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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I just think this is crazy! Do I need to stop being such a mum?

303 replies

michelleseashell · 31/07/2011 19:11

One of my friend's washing machine is broken so I'm helping her out by doing her washing. Rather than waiting around, she's just left me with two big bags of mostly baby clothes.

The thing is about 95% of the clothes are ruined! They're all gray and absolutely covered in bobbles. This is baby clothes so they can't possibly have had time to get in such a state. They've obviously just been put in with darks, jeans, on really hot washes etc.

I just don't understand it! I am literally aghast! Why would somebody do this? Isn't it just a terrible waste of money? These are all Next and Gap but even supermarket stuff can be kept in good condition, surely? A charity shop would throw these clothes out.

I put on a 'white' wash with a stain remover pouch and a colour catcher and the colour catches came out dark gray.

Aghast!!

OP posts:
TillyTellTale · 02/08/2011 21:46
TillyTellTale · 02/08/2011 22:10

I hadn't even remembered the stuff I used to wear until your post. Aaaargh!

I was thinking of how we all used to want a clean flat and clean belongings, but without actually putting any work into it!.

"Okay, my mother said you should always use a wool wash. What's a wool wash? It's not marked on here. I'll put it on at 95. That's probably the same thing. What does she know, anyway? I'm going to try it."

That kind of thing.

Thumbwitch · 02/08/2011 23:12

Bumps, sorry, was going to answer your qu but then couldn't because I had to go to bed.

90/95 deg - never use it now, although I did sometimes when DS was little to do his cloth nappies. They were home-made (by MIL) from fleece and interlock, so they could stand it. Now they get washed at 70 deg and I'm hoping he'll be out of them soon anyway. My mum used to use it for sheets but lots of modern sheets are not supposed to be boil-washed.

Pre-wash - again for the nappies or white stuff that is really stained. But I have a stains wash as well. The Vanish/Napisan stuff we have here can go into the main wash rather than having to be part of a separate prewash.
However, if stuff is really stained I have learnt that it's far more effective to pre-soak them in the Vanish/Napisan for a few hours, rather than do a pre-wash.

Tilly - Grin

Original poster
michelleseashell · 03/08/2011 04:30

Ha ha ha Tilly :o

I ruined a pair of silk trousers as a teenager.

Why have cotton when you can have silk? Ah fucksticks!!!

OP posts:
iscream · 03/08/2011 04:49

A gew years ago, I decided to take down my bedroom drapes, which were a cotton velvet, and wash them. I read the instructions, dry clean only. But why, I asked myself, they are cotton. Son has a blue pair, that were cotton velvet and machine washable. So, I threw them in a cold wash, then into the dryer.
They began to shed. Slowly, but surely, they shed "claret" fibers everywhere. Whenever I polished the furniture, red fibers were on the cloth, when I dry mopped, red fibers all along the baseboards. I finally had to throw them away. I still am unsure of why they fell apart?

PadmeHum · 03/08/2011 05:16

Never even heard of a "colour catcher". Off to google.

:must improve my laundry slovenliness:

Tortoiseonthehalfshell · 03/08/2011 05:35

Michelle, you are bloody hilarious. I am nowhere near as Monica but I agree that laundry is very satisfying. My husband and I both like it because it is easy and nice to be out in the sunshine pegging things up. In fact we compete to get to a new load because it's so much better than being the loser who gets stuck scraping dishes into the bin and picking playdough out of the carpet.

Now, can you tell me how to get grease stains out of white/light baby clothes? She's a lot better now, but between 9 months and 18 months it seemed like everything got ruined.

Thumbwitch · 03/08/2011 06:22

Tortoise - the trick with that is to degrease before the wash - if it's full-on axle grease stuff (yes DS did get that on his shorts) then heavy duty degreaser is needed (I like Swarfega but it's very difficult to get here in small amounts). If you're talking food-type grease then washing up liquid rubbed in to the stain works quite well, but tbh I find the Vanish liquid rubbed in works just as well. Has got all sorts of grease spots out for me! I do tend to just chuck most of DS's clothes into a pre-soak in Vanish/Napisan prior to washing if they look like they have any stains on them.

GotArt · 03/08/2011 06:43

The longest laundry thread ever. Grin

I hate it when the onezee's are stained and looking old only after a couple of weeks. I usually buy loads from Walmart, so they're cheap and I don't feel bad about tossing them. They're all white too, and I use a little bleach but double rinse. I understand your obsession with the laundry and why someone wouldn't want to try and keep them in better shape.

