How many days on average, do you leave wet washing in the machine?

[HisWife]

I leave it between 24-48 hours, If longer than that I usually run it again.

I started doing my own washing as a teenager, bacause my mum was always just leaving stuff in for a day or two.

Even after 24 hours it starts to reek.
Don't understand how she didn't notice.
She did smoke.

Do you smoke ?

Yes, mamatomany, I would rewash if it was caught in the rain. Mind you, I don't really dry my laundry outside because I don't like the way it smells.

Bunbaker, I don't think it's OTT. You might. Good for you.

OTOH, never understood why it smells so bad ... it's just water and cottn etc.

Sometimes overnight (it still smells of washing fabric) - I never mean to leave it that long but just forget...any longer than that and I wash it again

"I don't really dry my laundry outside because I don't like the way it smells."

. But that is why I do dry mine outside because it has a lovely fresh smell. Perhaps the air is cleaner where I live.

Wow, Bunbaker. Did someone piss in your cornflakes?

The air is perfectly clean where I live, tyvm. I just prefer that my clothes smell of fabric conditioner than the nothingy smell of laundry dried outside. It's also softer when it's dried inside.

Does it really matter for smokers though ?

Clothes are going to have the aroma of Eau-de-fag soon enough ne pas ?

There's the rub TobyLerone. I prefer my clothes to smell of fresh air not fabric conditioner. I only use the tumble dryer for towels because they feel like sandpaper if I don't.

Like I said, good for you. Everyone's different, innit. Some just get a little touchy about laundry, apparently!

No I don't smoke.

I reckon I probably re-wash less than people who can't stand it for more than a couple of hours.

On average I probably use less water.

I wouldn't leave it for more than a couple of hours.

I also prefer the smell of line-dried, fabric-conditioner free clothes. Don't use fabric conditioner at all.

Never.

I dont even put a washing on before bed, or before I go out.

I wash and take it out strainght away - maybe leave it up to 30 mins if I have to.

If I left it longer I'd have to iron.

I'm with the OP here, usually I hang it out within 12 hours but I have been known to leave it for 2 days. I just give it a sniff to see if it's developed that horrible damp smell yet!

Mind you I also don't re-wash clothes that have been rained on, I just leave them on the line til the sun comes out again. I am a crap housewife!

I'm with the OP here, usually I hang it out within 12 hours but I have been known to leave it for 2 days. I just give it a sniff to see if it's developed that horrible damp smell yet!

Mind you I also don't re-wash clothes that have been rained on, I just leave them on the line til the sun comes out again. I am a crap housewife!

I get the horrible musty smell from drying outdoors too.

Live in London, could be why.

I will leave it in overnight if it's too late to put it in the dryer (as in, I will be in bed when it finishes and I don't like leaving the dryer on overnight).

I have a time-delay setting on my washing machine and set it this morning to finish 12 hours later, so that when I get home from work at 7ish it'll just be finishing and it won't have to sit in the machine at all.

But how long it will stay clean in the basket for once clean and dry is another matter - sometimes it stays there until it's all been worn again . My washing dreams of being ironed, it must be like a spa day for it!

Maximum a couple of hours (and that's if I forget about it).

But then I do quite often get it out of the machine and just dump it in a couple of baskets rather than hanging it up properly. At least it won't smell, though it will be creased.

I do a fresh load of laundry every morning so it is hung out every afternoon, in winter I do a load every second day so that none is left lying around the house or in the machine.

At a push I have left it in over night (a handful of times) if really needed but even then I have noticed a whiff of something unpleasant!

Dampness is not a nice smell and does not just go away with another wash, it lingers on fabric and in your machine so will continue to stink for a while afterwards. It is also not good for anyone with asthma to be walking around with smell of dampness in the house or on their person.

I also agree with Bunbaker. We don't use soap powder or fabric conditioner just soap nuts so when I hang it out it just smells lovely clean and fresh form the air not putrid chemicals. If I can't hang it outside we use a few drops of essential oils to give it a smell.

We also have a washer/drier that I thought would be really useful... have had it 5 years and have no idea or interest in figuring out the dry function.

It will smell
Take it out. Stick a note on your forehead or decay starting the wash to a time when you will remember .

Btw. Nit buying the 'i just don't remember' . If you thought it mattered then you would remember . You just forget because you don't care. Unless you would forget a grill left on too.

i usually leave mine about 10-12hrs (it goes on in the morning about 8am and hung up about 6pm, or it goes on at night about 10pm and hung up in the morning about 8am)

i would NEVER re-wash washing that got rained on... rainwater is as fresh as water gets imo!

Days??? Why would you wait days I normally take it out immediately. Occasionally I'd put it on last thing at night and take it out the next morning.