How many washes do you get?

[SockFluffInTheBath]

I’ve just killed another washing machine (always bearings) apparently I just use it too much. I do 16 full loads a week and get almost 2 years so say approx 1600 washes. Apparently this is unreasonable bordering commercial

I’m not after a debate about rewearing pants, just tell me please how many washes do you reckon you get from a machine?

16 loads a week?! Someone else on the 4th load of the day?! How are your clothes not shredded after a year? No wonder the planet is in trouble. We do around 5 loads a week here, family of 4. Clothes (apart from underwear and socks) worn more than once, sheets changed every other week.

A light wash, dark wash, hot wash and bedding. 4 loads a week, no nappies anymore. Washes are 9kg almost full. We'll wear the same jeans a few times and wipe a small mark etc. It's just underwear and t-shirt that get washed after every use. No muddy rugby kit or anything right now. Every now and again there's a couple of extra loads like duvets or or more towels if someone's germy.

I do 5/6 loads a week- 2 adults and a baby. Our washing machine is a Bosch and 6 years old and so far no faults. Even with weekly heavy loads of bedding, towels, etc. I don't seperate colours- I do darks and colours together and whites seperately and only put it on if it's full.

Ours was about 150 pounds iirc and would be used every day for certain. I think it’s 12 years old now.

I do about 8 loads per week.
Washing machine is 12 years old. It's a Bosch. I keep expecting to have to replace it, then it drags on a bit longer.

I have a 17 year old Miele which is just starting to make a few funny noises, I am thinking about one of these
www.ebac.com/washing-machines/our-range/
They are the most energy efficient machines, have a 7 year warranty and are made in the uk. Hadn’t really heard of them until I read an article about energy usage and this brand came out the best.

I've been washing at 60 this week as DS has covid but otherwise 3-4 x dark loads of washing at 40° and 1 x white/pale wash (mainly shirts and bedding) per week.
Teen/tween in single beds still so can fit more than one set in the machine

@DickMabutt73962

I can't comment on how I live now because I live alone but growing up in a family of 5 (2 parents 3 kids) it was one load a day, no separating colours malarkey. I'm still alive.

Thinking about it OP, are you overloading the machine? If you are putting in full loads, are you literally stuffing as much as possible in the machine each time? For heavier items (like towels, jeans etc) you might be putting too much strain on the machine. 2 years even with 2 washes a day seems nowhere near long enough.

Kudos for outside drying that much, particularly this time of year. Do you WFH?

I have 2 young kids and 2 adults and in a normal week probably 4-5 loads. 2 x mix clothes, 2 x towels or bedding and whites/delicates on alternate weeks.

I'm a slattern with bedsheets and towels though.

We do 6 to 7 washes a week and our washing machines seem to last about 5 years.

The first machine I actually owned rather than something in a rental (a Zanussi bought in 1998) lasted for 12 years and I had the bearings replaced once for £30. Machines are not built to last now, it's a fucking scandal.

Very curious about 16 washes a week. How many in your family?

@MargosKaftan no definitely not overloading. I am thinking there’s something in the earlier comment though about not washing towels alone to keep the weight down.

@DobbyTheHouseElk

I’m in my 4th load of the day. How can people only do 4 a week?? I’ve got a 9kg drum as well.

Easy. Family of 4. 2x darks 1xwhites and 1x bedding and towels.

What size drum do you have? You need a bigger one!

I'm also a wear things a few times person. Especially stuff like hoodies, they need washing once every few wears at most. Time to review how much washing you do. It's almost a FT job!

Family of 4, 3-5 washes a week

About 5 year or so for our machine. Family of 3 and we do

3 dark washes
1 light/white wash
2 lots of bedding
2 lots of towels.

Each week.

@SockFluffInTheBath

I’ve just killed another washing machine (always bearings) apparently I just use it too much. I do 16 full loads a week and get almost 2 years so say approx 1600 washes. Apparently this is unreasonable bordering commercial

I’m not after a debate about rewearing pants, just tell me please how many washes do you reckon you get from a machine?

4 a week since 2013, that's 52 x 4 x 8 = 1,664. It's a Miele and I expect it to last many more years still.

@Hercisback yes wfh do one load out in the morning, one at 10 (tea break) and another out at lunch. That bit of the garden seems to have its own little windy weather system so dries really well most days.

How do you manage to use it that much? I use ours maximum 5 times a week, two adults and a baby

@Hercisback I think you’re right. It’s a 9kg machine but a full load cycle takes 3hrs and a half load cycle is an hour so I normally half fill (more like 2/3) and run the shorter cycle.

Also we have had our machine 4 years and we inherited it from the previous owners who lived here 5 years, so I'm not sure how old it is

Genuine non judgey question- how on earth do people manage to do a family’s washing in 4 runs a week? Do you mix bedding, towels and clothes in 9kg full loads?
I mix everything. Have had to start separating whites since DC1 started school as his polo shirts were getting really yellow but that's one tiny load a week as I have no other white clothing or anything else.

2 DC and their single bedding can easily be added to a wash that is otherwise 2 days of everyone else's clothes. Our bedding is a wash on its own but I am happy with that being once a fortnight. Same for towels.

I probably do 4-5 loads a week.

16 loads a week is almost commercial usage.

maybe look at commercial machines next time.

You need a commercial machine.

There are 5 of us Inc 2 teens in double beds.

Towels and bedding don't get done weekly!

Everything goes in the 30c Eco wash.
One load a day, occasionally 2 if delicates/ shoes/ beach day etc

@DappledThings

Genuine non judgey question- how on earth do people manage to do a family’s washing in 4 runs a week? Do you mix bedding, towels and clothes in 9kg full loads? I mix everything. Have had to start separating whites since DC1 started school as his polo shirts were getting really yellow but that's one tiny load a week as I have no other white clothing or anything else.

2 DC and their single bedding can easily be added to a wash that is otherwise 2 days of everyone else's clothes. Our bedding is a wash on its own but I am happy with that being once a fortnight. Same for towels.

I probably do 4-5 loads a week.

By not washing bedding every week (shock, horror), by re-wearing jeans, jumpers and coats until they are visibly dirty or smell. I do wash towels and bedding together.