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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wash things after one wear?

192 replies

JustGiveMeGin · 05/03/2021 11:40

I know it is terrible for the environment however even though I shower every morning and my children shower daily I feel our clothes are ready for the wash at the end of the day!
We have a dog so I am usually covered in dog hairs/mud from walking her. I also have loose covers on the couch which get taken off and washed twice weekly because of said dog.
I am doing at least 2-3 loads of washing and drying a day. AIBU?

OP posts:
Ponoka7 · 05/03/2021 13:17

I sometimes wear black leggings and pjs twice. I don't sleep in my pjs, just wear them around the house. Other than that clothes are washed daily. How many of you are there to be washing that much?

YeahYeahThatsMoi · 05/03/2021 13:19

I'm happy to wear my work uniform (but the top) twice and we use towels twice before washing them. We wash all over clothes every day. Children are messy things. 😬

Original poster
JustGiveMeGin · 05/03/2021 13:19

Okay so the general consensus is that my washing habits are excessive!
By sofa covers I mean sort of large blankets rather than fitted covers....if that makes any difference?
My clothes always seem to feel dirty at the end of the day, I can't seem to bring myself to put them on again after my morning shower Hmm
I need to look into this because clearly I seem to have some issues....

OP posts:
RaininSummer · 05/03/2021 13:22

There's not much point wear freshly laundered clothes for dog walking when it's muddy so just keep jeans whatever for a week and then wash them. Just change into clean ones when you get home. I think it's ridiculous and wasteful to wash clothes each time unless actually dirty or smelly so most things manage 2 wears. Work tops I wear once for work and once at home normally.

Original poster
JustGiveMeGin · 05/03/2021 13:22

I have an older primary aged child and one in secondary school. Also have a husband that does a manual job adding to the washing pile!

OP posts:
OverTheRubicon · 05/03/2021 13:22

I try to eke things out, but during lockdown have needed to wash most of my kids' clothes daily, definitely their trousers, because of the amount of mud / pen / playdough etc from walks and home activities.i imagine you have some of the same challenges with dog hair - though do you have a lint brush to help?

In normal times I'd only usually wash underwear / tights / vests every time, tops every couple of wears and jumpers and jeans every few. Spot cleaning of small marks in between.Towels twice a week.

It's a waste of your time and money, bad for clothes and for the environment too, so I'd say to hold off where you can.

jakeee · 05/03/2021 13:23

I've never got my head around the visible dirt thing with clothes. Just because they look clean doesn't mean they haven't spent the day collecting germs. They absolutely should be washed after each wear, same as I wash my hands when I come in, they look clean but they have invisible bacteria on them.

maryberryslayers · 05/03/2021 13:25

Me too OP. I might wear a loose fitting jumper or cardigan more than once if it's clean but everything else is taken off and put straight in the basket. I have a toddler so I'm usually covered in dribbly/snotty/food marks by the end of the day, I just wouldn't feel fresh having a shower and putting yesterday's dirty clothes on.
With covid if I've been out anywhere I change as soon as I get in also.

tonytiy · 05/03/2021 13:25

jeans should not be washed after one wear.

UserTwice · 05/03/2021 13:26

Just because they look clean doesn't mean they haven't spent the day collecting germs.

And the new clothes will continue collecting germs the second you put them on. Unless you sanitise your house from top to bottom constantly, attracting germs is part of life.

ZaraW · 05/03/2021 13:26

Agree with everyone else. 2-3 loads a day is insane. Hopefully, your children will become more environmentally aware than you.

caringcarer · 05/03/2021 13:27

I wash everything I wear each day. I wash everything son wears each day except school trousers, he wears them 2 days. I would not want to wear the same dirty clothes again. I occasionally wear a cardigan 2 days if I have not had it on all day just off and on.

uncomfortablydumb53 · 05/03/2021 13:27

I have a Westie who sits on my lap
Instead of washing my jeans I wipe his feet then brush him at night
I always get at least two wears out of them that way
For hair I have a rubber " comb" to collect any loose hair on clothes

ZaraW · 05/03/2021 13:27

@emilyfrost

YANBU. I wash everything after one wear apart from jeans. I don’t care if it wears them out quicker as I’ll just buy new 🤷‍♀️
I despair.
StrawberrySquash · 05/03/2021 13:29

And the new clothes will continue collecting germs the second you put them on. Unless you sanitise your house from top to bottom constantly, attracting germs is part of life.

This. And TBH, does a bit of mud on the hem of my jeans matter? I'm only going to head out to the park and add to it. There's dirty, smelly dirt and there's clean dirt, IYSWIM.

user1493413286 · 05/03/2021 13:30

I have young kids and apart from cardigans I don’t think they ever get to the end of the day with clean clothes. I wash my tops every wear but jeans and cardigans can take a few wears.

jakeee · 05/03/2021 13:31

And the new clothes will continue collecting germs the second you put them on. Unless you sanitise your house from top to bottom constantly, attracting germs is part of life.

Yes but I'd rather wear something with one days worth of germs on it than 2+

If that's your theory then why bother washing or cleaning anything Hmm

WingClipped · 05/03/2021 13:36

If things are dirty, then yes, obviously wash them.
That much washing a week sounds mad though. Are they full washes? We currently have a half full washing basket but also masses of clean stuff still to wear so it can wait until I get a full load for example. I assume you don't just wash because it's 2pm so the washer goes on?
Also wouldn't it be easier to put a blanket down for the dog and save your sofa covers that way?

MasterBeth · 05/03/2021 13:37

Anything that has been rubbing up against your stinky bits for a day needs a wash.

Anything that’s covered in mud, dirt, or dog poo needs a wash.

A towel that’s rubbed clean water from your clean body doesn’t immediately need a wash.

A top you’ve worn over a t-shirt doesn’t immediately need a wash.

A pair of jeans with a muddy spill that you can wipe off with a cloth doesn’t immediately need a wash.

MasterBeth · 05/03/2021 13:39

Germs

FFS, germs!

LaCerbiatta · 05/03/2021 13:40

lol at invisible bacteria! What do you think bacteria will do to you? We don't live and shouldn't live in sterile conditions. We're full of bacteria inside and out and need it to be healthy. Unless your clothes are covered in poo smears they're not going to be harmful!

Porcupineintherough · 05/03/2021 13:41

Yes, YABU. And bizarrely germ phobic for a being whose body contains more bacteria than human cells.

torquewench · 05/03/2021 13:42

@DinosaurDigestive

I wash everything every day as well.

I do plenty of other things for the environmental and I am much happier with nice, fresh snelling clothes for myself and children.

I also wash towels after every use Grin

You actually wash towels after every use? So when you're the cleanest you can be? Whats the point of that? Or do you live in an hotel? 😂
jakeee · 05/03/2021 13:42

@LaCerbiatta

lol at invisible bacteria! What do you think bacteria will do to you? We don't live and shouldn't live in sterile conditions. We're full of bacteria inside and out and need it to be healthy. Unless your clothes are covered in poo smears they're not going to be harmful!
By bacteria I also mean viruses. They can be pretty harmful, covid as an example Hmm
tonytiy · 05/03/2021 13:43

But not all bacteria is harmful.