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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to do 4 loads of washing a day

214 replies

ihmlsnwidhks · 10/05/2022 12:30

I've just put my third load on with another load to go.
Family of 5 dc ages 9.6 .2
Dc6 needs multiple changes due to accidents and he pees on his bed most mornings ( asd) Toddler enjoys wet and muddy play so needs a few changes a day
Dd school clothes and home clothes both dirty
dh work clothing and home clothing
Me a couple aday
wtaf Im a doing wrong here?

OP posts:
Triffid1 · 10/05/2022 14:38

I can't really comment on the six year old but is there a reason he's not wearing pull ups, at least at night? If he pees on the bed every single day then the trick is to ensure you're just washing the sheet rather than all the bedding.

2 towels for the whole family but then you wash it after one day? That's crazy. We have a towel each but they get washed once a week.

Children don't need to change from school uniform when they get home.

Why is the toddler getting multiple new outfits a day? Whip off wet t-shirt and leave to dry then put dirty t-shirt back on when he heads outside for more messy play.

I wash underwear and shirts after one wear but jeans/trousers/skirts etc all get multiple wears. DC's tend to be after ever wear though.

melj1213 · 10/05/2022 16:50

Dc6 needs multiple changes due to accidents and he pees on his bed most mornings ( asd)

Firstly is there a reason DC6 isn't in pull ups? If they can't/won't wear them then I would be looking into bedmats etc to try and reduce the amount of bedding needing daily washing.

Toddler enjoys wet and muddy play so needs a few changes a day

Puddlesuit/waterproof pants and wellies etc will protect their clothes and if they're just dirty but not wet then they can stay in the same clothes all day.

Dd school clothes and home clothes both dirty

If DDs uniform is already dirty, why doesn't she just stay in the dirty uniform till bedtime? Usually the point of changing is to keep uniform clean for the following day, but if its already dirty then there's no point in changing to make extra clothes dirty.

My DD has fresh school shirts every day but her skirt/trousers and jumper will usually do her a full week (Yr7 now but was the same all the way through primary), so if she gets home from school and they are clean then she just changes into a pair of leggings and leaves her school shirt on. If her skirt/trousers are dirty then she just stays in them till bedtime since they're going in the wash anyway.

dh work clothing and home clothing
Me a couple aday

Does he work in a manual job requiring a full change of work clothes daily? If not then surely it is another case of fresh shirts daily but trousers/jumpers can do a few days? Same with the home clothes - if you both are only sitting around in them for a few hours then surely they can easily do a few days before needing to be washed?

Original poster
ihmlsnwidhks · 10/05/2022 17:14

Sorry been busy doing washing today🤣
Ds is in pull ups during the night but takes it off and pees everywhere in the morning. The reality is he should be in pull ups during the day but school are putting pressure on not to.

Will come back later

OP posts:
OperationMincemeat · 10/05/2022 17:22

what a strange thread. I won't comment on the washing for DC because it's been a long time since I had young DC so maybe I have forgotten. But I certainly don't don't have a lot of washing to do for DH and myself. Only wash underwear, socks and shirts daily. Jeans, work trousers, track bottom/leggings and jumpers can be worn more than once.

SmileyClare · 10/05/2022 21:37

I hope you can find some ways to reduce your washing load Op. Some good tips on here, and will certainly save you money too.

It's a shame a big chunk of your day is filled loading, unloading washing, drying, sorting and putting it all away, particularly with 3 young dc.

Could you try 1 day a week doing no washing? It sounds exhausting!

Definitely put aside clothes that can be worn twice, reuse towels. You're all clean when you get out of the bath, as long as towels are dried on a towel rail to use again.

again2020 · 10/05/2022 21:54

Seems a lot to me aswell. I live with one DD and a partner and don't do a quarter of that. Maybe 5 times a week I'll put a wash on. I do quick stain removal if needed from things like school uniform.
I'm probably disgusting by mumsnet standards though as wear my pj's for up to a week before washing and bedsheets are washed once every 3 weeks! We all shower daily and don't smell 😂
I don't think adult clothes get heavily soiled so the home clothes can be worn 2-3 days. Children's clothes definitely need washing more but could you cut it down to 2 loads a day?
A waterproof suit for your toddler is a great idea.

