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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

So, how many loads of washing DO you do in a week, MN??

208 replies

PeeAche2 · 11/05/2022 14:29

Inspired by the poor MNer that is doing 4 loads a day... tell me your laundry schedule.

Mine is very straightforward:

2 children and a cloth nappy baby
1 load per day - put in before bed on an eco cycle and hung out the next morning before work.

If I am ill, drunk or forgetful, my schedule falls behind by 1 day and I give zero shits. "Because I do not exist to do your laundry."

If someone pisses the bed, I am willing to do an extra load. But I will be vocal about it.

OP posts:
gluenotsoup · 11/05/2022 14:56

Too much.
A good day is one load, 3 or 4 or even more is more normal. 2 adults, I work with children, plus 3 dcs. One has very severe complex needs, usually a bed change every day, at least one set of uniform, usually more, plus everything else. Start to add in the things you need to wash like cushion covers and dressing gowns, sports stuff and so on and it’s a never ending, thankless bore. That’s a 9k machine, dried naturally mostly.

MulberryBush700 · 11/05/2022 14:57

2 adults, 1 toddler. 5 loads a week plus on demand towel wash as we swim most days and you just can't leave them long as they stink!!

bumblingbovine49 · 11/05/2022 14:57

nearlyspringyay · 11/05/2022 14:54

Making me wonder how they coped in pre-washing machine days!

They had many fewer clothes worn.more and allocated a set time every week, usually a whole day to get the laundry done and hung out for the week . If you were rich someone did it for you of course so that was someone's job

CharSiu · 11/05/2022 14:57

3 adults, about 5 a week.

bananaskinny · 11/05/2022 14:58

3/4 a week. Usually reserved for the weekend. 4 of us. They have a lot of clothes so never run out of anything!

HollyBollyBooBoo · 11/05/2022 15:03

Loads, am slightly obsessed. At least 2 a day. Can always find something to wash!

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 11/05/2022 15:03

nearlyspringyay · 11/05/2022 14:54

Making me wonder how they coped in pre-washing machine days!

Before I had a washing machine, I used either the bath, we were more careful with clothes - wearing pinnys for cooking and cleaning and a lot of spot washing. When I finally saved enough - a twin tub with a separate spinner. I spent all of one day a week, doing laundry with a large pair of wooden tongs to move wet laundry from tub to spinner. Whites first through to cleaning cloths last. I was very fit!
when I finally got a washing machine - late 1995/6 I sat on the floor and watched the laundry go round for an entire cycle.

RandomQuest · 11/05/2022 15:07

There’s never not something to wash so we do 4-5 loads a day on average. DH is equally obsessed, our laundry is upstairs and he usually sticks a load on before he even has a shower in the morning. I’m not a complete lunatic though, I do take weekends off unless someone pisses on something (the kids, not me obviously).

SockFluffInTheBath · 11/05/2022 15:08

*If I am ill, drunk or forgetful, my schedule falls behind by 1 day and I give zero shits. "Because I do not exist to do your laundry."

If someone pisses the bed, I am willing to do an extra load. But I will be vocal about it.*

🤣

I started a similar thread last year when my washing machine died after 2 years. I do a lot of washing but an occasionally incontinent ancient dog plus 2 sporty teenagers and a husband in a frequently mucky job means 1 load a day wouldn’t cut it here.

coffeecupsandfairylights · 11/05/2022 15:08

Two adults and a dog here. Both DH and I work physical jobs and come home sweaty and dirty, so we need clean clothes daily. We also only have a small washer/dryer - we do (roughly):

2 x towels
1 x bedsheets
2 x dog blankets
1 x DH work stuff
3 x normal clothes

I'm a dog walker, and in winter or in muddy/wet weather I also end up doing 2 loads of dog towels on top of that as well.

Direwolfwrangler · 11/05/2022 15:10

Cushion covers?! How often should I be washing those?

I think I am in Team @PeeAche2 Two adults, two under 5s. Maximum 6/7 loads a week. I also wash towels in with other stuff.

PrawnToast5 · 11/05/2022 15:10

I don't do any Grin DH does 3-4 a week.

theruffles · 11/05/2022 15:11

1 load a day unless there has been a nighttime accident (3 year old), then it'll be an extra load for bedding.

2DC (3 & 1), DH and me.

ThePoint678 · 11/05/2022 15:11

zafferana · 11/05/2022 14:38

I do around 10 loads a week for 4 people (2 of whom do a lot of sport).

This.

EileenGC · 11/05/2022 15:13

2 a week. Single adult here.

1 for clothes, 1 for towels or bedding, alternating weekly.

Clothes are all washed together regardless of colour or material. Very very occasionally I will do a delicates load with my work blacks which are in fact delicate, but only get worn a few times a week, for about an hour at a time.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 11/05/2022 15:13

I've never washed cushion covers in my life.

SockFluffInTheBath · 11/05/2022 15:14

Cushion covers?! How often should I be washing those?

depends how often the grebby teens have been spilling drinks on them 🙄😂

nellytheelephantscircus · 11/05/2022 15:16

2 adults, 2 kids and I do 8 loads a week of: towels, bedding x2, cleaning cloths, whites, lights, darks, school uniform.

theshadeofgreen · 11/05/2022 15:16

"Because I do not exist to do your laundry." If someone pisses the bed, I am willing to do an extra load. But I will be vocal about it."

Grin
VintageGibbon · 11/05/2022 15:17

Used to be 2 a day at least.

Now DC have left home maybe 4 a week, and DH does his own maybe twice a week.

I don't know how people make it so few. Even without DC around we have bedlinen and towels, dark wash, light wash, white wash, 2 x sports wash a week. When DC were here there was all their school uniform and sports kit, extra bedlinen and towels, PJs and weekend clothes. How does any family of 4 do fewer than 2 a day unless you have massive machines that wash all bedclothes or all towels in one go.

Giveaschitt · 11/05/2022 15:17

Probably around 8 loads a week? Bedding and towels washed once a week, 2 adults and 1 schoolchild - quite a bit of sport/daily exercise between us.

EileenGC · 11/05/2022 15:17

Waxonwaxoff0 · 11/05/2022 15:13

I've never washed cushion covers in my life.

Me neither. Nor have I washed my dressing gown, ever. It goes on top of clothes - do people also wash their coats weekly? Scrub down the sofas regularly?

Snoken · 11/05/2022 15:18

Atm 3-4 per week. It's me, H (soon to be x), teen DS and then DD who comes home from uni most weekends. In a few weeks it will be me and DS, and I think it will be 2-3 per week as I still need to do the sheets/towels weekly, plus some clothes. I have no problem wearing my clothes multiple days though, just not underwear, socks or gym wear.

WalkingOnSonshine · 11/05/2022 15:18

2 adults and a toddler.

1 x bedding
1 x towels, tea towels etc
2 x colours/darks
1 x whites every second week

We don’t tumble dry, so I tend to do two loads on a Sunday, let it dry and then another two on a Thursday.

catscatscatseverywhere · 11/05/2022 15:21

2 adults and 2 cats: 2-3 loads per week, unless I wash something extra like curtains, cat blankets/beds, then 3. Let's say one week I wash black and colours, another whites and blacks etc. plus towels or bedding.

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