..to think its ok to put clothes back in wardrobe after wearing?!

[tinklykeys]

Ok so it's my first AIBU and I'm scared, so be nice. I'm just intrigued to know others thoughts are on this...

My DH is a very naturally clean, neat, organised person. I'm not, but I've worked at it since we got married 12 years ago and things are in a reasonable state now..

So, the crux of the problem. DH believes that once clothes have been worn, they can't be returned to the wardrobe/chest of drawers until they've been washed, as they might contaminate the clean clothes in there. I've gone along with this as he did the laundry when we first got married and both worked. Now I do mine and the DCs as I'm a SAHM I've been thinking about it more and it bugs me because...

1. There are some clothes that don't need washing immediately, such as jeans, woollies, maybe a t-shirt. I can't put these clothes away at the end of the day so they end up in a pile on the sofa, or on the floor, or over a chair.

2. I end up wearing the same clothes (especially jeans) as I'd rather wear something that is already out than pull out something else.

So, AIBU to think it would be ok to put clothes that have been worn but are not visibly dirty, back in the cupboard at the end of the day? What does everyone else do??

Sorry if it makes no sense..

Well bugger me, another MN rule I didn't know about - never put worn clothes back in wardrobe with clean clothes as its unhygenic. Utter bollocks! I do this all the time, never had a problem with moths or BO and manage to keep tabs on what is clean and what needs washing. T-shirts, underwear, socks are one wear. Dresses, jeans etc at least 2.
Ehric - the crotch of my jeans does not smell at all after one wear! Clean knickers twice daily might help.
All this washing - Think of the planet people!

I'll preface all this by saying that I'm one of the least sweaty people you'll meet.

but but but but but BUT

You wash JEANS after every wear/couple of wears? My mind is boggled. How much washing do all you people do?

I wash socks, undies and sportswear after every wear. Cotton tshirts get worn once or twice, the second time might be to go to the gym.

Silk tops (the majority of my tops), wool or cashmere jumpers get dry cleaned every year couple of months. Jeans washed every couple of months. Other trousers dry cleaned on an as-needs basis. Dresses are all either silk or jersey so get dry cleaned every 5-10 wears or so depending on where I've been (chilly office or overheated party).

I use cedar wood in my closets and have never had a moth infestation. Would not even DREAM of separating worn and unworn clothes - I can tell if they're ready to be washed because they look and/or smell dirty!

Honestly, this is one of the most baffling things I have ever read on mumsnet.

Not back in the wardrobe, but hung over any available surface eg the banister, doors, end of bed...

I thought I was v clean and hygienic. I'm not!! I just put all non visibly dirty and non smelly clothes back where I found them at the end of the day. That probably means I'm wearing things loads and loads of times but i thought things only need washing when they are dirty or smelly?

I'm very non sweaty which may help. Bras go on the floor to be put on again next day and I usually get at least three days out of them. Socks and pants obv changed daily.

All DSs clothes in wash at end of the day though. He has a lot of clothes and I like him to wear them all plus he is a grubby potty training toddler.

Angel tulips - you mention dry cleaned stuff. Wonder what the wear once brigade do about that? Wouldn't like their bills!

I KNOW. dry cleaning is extortionate. I like to think that the lack of polyester helps the ventilation which cuts down on the need to clean. I just honestly cannot imagine thinking things were dirty after 1 wear.

Are you washing people also the type who will throw away food that's fallen on your kitchen floor for 10 seconds and who carry around hand sanitiser everywhere?

I put "half worn" things like jeans in the bottom of the wardrobe in between wearings.

Things like jackets & jumpers that are not often washed are hung to air for a few days on the outside of the wardrobe before putting them back inside. Sometimes I put them outside on the line.

Tops/tunics/dresses manage two wearings unless they are dirty or smell of cooking.

Undies are worn once only.

I'm astonished that people think that putting worn once clothes next to clean ones will contaminate them!! And how many people have said "if I put it back in the wardrobe I won't be able to remember if it's clean or not"? If it's clean enough for you not to remember, it doesn't need washing!! So so wasteful and bad for the planet!
The rule in our house is that if it looks dirty or smells, it gets washed. For undies & socks that is daily but for everything else it can be 3-4 wears depending on the item and what we've been doing. All clothes are put away in the drawers/wardrobe at the end of the day. We do not smell and we have never had moths!!

I'm on your team OP! (But looks like we are on the "losing side"?)

I think I must be a "low-sweat" person though, as I seem to get away with putting things back in the wardrobe and with very infreq use of the washing machine! (And no moth troubles.)

And I agree with Canshop ..... what about being more careful with our precious water supply? (Not to mention the energy used to power a washing machine/drier/iron.)

I only wear dry clean only things about once a year, so that isn't an issue.

I'm very sweaty, anything that has been next to the skin (unless it's only a couple of hours) generally fails the sniff test. I do wash with soap every day and use deodorant (Mitchum). Those that don't sweat, you are very lucky.

I certainly wear things more than once and I do think that we have become a bit over the top about washing clothes. I would wear clean undies every day, and usually a clean top, especially in the summer when it's a bit sweaty! I would have no problem wearing trousers, jumpers etc more than once.

I don't understand how 'dirty' clothes can contaminate clean clothes, unless they're really filthy, eg covered in mud. What exactly is going to cause contamination?!

Yanbu. I shove clean/non smelly items back in the wardrobe. I can't bear leaving clothes out of the wardrobe if I plan to wear again as they end up stinking of cooking etc and defo not dropped in a pile on the floor to gather dust eww

Another floordrobe user here. There's no space anywhere else, and my clothes storage is a bit scattered around the house anyway. Why wash if it looks and smells clean. Best clothes which tend to be awkward to wash go back in the wardrobe if they're fine for rewearing.

And...how can it possibly be unhygienic to put worn clothes back in the cupboard? Utter, utter madness!!

I don't suppose contamination is really an issue, but I've never put any worn clothes away again, it would just seem weird. I do what catsofa described, and stash "clothes to be worn" on top of a chest of drawers.

my could be worn again stuff goes on chair or hung on wardrobe door but never in wardrobe for same reason as others. wash tops after 1 wear but not skirts or cardis

YANBU underwear washed obviously after every wear but anything else I take day by day. I don't really sweat and rarely do any 'dirty' work (apart from when I'm covered in sick, wee or poo from baby ds2). Sometimes things need washing after one wear, sometimes they don't.

Erm, YANBU?? These threads never cease to amaze me. Do none of you have water/leccy bills to worry about?? We're on a meter for both and I would be skint if I washed all clothes after each wear. In the hot weather I did wash most tops and dresses after each wear and even that felt very decadent.

Oh god I must be a total mink as I always put clothes back in the chest of drawers after one wear (apart from obvious things or things that have been stained) how would moths get into my cheat of drawers??

cakecake MINK! Brilliant word, I've not heard it for years! are you from east/central Scotland by any chance??

I'm not sure about this suggestion that moths go for 'dirty' clothes. Where has that idea come from? I don't think they are that choosy!

MrsSchadenfreude

YANBU. The only things I would never put back for a second wear are pants and socks. Everything else goes back in ready to be worn again until it is dirty, smelly or feeling weird texture-wise.