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?

there's 4 of us here, and I do at least 2 washings a day. In fact today I washed and dried 4 loads, I have no idea how I could get by only doing 5 or 6 loads a week.

Voteforpedr0 wrote:
Finallyfree. It's not about being able to smell the fake chemical smells to tell if clothes are clean or not, it's obvious that they're not fresh because they smell of, well, people confused. It's not a huge issue in terms of general life but don't kid yourself if your a bit minging.

Rather rude to call someone minging because they don't douse their clothes in artificial crap fabric softener. I never said whether I rewear anything or am a 'single use in the basket' type person. Yet more assumptions.

I'm a sahm as you probably guessed.
I doubt anyone working could be so ridiculous as to iron so much, I suppose it's a problem, writing it down makes it real. Possibly OCD as have other quirks over cleaning etc and that's not meant to be a flippant comment, my doctor has said the same.
Just wish I was one of those people who was chilled about it, biggest bugbear is ironing king size bedding :(
Dc are both in single beds so takes five minutes to iron theirs.
I Currently have an ironing pile as big as my 5yr old dd.
How do I just stop?!

17 is not out of the norm for a family of 4. I have 4 and a dog and do at least 12 a week:

• 3 loads for bedding
• 1 load for dog (bedding and blankets washed weekly)
• 1-2 load for exercise clothing and my under wear
• 1-2 loads for towels
• rest for general wash

When I am in the US, my number of laundry loads more than halve as the machine there are higher capacity and run much shorter cycles.

missrabbit- go cold turkey on the iron.

That's what I did 19 years ago. I attended an ante natal group and the midwife advised everyone to ditch their iron. The midwife had two teenage kids and didn't have an iron.

So I did, went home and gave away my iron, I haven't ironed anything in 10 years, Nothing has dropped off, no-one has died. I have spoken in parliament, done a lot of customer facing work in marketing, my kids have worn school uniform, my OH has had several promotions and works in an industry that needs smartness.

Chuck the iron. It's not an essential part of life. I don't have an ironing pile. Ever.

I'm amazed how you can get away with ironing nothing at all??
Now I'm not a prolific ironer, I wash, dry, fold, put away and then iron as I go if it needs it.....but just how can you not iron anything??

There are five of us

If you decided to count my washing this week as I'm intrigued by this!

So starting yesterday on Monday through to Sunday evening

Yesterday I did one load, just clothes from the day and night before pjs

ICanSeeForMiles- what do you mean "get away with it"- makes me sound like a shoplifter.

I don't buy clothes that crease a lot- so no linen or silk- linen creases on wearing anyway, ironed or not.
I line dry clothes all year around. I peg carefully. I don't have a tumble drier, I never leave clothes to sit in the laundry basket.
I put shirts on hangers the moment they come inside.

I've not if!

At least 3 loads a day but...it's just washing, it's hardly strenuous!

I actually enjoy ironing
But then I only do my own. And only about 20% of my wardrobe needs it. So it's an hour a week.

My washing machine cycle is 1.5 hours. To do 3 loads a day I would have to employ someone or give up work.

My washing machine cycle is 18 minutes. I can get three loads done in the morning easily.

Two loads a day to keep on top of it in this house - there are five of us inc three teens. Dd1 does her own.

I wash flannels after use, my Mum used to have the same flannel by the sink for days on end and it was horribly smelly so I simply didn't have flannels until about a year ago when I realised how fab they are. I will not reuse.

Towels for five mount up, our bedding weekly tbh the teens bedding is probably fortnightly.

I don't think it's a lot.

MrsKoala I am puzzled. How can you and your DH's clothes for one day make a full load for your large washing machine?

an hour & a half cycle too long.
fortunately my express cycle is 30 mins, which is fine for sports & lightly soiled stuff.
the wool cycle is longer ffs

18 minutes! One day when I grow up I will get a decent washing machine and my life will be transformed. I will not do 17 loads a week, but my usual 6-8, and I will have an easier life with less water/ electricity waste.

I deliberately chose my machine because of the 18 minute cycle.

Family of 4.
2 X dark/coloureds
1 X white
1 X towels
1 X bedding
Unless clothes are actually dirty or smelly, they get hung back up. So most nights, it's just underwear, socks and shirts in the basket. Then I wash the kids trousers and jumpers at the weekend.
I have to confess to being rather bemused at the idea of washing something just because it's been worn once.

My washing machine has a 15 minute quick wash cycle.

Am I the only one who's roughly primary school aged kids are muddy generally, especially at this time of year?

There seem to be a lot of MNers who iron their kids clothes religiously and think it's lazy not to (different thread I know) but either let them wear their clothes muddy or don't let then play outdoors???

Ooh yes mine has the 15 minute quick wash. I didn't find it for a year (you have to put it onto cotton, then press the quick wash button), but now I know it's there it's very useful

It's good for freshening up clothes that have only been worn once.

There are 7 of us as a core family, half the week 8 when DSD stays, 2 of them are teenagers, 2 smaller children, 3 adults I hate having mixed wash accidents where white goes grey (yuk!!!) and we all wear colourful clothes, even the boys wear pink but there enough of each colour for a full load easily, we do at least 17 loads a week and very rarely is any of them a half load for a particular colour. Our washing machine is a large capacity one too. AND DH always moans house etc is 'unhygenic'!

I am still gobsmacked by the 22 flannels. How on earth could 5 people use 22 flannels. You're creating work for yourself, and I think it would be unfair to make your children help you keep up this level of madness!

I'm a everything ironer, and like pp it's what my mum did too. She did use to iron pants. If they're not tumbled I'll run over the pairs that are crumpled, but I won't if not. I do iron pjs, vests, hankies, non iron adult shirts and absolutely bed linen. I hate creased sheets. I think if ironing is important you make time. I iron in front of the tv once a week. Occasionally I'll do a small additional iron to clear the basket.

4 of us here and i probably only do 5 or 6 loads a week......i also only iron school uniform and my work uniform.....life is too short x