Towelgate

[Hopefullyrecovering]

Our towels were old and manky and all seem to have random threads pulled, strange bleach stains (I mean how?) and other stains that don't seem to come out even with treatment.

So I buy a large quantity of lovely fresh towels. We sort out stuff for charity every month but I decide the charity shop can do without stained old thready towels, save the most respectable ones just in case and throw the rest away.

DH has retrieved them out of the dustbin, painstakingly washed them all and plans to do something with them. Probably take them to the charity shop, he says. Or store them in the garage until he works out a use for them.

Would you find this irritating? If you would find it irritating, just how irritating would you find it?

I would wait until he goes out and rebin them with a pile of smelly crap on top.

No I would find it amusing as to the fact that he did this and quite who he would think would want this"gift".

No I wouldn't find it irritating. Just let him get on with it.

People often offer old towels on Freecycle, suggesting that they might be used for pet bedding. Seems a shame to chuck them out (not that I want them!), but YANBU for being annoyed at DH retrieving them from the bin. That's just odd.

The charity can sell on old worn fabrics so you could still give it to them

I think Blue Cross and the like take old towels for their rescue animals.

Could you suggest that you give them away for this reason?

Waxing car?

yanbu - my dad does this with everything

and it takes a lot to chuck out towels - I have ones that aren't awful but don't help beautify the bathroom quite as much as some nice cream fluffy ones would - but can't bring myself to do it as they're perfectly serviceable

He has not cleaned his car by hand for years.

I was going to ask if you've got a local animal rescue centre or something like that.

Arf at Towel gate though! It's not odd to want to find a use for them but slightly odd to want to find a use for them that badly.

I never bin anything without getting DH to pre-approve it, otherwise it just ends up with him finding and retrieving shit out of the bin. I don't get annoyed with it any more, I just let him get on with it.

I do wish he would bin the ancient walking boots he has though - they are more holes than soles and they fecking stink. He has said he will bin them when he has replaced them. I'm not holding my breath.

Old towels can be used by someone, somewhere judging by the replies on here - so YWBU to be irritated by your DH retrieving them provided he actually does find a suitable home for them and not just put them back in the cupboard.

Well, I'd be annoyed if my BF threw something out that could still be of use someone. Some charities will collect fabric for recycling and others for animal use, then there's Freecycle and Freegle. We put far too much into landfill and it's a good habit to think of all the options before binning stuff IMO.

Tell him he has a week to do something with them or they will be going in the nearest fabric recycling bank, or the bin. Then do it.

They will sit in the garage gathering mould and dust for the next decade.

How bizarre is it to retrieve them from the bin, though?

Leave the bastard.

Is your OH a hoarder? My mother is and she would prob do the same.

Whenever im having a clear out i have to make sure she is well away because she sorts through bags just in case there is anything remotely useful!

My mothers catchphrase is "you never know when you might need it"

And has she ever needed any of it?

I wouldn't mind if they were kept somewhere I didn't have to look at them. They can be useful for wiping dog paws, mopping up large spills, to use when dyeing your hair, to use in case anything ever floods in your house...

Can't you just drop it off at the tip for recycling?

The charity shop can sell them on for recycling purposes. I only know this because I mentioned it to the Oxfam person in a "and there's a bunch of old towels, but you won't want those" sort of a way.

Yes, I'd find it annoying. But if you don't want to be living with them for the next decade I'd get him to take them there.

Yes, I took about 30 bath towels to a charity shop and enquired if they'd like to have them. the answer was that they could sell them for dog beds and any textiles (stained clothing etc) is sold for so much per tonne (probably 50p but never mind).

I never thought about animal rescue places though so thanks for that. Presumably veterinary clinics, too? Or will Elf 'n' Saifty come in then?

A cat shelter I volunteer with are currently appealing for things like that. Might be worth seeing if any near you are?

You need to nip this in the bud or your garage will be full of moldy towels- I think the animal rescue centre is an excellent idea, google it now, then tell him you are going to drop the towels off there as at least they'll get used then if you can't be bothered, put them in the bin on bin night so he doesn't have time to notice and rescue them again

:(
Thought this was going to be about kids leaving damp towels lying around helpful suggestions for ways of avoiding this (in a small house) :o

He announced that he was going to give them to his niece, who has just purchased her first house. He telephones DN in triumph. DN thanks him profusely but then says she has plenty of towels and doesn't need any thready old stained towels. She has charming manners. DH is deflated.

This bag of towels is going to be with us until the end of time. The garage is full of things that DH thinks may come in handy. So full, in fact that I cannot quite bear to set foot in the place. Amongst other random rubbish, he has three window units and two doors in there. They have been there for 15 years.