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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why people only do their own washing?

563 replies

sweeneytoddsrazor · 14/05/2018 01:03

Just that really.

I see so many posts where people say DP's or any child over the age of about 12 do their own washing. Surely it's easier to just empty the laundry basket and do one wash of everyones washing rather than have 4 people do 4 washes with not much in it.

OP posts:
londongirl12 · 14/05/2018 01:11

I think it's more about learning to do household chores themselves ready for the future.

MorrisZapp · 14/05/2018 01:14

I do my own washing. I have my own laundry basket. I wouldn't wash another adults clothes unless they were ill.

Before you lived with a partner, did you do tiny laundry loads?

Greenyogagirl · 14/05/2018 01:15

I think that’s bizarre too, everything goes in the machine I don’t care who it belongs to!

CalF123 · 14/05/2018 01:16

I think this is another example of where MN is either in a world of its own or posters are talking nonsense. I've never come across a house in my life where each individual does their own washing. What a faff.

Original poster
sweeneytoddsrazor · 14/05/2018 01:18

Before you lived with a partner, did you do tiny laundry loads?

Never lived alone, when sharing we used to always ask if anyone else had any washing they wanted doing. And I get about learning to do chores but teaching them to do laundry doesn't mean they all do their own.

OP posts:
YummySushi · 14/05/2018 01:18

Agreed.. might make more sense to let people delegate days of laundry to one person at a time if sharing must be done.

I just do the whole laundry for the entire household because it’s just shoving in one load and that’s it.

Having to split laundry into categories and then into individuals - that’s a waste of power and water.

I don’t produce that much laundry in a day..

Greenyogagirl · 14/05/2018 01:21

I lived on my own and did tiny loads, however my clothes don’t mind sharing the washer Hmm

UserV · 14/05/2018 01:21

Agree with @Caf

MN is a parallel universe sometimes. I have never known a single family in my 40-odd years, where each individual person in the family (over 12) does their own washing. What a crock of crao!

Same with meals. Normal families have their meals together, and don't cook individually.

UserV · 14/05/2018 01:22

Crock of CRAP I mean (not crao!)

CadyHeron · 14/05/2018 01:23

Another one who thinks that sounds like a total faff, it all just gets flung in the washing machine when I put a load !

JeNeBaguetteRien · 14/05/2018 01:24

Growing up family laundry was done together, my parents didn't want us each doing our own washing but did reach us to go through the laundry basket to get enough clothes for e.g. a lights or dark wash.
I do most of the laundry here. When I lived alone I either did smaller loads or had to wait longer between washes to have enough for a dark or light load or delicates. With doing all the laundry I can prioritise if for example I want a certain top or trousers washed first. I would feel bad doing smaller loads and DH doing the same.
Mind you I was a bit Confused at guests last year who wanted to put their stuff in the washing machine with ours, that was a step too far for me.

I suppose I view it as a family chore, similar to cooking. We don't cook separate dinners, if I'm happy to cook dinner for DH I think it's fair to ask him to put a washing load on.

CadyHeron · 14/05/2018 01:24

when I put a load on

sobeyondthehills · 14/05/2018 01:28

If its not in the wash basket it doesn't get washed.

My 6 year old is in the habit of throwing off his clothes as he goes up the stairs to a bath. I have informed him, that if they are not in the wash basket then they will not be washed.

MorrisZapp · 14/05/2018 01:29

Crock of crap?

How on earth are my laundry habits a crock of crap? It's just a washing machine.

It's no faff at all. No sorting needed, I have my own laundry basket. When it's full I fling it in the machine. Do everything on a twenty minute wash.

Each to their own but please don't call my laundry habits a crock of crap.

AjasLipstick · 14/05/2018 01:39

Dh sometimes does his own because he does a dirty job and his things are all hardcore work clothes covered in filth.

DD will sometimes put a load of hers on because otherwise she knows I won't do it for another day or so and it might get split between two loads...she wears a lot of black too.

TanteRose · 14/05/2018 01:40

My adult children (20 and 19) who are still at home, do their own washing. It's just easier for them to track what they need (work clothes etc) rather than me forgetting to wash something.
It's not strict - I'll sometimes ask them to put something in their wash, and DH and I do the same for them.
With four adults, I'm not doing everyone's washing Hmm

DramaAlpaca · 14/05/2018 01:47

My adult children do their own washing too. I fail to see why I should do it for them, quite frankly. Obviously there's a bit of flexibility, but I expect my young adults to take care of most of their own laundry. Oh, and they always have a full load.

angryburd · 14/05/2018 01:48

Unless you're using an old fashioned wash board and scrubbing everything by hand, I don't see how it's any great hardship to just turn the bloody washing machine on regardless of whose clothes are in it. I could do my own washing as a teenager, in the sense that I knew how to operate it. I doubt my parents would have been impressed if I literally just did my own washing and ignored any of their stuff though.

tabulahrasa · 14/05/2018 02:00

We all pretty much do our own washing because it’s easier...

We don’t do 4 washes with nothing in them though, that would be stupid, we put what we're washing in and say we’re putting a wash on if anyone wants to add anything, or if no-one else is about just wash what’s at the top of the dirty washing.

Jux · 14/05/2018 02:02

We each do our own, it seems to be one wash a week and then towels and bedding can all go in together.

Kotare · 14/05/2018 02:05

My washing wasn't up to DH's standards. I view this as a win.

ScoobyCan · 14/05/2018 02:24

My STBXH used to take his dirty washing out of the laundry basket (household of 4,
2 dc's under 10) and wash it. He would never include any of my clothes or the kids clothes, even if same colours / whites / half a load.

Utterly ridiculous behaviour.

coolwalking · 14/05/2018 02:28

We do our own washing and wash our DC clothes with ours whenever we do a load.

I haven't got time to think about DPs work clothes etc plus I don't want to be responsible for her work clothes etc. Knowing me I would probably wash them and they would turn pink!

Astrid2 · 14/05/2018 02:40

You don't want to be responsible for someone else's washing?? That is mental. It's washing not a bloody pet to look after.

I have neither the time or inclination to separate mine my husband and babies clothes into separate washes. It's darks and lights here and that's as far as it goes.

coolwalking · 14/05/2018 02:43

@Astrid2 She works in different environments so sometimes needs warmer or cooler clothing depending. So it's easier for her to sort them out according to the week she has. Things like bedding and towels we will washing all together regardless of whose they are. But I do think some work clothes need to be the responsibility of the person needing them.