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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU that flatmate is washing his friend's filthy work rags in the shared machine?

146 replies

blacktruffle · 13/04/2021 22:27

I am in shared accommodation at present whilst I study. There is a guy in the house who is 32 going on 16 - smokes MJ a lot, a bit of a no-hoper but pleasant enough in his own way.

Tonight, I came down to do some washing in the shared washing machine but couldn't use it as he had a load in there. It stopped 5 mins after I got there and he came running in and started to empty the machine then said he needed a plastic bag. I said why don't you use the washing basket that I bought for the house to use? He told me that the clothes weren't his but belonged to his mate who is a window cleaner and as he said this, I noticed not only grotty old joggers and T shirts but also the rags that window cleaners use coming out of the drum.

Suffice it to say that these things had been on a 90 degree wash (takes 3 hours for the machine to complete that cycle) and because I had no idea what was on those rags, I then had to put the machine on an empty hot wash with detergent and a squirt of bleach. That meant that I couldn't do my washing tonight and neither could anyone else!

AIBU to say that I don't want his mates filthy window cleaning rags to be washed in our house a) because they could have oil, bird poop or just about anything else on them and could stain any clothes put in after them and b) laundrettes are open so his mate should be using those.

I don't like confrontation but I don't want this to become a regular thing and not sure how to approach it. I just didn't want to put my clothes in after a load that had god knows what on it. Help!

OP posts:
OolieMacdoolie · 14/04/2021 06:11

Washing machines wash things. You didn’t need to do an empty cycle for some rags which had been used to wash windows. But it’s a bit cheeky for your flatmate to be doing a long cycle for someone else when you also need to use the machine, so mention to him it’s fine as a one off but can’t be a regular thing.

Sparklingbrook · 14/04/2021 06:23

If the washing machine doesn’t get up to temp/work properly you should tell the landlord to get it fixed.

I will be looking at my window cleaner in a new light now. Wondering if he’s all oily and chemically. He looks reasonably clean. He’s drunk tea out of one of my mugs though.

Quailfortune · 14/04/2021 06:25

Window cleaners do not have 'oily rags' OP.

IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece · 14/04/2021 06:37

You were Triggered
If there was ever an argument for people overusing the fucking word triggered, it’s this. Jesus Christ

FOJN · 14/04/2021 06:43

I'm wondering how much you know about window cleaning if you're more concerned about window cleaning chemicals (detergent/degreaser) than you are about bleach! If your washing machine isn't working very well already I can't think bleach is going help but it may damage the door seal.

It's reasonable to make your case solely on the basis you are not prepared to fund the laundry costs of people who are not contributing to the bills. You are unlikely to be taken seriously if you make an issue about window cleaning "chemicals", as this thread demonstrates.

Poorlykitten · 14/04/2021 06:47

I’d be more annoyed if people in the house were running empty cycles on the machine and filling it with bleach for no real reason. Surely this is hogging more time, costing money needlessly and damaging the machine with more chemicals?

Crayfishforyou · 14/04/2021 06:48

I’d be fucking fuming if I used a washing machine that had had bleach run through it.
I’ve had clothes ruined that way thanks to a neurotic MIL because not all the bleach had gone.

Temp023 · 14/04/2021 06:59

If he’s paying rent and bills he can wash what he likes in the machine.

pictish · 14/04/2021 07:14

It’s as much his to use as yours. He can wash his pal’s work clothes if he likes, it’s none of your business. It doesn’t impact on you or the machine at all. Don’t be a pain in the arse over stupid stuff.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 14/04/2021 07:18

I then had to put the machine on an empty hot wash with detergent and a squirt of bleach

Because you might catch something from a tradesman soiled clothes? Hmm

There wont be anything harmful or staining left after a hot wash, if there is, your extra empty cycle won't clean it either!

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 14/04/2021 07:18

I’d be fucking fuming if I used a washing machine that had had bleach run through it.

Me too!!

Hanidjed7 · 14/04/2021 07:25

Well he shouldn't be doing someone else's washing if you're all sharing bills.
But wtf regarding what sort if things he washing!! You ran the machine on empty with bleach!!!
The clue is in the name - washing machine - the last part of any washing cycle is "rinse" so any dirt taken out of clothes is rinsed and washed away.
I cannot believe how precious people have become (and a lack of basic life skills as to how a washing machine works!)

goldielockdown2 · 14/04/2021 07:29

Wild

Bluntness100 · 14/04/2021 08:12

Op do you have issues around bacteria and dirt? Is there some form of mental health issue going on? It’s totally fine that he washes his mates rags, it’s not going to contaminate your clothing.

It costs approx 16 p per hour for a not wash, so washing his mates rags costs approx 50p. You could ask him for that 50 p if you’re that keen. and make sure he doesn’t use the machine when others plan to use it.

vampirethriller · 14/04/2021 08:12

Washing dirty things in a washing machine! The nerve. If only someone had invented some handy piece of equipment to do that.
Oh, hang on, they have.

