MIL turned all my washing inside out!

[JanS17]

We are on holiday at the moment with DH’s family (me, DH, DD, MIL, SIL, BIL, and dog).

Yesterday I did a load of washing (mix of mine, DH, and DD) and before we went out for lunch, I hung it all up nicely on the clothes rack and put it out in the sun to dry.

When we got back from lunch, MIL said she had moved a few things around to help them dry faster. I was a bit confused as the clothes were hung up as I wanted them to begin with but shrugged and said ok.

Yesterday evening I brought the rack of clothes inside and found that she has turned every single item of clothing (except socks - thank goodness!!) inside out!!

I am equally confused and pissed off. Why would she see my nicely hung out washing, and think to herself that it’s a good idea to remove every single piece of clothing, turn it inside out, and put it back?? Why was she even touching my washing in the first place???

The clothes are now all creased where she’s hung them crooked, and I have an extra chore of turning them all back the right way round again.

AIBU??

YABU - she was just trying to help (??)
YANBU - what was she thinking??

My mother used to turn everything inside out before hanging them on the line in case a bird shat on them!

I think that has happened about once in my whole laundry washing days!

I can’t vote as ideally she shouldn’t have interfered with your washing, however I’d have been itching to do it myself although I wouldn’t, but if you were my daughter I’d have suggested next time you might want to hang it inside out to prevent fading. I don’t have a DIL but if I did I’d almost certainly sit on my hands. As someone else has said, it also helps items with pockets and inserts to dry more quickly.

I also don’t iron so the hanging crooked with big peg folds would irk me too, I’m guessing she is an ironer whereas I am a Grandmaster at hanging and pulling into shape.

In your shoes I’d be internally annoyed but force myself to get over it.

This would annoy me too. Less so, if she had taken them from a machine and hung them out her way. She should have left them how you wanted them. To actually turn them all inside out and change it to her way is a weird thing to do.

As everyone says, it is supposed to stop fading so she was trying to help. I would just thank her and move on. Or get your OH to iron and fold ☺️

I was going to say this, too. Most clothes should be washed inside-out to reduce pilling, and dried inside-out to reduce fading.

But I would be pee'd at the prospect of ironing, too.

thank you for saying this : the garden behind us has loooong lines of washing out, father, 2 sons, right way out jeans and trousers hanging from the ankles, multiple tshirts hanging from the hem, baffling, cos on a cool day when she brings in her washing the heavy waistband and pockets will still be damp or even wet and the tshirts will be mishapen. This is a woman in her late fifties, not an ingenue.

You are not in the wrong. I wouldnt like anyone interfering with my washing /unless there was a need for it, ie making space for more washing perhaps/.

Rearranging the clothe does help to dry them quicker, turning the over or inside out. Or as others say, to prevent fading in the sun. She most likely doesnt realise you dont have the same system she does. She probably also did this kind of automatically without too much thinking, being in the looking after people mode.

Thank you to the people who agreed with me that bird shit is corrosive and therefore better the bird poos on the inside of your clothes, rather than stain and damage the outside fabric.

OP she's just trying to be helpful, just smile and continue with your day.

Is ironing supposed to be done with the clothes inside out?!

I always turn my clothes inside out... but I absolutely HATE someone else touching my clothes (it just feels so... intimate.... I don't know).

Just be thankful it is a one-off, give her a hug for thinking of you.... then just do not give her this chance ever again!

Much ado about nothing, sounds like just a chance to bash the MIL, she obviously thought she was being helpful, stop being moody about it.
If that’s the worst thing that happened to you that day be very thankful indeed, stop whingeing it’s a minor detail, be thankful and enjoy your holiday.

I always hang things in a way to bleach out stains. (Tomato based sauces are attracted to my white tops 🙇🏻‍♀️)

I had a tshirt out for a few days last week, the stain has gone. Yay, but the t shirt is now white where it was folded over the line (so the underneath) and the 'exposed to the sun' parts are yellowed! and a definite 'stripe' where it was over the line.

grrr, a couple of days and it's ruined. Thankfully inexpensive so I'll turn it into cleaning rags.

Bloody hell-another Mumsnet thing I get wrong. I didn't realise WASHING was private and not to be touched even by family members. I can sort of get dirty washing- but clean? Seriously?

Honestly have you really started a post because your MIL moved some washing around?

1st world problems 🙄

I always turn my washing inside out before it goes into the washer or if by hand, it gets hung up and ironed inside out too. Stops it fading and protects the fabric from being damaged in the washer from buttons, pockets, zips on other garments. Learnt that in Fashion and Design at college. Ironing inside out prevents shine on the right side of fabric from the iron.
Us oldies know a thing or two.

For me personally, it just seems like a waste of energy. If someone is going to help out, why not choose to do a new chore that needs to be done rather than nitpicking one which was already completed (although not optimally by the MIL standards).

I wouldn't say anything though, I'd just privately roll my eyes and get on with things.

In twenty years I've never ironed anything inside out. My grandfather was a tailor and would never have done that - he taught me to iron properly.

I also line dry everything I wash, I don't have a dryer, and I don't have a problem with clothes fading in the sun.

I turn most of my laundry inside out for washing and drying.

It has benefits.

Blimey, in the college? Its just a common sense and common knowledge for many.

You were clueless. So your mil stepped in to help. Hot sun can bleach clothing.

Proud to admit I've made it to 50 and never owned an iron or ironing board in my life😂.
She was trying to be helpful, I always turn my clothes inside out when drying outside. To be fair my clothes get left out on the line for days at a time, so if I don't turn them inside out they do fade....many a red t.shirt has become pink in places!
But even though she was trying to be helpful, it's really irritating when you've done a job, and then someone meddles, so I can understand your frustration!
I agree with getting your DH to do the ironing, after all you are both on holiday so he can do the chores just as much as you! Alternatively since your mil clearly likes helping, your dh could always ask his mum to do it for him!
But do holiday clothes really need an iron? Don't they just sort of iron themselves when you wear them? Apart from linen, most clothing decrumples quite quickly once it's being worn.

I suspect what people are missing here, is that the MIL has created extra work for the OP.

OP now has to spent time turning things back the right way and ironing them, whereas if you hang them the right way out on the line and you do it carefully you don't need to iron most garments.

If the MIL isn't willing to do the extra work she has created, then she shouldn't have interfered.

If you iron things at the correct temperature, then the fabric doesn't go shiny.

@katepilar maybe they need to start teaching it in college because many people on here don't seem to know