Is my MIL just forgetful or...?

[kidneybeans4u]

She is from China, helps us with the kids, live for extended periods each time, but my god her habits are infuriating and I feel like I repeat myself every single week. I am at my wit's end and need to rant / get sound advice because I dont want to keep burdening my SO with my problems.

1. She puts clothes to dry on radiators, on the back of chairs, on bannisters, on door handles (?!). I tell her not to and to instead use our laundry room, she agrees, then it happens again. And again.

1. She shouts across rooms. We tell her not to because it feels like a marketplace. She agrees. Then it happens again.

1. She puts too much salt in cooking for our little one. We explain the dangers. She understands. Then it happens again.

My SO is helpful and fully on my side, but is my MIL simply forgetful (she always say sorry her memory is so bad nowadays), is she just culturally used to a different way?

She's not forgetful. She's using forgetfulness as an excuse to not listen to you cause she doesn't care to do things your way.
Put up little notes above the radiator and salt container to "remind her" (I know you shouldn't have to but your MIL is a stubborn cow and she might be less likely to do it when there's something telling her not to when she does it). If she still does it with the signs in place then tell her she's exhibiting early signs of dementia and should get it checked out. (She obviously doesn't but to prove to you she doesn't she might start listening for once). Good luck!

The calling out is probably just a habit that 's hard to break.

I'd either do my own laundry and cook my own food my way, or gratefully accept how it was done for me.

I don’t get why you’re so bothered about her ‘shouting across the room’ unless it’s scaring your kids is it? As for the rest just do your own washing and cooking if you don’t like the way she does it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hide the salt. Live with the rest.

And for heaven’s sake, how big are your rooms?

Soz OP , am Chinese and all of that sounds like cultural to me and it's unlikely you'll change an old lady habits.