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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Or is this not how anyone does washing?!

630 replies

Sofiegiraffe · 17/04/2022 11:17

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! Grin

OP posts:
Chely · 17/04/2022 11:44

@SagaNorenLansrimMalmo

YAB completely and utterly unreasonable…and have far too much time on your hands/ not enough washing to doGrin
I wash for a family of 8 so got more than most but still do these crazy things.
Fairislefandango · 17/04/2022 11:44

It doesn't take extra "time".

Confused Of course it takes extra time to put each item in individually rather than bung it all in in one go. How could it possibly not?

Anyway - YABU, as you can see by the responses. Your dh's method is in fact how the vast majority of people do their washing!

shazzer1978 · 17/04/2022 11:44

Even on the long eco wash the clothes aren’t out of sight for long enough for anyone to be puzzling over whether their trousers are in there or not. I have three teenagers who do constantly say “mum where’s my black hoodie?” etc but I still can’t be arsed to put things in item by item.

EmpressCixi · 17/04/2022 11:44

Sorry OP, your way is too much faff,
I just shove a load in only pulling out anything white for a separate wash.
I don’t even check pockets. We all know if you’re doing a load and money appears in the washing machine whoever is doing the laundry gets paid under finders keepers rules. Today I have earned £3 so far from two loads.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 17/04/2022 11:44

@Sofiegiraffe

Also our wash loads take 3 hours, not 1. Should this not be the case?! Blush
Oh no, do not start the eternal arguement about whether the long wash is more eco friendly than the super short cycle Grin

I seem to see a thread about this every other day. For some reason some posters get terribly exercised if there washing isn't in and out in an hour. As this thread shows there's no right or wrong way although there are ways that might make your whites and lights look dingy or increase your energy bills Smile

AmazingBouncingFerret · 17/04/2022 11:44

I don’t physically place each item in order me by one but I am aware of what is being placed in the machine. If I have a hamper full of darks that will need to be split into two washes then yes I will look to see what’s going in first so that priority items are washed first. I thought that was normal!

Sofiegiraffe · 17/04/2022 11:45

@Fairislefandango

It doesn't take extra "time".

Confused Of course it takes extra time to put each item in individually rather than bung it all in in one go. How could it possibly not?

Anyway - YABU, as you can see by the responses. Your dh's method is in fact how the vast majority of people do their washing!

I meant to be aware of what I'm putting in doesn't take "time", it's just the way my mind does it automatically.

OP posts:
Shmithecat2 · 17/04/2022 11:45

Why have you got to make a note of each item? They're only in the machine for an hour or so. Confused

Sofiegiraffe · 17/04/2022 11:45

@Shmithecat2

Why have you got to make a note of each item? They're only in the machine for an hour or so. Confused

3 hours in our house.

OP posts:
Sofiegiraffe · 17/04/2022 11:46

@AmazingBouncingFerret

I don’t physically place each item in order me by one but I am aware of what is being placed in the machine. If I have a hamper full of darks that will need to be split into two washes then yes I will look to see what’s going in first so that priority items are washed first. I thought that was normal!

This is what I mean!

OP posts:
Shmithecat2 · 17/04/2022 11:46

OK then, 3 hours. Why do you need to know though? It's not as if they're being sent out and not returning for days.

catstale · 17/04/2022 11:46

It's the washing not the generation game

Grin

It's only in there for 90 minutes or so. How often are you being asked where items are?

I may prioritise things that need a quick turnaround but other than that shove it all in.

EmpressCixi · 17/04/2022 11:47

Add on: shove method isn’t incompetent as I’ve never ruined anything as it all gets washed at 20C which is fine for cotton to lambswool.

Shmithecat2 · 17/04/2022 11:47

How often do you do your laundry?

Sofiegiraffe · 17/04/2022 11:48

@catstale

It's the washing not the generation game Grin

It's only in there for 90 minutes or so. How often are you being asked where items are?

I may prioritise things that need a quick turnaround but other than that shove it all in.

I have on DC who may ask. I have a DP who asks. I have a baby who I need to dress myself most days so i like to be aware of where her stuff is. And I like to have an awareness of where my own work stuff is.

OP posts:
TwoShades1 · 17/04/2022 11:48

If it’s towels or sheets it just gets dumped in. If it’s clothes I normally check each item in case it needs spraying with stain remover and to check pockets. I don’t look and each item just so I know what’s in the wash though.

IDontHaveAnOutingHobby · 17/04/2022 11:48

It’s in the washing machine for an hour
Too short time for separation anxiety over a bra

worriedatthistime · 17/04/2022 11:48

No mental note made , just put darks kin , whites etc
No time to be checking each item

ClinkeyMonkey · 17/04/2022 11:49

I do kind of get where you're coming from, as I tend to have an awareness of, say, what bits of school uniform are in there. So anything essential will be in there because I've thought of it in advance. Not sure if that's quite the same thing though - I mean, if someone asked if their jeans/top/hoodie was in there, I probably wouldn't know as everything else is mindlessly chucked in.

Sofiegiraffe · 17/04/2022 11:49

@IDontHaveAnOutingHobby

It’s in the washing machine for an hour Too short time for separation anxiety over a bra

🙄

OP posts:
steff13 · 17/04/2022 11:49

I seem to see a thread about this every other day. For some reason some posters get terribly exercised if their washing isn't in and out in an hour.

I don't get "exercised" but I do laundry usually one day a week, and I have 6-7 loads. If they each took 3 hours it would be 18+ hours just to get it all washed. My machine, which is 3 years old, takes 55 minutes on a standard load. The dryer takes longer, about 1.5 hours.

Sofiegiraffe · 17/04/2022 11:49

@ClinkeyMonkey

I do kind of get where you're coming from, as I tend to have an awareness of, say, what bits of school uniform are in there. So anything essential will be in there because I've thought of it in advance. Not sure if that's quite the same thing though - I mean, if someone asked if their jeans/top/hoodie was in there, I probably wouldn't know as everything else is mindlessly chucked in.

Thank you! A minority understand, that's good enough for me. Grin

OP posts:
FrydayFish · 17/04/2022 11:50

I can't believe people put clothes in the machine without first filling out the laundry spreadsheet. Heathens!

PersephonePomegranate · 17/04/2022 11:50

I'm a shove it in (shit, it doesn't all fit in, what do I prioritise for the first load) kind of person, myself.

violetbunny · 17/04/2022 11:50

I shove it all in Grin

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