For re- washing clothes if it rained on them?

[SilverCrushedVelvetX]

Whenever I put washing on the line outside and it rains I just HAVE to bring it all in and put it in the wash again because it makes me feel like the clothes aren't clean now. I know it's only rain water but it just makes me feel uneasy. I've done a wash and put it outside and within an hour it started to rain so I brought it in and went to put it in the washing machine and my friend looked at me like I was mad and said "just leave it out there, it will stop raining at some point and dry." Am I being silly or do other people do this as well?

*it rained

I have towels out on the line that have been rained on several times since I hung them out yesterday morning. Today it's drizzled all day, hopefully tomorrow they will actually dry. I won't be rewashing them

FWIW, OP, I do this. I cannot stand the thought of my clean washing being rained on.

But I'm a bit odd about water - I hate getting my hands wet or touching any water I don't feel is 'fresh', including rainwater and (my personal nightmare) condensation on bus windows. I do appreciate that this is weird and irrational and unreasonable, but I've been like this since I was four and don't know how to change.

How do you feel about all the chemicals in your detergent being on your washing? Many many synthetic scents are carcinogens, which doesn’t exactly shout “ clean” to me.

I do appreciate that this is weird and irrational and unreasonable, but I've been like this since I was four and don't know how to change.

Think of rain water as the lovely clean stuff that then falls into reservoirs, gets full of algae and bacteria and animal crap, then treated with chemicals, chlorinated and fluoridated, then travels through miles of pipes and comes out of your tap. But that might put you off "fresh" tap water

My clothes don't come in until they are dry even if that means they've been rained on for days. It's just water I don't really see why you'd need to wash the water out?

I specifically rush to hang the nappies out when it rains! It makes them soft again.

YABU
At the very most, a spin cycle will do. But rain is water. Water is what you use to wash your clothes.

Water is water whether it comes from the sky or the tap.

The only way rain water makes clothes smell is from dampness eg if the clothes are sopping wet and left to dry. That's why I would spin if totally soaked. Also I live in London and have never had black flecks on outside washing if it rains. I've never heard of this but maybe it's debris being blown onto the washing instead.

Interesting note: Rain water does not contain spider willies. Neither can rain dark on your washing. There is nothing to fear!

If they are very drippy, just give them a quick rinse and spin.

I just rinse and spin, have a couple of items soggy wet on line atm, will let them drip a bit then bring them in.

Batshit,

But then it never ceases to amaze me how much work ppl make for themselves.

So wasteful. Read up on the measures taken by the residents of Cape Town last year to avoid running out of water. Drastically cutting down on laundry was top of the list.

Then read the National Geographic list of the top 10 cities likely to run out of water. (Spoiler.... London is #8!)

And then stop double washing your laundry.

Interestingly (or not, you be the judge) I did leave washing out last night, it got SOAKED this morning. Brought it in, spun it but when I opened the machine it had a funny smell. So I rinsed it and it’s ok now. I’m in a very traffic-y part of London.

You must be joking.

Wasteful of both water and electricity, totally unnecessary. What do you think is wrong with rain water?

Never occurred to me that this was an issue.
It’s water, clean water.
Do you shower if you happen to get caught in the rain?

But then it never ceases to amaze me how much work ppl make for themselves.

to be fair, putting a load of laundry in the washing machine is hardly work. The only effort is to iron or at least fold dry washing and put it away.

@chemicalelephant I like rainwater for my plants... I get it from our water butt. It leaves red tidemarks around the jug and confirms my (I know, irrational) suspicion of the inherent dirtiness of rainwater. Even though logically I know that only water can evaporate and so that any water that then returns from the clouds must also then be clean water.

Before you ask: yes, I do take medication, and yes, it does help - just not with this.

I have towels out on the line that have been rained on several times since I hung them out yesterday morning. Today it's drizzled all day, hopefully tomorrow they will actually dry. I won't be rewashing them

See this actually makes me feel a bit unwell. I can't imagine not washing things again that had been wet on the line and then out in the night and rained on again. I know that is a weird issue that I have. But it genuinely makes me feel unwell. I don't know how I'd change this way of thinking.

in london you do - clothes get dirty when they get rained on here (though for the adult clothes, i dont bother) for my children i do because they both have eczema and it sets them off.

to be fair, putting a load of laundry in the washing machine is hardly work.

I am surprised you didn't get flamed for it because it's often cited as the horrible chore. Eg. "I put 2 loads of washing on today, hoovered and loaded dishwasher, aibu to think I should have some help and life is hard?"

If it really is dripping wet I'd bring it in and put it on the shortest cycle or just a rinse and spin.and hang inside. I couldn't leave them out.