AIBU to ask my lodger to cut down on washing machine use?

[Member869894]

More of a WWYD really and I'm aware this is a first world problem. I have a lodger. He's nice enough but he uses the washing machine 4-5 times a WEEK. This morning I've come downstairs to a lone pair of shorts in there swishing around.
I'm not good at confrontation. How do i broach this without offending him?

That wouldn't work for me as I do washes of different temperatures too. I generally do a whites, a gentle 30-degree wash, a 40-degree for underwear and gym stuff and another 40-degree or sometimes hotter for bedding/towels.
I'm sure I'm not the only one.

I don’t know about anybody else, but I find one bath sheet a week quite enough, as long as there’s somewhere to dry it properly in between uses.

And I often put white clothes in with my (white) towels.

Some people seem to do lot of loads per week for a single adult. OP mentioned a her lodger doing a single pair of gym shorts . Are fewer people waiting until they have enough laundry of a particular type to do full loads? No wonder climate change is on the increase with this level of energy use, if some people are only putting a couple of items at a time in the machine..

I wonder if you would do the same number of loads if you had to use a launderette though?

I’d just say it’s not ok to use washing machine for less than half a load. My machine had a quick 1 hour setting for 4kg. I usually use that for half a load rather than the 3 hour range 10kg cycle.

I’m shocked that this fella would do this. It’s mad! Honestly they need to bring back home economics or something at school as if someone has grown up thinking that such wasteful behaviour is ok my god. First lesson of environmental good practice is reduce consumption. I would have to say something (as nicely as I could). (I take water use very seriously- I’m on a private water supply and if you’ve ever had that fail, you know how precious it is.

Well, yes, because I don't want to end up with grey whites or shrunken delicates (voice of experience).

I genuinely don’t understand how couples can do one or two loads of washing a week. I’m single, not particularly precious and a bit of a slob and I can easily do 4-5 loads. And I always fill the machine.

Washing machines are not expensive to run. They’re even cheaper on an eco wash. A long wash is good for the health of the machine.

You don’t know why he was washing only one item and he might have good reason - if he had stained or soiled the shorts in some way he might have had to wash it alone.

Ultimately you’ve made the decision to take in a lodger and this means you need to accept some compromises. I think this is a very small concession for you to make in context and if this is the worst thing he does I would be thanking my lucky stars.

If your bills are higher than expected, tell him you’re putting the rent up by a few quid.

Yes, people not overloading the machine and washing their work uniforms is driving climate change and it has nothing to do with all the private jet users and mega factories in China and India.

Climate change has everything to do with excessive energy use and consumerism. 60 years ago, the family laundry once done once a week usually on a Monday for some reason , and many people only had one trip on a plane each year ,if that. Goods were not shipped halfway round the world either, and many goods were usually built to last longer.
It seems there is a sense of entitlement nowadays to exploit resources just because some people have the money so do so ,without even considering the consequences for the next generation. It can't really be energy efficient to put one pair of gym shorts as a single load in a washing machine. I t might only cost £.0.30p in money to wash those shorts, , but the long term cost is much greater than just cash.

So true.

I had this very issue with a previous lodger. Turns out he only possessed two pairs of boxers, two T shirts and two pairs of trousers. He did it differently in the sense that he would do a full load, but would wash nearly every day and would put my washing in each time he had to wash something of his.

The washing machine being on every single day drove me nuts, but I didn't like the thought of him dealing with my 'smalls' either!

A full load can be difficult for a single person, especially due to having to separate whites, colours, delicates etc.

But half a load is the minimum, imo…

Sixty years ago our buildings were pitch black, filthy with soot and the air quality in the city would turn the inside of your nose black.

I was not talking about global trade or mass consumerism. I was talking about washing your clothes - which is an absolute necessity.

Just charge him more?

I wash when it's enough for a load. Never separate anything, don't understand why you'd need to. Don't understand the 'towels must be washed alone' thing either. Although my over 15 year old hotpoint packed up last week so am on my 5th load today including a bedding wash cos it was minging.
Also my new machine has a 4 hour eco wash but also a 15 min quick wash.

It's her house and she damn well can police how often the lodger does laundry.
I would say something like this;
"Hey [Lodger], do you have a quick second? I noticed the other day you ran the washer and dryer for just a couple of items. I'm really trying to keep our household footprint down—both for the environment and because utility bills are so high right now. Because of that, from now on, I need to make it a firm rule that we only run the machines for full loads. Otherwise it wastes a huge amount of water and energy. If you ever just need one or two things washed quickly, you'll need to hand-wash them or wait until you have a full basket. Thanks, I really appreciate you taking this onboard."

What the hell? Who could get by on 2 washes per week? Also, OP absolutely cannot specify what those washes must be.

It sounds annoying but it also sounds a bit micro managy to have the landlord surveilling what items are being laundered. For me, I wouldn’t have a full load to wash because I’d need to wash colours separately and sometimes I would put a dress on a rinse and spin cycle that I might need to wear in a couple of days. Not everyone has loads of clothes or can wait until they have a full load to do a wash. If a lodger is paying the rent, the should have the free run of the house. It’s annoying but the alternative is to live alone. If it’s in the rental contract, I don’t think you can introduce it later. Ability to wash one’s clothes is to be expected. The only exception may be if no one else can use the facility. In this case, I might say something like - I am hoping to put on a wash later as I have a few loads to wash so if you wouldn’t minding leaving the machine free

You don't need to wash colours separately – just get some of those Colour Catcher sheets.

How did you get on OP? 🙂

If she wants the house to herself, she’d have to forgo the rent the lodger is paying her. Once a lodger is paying rent, that’s their home and unless it’s in the rental contract, you can’t impose rules as if lodgers are teenagers to be controlled. Too many people want a lodger’s money but don’t want to hold up their end of the contract. You can’t have it every way

You don't have delicates or woollens or white clothes?

I wash towels separately because they go on a higher temperature (60) and also because washing towels with your clothes can wear out your clothes faster because of friction. It's better for your laundry to be washed with similar weighted items.

I don't care really and some of my clothes are over 30 years old. They are fine. Why are towels washed at a higher temp? They are drying things that have just been cleaned. Makes no sense to me.

I suppose I also use the towel wash to do kitchen cloths, the bath mats and that kind of thing.

Just looked it up but towels do get very dirty because of skin cells and natural body oils. Plus the skin naturally has lots of bacteria and fungi, that grow well in a moist environment.