28/03/2024 09:03

If there’s a dressing gown belt, either label that too, or preferably sew it on. I didn’t think of either, , so the belt went missing, never to be seen again. Belt on new one was sewn on straightaway.

Mosaic123 · 28/03/2024 08:21

I used white nail varnish on a dark hair brush. Let it dry and Sharpie over that.

Knotaknitter · 28/03/2024 08:03

You can get shrink on labels for spectacles, they come printed with the name and you slip them onto the arm and shrink them with a hairdrier. By the time I took them in (two days) MIL was already wearing someone else's glasses.

One home wrote the room number on the wash label, that seemed to work well enough. They told me not to worry about labelling anything as they had a marker pen and knew how to use it. I replaced all mum's clothes that wouldn't survive a hot wash, mostly her wool jumpers as they weren't superwash.

Original poster
Frankinsenseless · 27/03/2024 22:29

Asda here I come. Good old George.

OP posts:
Mum5net · 27/03/2024 22:16

Take photos of all her gear so if her yellow jumper goes missing temporarily, you can show a photo and a staff member will repatriate.

namechangeaaargh · 27/03/2024 22:13

Yes, beware of the hot wash. I recently had to get new bras for mum as the home had wrecked a couple of her old ones by washing them and they requested that the new ones be without any lace and made of cotton if possible. Mind you she's been in there 15 months so I suppose that's not too bad.

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 27/03/2024 21:59

If you can - assuming spectacles are worn. Get the arm of the frame engraved with your mums name. Specsavers do this when they visit (and sell!) new glasses. You might find that they will engrave existing glasses or a jeweller who has engraving equipment on their premises may do it. Failing that you can scratch a name on the inside of the frame using a dremel hand held tool.
glasses get swapped all the time!

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 27/03/2024 21:56

Ornaments and sharpie are fine!

Original poster
Frankinsenseless · 27/03/2024 21:54

Thanks for your replies. The care home manager says she uses her own labels. I might get some sew in ones even though people in RL scoffed at me when I raised this (having sewn in labels for two different sets of school uniform, I’m a dab hand).

Ornaments etc - will a sharpie be OK?

OP posts:
Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 27/03/2024 21:47

Yes, everything tends to get put in on one hot wash and then gets tumble dried. Label absolutely everything - even ornaments, photos, watches etc. if it goes through the front door of the home label it!

As a person who does bulk laundry (boarding school) - those stick it labels will and do come off or fade away to nothing, the old fashioned sewn in labels are the best, followed by the printed ink which is printed straight on to the clothes and not via a label which is then stuck on. Check with the home regarding ironing - some iron everything, some have presses and some don’t iron other things other than certain set items eg all shirts.
Don’t rely on just initials written on care labels as it’s surprising how bad those fade and how many people have the same initials!

DeadBod · 27/03/2024 21:42

We were advised of the hot wash at care homes, but so far my mum's clothes (including knitted cardigans) seem to look OK.

Yodel294 · 27/03/2024 21:32

NoBinturongsHereMate · 27/03/2024 21:29

Hot wash does seem to be standard. I wouldn't send anything woollen.

And label everything - shoes and slippers, glasses, glasses cases, remote controls - not just clothes.

label everything - shoes and slippers, glasses, glasses cases, remote controls - not just clothes.

Even false teeth! Very common that they go missing / get muddled up.

NoBinturongsHereMate · 27/03/2024 21:29

Hot wash does seem to be standard. I wouldn't send anything woollen.

And label everything - shoes and slippers, glasses, glasses cases, remote controls - not just clothes.