To wonder how many people don't do their spouse's laundry?

[Goostacean]

I see this on threads quite regularly: OP says they do cleaning/laundry etc, next posters say "why do you do [his] laundry?"

Do many households have separate laundry baskets- one per person? Or do people mean they take turns to do communal loads? How many of you only do your own laundry?

I've only ever seen this on MN, although in fairness I've not made a habit of asking friends and acquaintances how they manage the load (excuse the pun) in their households...

AIBU to ask what happens in your homes?

I do all the laundry. I'm quite particular about it too so DH nearly always does it wrong on the rare occasion he tries.

My parents keep their dirty washing separate but my mother does all the washing. It's weird and doesn't make total sense, but that pretty much sums up my mother.

I do it all but to be fair, laundry is my favourite chore. No tumble dryer here, it's all done on the line outside or on the horse. DH does always squirt the underarms of his tops and shirts with oxi spray before putting them in the basket though. Can't see the sense in separate loads unless due to fabric type.

No tumble dryer here, it's all done on the line outside or on the horse.

How do you get the horse to stand still with all those wet clothes on his back?

Laundry is my fav chore, too. And I get much more satisfaction from pegging the laundry out and taking it down than throwing it in the dryer.

I don't do DP's laundry, cooking, ironing, work lunch or anything else really- he just gets on with it and I get on with mine. Obviously we help each other out occasionally, there are no rules to it. I'll put some of his washing in if theres room in the drum or stick a work shirt in in case he needs it for the next day but he is as self sufficient as an adult would be, and as I am, so it's never a need. He probably does more than me actually, as I have a chronic illness I'm a bit of a weak link in the physical chores chain- he still probably did more before I took ill though.

My dh does all the laundry
I do the cooking

dontgobaconmyheart - if you don't cook for each other does that mean that you eat separately?

Generally I do the washing/drying but DH is more than capable, and he knows if he wants a particular item he can ask, or do it himself. As can the DC. DC have baskets in their rooms, and are expected to bring them through on a regular basis - everything gets washed together though.
Similarly, the car is, for the most part, his domain, as is grass cutting. Not female/male tasks. Just the division of labour that works for us. He cooks (as he's home from work first, and likes to cook) and I clear away - we play to our strengths! Nothing is rigid though. If there's a job that needs doing, one of us will do it, depending on who's free/can be arsed/who notices it first!

All the laundry goes into three baskets (towels, clothing and microfiber) and gets washed like that. I don't split it. I do almost all of the laundry because I like to do it.

I don't do DP's laundry, cooking, ironing, work lunch or anything else really- he just gets on with it and I get on with mine

I find that weird, instead of sharing chores and do 50/50, you both stick to 100% EACH. I don't understand how it can work in practice, but it mainly sounds like such a waste of time.

If I fill up the basket, I put the washing on.
OH does the same.
Same with all the chores. One of us will see it needs doing and do it.

I don't do DP's laundry, cooking, ironing, work lunch or anything else really- he just gets on with it and I get on with mine

How strange. Sounds like a shared student house! Do you have separate cartons of milk with your names on?!
Surely part of being in a couple is doing things for each other?

Two laundry bags in our bedroom. I do the kids and my own.

Laundry is my fav chore, too. And I get much more satisfaction from pegging the laundry out and taking it down than throwing it in the dryer.

Me too - I genuinely enjoy hanging washing out on a sunny day! Why is that??

Hmm. I wonder if those of who say you share and don't understand seperate, would understand a division of labour-type thing: I do delicate loads and occasional bedding/towels, DH does cotton loads and occasional bedding/towels. It just so happens that cotton loads consist of nearly entirely DH's clothes (plus DD's school uniforms) and the delicate loads consist nearly entire of my clothes (plus DD's other clothes).

When I was growing up, it was my father who was pickier about laundry - he insisted on doing his own as his suit trousers and shirts needed special treatment. And he had a closet of nothing but identical things, so just would do like a load of nothing but trousers, and one of nothing but socks, etc. Even I, without a basis of comparison, thought that was weird... so in contrast, me and DH doing separate loads doesn't seem so weird.

I don't do DH's because my method is very slapdash. He does mine though!

When I was first married we shared until he ruined £100s of my cloths due to not seperatingwhites,/darks despite being asked .He mainly wore work clothes which were filthy but I stopped doing those too and resided to do his socks which were toxic.
I did my DDS clothes when she came along and sheets,towels otherwise the got left.
Now DD and I share the washing as she understands seperating and will go through my basket if she puts a wash on.

Laundry is my favourite household task. I live alone now so only mine to do. When the kids were at home I had six peoples washing to do ( 4 kids me and DH) never did I think oh only doing my own.

My DD16 prefers to do her own washing and she does it separately to me and DD2. I do all of DD2’s and my own

I probably would not want to wash a mans if he never washed mine. It would have to be equal

I do mine. DH does his. DCs (25,23 & 20) all do their own. My days of being a laundry maid are in the past. It's bliss. We have 2 machines which helps. I do the kitchen laundry and the dogs laundry too.

We would do each other's if asked though.

I wash everything apart from his work clothes, I don't like to touch them because sometimes he works in the poo factory.

@murmuration most of my male siblings do their own laundry as they do sport, so are particular how their technical fabrics are washed, and most wear suits, so are particular how their shirts are washed and ironed.

Myself and my partner mainly wash our own clothes but towels, bedding and children's clothes are done by either of us.

I personally don't think it is unfair for someone else to wash your smelly sweaty sports clothes more so where it involves technical fabrics that have to be washed on particular temperatures and washes.

I also don't separate as I have very few white clothes, there as he does.

Other chores are done by whoever though my DP does the majority of the cooking as he likes it.

Another one here who doesn't understand why whoever does it doesn't just do whatever needs washing, regardless of who owns it. FWIW, I load the machine before I leave for work and drying it and ironing it are DH's job. We all put our own away.

I know dozens of people who don’t do their partners laundry. My father, both my brothers, my husband, both of his brothers, all four of my brothers in law. None of my uncles. Plus at least another dozen friends who I know well enough to know their laundry habits.

Thats about 30 people at least. None of them seem to think it’s a waste of Time. So I have no idea why the OP thinks it’s so odd.

We have one laundry bin. Mostly I do the laundry as I'm at home.

He irons his shirts unless I have other stuff to iron in which case I might do them.

Been married over 30 years.
My DH has always done his own, since way back in the day when he worked in a nice suit and smart shirt, and ironed shirts 'his' way.
He will happily hang laundry out/bring it in and irons in front of sport on TV.
I did/do my own and the kids' stuff and household washing.
I have no idea about my DH's clothes and what size pants he wears as it's nothing to do with me.