MaMaD1990 · 14/04/2021 08:24

Leaving all opinions of whether you are unreasonable for being annoyed about washing machine usage and staining of clothes...if you want to speak to him, perhaps see if the others are willing to do so with you so you feel less intimidated by his size/demeanour. It doesn't have to made into a big deal but maybe something along the lines of "oh, we've noticed that you've used the washing machine to help some friends out and wash their work clothes. Some of the residue left over has damaged our clothes so can you please just use the washing machine for your clothes only? We know you'd like to help your friends out but we all have to pay for these extra washes which isn't really fair". If he continues doing it, speak to your landlord/lady about it and see what they say?

supersonicginandtonic · 14/04/2021 08:30

I don't know about your window cleaner OP but mine doesn't tend to wash my windows with oil, so therefore doesn't have oily rags.

You sound a bit pathetic to be honest. I've just put my baby clothes on after my cleaning cloths. Never thought of putting It on a hot wash in between 😂

Bluntness100 · 14/04/2021 08:31

@MaMaD1990

Leaving all opinions of whether you are unreasonable for being annoyed about washing machine usage and staining of clothes...if you want to speak to him, perhaps see if the others are willing to do so with you so you feel less intimidated by his size/demeanour. It doesn't have to made into a big deal but maybe something along the lines of "oh, we've noticed that you've used the washing machine to help some friends out and wash their work clothes. Some of the residue left over has damaged our clothes so can you please just use the washing machine for your clothes only? We know you'd like to help your friends out but we all have to pay for these extra washes which isn't really fair". If he continues doing it, speak to your landlord/lady about it and see what they say?
Apart from paint flecks once, which would habe washed off ther is no clothes damage from washing dirty rags

Really surprised at how many folks don’t know how washing machines work.

3CCC · 14/04/2021 08:31

The only time I would get worked up about this would be if there were so nice clothes in there too.

Surely window cleaning rags can't be any worse than dusters, tea towels, dish cloths etc which get washed after being used to clean the house

I quite often come home from work covered with god knows what. And I just set them aside and do a specific wash for them

You cleaning the machine after with bleach probably did more harm than the original rags

ThinkYouveHadTooMuch · 14/04/2021 08:33

Op-'Aibu?'
Everybody- 'YES!'
Op- 'No I'm not!'

OP washing machines are for washing stuff. You are being mental!

Aprilx · 14/04/2021 08:38

@blacktruffle

Yeah, I know they do but less likely to leave marks on other people's clothes than oily rags
Previous washing loads do not leave stains on subsequent loads! It is a washing machine, it cleans things as the name suggests.

You are right to be annoyed if it is taking u a lot of machine time and you cannot get your own things done (you putting in an empty load May have similarly been quite annoying to others), but you seem more concerned on it somehow contaminating your own things, which is downright bonkers.

MaMaD1990 · 14/04/2021 08:39

@Bluntness100 Oh believe me, I know how a washing machine works (2 loads a day unfortunately in this house!). I was offering practical advice after OP asked how to broach it with her housemate (because evidently that's what she wants to do regardless of the overwhelming 'YABU' comments). It was a conscious effort not to address the paint flecks and oil comments - I don't feel another comment about how she's unreasonable would benefit her, hence my choice to focus on the conversation she'd like to have (even if I don't agree necessarily, but it's her decision!).

Shinyletsbebadguys · 14/04/2021 08:44

I would be far more annoyed at you wasting the time and cost of the washing machine by running it on an empty wash. Whilst yes its a reasonable conversation with him (probably by someone else i would guess you would focus on the imagined mess level Hmm) about not using the electricity etc for someone else's washing , personally I would also be having a conversation with you about your waste of resources for a ridiculous reason.
Its not a integrity trait to obsess over cleaning in that way. It doesn't make you better than anyone else. You wasted more for less reason.

derxa · 14/04/2021 08:48
Shock
Goatinthegarden · 14/04/2021 08:53

Ah OP, I get it. I’ve lived in a house share where flatmates would leave washing in the machine until it smelled sour. Nothing would stop the machine smelling sour and my clothes would inevitably pick up the sour smell when I did my laundry. One flatmate went hiking in the wilderness somewhere for a week somewhere and when I did my washing after him, I was picking burrs and sticks off of my clothes that they had collected in the machine. I remember being bemused because my mum was able to wash her very hairy, filthy dog beds and their toys in her machine and then wash her own stuff straight after without a single stray hair appearing.

Shared utilities in flat shares are often not cleaned, maintained or looked after to the same degree that people look after things we have bought ourselves and as such, usually don’t perform as well either. I would trust my current machine to be fine after washing soiled goods on a hot wash. I wouldn’t trust the aforementioned sour smelling machine quite so much.

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