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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DH and festering laundry - am I being fussy?

185 replies

GardenAnarchist · 10/06/2025 17:12

Important background context: DH and I both work hybrid, flexible wrt days on-site or at-home. DH has a good habit of going for a jog every morning before he starts work.

My problem is that he frequently "helpfully" starts a laundry load containing his gross sweaty sports kit plus whatever he finds in the family laundry basket - and he'll do this whether or not one of us is at home that day. So of course what happens is the wet laundry sits in the machine all day, festering and developing that "fermented wet laundry" smell that is really hard to get rid of.

Today for example DH started the laundry early in the morning and swanned off to work (I had already left), I got home from work after 4pm, opened the washing machine, nearly died of the smell, had to run an extra rinse cycle with vinegar, then had to hang out the laundry at nearly 5pm. So chances are the stuff won't even get dry by bedtime and will probably still have the lingering smell 🤢

I have reminded DH numerous times to check whether I'm going to be at home before he decides to run a laundry load or at least to avail himself of the amazing time-delay function on the machine so it finishes later in the day! (Today he definitely knew I was out because he even asked me to pick up something from the shop near my work!) Yet he keeps doing this Angry

I have a suspicion he simply can't smell the fermented wet cloth smell although he claims to understand my objection. DC and I can all smell it, our pet hate is the clothes that seem to have been de-smelled, but then when you put them on and your body heat warms them up slightly, the stench is back and wafting all around you 🤮 It probably wouldn't bother me as much if DH would just do this to his own clothes, but he always adds everyone else's clothes into the load.

IABU - What a helpful domesticated DH, and what is this smell you mention anyway?
IANBU - There was a reason why the time-delay function was invented, and that festering damp smell is one of the low-key worst smells!

OP posts:
Mintsj · 10/06/2025 17:15

Dirty.

Personally, if I had sweaty sports kit in that situation, I'd put it on an express <2kg wash for 15mins on its own and hang it up almost immediately - wouldn't wash with the rest of the family laundry.

Plus, the laundry shouldn't be smelling. Is the machine completely clean? It sounds like it could do with a 90 degree wash to flush it right through, and I would also do a washing soda crystal wash. And ensure the filter and seal/door is completely clean all round.

Loubelou71 · 10/06/2025 17:16

Is this what they call weaponised incompetence....that would drive me mad. I'd be hiding my washing so he couldn't helpfully do it

JHound · 10/06/2025 17:16

Why is the laundry smelling that quickly?

Mischance · 10/06/2025 17:18

Does your machine have a delay cycle.

IAteAllTheCake · 10/06/2025 17:18

I can’t stand this either. I put a timer on my phone to let me know when the washing machine finishes (even though the lying bastard lies all the time about how long is left) just because even a few minutes makes me paranoid about the festering smell.

I also get freaked out by mould spores being left inside the machine and all of us turning into cordysep zombies ! 🧟‍♀️

YANBU - your DH’s washing machine game is gross 🤮

Nurseryquestions86 · 10/06/2025 17:19

It shouldn't smell like that so quickly. Is your machine dirty?

BovrilonToast · 10/06/2025 17:20

I think there’s something wrong with your machine. I leave mine that long regularly and it never smells, and my sense of smell is annoyingly good.

Shesellsseashellsnotinmystreet · 10/06/2025 17:20

Designate him a job you don't like and you be The Laundry Lady...
Like bins /picking up dog poo
Have nice fresh clothes...
Leave his for him to wash. He can smell like Stig Of The Dump
.

Lammveg · 10/06/2025 17:20

This calls for a separate basket for DH smelly clothes.

Annoying though because then I guess he won't be washing the family laundry..but what help is it anyway if you're having to re wash?

TomatoSandwiches · 10/06/2025 17:21

There's something wrong with your machine, it shouldn't smell that bad for washing done within 24hrs.

GardenAnarchist · 10/06/2025 17:22

I do a soda crystal hot wash about once a month, should I do it more frequently? Most of our loads are 20/30C for eco reasons, maybe that is a problem?

Or possibly my nose is particularly sensitive to that smell - I can definitely detect it if laundry has been sitting all day (today for example would have been about 7 hours). I have always had an especial hatred of that smell for as long as I can remember.

