Or is this not how anyone does washing?!

[Sofiegiraffe]

Who is BU here, me or DP?

When I put a wash load in the machine, I pick up each item individually and sort of make a mental note of it so I have a rough idea of what is going into the machine (in case anyone asks where an item of their clothing is, or in case I'm wondering "where's that pair of black trousers of mine?", for example).

DP claims to just "pick up a load of stuff and shove it in". He doesn't put them in one by one. So if it's a darks wash that he's put on, and I ask "are my black trousers in that wash?" or "is DD's pink dress in that colours wash by any chance?", he won't know. All he knows is that he shoved a load of dark or coloured stuff in.

He thinks that's a perfectly reasonable way to do the washing. I think surely no one else does this? Surely most people look at what they're putting in so they at least have a rough idea of what's going in?!

Who is BU? Please settle this once and for all!

I do a bit of both depending on whose clothes it is. So for my DD and mine, I do it like you as we have work and school uniform to prioritise but if I do my DH’s I just shove it in because a) he doesn’t care that all colours/fabrics go in together (or that his socks are still in a ball) and b) he generally doesn’t need any particular clothes now he pretty much WFH

However it was a problem before when he did need smart clothes as I didn’t pay too much attention to what particular shirts went in and when, so I couldn’t answer his questions. Still, it made him more responsible for his own washing so it was a definite positive!

@stuntbubbles

Who does so little laundry they can make mental notes?! Surely it’s easier to think “right, my trousers aren’t in the wardrobe, therefore they’re either in the basket, in the machine or on the line”.

".... If they are in the machine in the last load DP did, I won't need to worry, it's all in hand. If they are not, I need to make a mental note to put another darks wash on later as mine won't be in the current one. Hang on, I'll ask DP if he put them in that last load ......."

DP: "dunno what's in it."

Me.

Or it could be on the line/ clothes horse (no dryer).

Equals ..... another thing for Sofie to add her ever expanding mental load of everything she has to remember for the family. Instead of DP being able to tell me, as I would him, "yep, they're there".

Team DH too.... sorry OP!

Shove it in unless it’s something specific I need to wash so I’d check then

This is a more interesting thread than I anticipated

I think it depends how often you do your laundry. If there is only a darks wash once a week or four days etc it's harder to keep track of what's "in the wash".

We have a big family and young adults mostly do their own clothes washing (uniforms etc). Communal stuff like towels go in the big laundry basket. It's easy to keep track and we always know where stuff is as DH empties the laundry basket every morning and it's all done and put on peoples' beds by the next morning so there isn't any "is something in the wash or still in the basket" etc. He turns a lot of stuff inside out to wash but doesn't check pockets, if anyone leaves a hair bobble or tissue, they have to clean the washing machine afterwards inc the drawer and seals Our bedding is changed by DH every week and it's up to DC how often they do theirs.

I do have a lot of stuff that needs hand washing (vintage or hand sewn etc) so I will occasionally save it up and do it myself, or DH will usually do it if it's left out on top of the washing machine not in the basket.

I do have an 11 year old boy though - it's amazing what's in his pockets. I am trying to train him obviously 😂

Sorry OP, I think your method is the weird one, here!

Nope, pick it up and shove it all in. Sometimes I even put colours and lights in together to make up a load.

Sorted into two baskets for white and colour to avoid having to go through them one by one

i did have to answer a "where is my x" the other day as it was a wool jumper of my partners, which was waiting for a wool type wash (so couldn't be with say white shirts or jeans).

In the end i just did it on its own wash (and bunged pants etc in with it to not waste the space in the machine)

But for most items, they are not so unique that anyone wants THAT specfiic shirt/hoody.jeans. Only seems to apply to items like wool jumpers that get worn very rarely.

Team OP, obviously.

Otherwise it would be -

What's for supper? I don't know. I just shove a bunch of things in the oven. Do you expect me to make a mental note of the ingredients and pay homage to the cooker?

Where are the children? I don't know, I just shove them outside. Do you expect me to make a mental note of how many we have, where they are and pay homage to the baby factory?

Only me n DH. Been together 19yrs, married 10yrs and we've lived in this house since 2005.

He has yet to be acquainted with the washing machine, tumble dryer or oven...

He can work a kettle and a toaster, so it's not all bad. 🤦‍♀️

I'm sure he thinks the "room with the kettle in" is just some sort of porch between the hall and the garden...

@Zilla1

Team OP, obviously.

Otherwise it would be -

What's for supper? I don't know. I just shove a bunch of things in the oven. Do you expect me to make a mental note of the ingredients and pay homage to the cooker?

Where are the children? I don't know, I just shove them outside. Do you expect me to make a mental note of how many we have, where they are and pay homage to the baby factory?

😂

Shove it all in together, plain and couloureds. I am surprised anyone would make this a topic for discussion !

I think it depends how often you do your laundry. If there is only a darks wash once a week or four days etc it's harder to keep track of what's "in the wash".

Yep. There's always more darks than will fit in at any one time so can't guarantee my stuff has gone in.

Shove, but of course a lot of people sort by coloureds, black, and white.

I'm single so I just shove it all in together and it seems to be ok. II don't have any work shirts or anything that needs keeping white. But I've never usually had colours run, maybe once or twice in my life.

Do people use the "delicates" setting for stuff a lot? I DH tend to hand wash "delicates", occasionally will use just the rinse cycle. I don't trust "delicates" programmes and think stuff spends too long in the machine and it's better to hand wash.

@Sofiegiraffe too complicated for me.
I just check that the dark washing has been emptied during the weekend. Then I know my work stuff has been done (because everything was in on Friday evening).
I’m expecting the same from the dcs and dh. Then everyone has their stuff dried and ironing on Monday am fur the week.

I don't even separate colours, just wash on low temp so they don't run, couldn't be arsed to check what's going in unless something is needed the next day 😂

I grab as much of a similar colour as I can fit in the machine. That’s the amount of thought that goes into it. Unless I need to wash something specific then I will know what is in there.

I shove it all without thinking about it generally. I keep an eye on my bras as I have certain ones I like for work. And I know I shouldn't put them in the machine but I do.

Well I'm as bonkers as you OP! 😁 I check each item, unball the screwed up socks, shake everything out, check pockets for tissues and make sure both socks of a pair have gone in together. So yes, I know what's in each stage of the wash. Family of five and I do all the laundry. So yes, I do know at any one time where any garment might be. I've always been like this. Maybe there's no help for me now...mid fifties do probably too late to change!

Everyone except the 4-5 or so on this thread who do it my way. So not everyone, then

Which should tell you that in a Mumsnet thread mostly answered by women, only 4-5 are agreeing with you how you do your wash should tell you DH is not unreasonable?

Obvious by now?