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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not want to iron?

18 replies

SmudgeButt · 08/09/2019 14:18

Years ago before I got married my future MiL went all dewey eyed and waxed lyrical about how lovely marriage was and how I would soon be ironing all of my husband's shirts, briefs etc. I must admit I laughed and said he was old enough to iron all of his own clothing as I certainly wasn't about to start. Frankly I rarely ever iron my own - life is too short.

30+ years on MiL shares a home with us as H is her full time carer. He does most of the house work including the laundry but as always only irons a few of his own things.

My MiL has taken to grumbling that I should iron everything of hers, including her sheets as that's the only proper way to do laundry. She can't stand to do anything like ironing even a hanky (yes, she insists on them) and can't be trusted to use an iron even sitting down.

she's a lovely woman and I want her to be happy but I'm drawing the line on this one. I work full time so it's just not going to happen. And H isn't a very healthy person so I'm not about to start nagging him to do it either.

Thoughts?

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 08/09/2019 14:28

If MIL wants ironing done she can send it out and pay for someone to do it for her. Even if she only gets a basic pension she can afford it as presumably she doesn't pay it all to you as 'keep'.

Sparrowlegs248 · 08/09/2019 14:29

Yep, get her to pay soneone to do it.

Original poster
SmudgeButt · 08/09/2019 14:45

so £7+ for bed linen, £1.50 per shirt, £3+ per skirt. So maybe £50 a month?? About 10% of a basic pension??

Does that seem reasonable/realistic? (not being sarcastic, serious question)

OP posts:
BrightYellowDaffodil · 08/09/2019 15:04

She wants it done, she can arrange for it to be done. If it's too much to pay for then it will remain undone. I haven't ironed anything for at least 10 years (and even then it was a one-off) and the world has not ended.

DidYeAyee · 08/09/2019 15:08

If you otherwise get along well, explain kindly that you just can't manage it with working full timex and that you wouldn't be offended if she wanted to have an ironing service do this for her. Then give her the number for a couple of local services.

I rarely iron anything. Its tedious and for the most part unecessary. Occassionally I will iron a shirt or a frock if it needs it and we need to look smart/ fancy. Otherwise I cant be arsed.

FrauHaribo · 08/09/2019 15:25

Does that seem reasonable/realistic? (not being sarcastic, serious question)

it's a perfectly reasonable suggestion. If she wants some non-essential work done, she can pay for it and sacrifice something else, or she'll have to do without it.

Expecting clean laundry, sheets and towels is perfectly fine. Expecting them ironed is not.

Ringdonna · 08/09/2019 15:27

You should be doing it, part of housework in my view.

Rachelover60 · 08/09/2019 15:32

Ironing Shop for you. Not expensive, worth every penny.

ShirleyPhallus · 08/09/2019 15:33

You should be doing it, part of housework in my view.

Oh come on Hmm

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 08/09/2019 15:35

She is already being cared for full time by a man who isn't at 100% health. She could always go into a home and have her laundry done for her?

dementedpixie · 08/09/2019 15:35

You should be doing it, part of housework in my view

Fuck that! I only iron school stuff and Dh's shirts. If anyone else wants stuff ironed they can do it themselves

chickenyhead · 08/09/2019 15:36

Gave away my ironing board when I broke up with my ex. I now have a small worktop one.

Your house, your standards. Defo wouldn't do bedding myself.

FrauHaribo · 08/09/2019 15:36

You should be doing it, part of housework in my view.

Grin Grin Grin
who on earth has time to iron bedsheets unless they have a cleaner to do it!

Celticrose · 08/09/2019 15:39

My mum like her sheets ironed. She gets them washed and ironed at local laundrette. I sometimes do the same otherwise its wash dry on line and back on the bed. I only take the iron out to do shirts occasionally or maybe cloth hankies. I deliberately do not buy clothes that will definitely need ironed or crease easily.

negomi90 · 08/09/2019 15:39

@ringdonna - you might view it as housework. Others don't. Making something into basic housework which previously wasn't is unreasonable.
If MIL cares she can talk to her son (he can do it) or she can find another way for it to happen.
Adding a huge chore because someone likes it that way is unreasonable

Note - I only recently brought an iron when I started sewing, all my clothes are things which don't need ironing and sheets and hankies don't need them either.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 08/09/2019 15:40

Definitely tell her how she can arrange ironing, she’ll decide then how important it is to her.

Skittlenommer · 08/09/2019 15:41

DH and I don’t even own an iron! Grin

madcatladyforever · 08/09/2019 15:43

I iron everything but I live on my own so no great hardship.
In your situation there is no way I'd do all that ironing and work full time.
It's your house now not MILs so she doesn't get to have everything her own way.

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