OP posts:
DoingItForTheKids25 · 10/06/2025 17:23

My washing machine doesn't do this to clothes if they're left in - you need to do a deep clean of your machine and make sure you're not overusing detergent or fabric conditioner.
I don't often do it but occasionally a load can get left in overnight/ for a day and it doesn't smell bad, maybe smells less good than if it had come straight out but a quick blow on the line and you can't tell the difference

NotSmallButFunSize · 10/06/2025 17:23

I sometimes leave it overnight by accident and it never smells.

But your DH should not be starting washing and then behave as if it is no longer any of his concern to finish the process

Cumulusnotsonimble · 10/06/2025 17:23

Obviously your dh should finish what he started but my washing doesn’t pong if I leave it in the drum for a day.

I might re-wash if longer than six hours but otherwise it’s fine. And I have a very sensitive nose.

Do you use only washing liquid which has built up a slimey residue?

Or is he using too much powder that’s clogged everything up?

Are you washing everything at 30°c?

When did you last give your washing machine a thorough deep clean? Including the manky rubber seal?

Have you emptied the filter recently?

Or should your dh change to a biological detergent for’ his sports kit?

Maybe start by putting the machine on at 90° with a big cup of vinegar in the drum?

Nancy Birtwhistle on Insta is good on advice for this sort of thing and is eco-friendly too.

Cadenza12 · 10/06/2025 17:23

Something amiss with your machine. I can leave mine overnight and there's no smell.

GardenAnarchist · 10/06/2025 17:25

To clarify, DH doesn't put the laundry on and expect somebody else to hang it up - he would be perfectly happy to hang it whenever he gets home from work, because I think he can't smell that smell, so to him it smells perfectly clean however many hours it has sat there.

OP posts:
Silvertulips · 10/06/2025 17:26

There was a machine that only washed at 30, it cause the smell and mould,

see pictures - if you want clean clothes wash them at the correct temperature - you are just breeding bacteria.

DH and festering laundry - am I being fussy?
DH and festering laundry - am I being fussy?
CanOfMangoTango · 10/06/2025 17:27

Too many cold washes will promote stinky laundry as the bacteria in dirty washing aren't killed off.

I can leave wet laundry in the machine overnight and it's fine.

But I do most of my washes at 30 or 40 and bed sheets get 60.

Parker231 · 10/06/2025 17:27

GardenAnarchist · 10/06/2025 17:25

To clarify, DH doesn't put the laundry on and expect somebody else to hang it up - he would be perfectly happy to hang it whenever he gets home from work, because I think he can't smell that smell, so to him it smells perfectly clean however many hours it has sat there.

Sounds as if your washing machine is faulty. We often leave a load of clean washing all day and there is no smell - it’s clean washing.

user2848502016 · 10/06/2025 17:27

GardenAnarchist · 10/06/2025 17:22

I do a soda crystal hot wash about once a month, should I do it more frequently? Most of our loads are 20/30C for eco reasons, maybe that is a problem?

Or possibly my nose is particularly sensitive to that smell - I can definitely detect it if laundry has been sitting all day (today for example would have been about 7 hours). I have always had an especial hatred of that smell for as long as I can remember.

This is definitely the problem, sorry but the laundry just isn’t clean enough that’s why it smells after a couple of hours. I would tell him to run his sweaty stuff on their own on a quick wash and hang it straight up - and wash it properly in a full load on a long cycle at 40 regularly too.

BallerinaRadio · 10/06/2025 17:28

As pretty much everyone else has said, why is your clean laundry smelling so bad you're nearly dying?

babasaclover · 10/06/2025 17:28

@GardenAnarchistsports stuff definitely has to be done at 40 or it just stinks.

But wouldn’t be happy with him leaving it in there rotting all day either. YANBU

FadedRed · 10/06/2025 17:29

Another place to check and clean frequently is the powder dispenser drawer and the recess it fits in, both can get very manky and mouldy, especially if you use laundry liquid or pod rather than powder, and/or fabric conditioner.

Vaxtable · 10/06/2025 17:29

Get a separate laundry basket for him and he can them wash his own stuff only

FranticHare · 10/06/2025 17:29

CanOfMangoTango · 10/06/2025 17:27

Too many cold washes will promote stinky laundry as the bacteria in dirty washing aren't killed off.

I can leave wet laundry in the machine overnight and it's fine.

But I do most of my washes at 30 or 40 and bed sheets get 60.

Ditto.

If you are running loads of hot washes with an empty machine to clean it, you might as well just run the full loads a bit hotter, or (as above) run your bedding and (especially) towels at a hotter wash.

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