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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Surprised to read you shouldn't leave the washing-machine on in an empty house

168 replies

aliasjoey · 13/06/2014 09:54

AIBU to be surprised to read on another thread about a washing-machine being used when no-one was home, and so many replies were that you should not leave it on!

We work full-time, if it wasn't switched on until I got home, then I would be hanging up wet washing really late at night.

Is it so different to other electrical items left on? The slow-cooker? The boiler might switch on in the winter, that's electricity and water combined. I think

OP posts:

PostmanPatAlwaysRingsTwice · 13/06/2014 12:17

nancy75 · 13/06/2014 12:18

I went on a health and safety course years ago and was told then that washing machines cause more house fires than anything else, I was really suprised

drivenfromdistraction · 13/06/2014 12:20

I leave washing machine and tumble drier on when I'm out of the house.

But not when I've gone to bed (fear of fire when we're all asleep - much worse than fire when house empty)

Primrose123 · 13/06/2014 12:20

I only use the tumble dryer when I'm home, but I am guilty of putting the washing machine on and then going out, although I'm trying not to do that anymore.

I'm sure I remember reading a horrible story in the paper about a washing machine that caught fire and set fire to the kitchen, and the family dog was killed.

whois · 13/06/2014 12:21

Well if you can't run them overnight, or when you are out, when on earth are you meant to run them if you work full time?!!

Always have ours on at night or when out because the flat is open plan and don't like the noise when eating or watching TV or relaxing in the sitting area.

LittleprincessinGOLDrocks · 13/06/2014 12:26

It is not just a mumsnet thing.
Here is a Watchdog report on washing machines exploding.

We had a hotpoint dishwasher that started billowing with smoke when DH was in the kitchen. Luckily he got to it before it got too bad, and became a full blown fire. We had it repaired and it happened again! so we bought a different brand of dishwasher, but I will never put it on and go out, or leave it on over night. If DH had not been in the room on both occasions we may have had a fire to deal with!
A few months later Watchdog did a report on them so it must be a common fault.

TheLastThneed · 13/06/2014 12:26

All my tennancy agreements have said that washing machines shouldn't be left on whilst we're not in the property.

I used to leave it on timer but have stopped doing it since the fire.

It's not just an MN thing.

GreenPetal94 · 13/06/2014 12:30

Practically I need to leave it on when I leave the house, it is a slight risk but otherwise I'd have to wash everything at the w/e

YouTheCat · 13/06/2014 12:31

I know a friend of a friend who lost her home because her washing machine set the house alight when she was out.

And her insurance didn't cover her because they said the machine shouldn't have been used while there was no one in the house.

My washer has just finished so I can go out now.

HannerHet · 13/06/2014 12:40

I often put my washing machine on just before I go to bed so my washing is ready to hang out to dry in the morning. Don't leave my tumble dryer on if I'm not here though

TheLastQuestion · 13/06/2014 12:42

I had no idea. That would presumably explain the rise in popularity of machines with 30 minute wash cycles.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 13/06/2014 12:42

I wouldn't after seeing how much black smoke our dishwasher produced when it went wrong. Thank God I was in at the time.

CorporateRockWhore · 13/06/2014 12:42

MIL waits in until her washing machine cycle is done; her ancient machine takes 2 hours 40 minutes to finish!

When I moved in with DH he attempted to follow the same rule...no way was I spending half my weekend sitting in waiting for the washing to finish.

Think I'll just risk it

GiveTwoSheets · 13/06/2014 12:44

I only leave mine on when at home as I learnt from bitter experience when it flooded my house and I didn't have any insurance.

gamerchick · 13/06/2014 12:45

Yes add phone chargers to that.. there are actual idiots who leave their phones on charge overnight. Including my 14 yr old who loses his charger for a few days every time he forgets himself.

Have you ever taken apart a drier after it's packed in... the amount of fluff and kids socks you can find on the outside of the drum is scary. How socks get there I don't know.

I think when you've had a fireman put the horrors into you it tends to stick in your head better than everything else

LaurieFairyCake · 13/06/2014 12:46

YoutheCat - good god, if the insurance didn't cover it, that's awful

It doesn't say anything in my documents about appliances apart from a general sentence about 'good state of repair'

It would be awful if your house burnt down and the insurance didn't pay out.

LaurieFairyCake · 13/06/2014 12:48

All the phones in our house and Kindles are on charge overnight

It never occurred to me that the low voltage chargers were much of a fire risk

I'm going to guess the vast majority of people put their phones on to charge overnight because that's when they're not using them

gamerchick · 13/06/2014 12:53

Maybe idiots is a strong word.

I think we've all got a bit blase about electricity and forget it can create dangerous situations. I would have been much more suited to the time before it was invented I think sometimes

LaurieFairyCake · 13/06/2014 12:56

Actually I'm fine with being an idiot

It will be my fault if my house burns down now what with me having everything charging all the time and running the appliances every time I leave the house - my bad

gamerchick · 13/06/2014 12:58

The husband regularly huffs and puffs when we're waiting to go out and I have to do a sweep of the house switching everything off. Total PITA

aurynne · 13/06/2014 12:59

We leave ours on when we are away... but to be honest we probably should be more careful, as our last washing machine blew up while in use! Luckily enough we were at home, but if we hadn't been there to unplug it it may have caught fire, it was smoking pretty badly.

Lweji · 13/06/2014 13:03

All appliances should be off, really, but it's up to you to decide what risk level is acceptable to you.

A friend had a fire at home that started in a kitchen plug, although I never asked if it had an appliance plugged in or working.

Personally, I have heaters on timers that start when we are out sometimes and I do leave the washing machine working when I'm away sometimes, as I do during the night.
I won't leave the drier or the oven, though.

Lweji · 13/06/2014 13:04

As for overnight stuff, we do leave them on chargers.

But we have smoke alarms. :)

Lweji · 13/06/2014 13:04

And a fire extinguisher (although that was more because of the potential risk that exH presented - but that's another story).

iwouldgoouttonight · 13/06/2014 13:15

I didn't know any of this! I leave my phone to charge overnight and do most of the washing at night. I thought that was the point of Economy 7? Its cheaper at night. And if I could only have the washing machine on when someone was in the house we'd have a very scary washing backlog pile.

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