Dailywalk · 10/05/2022 21:57

That’s a crazy amount of washing. Your whole day must be moving washing around!? How do you dry it all?

bellac11 · 10/05/2022 22:05

Our washing machine is getting a good old work out at the moment. Its spring clean time (bit later than planned)

So every single cushion cover, throw, blanket, sofa cover, under bed spread, mattress protector and all the pillows are going in the wash

Thats without clothing. It can go on for weeks

I try to keep the sofa covers washed sort of regularly although until this current clean it had been sitting there with a curry stain on it for months.

I just like the smell of freshly washed fabrics to be honest

HSKAT · 10/05/2022 22:06

DC6 - bed mats

Toddler - overall's. If clothes are just dirty I would keep them on until he's actually wet.

DD - keep her in already dirty uniform until her.

DH - trousers can be worn afew days before washing.

Any home clothes that are on for only afew hours don't need put straight into wash basket. Wear afew days.

MrsJBaptiste · 10/05/2022 22:08

If you do 3, 4, 5 loads of washing per day then do you not work?

How do you find the time to put the washing on, hang it out, bring it in and start the process again when you're out of the house between 8-6pm?

Greatoutdoors · 10/05/2022 22:10

Do you reuse things? Your towels, for example, cam be hung up to dry between uses. I’m not sure why you and DH get through two sets of clothes a day each.
You do have a big family with extra demands so I can understand you having a lot of laundry but you seem to do more than you need to. 1-2 loads a day would cover it in my house.

BorisJohnsonatemyhampster · 10/05/2022 22:13

Does your family only have one set of clothes so you have to wash frequently as you don’t have enough? Must be quite stressful if they don’t dry in time.

Greatoutdoors · 10/05/2022 22:15

Tell me you don’t iron all this too?

ToastedWaffle · 10/05/2022 22:26

Jeez, I thought the washing was intense in my house.

Definitely try to or down OP, there's more to life than laundry

InChocolateWeTrust · 10/05/2022 22:28

Bet wetter needs pull ups.

Toddler needs waterproof suit.

School child needs to just wear uniform and take more care if every single garment is coming home filthy every day.

InChocolateWeTrust · 10/05/2022 22:30

Also you use a towel to get dried when you are clean from the shower. It can be reused, simply hang up to dry and use for few days.

Desdemonadryeyes · 10/05/2022 22:36

Seriously?

Do you really have nothing better to do with your time?

Ossoduro2 · 10/05/2022 22:43

I have a family of 6 and a ridiculous amount of washing. It’s totally relentless. My kids keep their school uniform on till they get ready for bed. But they have sports clubs every day too. They rewear pyjamas and school shorts and jumpers several times but pretty much everything else gets worn once and then washed. I also have a 12kg washing machine which helps because I can cram more in one load.

Even with all the outfit changes you’ve described I can’t see how you’re washing 4 loads per day. Maybe get a bigger washing machine or maybe you’re not filling it up and doing half loads every time!

5zeds · 10/05/2022 22:59

Bigger washing machine, one dark one light load, the kids clothes are tiny.

The bed wetting and daytime issues might be better managed with washable absorbent pants
www.modibodi.co.uk/collections/mens-trunk/products/mens-trunks-navy

goingback · 10/05/2022 23:02

clothes that have been on for a few hours get worn again, sometimes if it is nice i will hang out clothes and towels without washing- (uv works wonders) then fold as if washed .

Kedece2410 · 10/05/2022 23:09

The adults and older children should be able to wear the same tshirts in bed as they do during the day

Please tell me people don't do this. There's no way I could wear clothes I'd been wearing outside/all day to bed.

Maybeitstimeforachange · 10/05/2022 23:12

Slightly off topic is 3 children seen as a big family these days?

5zeds · 11/05/2022 07:03

@Maybeitstimeforachange in Europe

FourTeaFallOut · 11/05/2022 07:29

There are far more three children families now than there were in 2009, when it hit a low. Having three is less common than one or two but it's not rare or unusual.

www.statista.com/statistics/734771/family-sizes-uk/

FourTeaFallOut · 11/05/2022 07:31

It's larger than the average but it's not so far from the average it's particularly notable as a 'large' family.