Original poster
michelleseashell · 03/08/2011 11:35

Thumbwitch is on the money tortoise- a nice squirt of fairy liquid should get grease out as long as you do it straight away. Also, rather than just running it under the tap get a power shower on it. The force of the water will get more muck out.

A helicopter just flew over my house. Actually had a moment of genuine concern for any pictures of these gray babygro's out back ending up in the local rag.

Oh fuck, what if it's the google maps helicopter??

OP posts:
Thumbwitch · 03/08/2011 12:10

PMSL Michelle!Grin Those grey babygros are going to haunt you forever... Grin

BeerTricksPotter · 03/08/2011 12:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
michelleseashell · 03/08/2011 23:33

It's working beertricks. I'm obsessed! I've whittled it down to a few core items I think have a real chance of being revived, a la Simon Cowell.

There are three Next sleepsuits I'm determined to save. How could you ruin Next sleepsuits? They go for a fortune on ebay! She's insane. She's actually barmy!

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 04/08/2011 01:20

Look for degreaser stuff in the automotive department of your nearest mega hardware-type shoppe. I used to use stuff that was designed for cleaning tyres or other auto parts in my laundry, then found a product called greased lightning or something along those lines. It started in the automotive dept and then one day I found it in the laundry aisle (in the US) so I wasn't the only one to discover the secret.

Original poster
michelleseashell · 04/08/2011 06:27

It could be systomatic. Could be hydromatic. Why it could be greased lightning!!

OP posts:
erynsmum · 04/08/2011 15:33

Sorry but i'm with OP, there is nothing wrong with looking after things and taking a little pride in the way you look!

I split all my washing and have whites, lights, colours, darks, towels, bed linen and handwash! If that makes me a snob or a bore then so be it!

Original poster
michelleseashell · 05/08/2011 21:02

I'm sure you'll all be just thrilled to hear that the washing saga has reached a conclusion.

I have got most of the whites looking wearable again!! :) :) :)

A few hot washes, some stain remover and a few days out in the bright sun and they are looking good!

Proud!!!!

OP posts:
trixymalixy · 05/08/2011 21:23

Michelle, this thread has made me laugh. You are a woman obsessed.

(the labyrinth babygro was from Next btw)

IAmTheCookieMonster · 05/08/2011 21:36

I was like this until my DMIL and DSIL educated me in the ways of separating colours. As a student who had 30 pairs of knickers so only had to fork out for the (industrial sized) washing machine once a month, I used to have a "if it gets ruined I don't want it anyway" attitude

IAmTheCookieMonster · 05/08/2011 21:37

I was like this until my DMIL and DSIL educated me in the ways of separating colours. As a student who had 30 pairs of knickers so only had to fork out for the (industrial sized) washing machine once a month, I used to have a "if it gets ruined I don't want it anyway" attitude

LolaRennt · 05/08/2011 21:59

Ha ha you are mad Grin sorry

ALthough you have got a point about trying to keep them nice so they can be passed on and used for other babies. DD has so many clothes that like madonna she need only wear one thing once (and some things not at all!) all bought second hand in very condition though.

Original poster
michelleseashell · 05/08/2011 23:03

Mad? Me? I'm not the one on a mission to shit up all my clothes! :o :o :o

Oh trixy! A Next sleepsuit! If I had any more outrage left in me about Next sleepsuits I would be apoplectic right now!

OP posts:
Thumbwitch · 05/08/2011 23:08

Well done Michelle! Let's hope your friend is sufficiently impressed to ask you how you managed it and then you can dispense your washing wisdom so she never does anything that heinous again Grin

Original poster
michelleseashell · 05/08/2011 23:44

Oooohhh maybe my living in a Daz advert fantasy will come true!!

OP posts:
iscream · 06/08/2011 04:23

"michelleseashell Fri 05-Aug-11 21:02:11

I'm sure you'll all be just thrilled to hear that the washing saga has reached a conclusion.

I have got most of the whites looking wearable again!! smile smile smile

A few hot washes, some stain remover and a few days out in the bright sun and they are looking good!

Proud!!!!"
Well done michelleseashell!

Now what will you do if she visits toting along baby in formerly-dingy- grey-now-white outfit, that is grey once again?
because....they didn't turn grey in ther first place because she separated her colours! :(