To take all our washing to the launderette once a week to escape the daily washing nightmare?

[head2toeinuniqlo]

A new launderette has opened in our suburb.

We are a family of four. I WFH, around 70 hours per week. I am also responsible for all the cleaning, cooking and washing for the family. The problem with the washing is its sheer relentlessness. Not only that, but none of these lazy fuckers put their clean washing away. It invariably ends up back in the dirty washing hampers and, if a pile of clean clothes is left unattended, our cat will shit on it so it will need re-washing. I am so exhausted and trying to take some of the daily grind off me.

The launderette has captured my imagination. I see it as a possible sanctuary. It is brand new and shiny with loads of machines and places to sit. I am thinking I could drive down on a Saturday morning, chuck all the clothes in the machines, get myself a coffee and a croissant and sit there for a couple of hours in peace, reading a book.

It won't be cheap, but can I justify it?

Who irons clothes these days?

Are you a single parent with 3 children or do you have a partner? If you have a partner why isn't he doing half the housework?

I don't think it'll be as stress free as you may think . I had to use a laundrette when my washing machine broke and waiting repair .
The laundrette can get busy , they had machines broken , the larger family washer was always permanently used by others and therefore the multiple smaller ones needed became expensive . Never mind the loading it all up in bags , driving there , packing , unpacking . The dryers were useless
Oh god I never want to go back to that .

It will be costly but might be worth it for the peace.. I'd be more concerned about the cat shitting on clothes 😫 I put a wash in every morning before the school run, fold and put away the clothes dry from the day before and hang up the washing when I'm back from the school run each day. It's the only way to keep on top of it.!

Do you ever actually spend time together as a family? I don't see how it can be possible if you're working 70 hours a week and then doing all of the cleaning, washing and cooking. Sounds like a miserable existence op, can't you cut down on your working hours?

As a lone parent, a service wash has been my must have for a few years now. The whole weeks worth done in a few hours whilst I am at work l. When I collect it I can put things straight away because it is folded so beautifully

how old are the DC? why is DH not able to operate a washing machine? I wouldn't enable the lazy buggers and just do my own laundry esp if DC are old enough to help out. Don't enable them!

Divide and conquer instead!

Ooh, I want to go to the launderette now. I love the smell and a takeout coffee
Op, seriously, get a cleaner as well if you can afford it. I'm assuming you could with those ridiculously long work hours .

Your family not helping out needs to be addressed too. Unless you're a single mum to three little ones?

And the cat? No cats like to shit randomly in a house. There's a problem there that needs sorting.

Please tell me how you arrange a service wash, is that that something launderettes offer? I can’t sit and wait for it so would love to drop it off and come back later..

You would 70 hours and do everything. No. How old are your children?

Mine are 10 and 18. Both do their own washing and drying. 18 year old cooks twice a week. 10 year old feeds animals and hoovers the hall way every other day. Partner does everything else pretty much - I do my job and cook twice a week.

Just stop doing everything for them?

During the winter when the clothes take longer to dry I do end up just taking everything to the launderette as it ends up piling up & with 5 of us that can happy pretty fast & it bothers me once the wash bins start overflowing. Sometimes I’ll take a book & stay to do my own washing, other times I’ll leave it with them depending on how busy I am. Always lovely to go collect it & someone else has washed & folded it for me, it feels like a right treat! 🤣

If there is a DP in this situation who is able-bodied and -minded then there is nothing genius about it.

why are you tolerating a cat that shits on clothes? I am an animal lover but that whould be an absolute no. It also sounds to me like you family needs retraining.

Find out how much a service wash is and if you can afford it have one done once in a while I promise you when the washing is utterly endless and relentless the joy of picking up a big suit case full of clean dry folded clothes is indescribable. I don't do it very often because it's expensive but maybe twice a year as a treat - other mumsnetters go to spas I abandon my washing!

But...why can't others take care of their laundry? If they leave the clean clothes out and the cat shits on it, tough luck. They can wash it or wear it as is. This does not have to be your sole responsibility.

I used to use a laundry that collected and then delivered back washed, dried, ironed and on hangers. Bliss.

Won't the cat still shit on the now expensively laundered washing? I'm all for outsourcing tedious jobs, but it sounds like the main issue is your household need to learn to put the laundry away (and preferably wash their own clothes).

Every so often I used to bag all the washing up and put it through as a service wash...and just collect it. It was lovely.

Nothing wrong with the approach@head2toeinuniqlo but it won’t teach anyone that your place is not to slave away for everyone while they do eff all. And please do something about the cat 😂

Our washing machine broke and we had to use a laundrette for a weeks worth of washing and the washing and drying took us to over £80 which is fab if you can afford it, and I would for peace of mind, but it was so bastard expensive for us as a family of 3 adults and 1 child, and took 2 days as we kept having to swap and share washers and dryers with other people that came in to use them.

I think it would be much more efficient to hire a laundry collection service.

You've actually got me thinking this might be a better option! We have a laundrette nearby .. I might bag up what I have still pending and drop it down there.

No, no, no - book a delivery for that time and he can put it away!

I often used to do this but not for washing just drying as I have no drier.
But it sounds like the problem is your family. They need the riot act reading. As soon as my DS was 14 he did his own washing. If he chose not to then he had no clothes. He soon learnt. I won't do daily washing for anyone.

@head2toeinuniqlo absolutely to this. When my kids were younger and played lots of sport I used to get all their kit and uniforms together late Saturday afternoon and head up to our very old fashioned but brilliant laundrette, sadly closed now. I used to take a book and a drink and happily have a quiet hour or so getting everything washed and dried ready for the week.