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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how often you do laundry (those with children particularly)

260 replies

AG29 · 21/12/2019 17:18

It’s never ending. At least a full load every day. Sometimes more. Also do a white wash On a Friday for school shirts, towel wash, bedding etc etc.

Family of 4, 2 children with additional needs.

OH thinks my laundry habits are obsessive but what am I meant to do? Leave the wash basket piled up? Let Dc wear dirty clothes. OH how’s through his Fair share of clothes each day too.

Doing a load a day means I keep on top of it somewhat.

DC have additional needs who are incredibly messy. DS regularly comes home from school covered in mud and his lunch all down his uniform so needs a fresh set every day.

It’s exhausting but surely not out of the ordinary when you have children?

OP posts:
TrixchangeK · 21/12/2019 17:19

I think you're better off doing it daily rather than letting it build up, that would be carnage!

Laiste · 21/12/2019 17:20

Same as you OP.

Doing laundry is one of thefew chores i dont mind doing though.

Flowers
Fairylea · 21/12/2019 17:20

We have two children, one with special needs and I do at least 2 washes every single day. I can’t miss a day otherwise I just have even more to do.

WheresMyChocolate · 21/12/2019 17:20

2 adult and 1 six year old. I do 1 wash a day most of the time. Occasionally 2.

Andysbestadventure · 21/12/2019 17:20

Twice a week. We have a huge 8kg washer and 10kg condenser dryer though both with rapid settings. So one load only takes about 90 minutes from start to folding.

BeBraveAndBeKind · 21/12/2019 17:21

Every day too in a house with two adults and two teenagers. We moved house last year and the kitchen has a fitted 6kg washing machine whereas we had a 9kg in the previous house. I hate it and can't wait for it to pack up so I can buy one that actually fits a decent amount of clothes.

Andysbestadventure · 21/12/2019 17:21

I'd rather have more clothes to wear and do less washing though though. Maybe that's just me 🤷‍♀️

CottonSock · 21/12/2019 17:22

Big load washing machine is my saviour. Worth upgrade

Laiste · 21/12/2019 17:22

If he worries your routine is excessive maybe leave his clothes out of the wash and let him manage the cleaning of them himself at the weekend ... ? To lighten your load y'know?

I bet that goes down well. Not.

MakeLemonade · 21/12/2019 17:23

At least one per day here, often two. Family of five including a baby with reflux.

soontobeanana · 21/12/2019 17:23

3 adults and 1 wash every day - by the time you've taken into account, bed linen, towels and occasional wash items such as coats, throws, bath mats etc on top of clothes it's hard to see how it could be less.

yorkshiregodscountry · 21/12/2019 17:24

Two adults, three kids around five washes a week. Wash bedding once a week and towels probably twice or once a week at least.

megletthesecond · 21/12/2019 17:24

Me and 2 tween dc's.
2 or 3 smaller loads a day.

I have to keep on top of PE and gym / running kit. Don't like leaving all my work clothes and school uniform to the weekend either. Far easier to keep on top of it. I like to line dry too so rush more through the machine if it's nice.

sandragreen · 21/12/2019 17:24

When my DC were little I probably did about 5 loads a week including bedding and towels, but they didn't have additional needs Flowers

It sounds about right OP. I do think I managed better once I worked out how to set the timer so the machine finished around the time I came downstairs in the morning, especially in the summer when I could put it all on the line before going to work.

If OH is moaning let him do his own washing.....

YahooGmail · 21/12/2019 17:24

I do think about it sometimes- all the time we spend washing, hanging, ironing, folding, putting away, buying clothes, outgrowing clothes, giving them to charity, buying more. I do wonder if we all had less clothes and washed them less frequently would we have lots more spare time.
It's just 2 of us and a toddler, and one more on the way. I probably do a load every few days. There's always a clothes horse up though

Original poster
AG29 · 21/12/2019 17:25

I must add my machine is a 9kg so not small and it s a full load most days. I did a load late last night and the basket is full again!!

OP posts:
melissasummerfield · 21/12/2019 17:25

2 adults, 3 dc, spend half my life in the utility room Sad

At least one wash a day, probably averages about 10 loads a week.

I am one of those oddballs ( according to mn) who only wears pjs once, and dc wear a full clean set of uniform everyday Grin

Wash bedding once a week too Shock

bloodywhitecat · 21/12/2019 17:26

At least a load a day, we are a family of two adults, a two year old and a 6 week old.

kemosabeimalive · 21/12/2019 17:26

I’m at least a load a day too. My two boys both have ASD and this seems to be an element for us. DS1 has underdeveloped motor skills and tends to spill when eating then finds the stains upsetting so will change immediately when it happens. He also still has wee accidents both in the day and less often at night which really makes the laundry add up.

Lllot5 · 21/12/2019 17:27

I live in my own and do about four a week xx

Apolloanddaphne · 21/12/2019 17:27

There are only 3 of us at home, all adults and I do a load most days. With muddy dog walking clothes, gym clothes, work clothes plus sheets and towels it fairly mounts up.

iwillnevereatspaghetti · 21/12/2019 17:27

3 children 8-15 I think I do 12 loads a week at least.

Tombliwho · 21/12/2019 17:28

One load a day, sometimes have to do two.
2 adults 3 kids
I despise laundry.

AuntImmortelle · 21/12/2019 17:28

At least one load a day. Two adults and two children. Sometimes two depending.

Expressedways · 21/12/2019 17:28

We don’t do laundry everyday but will sometimes do a couple of loads one after the other. I reckon we do about 6 loads a week- darks, colours, whites, our sheets, DDs sheets, towels. Doing more than a full load a day sounds like a lot though and like you possibly need more clothes.

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