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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think I'm the last person left alive who airs rooms?

215 replies

AnyoneforTurps · 10/01/2014 00:45

I like to open the bedroom window for half an hour or so in the morning to let out DH's noxious nocturnal fumes the stale air. All my friends think this is a bizarre eccentricity: right up there with a penis beaker. Apparently, airing rooms went out with twin tubs and Formica, but I think the room smells lovely & fresh after a good airing Smile.

Now I feel like a tragic throwback: the last Neanderthal watching nervously as the smart-arse Homo sapiens start rubbing sticks together and filing the corners off a perfectly good square wheel. Am I really the last living airer?

OP posts:
clara26 · 11/01/2014 14:54

At this moment in time all my windows are open and the hearings on full. Windows have been open all day but hearings only just gone on. I have three cats so cleaning and airing is I big daily job.

daisywaisydoo · 11/01/2014 14:56

Since reading this thread I've been airing my little bungalow every day! As well as opening bedroom curtains etc. I feel like a real grown up now and quite proud Grin

So thanks for this!

frankie4 · 11/01/2014 14:57

I air all the upstairs rooms all day all year round. I am the only one on my street who does this.

I have never aired a bed. But I do occasionally air my wardrobes and keep their doors open all day to stop them getting musty!

TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge · 11/01/2014 14:59

I air the house.Not for as long as I used to though as the parrot would get peed off being in her cage for so long and find a way out!!

Have to air my elderly dads flat too,he never opens Windows and smokes 40 a day.It's stale,Smokey and smelly.Tuck!

lola88 · 11/01/2014 15:01

People seriously don't open bedroom windows! yuck

CaffeinatedKitten · 11/01/2014 15:18

When I moved into my last house. The kitchen and bathroom windows were locked closed by screws having been threaded through the latches right into the woodwork. Took an age to get them out. The house smelled vile, the previous owners had teenaged boys, an elderly Alsatian and a fondness for synthetic lavender airfresheners of plug in and gel varieties.

nf1morethanjustlumpsandbumps · 11/01/2014 15:25

No I air rooms too much prefer it than chemically smelling air fresheners

YoungBritishPissArtist · 14/01/2014 14:41

Ditto, ChubbyKitty

I do air room and bed but no window in bathroom!

scantilymad · 14/01/2014 15:00

YANBU. I am 29 and open the windows in the bedrooms and bathroom upstairs and air the beds all morning until I go back upstairs for baby nap time at about midday. I could also claim to air the airing cupboard but its only ever open so I don't accidentally shut the cat in there again (it's his bedroom). It's a great way to get rid of the delightful smells DS/DH contribute to the atmosphere overnight.
I also open the downstairs windows and doors wide whilst I'm doing the downstairs "big clean".
Quite old fashioned I think but that's alright with me!

FetchezLaVache · 14/01/2014 15:16

I'm a fair weather airer. At this time of year I probably only air the house a couple of times a week if that, but in the summer I have every window open all day long (I work from home). You can really, really tell the difference. In fact, I think I'll go and open some bastard windows right now.

Coumarin · 14/01/2014 16:36

Daisywaisy I know what you mean. I think there was a thread about things that make you feel like a proper grown up. Airing the house is definitely one of those things for me.

Utterly · 14/01/2014 16:41

I even air at this time of year. For some reason I only do upstairs - though could probably do with losing cooking smells from downstairs too.

HolgerDanske · 17/01/2014 08:35

I keep my bedroom window open all through the day and night. On very cold nights I will close it, but it's rare. I also open the kitchen window every day while I cook. I leave my girls' bedroom windows open all day while they're at school (unless it's extremely windy in which case I don't want the windows to get banged around). I love clean, fresh air Smile

HoratiaDrelincourt · 17/01/2014 08:41

Yesterday this thread inspired me to do proper airing - I opened all the doors and windows on the house and the car for an hour. Brisk but wonderfully fresh!

hiccupgirl · 17/01/2014 09:25

The upstairs windows here are always slightly open on the latch unless it's freezing outside, snowing or blowing a gale against them. I can't stand sleeping in a room with the window closed and get panicy just thinking about it!

On the days I'm at home the windows are opened and aired in the morning for all that lovely fresh air and to limit damp and mould. We stayed at my DB and SIl's house over Christmas who don't open windows and there was mould all over the windows behind the fitted shutters.

notwoo · 17/01/2014 09:36

Can I ask what people do about the heating when airing?

My mum has windows open and heating on which just seems like a waste of money.

I have windows open and heating off which is rather chilly at this time od year

MIL has heating on and windows shut.

DownstairsMixUp · 17/01/2014 09:39

I leave the bedroom window open in the day time and the bathroom window open over night, don't bother with the other rooms.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 17/01/2014 09:39

I have windows open and heating on. I don't think it actually makes much difference to the bill, and I'd rather pay an extra few quid a month to have a house that smells nice and doesn't have damp!

minouminou · 17/01/2014 09:54

We've always got at least one window open. We have quite a few windows and I have a special system to target particular areas of the house (yes, really!).

I would like to ban the use of air fresheners - the thought of an overheated, perfume-filled house makes me feel quite ill. I really don't know why people do it.

Some friends of our have taken to using those bloody awful fresheners that poot out puffs of stinky shite every ten minutes. I went to open a window after I'd showered, without realising it was on the windowsill and took a blast full in the face!

the DH of this couple is complaining that his asthma and eczema has worsened recently.....I wonder why.

Foul.

Thants · 17/01/2014 10:04

That be crazy op. The main reason being it's winter! You're just making the house cold! Brrrr

Greatdomestic · 17/01/2014 10:05

I air every day, and through back the duvets all day too. As soon as I get up the duvet is back and the window open. I do the same with DDs too.

Bathroom window open after showers and as soon as I come downstairs in the morning the kitchen and utility windows are open too.

I always have the kitchen window open and will sometimes light candles. I can't stand air freshners, they are absolutely vile and make me feel sick. Bleughhh.

Thants · 17/01/2014 10:13

The option isn't air freshener or constant freezing open windows! Unless you smoke or have pets the house won't smell.
Heating and open windows is simply absurd! It's winter keep them closed!

maparole · 17/01/2014 10:20

Can I ask what people do about the heating when airing?

I couldn't bring myself to have heating on with open windows; seems a criminal waste.

I never have heating on in bedrooms anyway, so I just make sure bedroom doors are shut when airing, to keep the drafts out of the rest of the house.

For other rooms, best thing is just a brief open up at some time of the day when the heating is off.

DownstairsMixUp · 17/01/2014 10:23

I don't have the heating on in the day time or overnight. We only put it on in the evenings when we are all indoors watching tv/having baths etc.

Thants · 17/01/2014 10:26

I've decided you people must just either not feel the cold or like being cold.