AIBU, My clothes stink and I blame DH?

[Jojimoji]

DH took early retirement and as such is now responsible for almost all household tasks as I still have to work.

This is mostly marvellous, as I come home to clean house, dinners made, dogs walked .......and clothes washed. Herein lies the problem.

I workout almost every day. Intense workouts and I sweat a lot and my gym wear ends up pretty wet. I did the washing for almost 30 years in this family and never had a problem, but DH insists on not doing a load until there is enough dirty laundry to fill the machine stuffed to the gills. No half or three quarter loads permitted on his watch. And worst of all, he washes everything at 30 degrees. This just doesn't cut the mustard with my gym clothes.. often they've been rotting in the basket for a couple of days and then they are put through a coldish wash, bacteria remains, I put them on again, start to sweat and then I STINK. Or rather the clothes stink.

I've told him they need washing at a higher temperature. I've no problem separating my washing and doing my own. DH says that this is completely unreasonable. He pointed out the label on the clothes ( which does inexplicably actually advise to wash at 30!! ) says that it's unreasonable to separate my clothes for separate washes as the machine won't be full and then he reckons washing at 40 is worse for the clothes, and even reckons 30 degrees is more environmentally friendly and he is saving the planet.

YABU..let him wash the stuff at 30 and just put up with stinking out the gym

YANBU ..those clothes need washing at least 40 degrees. DH is wrong and you must wrestle the responsibility for the laundry away from this mad man.

Less load in machine. Also Dettol laundry added to wash really helps.

You could point out to your ignorant husband that not only do washing machine makers recommend smaller loads for synthetic items but the machine actually work out how much laundry is in the machine and adjust the water input accordingly. So he is also wrong, as well as suffering from exaggerated self-importance from having learned a rather simple task.

It’s better to not have a full washing machine anyway. About 3/4 full is recommended. Google and show him.

This is what the half-load button is for.

If this was a reverse problem posted on MN ie a DH moaning about his gym clothes not being washed frequently or well enough by his wife … she would be advised to tell him to wash them himself or LTB!

This could well be the issue

Get a bowl. Fill it with water and dettol for laundry. Put ypir gym wear in it to soak. Put your gym clothes from there in a 40 degree wash when you have a full load.

If you have a dog you are gonna stink anyway so might as well leave him to it.

First world problem if I ever saw one
put Your sports kit in yourself with something like Halo? Used something like that for my smelly sons
whats he going to do? Divorce you?

Can’t you just bung in anything else from the basket with the gym gear to make up a ‘full wash?’ Or decide that the pillows or something need a deep clean to make up the space? (You should be able to use the machine how you want anyway but I mean if you don’t want to hear him go on about it!)

Just tell him you'd rather wash your clothes your way.

We had to do this after I realised I was sensitive to biological washing liquid.

I no longer itch like hell when my t shirt gets a bit sweaty and she can use fabric conditioner which I abhor.

Win win.

Agree with PPs, bucket + Halo till there's enough for a wash.

I'd be very fucked off at being told how to do the washing. But also fucked off at having smelly clothes. I mean - I would do it myself anyway, and I wouldn't be asking other people to vindicate me...

You also need to get the manual for the washing machine out and point out that the wash he is putting it on is very likely intended for a maximum of 2kg of washing. Time to get the kitchen scales out!

Buy an antibacterial wash to put in with your clothes.

Sooooo your not able to,put your own clothes in the washer? You are not your own person and able ptomdo what you like? So you work and pay the bills and not allowed to use the washer? Get a life

Very valid point 😅

Bit of a reach there, but ok .

Yes, this!

When you say 'fully loaded' do you mean stuffed full, or he has actually put in the 2kg/4kg/8kg as appropriate for the cycle?

I also vote for keeping it at 30 but using Halo or the Dettol Laundry stuff, by the way.

Lots of great answers so far.
Plenty of evidence to show The King Of The Washing Machine that he is wrong.

And great idea the bucket and sports wash/Dettol 👍🏼

Then he’s a bellend. I would wash very sweaty gym fabric alone, immediately, at 30 degrees. Washing it alone will clean it properly.

I would strip off after the gym and put your clothes in on a higher temp straight away

Zoflora works really well for laundry that needs a little extra help, a couple of capfuls in with your detergent will help sort the stink. But he is IBU.

Get yourself some antibac laundry additive, like Dettol. I put this in with my work out clothes and DH's sweaty cycling stuff, normal wash at 40 and it sorts them right out.

Mine is. I just let him get on with it - though I do handwash anything delicate, likely to run or made of linen.

Depends on alot. Some pods dont dissolve at 30. Overloading will prevent proper washing.

Id just do it myself