My DH and DS will burn down the house - leaving iron on. Please help

[User112]

I am so stressed. DH goes into office 3 days a week and I go 3 days. DS is in Y10. Today was our overlap day, but I’m working from home today unexpectedly.
I came home from school dropoffs and the house smelt like something burning. I realised after 2 mins it could be the iron. Leaving iron on is a big problem in my house. However, they leave it standing, so nothing happened so far. But today, it could have burnt the house down. They left it down, but luckily on a low setting. It burnt the cover.
Im so terrified of this shit and have nightmares about the house burning down. I lost it at DH, things get better for a few days, but he slowly starts being careless about stuff again, it could also be DS. I don’t know today:

Are there any timer plugs I can use to turn off the FUCKKNG iron after 5 fucking minutes?

Seriously fuckimg mad at people but they bloody don’t get it.

Timer plugs are simple and cheap: www.amazon.co.uk/Defender-Segment-Timer-Switch-Plug/dp/B01CP44AU4/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1UDZ3QGXM7ZQI&keywords=plug%2Btimer&sprefix=plus%2Btimer%2Caps%2C87&th=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1647518333&sr=8-5

Just set it for 15 or 30 min intervals and it'll turn off once they're done

I wouldn't be looking for a solution to this, I would literally throw the damn thing out.

Automatic shut-off, and train them to leave it on its end.

My MiLs trick is to have a radio plugged in via a multiway on the same socket, so that if the iron is on, the radio is on.

Mine is not particularly fancy (it might be morphy Richards) and makes a noise, flashes a different colour, and turns its self off if inactive for about 5 min. I've never left face down though

@CornedBeef451

Throw the iron away. If they can't be trusted to turn it off they don't get to iron.

^This.

Just tell them if they can't turn it off they can wear creased clothing.

@CornedBeef451

Throw the iron away. If they can't be trusted to turn it off they don't get to iron.

This. You don't go out buying nice techie treats for thickos. You take the sodding thing away.

Didn't even know people still ironed. Hang shirts in the proper shape to dry - no ironing required. I haven't ironed since I was about 12, after watching my mother wade through dull mountains of the stuff. She was convinced ironing was next to bloody Godliness.

My iron turns itself off when not in use. Apart from burning the house down it’ll be using shit loads of electricity!

@Gonnagetgoing

You can get a trip switch installed (see an electrician) which means that if too much power is used or about to be a fire the electricity cuts out but this is a bit drastic to rely on that.

You need to put up a sign or something so they know to switch iron off.

You can buy shirts etc which don't need ironing so maybe say that unless you're there and can see them turn off the iron you'll be buying those shirts etc in the meantime and the iron will stay in a lockable room/cupboard.

I don't think there is a trip to do what you describe.

Nightmare scenario 😱

We have these and have used them for a couple of years for electric towel rails. Had no issues and found them reliable www.amazon.co.uk/ANSMANN-Energy-Saving-Control-Electronics-White/dp/B005C9S0I8?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Has settings for 15 mins, 30, hour etc.

I once rushed all the way home on my lunch break because I was convinced I’d left the iron on. I got a timer plug after that.

The one I got was just a basic plug with a timer for 30 mins or so, but nowadays you can get smart plugs that operate through your phone. The Phillips Hue ones can be controlled through a phone using Bluetooth without an Alexa or a hub or anything, might be worth a look?

Just to say I can totally understand your anxiety about this, although unfortunately it sounds like it is founded if DH and DS are leaving the iron on.

I remember my anxiety about leaving my hair straighteners on got so bad at one point that I was having to take a photo of them (unplugged) in the hallway every morning before I left the house. I embrace my natural waves now!

@TheCountessofFitzdotterel

Some irons have automatic cut out where it goes off if not moved for a certain length of time. Replace it with one of those.

My iron does this

@CornedBeef451

Throw the iron away. If they can't be trusted to turn it off they don't get to iron.

Or hide it from them if you need to iron your stuff.

I don’t iron anything any more. It’s fine.

Hide the iron and let them walk around with creased clothes they will soon learn.

Keep the iron locked away. The only person allowed to iron is you. If they require you to iron an item then they can pay you and only if you feel like it.

@McFuckSake

He sounds like an arsehole.

Carrying on putting his wife and child's jokes at risk by not taking steps to make sure he doesn't burn his families home down.

But also knowingly continuing to speed on a road, laughing and calling you a nag for asking him to stop and the only reason he did stop wasn't because he was worried risking his family or people in his knowingly speeding car but because he lost money. I honestly think that would be a deal breaker because I'd never have trusted him to drive safely with our child in the care, it's one thing to not realise and go a little bit over, or to reduce speed when it's pointed out what you're doing but he didn't, he took the piss and continued.

Your anxiety must be through the roof with his behaviour.

It is. He doesn’t road rash speed, but thinks going a bit over is ok Don’t get me started on rushing through orange traffic lights.

He is constantly CONSTANTLY tempting fate

@Cakecakecheese

Keep the iron locked away. The only person allowed to iron is you. If they require you to iron an item then they can pay you and only if you feel like it.

They’d all LOVE IT. They’ll all happily sit, eat, watch tv while I do all the work. Zero empathy. It runs in the family on my husband’s side.

Ok, DS back from school and I already texted DH. No one is owning it up. Both say they’d NEVER leave it face down, never !! Which is true so far. That leaves with my 6yr old twins to suspect. They didn’t even go into that room today, I was with them all morning until I dropped them all to schools.

I bought a auto cutoff iron at full price today. £140. I never buy stuff like that. Always wait for deals etc, this one HAD TO BE DONE TODAY.

@2022HereWeCome

personally i would remove any irons from the house until such time as they can be used safely (but I hate ironing and don't see the need to do it - not even for shirts)

And if they've got something that must be ironed, make them pay for an ironing service.

@User112

Ok, DS back from school and I already texted DH. No one is owning it up. Both say they’d NEVER leave it face down, never !! Which is true so far. That leaves with my 6yr old twins to suspect. They didn’t even go into that room today, I was with them all morning until I dropped them all to schools.

I bought a auto cutoff iron at full price today. £140. I never buy stuff like that. Always wait for deals etc, this one HAD TO BE DONE TODAY.

So you spent £140 on something that is not necessary OP.

I am in my sixties and have ironed all my life. I was taught by my grandmother how to iron when I was a child. She started me off on tea towels and pillowcases and then I graduated to shirts :)

When the energy prices started to soar I had a rethink about my life.
I spend hours ironing. What a waste of energy, both electrical and personal !

I wash and peg out and then bring the items in and air them off and then I take them down and fold them.

I feel liberated. I only iron if something is badly creased which is hardly ever. No longer do I have to look at a pile of ironing as there isn't one.
Do not get me wrong - I enjoy ironing when in the mood, but hey, there are so many other things you can do instead and it is my contribution to bringing the electric bill down. I wish I had done this years ago.

I used to teach Textiles.

Every bloody day ld go back l to d hook at about 7pm to make sure the iron wasn’t on. Despite checking it wasn’t 5 times before l left,

Just get rid of the iron, they can walk around creased. It won't kill them

I have a cordless iron, it only heats up on a stand and the heat lasts a few minutes before going cold again..it works sort of like a kettle.
DH won't iron but I tend to get distracted and it's nice to know the iron will go cold if its not on the stand