Seventeen Loads of Washing... I'm not am I?

[RedRainRocks]

AIBU in the slightest? Seventeen (spelt out so you're sure it's not a typo). 17 loads of washing this week I have done and put away. (As well as working 72+ hours) I accept I am a little bit OCD about the sheets and towels being on a hot wash alone and that only white things go in the white wash but I do not understand how this household can make so much damn washing!?!!! These are all full loads.

AIBU to ask how many loads you do on an average week, if towels and bedding are done at least once a week and if 22 flannels are an average weeks usage in your household?? I probably am but please ...tell me they are not going to put "now we have no clean clothes to wear" on my gravestone?

There has to be an easier way than this... Surely?

About 7 loads a week for 3 people. DH needs clean clothes every day (mucky job), one load is bedding and one would be towels/hot wash type stuff.

Another one here with a household of 4 and I also do on average a wash a day. Only change the kids sheets every other week and night clothes every 3 days. They are 3 and 6 though so get through an outfit a day due to food, pens, mud etc.

OK here's another one - how often do you use the dishwasher?

I have a love/hate relationship with mine: I'm always unloading the bloody thing but would be in hell without it!

I don't get dishwashers, really. There's only 3 of us, and I didn't mind a bit of washing up. However, we've had the kitchen done and DH is obsessed with the new dishwasher. He thinks it's bonkers not to use it, but I don't enjoy having to partly clean the plates before they go in - seems like such a faff and a bit gross.

Dishwasher was always once a day but it's been broke for a couple of months so I'm back to hand washing. I only miss the dishwasher was pots and pans, I don't mind doing plates, cutlery etc by hand.

About 14 loads a week for me and 2 dc's. Work clothes, school uniform (often muddy), gym and running gear (ditto mud), messy garden clothes, towels and sheets easily gives me 2 loads a day. I don't want the sweaty and muddy stuff festering and like to keep on top of my work clothes.

FWIW spankhurst you don't need to wash plates before they go in, just scrape the leftovers off. It's a hangover from the 70s and 80s when the things didn't work properly, they do now. Unless it's cement like porridge or weetabix your DW should be well up to it.
PS I'm not a DW geek honest - I just read a piece by Matt Rudd about how unneccessary it is to rinse plates first and it's stuck in my head...

Wow! I have a messy in-nappies learning-to-eat toddler and still don't approach that on a bath and 3 changes of clothes for her a day (and the odd night time bed emergency), plus DH needing very clean formal whites for work but loads of grubby tshirts gardening at home...!

...with my dishwasher either daily or 48 hourly. Have a slimline one so it fills quickly, plus its the easiest thing for beakers, bottles, pacifiers and enables me to cook without half an eye on keeping the washing up down (like seriously, 'quick meals' that use 5 pans and 2 chopping boards plus mixing = long meals cause the pain comes later).

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba I have 5 DC & I wash more than 17 loads per week:

3 × bed clothes (6 beds)
4 × towels
1 × socks/boxers
2 × bras, etc (delicate wash)
1 × pjs
4 × school uniforms
2 × work clothes (DH v. messy job)
2 × sports (DSs play a lot of sports)
3 × others (t-shirts, jeans, hoodies, darks)
1 × whites
1 × reds
1 × woollen wash
Mostly tumbled dried!

Obviously some weeks there may be no reds or no whites.
On the other hand some weeks there may be more sports.
All 7 of us are in Scouts so there may be very muddy camping clothes but maybe no school uniforms!!
Yes, all washed, sorted & ironed by me.
I love ironing

I don't have a washing machine (or a family) but I do one load every 3 weeks. Got enough pants to last me that time, everything goes in the same wash. Only once ever have I had something run in the wash, and also I own very few white things, but I really can't see the point in separate washes. I hate the launderette and it costs me £7 just to do this one load!

Three in our household ( 1 adult) and I do 3 loads a day. I too have the obsession about separating everything. However 1 load everyday comes from swimming kit!

Live alone.

Weekly wash is:
bedding
towels (including kitchen towels)
dark clothing - jeans, dark jersey tops, yoga pants, most of my underwear is black
lights - nightgowns, light casual tops, t-shirts

wash dog bedding every couple of weeks.

Most items are hung to dry; I have a large laundry area and four clotheslines in basement right and there is ductwork from the forced air furnace there too so it's always nice and warm from Sept to May. In more humid summer months I partially dry towels and bedding in tumble dryer, and hang clothing outdoors.

With you op on being a little fussy about splitting washing. I reckon I probably do 12-14 washes on average for a family of four. OH wears muddy rugby kit 4-6 times a week and they are so bulky and rank that's at least 3 washes minimum for them, though if they come home damp then washed almost immediately. I change sheets weekly so normally two loads for that, plus one extra towels wash. I probably do 2/3 dark colour washes and about the same for light colours. Normally do one wool wash and some weeks a bright colours wash or delicates, depending on what we've worn. Even if I mixed washes I wouldn't really save many loads. I find all the loads exhausting.

Week in week out that is a lot, but I have easily done that amount before. I can sometimes do 4 loads per day a couple of days running if I'm doing a blitz. If we have guests staying and all the beds need changing twice in a week plus an extra towel wash. We have 2 children (4 and 2), the 4 year old isn't fully toilet trained (an actual medical issue) and the 2 year old likes 'jumping in muddy puddles'. So yes, easily 17 loads some weeks. I also work full time but don't find it overly taxing, just get on and hang it up whilst cooking dinner / helping with homework etc etc. A heated airer changed my life however!!

Buying a Giant washing machine has changed my life. 15 Kilos. my new best friend, one wash per night. cheap rate. Sorted.
Doesn't go under kitchen top however.

mix56 I thought washing overnight wasn't safe.

We wash and dry overnight all the time.

What now Pearly?

Don't you remember White Meter? My mother never put on the machine during the day when it could be done more cheaply at night. The adverts positively encouraged it.

Who told you this?

www.cheshirefire.gov.uk/public-safety/home-safety/washing-machine-and-dishwasher-fire-safety

www.theguardian.com/money/2014/jan/11/kitchen-flames-domestic-appliances

The towels thing is bonkers though. You shower, you are clean. You are wiping clean water off yourself then hanging a towel with a bit of clean water on it up to dry. How on earth does that mean a towel is dirty?

OK, I can see the logic !, I have always put both my dish & washing machines on at night to use cheap rate electricity.
Don't think I will be changing anytime soon. Agree it would be prudent to have a smoke alarm in the utility area however.

Pearlylum,
The warnings about not leaving one of the specified models unattended until modifications were done related to the drier and apparently was only a problem if the lint filter was clogged. If you have cheaper off peak electricity then running the machine at night makes sense. I have free electricity from solar panels so keep an eye on the weather forecast to decide when to use power.

I've started setting the timer on the machine so it starts around the time oh gets up for work. Realistically by the time I've got up, washed, dressed, sorted out the kids it's nearing the end of the cycle. If I didn't I wouldn't get a load in until after the school run and if I want to line dry I'd miss most of the morning sunshine.

I am talking about washing machines in general here. Did you read the links?