Finally found a system to keep on top of the laundry, thought it might help someone else

[Bowtie292]

Incredibly boring I know but I've always struggling with the laundry. Usually end up with mountains of it that I then can't get dry. Our tumble drier is temperamental and I'm trying to keep our electric bill down.

So every week day morning I do a quick wash (ours is 15 mins) followed by a 10 minute spin.

Clothes go on the airer while we're at work.

Around 7pm I put the big items (t shirts, trousers, towels) in the tumble drier for about 10 mins. That's all they need to finish off drying. I then put the socks and pants in the drier with the door closed and the residual heat dries them over night.

Everything folded and put away with the socks and pants from the previous days wash.

Sounds a bit of a faff but it's really working well.

Just buy a Jew tumble dryer. Life's too short for all that faffing about.

Does your washing machine have a timer? I just put ours on the night before and set the timer so it does a full cycle ready to hang out before I start work the next morning. I wouldn't want to wash most clothes on a 15 min cycle.

@Bowtie292

Gubanc what amount of waste? I'm not going to re wear pants or socks and whilst a top that I've sat in for 8 hours might not be filthy it does need a freshen up. Why do people on mumsnet feel the need to pick an argument over the least offensive things? Its utterly bizarre!!

I disgree, most clothes don't need a freshen up because you wear them all day. Underwear one us only, everything else, no. I do 4/5 full loads of washing per week, except when I change the bedcovers or wash kitchen towels/napkins. It's silly and wasteful to 'freshen up' with water. Just hang then outside for a while if you need it.

I’ve never tried the 15min wash function.

I just set timers on the machine to finish for when I get up in the morning. Then I can hang it outside or on the pulley in the utility room (I love the pulley, the laundry just disappears out of sight).

I only use the tumble dryer for socks, boxers, towels and bedding if I can’t get things outside.

Can't believe op is getting such a hard time. I wash most of our clothes at 40 degrees, takes 51 minutes.

@ladygracie

That sounds very organised - it’s very satisfying to find a system that works for you. I’ve discovered that I prefer washing our clothes separately so I do a wash with my clothes and then one with DS’s. I have to wait longer for there to be a full load but something about it makes me happy. It seems simpler.

Don't you end up doing a whites wash for DS, then a medium colours wash, then a 30 degrees wash (I wash everything at 49 unless the label states 30), then a dark wash then a wool wash then a denim wash? That would take me ages. I wash all jeans together, all wool together, all whites together etc regardless of who they belong to otherwise I'd be waiting a long time to get enough for one load.

I have a 59-minute wash that will do 60degrees and a 1600 spin, also a variable quick wash ; 15 mins,30 mins or 44 mins (odd times aren't they!) that does a 1400 spin. so between them, I can wash hot, warm and cool washes but all quick enough for me. Wash every day and dry them and put away.

I absolutely would not want my clothes to have a quick swish in the washing machine. Mine go in on a 40 for an hour. If DS1 brings his army kit and gym kit home then it’s 2hrs with anti bac. Towels and bedding go on a 60.

If it’s sunny bits hung outside, otherwise it’s in the tumble drier and on the Lakeland heated airer. Once dry it’s ironed and put away.

When the kids were small I used to set the machine so it came on overnight. I don’t do that anymore since it’s only me and DH.

In case anyone is interested a couple of years ago on the Ask Me Anything board a laundry detergent developer answered loads of questions about laundry and washing power/liquid.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/AMA/3308661-I-developed-laundry-detergents-AMA?postsby=LapinR0se&fromid=79484395

To quote "You need to wash towels sheets and anything else in contact with bodily fluids such as underwear or soiled baby items at 60 degrees or tumble dry them to kill bacteria.
Bacteria actually breed at anything less than 40 degrees. 30 is their safe haven"

My M&S knickers definitely say wash at 40 degrees but no tumble so I do use dettol laundry to kill anything off that the laundry detergent doesn't.

I think the system works for you OP and sounds fine.

I also do a 3h eco wash at night with delay timer. We pay less for electricity here at night so it's a win win for water and electricity use.

@Myonlysunshine123

Pack of 2 Indoor Outdoor Hanging Clothes 18 Peg Line Dryer Airer ]] Realised I may be the only person to call this a whirley gig! It works for me tho

Mine were bought in Asda last year for £1 each. I use them for pants and socks. So much easier when you need to fetch the laundry in when it starts to rain. It also saves space on the wash line.

To quote "You need to wash towels sheets and anything else in contact with bodily fluids such as underwear or soiled baby items at 60 degrees or tumble dry them to kill bacteria.Bacteria actually breed at anything less than 40 degrees. 30 is their safe haven

Surely our skin is already covered in bacteria? Why is this essential?

I’ve washed my pants at 40 my whole life and my fadge has worked just fine the whole time

I've got a fancy washing machine but I only ever use the twenty minute quick wash followed by a 12 minute spin. My clothes are always fresh and lovely.

My quickest wash is just under an hour. And I don’t have a tumble drier. I actually don’t know anyone who has one. And I wouldn’t put a wash on every day. Your system wouldn’t work for me.

I do the same for towels. Never done us any harm. And the residual heat tip is great thank you- I'll be doing that from tomorrow!

@PegasusReturns

Don’t clothes on short washes come out really wet? Unless it’s winter and I have the heating on high I find really wet cloths just don’t dry in the airer.

The OP said she follows a quick was with a short spin. I do that on every wash - it makes them that bit less wet, therefore they dry quicker.

Well sounds great. But looking at electrity bill rises it depends on your finances.

Does it not all smell of damp? Stuff won't dry properly in the dryer, not turned on with the door shut. Quick wash isn't usually enough to get stains out and any body smells.

furbabymama87 no it all smells great. The clothes are 90% dry before they go in the drier and the residual heat is enough to do the socks and pants.

I do similar but wash in the evening, so I can use longer cycles, on the drying rack overnight with a tumble in the morning. Anything that needs ironing goes in a basket and gets done every few days but this is getting less as I am mastering the art of tumble drying to avoid ironing.