To ask you to arbitrate on a dispute about laundry etiquette?

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

So, dh and I disagree. He is clearly wrong but thought I should put it to the Mumsnet jury because I'm putting off doing bedtime

So, you live in a house where the adult children wash their own clothes and one adult (for the sake of argument we'll call this adult Mrs Overall) is responsible for washing everything else that is in the laundry box including kids clothes and towels. Mrs O hangs out, sorts and folds and Mr Overall does putting away, leaving a pile for adult children of anything that has worked its way into the shared laundry box by mistake.

If you got up just before 10 after the school run and saw there was an open washing machine with about 4 unwashed items inside would you

a) Take no notice
b) Add your own items to the laundry and put it on running a half load
c) Ask the only adult in the house if they had finished with the machine because you want to do some laundry
d) Assume someone is using the machine and come back later if you want to do some washing yourself.

Just to reiterate dh is wrong. Some details have been changed to protect the feckless

Over to you.

Most likely C, if owner was in easy reach, but I would stick my stuff in with what was already in the machine.

Sorry I had so v good news mid way through posting which was a distraction. So to be clear I (Mrs O) live with Mr O and 2 small dc plus au pair. I wash family stuff and everything else and au pair is supposed to wash her own clothes.

This morning I rinsed some peed on kid's pyjamas in the machine and added two more items leaving door wide open. Then I emptied dishwasher and while doing that AP got up. I said morning etc and went upstairs to get rest of washing leaving her making her breakfast. When I came back down with washing (about 10 mins later because I did the Full Sweep after the weekend) AP had vanished but the washing machine was on. She had added her own clothes on top and put it on. It was doing a full wash but only half a load.

I was quite shocked she didn't even ask, my dh thought this was acceptable behaviour. He is still wrong. Possibly. Even if he is right I'm not telling him.

Oh fgs what a non event - she's young, doesn't understand the rules and isn't much cop at being an au pair either,

And she's going. The end.

I am glad the Italian Truck Driver has seen sense and is sticking by her.
Hope Mr O gets a new job soon.
Will your insurance cover the damaged shoes?

I think it was odd not to ask.

Sounds like she's for the chop anyway though, so meh.

Alright Dusty! It's AIBU not an expose in The Washington Post

In fairness, it's quite possible the Daily Mail will nick this. In fact they could turn it into a series on white goods and other kitchen items. So, you find toast in the toaster. What's the etiquette? Leave it in the rack to go cold while you make more? Eat it? Ignore it and just have weetabix? The nation needs to know.

Colonel Mustard in the library with the lead piping.

That would have pissed me off too, tbf.

Having lived with a brother who thought nothing of taking everything out of the washing machine, whether it was washed, dry, waiting to be washed or whatever, just to wash his manky trainers (when the rest of us needed clean washing), it is rather frustrating. He never did anything useful with the rest of the washing, like put it back in/hang it up/dry it, just bunged it in a basket so he could do his trainers.

Your DH is wrong though, she should have asked, of course. Or at least just put her stuff in there but not started the machine.

Oh crickey not The Fail! There's nothing to see here folks. Move along now...

That's a very unlikely scenario Gabilan since she doesn't eat anything unless I have cooked it at her behest 😁

I don't think she did anything toooooo wrong. Slightly annoying but at least she washed those things with hers and didn't remove them before putting hers on.

It's ok, I haven't cast her out onto the street or had her shot or anything.

In fact she's staying for free rent and board at the end of her notice period until she's finished her exams. It's not my preferred choice but it's The Right Thing To Do. I await my medal or sainthood imminently.

I even bit my tongue today and have only mentioned it to dh. I think he was mostly stunned she'd used the machine rather than complain to us she'd run out of clothes.

Third world problems lol

Small child and weed on pjs I'd assume Mrs O has gone to get wet bedding leave well alone x

A

If I had stuff to do I would put them in the machine and switch it on. If I had nothing to do I would shut the machine door and ignore its contents.

It's ok though, because we're directly sponsoring her Arf. Like a mini World Vision project but with more smoked salmon, avocados and soya yoghurt.

I think I'm the only person but D for me ... Assume someone was using it and leave it alone !

How did you end up with an au pair? Aren't they supposed to do the washing and the school run and stuff? I'm intrigued now! I've only just discovered that an au pair is in fact one person. I thought it was 2 people until now!

What was the good news?:)