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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder if ironing should take this long

38 replies

mediumsize · 19/06/2014 10:00

Have NC from usual name and come here from a very different part of MN: just to ask:

Maybe I am being mean but I just wanted people's opinions on how long ironing should take. The reason is that I employ a cleaner/ironer for a certain amount of hours per week and she sems to be telling me that the amount of hours I think the ironing should take is not enough for her to finish it (I would add that I have never really ironed, so don't really know first hand, but my DH does iron and thinks we are being perfectly reasonable, in fact generous).

The ironing is basically only my clothes and DS's (he is five, but I do put him in a clean collared shirt for school every day, so that has to be ironed although his trousers are not). I wear a clean shirt every day to work, and have some jackets, cardigans etc, and wear probably two pairs of trousers a week which need ironing, then maybe another pair on the weekend. DH's clothes do not need ironing, except for maybe one collared shirt every two or three weeks. The older children do their own ironing.

We think four hours a week allocated to ironing. Are we being mean and unreasonable?

OP posts:
HayDayQueen · 19/06/2014 10:04

Unless you have fussy tops that require super careful handling, that's more than enough.

I can whip through my DS's clothes (that have built up over a few weeks) in about an hour, kids clothes are easy.

Mine take a bit longer. DH's shirts are the fussy things because he likes starched ones, so they take longer. But you could get through a MINIMUM of 4 of his shirts in 1 hour.

WiganandSalfordLocalEditor · 19/06/2014 10:04

This reply has been deleted

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HayDayQueen · 19/06/2014 10:04

Oh and that's DSs' clothes, actually. I have 2 of the charmers.

HayDayQueen · 19/06/2014 10:05

The house size is irrelevant, if there are 4 hours allocated to ironing, then that is what they should be spent on!

WiganandSalfordLocalEditor · 19/06/2014 10:06

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
mediumsize · 19/06/2014 10:07

The total amount would usually be: For DS five collared shirts. For me five shirts, two to three pairs of trousers, two or three cardigans/jackets. (My shirts are mostly not collared, a few are and need starch, maybe one or two of them a week). For DH: one to two shirts occasionally, not every week.

OP posts:
Original poster
mediumsize · 19/06/2014 10:07

The cleaning is a separate allocation of time....

OP posts:
HayDayQueen · 19/06/2014 10:09

I think she watches tv while she irons - that always slows me down. Especially if it's interesting tv, then I just grind to a halt! Grin

HayDayQueen · 19/06/2014 10:10

She shouldn't need more than 2 hours for that! At a push, an extra hour if the jackets need careful handling, but cardigans are usually easy.

iwantgin · 19/06/2014 10:11

That wouldn't take me more than an hour.

I watch TV whilst I iron - and it doesn't slow me down. Just alleviates the boredom.

WiganandSalfordLocalEditor · 19/06/2014 10:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
mediumsize · 19/06/2014 10:11

She does often watch the TV, and I am afraid I encouraged her to because I cannot bear the idea of someone just sitting there just ironing with no stimulation (because that would probably kill me!). She likes to watch the children's channels to improve her English and I always thought that was a good thing...

OP posts:
HayDayQueen · 19/06/2014 10:14

Maybe the radio instead? Radio 4 would be interesting enough without her having to take her eyes off the ironing.

I always start with good intentions with ironing, but I have to say if I put Buffy on (via Netflix) I seriously get hardly any done! I've started to listen to music instead.

I always found the cricket test matches brilliant for ironing - hardly have to watch the tv at all!!!

Original poster
mediumsize · 19/06/2014 10:16

She would not understand a word of Radio 4 I am afraid, and would have zero interest in anything on it.

OP posts:
HayDayQueen · 19/06/2014 10:17

Then she can put a CD on or iron in silence. But honestly, she's taking the piss here. 4 hours is AMPLE time for that ironing, even if you are being super careful with it.

Gullygirl · 19/06/2014 12:51

I tend to iron everything, from PJs to towels.
For four of us,with two changes of clothes a day,plus bed linen,I reckon I spend maybe an hour and a half a week, on average.
She is either taking the piss, or is just very crap at ironing.

CoffeeTea103 · 19/06/2014 13:00

Op I could iron that in an hour.

HecatePropylaea · 19/06/2014 13:07

It takes me about 4 or 5 hours to iron the family's clothes for the week. That's my husband's shirts (I starch those. Yes, I am a stepford wife Grin) , the kids school tops (10) their jeans (6) their casual clothes for the week (2 x 7 days outfits) my week's clothes, a few random clothes that have me yelling how the HELL do we get through so many clothes in a week and I have taken to ironing the kids nightwear because I think they look cute when they are in their pressed pjs - also I have no life.

I think 4 hours for what you list is a walk in the park.

brainwashed · 19/06/2014 13:13

Have you got a decent iron?

loismustdieatyahoodotcom · 19/06/2014 13:23

Would it be cheaper to take the clothes to an Ironing place and do it that way. Something to consider that maybe save you time and money.

Joysmum · 19/06/2014 13:29

I've never starched anything in my life. How do you do it? Is it just collars?

5Foot5 · 19/06/2014 13:30

Well 4 hours does sound enough - I allow about 5 minutes per garment and that is usually generous.

Can I ask how much per hour you are paying her? You see until a few years ago I had an ironing lady who collected the stuff one day, took it home with her to iron, then brought it back the next. She billed me by the weight of the ironing, i.e. so much per pound. I think most specialist ironing service charge either by weight or so much per garment. If you priced up how much it would cost to have your things ironed on this arrangement and then compared it to what you are paying her as an hourly rate then you might get a better idea of whether you are getting a good deal or not.

HayDayQueen · 19/06/2014 13:33

I starch shirts using a powder starch (can get it from Lakeland or from manufacturers on the internet) which you mix with water in a bucket, put damp clothes in, spin lightly and then line dry.

It's a bit of a faff, but starches much better. Also the spray starch leaves a coating on everything, and the floor area becomes lethal after awhile, its so slippery. I wash all the shirts I one lot so that this isn't such a palaver.

A starched shirt lasts the day much better.

When DH went out to a business dinner he was asked how he had managed to get time to change his shirt after work - it apparently looked so fresh they didn't realise it was the one he'd been wearing all day.

Littledidsheknow · 19/06/2014 15:11

Good suggestion by 5foot5. I used to have an ironing lady when I worked full time and she charged per item. I used to get a binbagfull done for about £6 which was a flipping bargain, though it was a few years ago.
OP, your ironing lady is taking the piss. I'm rubbish at ironing and I could do the items you describe in 2 hours max. Do check out ironing services prices for comparison.

CanaryYellow · 19/06/2014 15:14

We send ours out and get a huge binbag full done for about £14, that includes collection, supply of hangers, and delivering it back to us.

The company we use charge by the item - 40p for kids clothes, 70p for blouses, skirts and shirts, 80p for jeans and trousers, £1 for bedding.