Things I've put in the washing machine when they are not washable...

[Jackaroo]

I'm sure I'm not the first, but I finally got fed up with sponging our pram - a Mountain something...3 wheeler (got it at the charity shop), so dismantled it as far as possible, and put it all in a thorough wash. Looks great. This includes ripping a few stitches to remove the hood wire rod .

This is after big success with a very precious pink Longchamp bag ( ie I never use it because it looks grubby so easily)... also came up a treat (and leather handles are fine).

Can you give me any other ideas of stuff I'm leaving grubby that I could be giving a right good going over ?!

I just put a fine wool dress through on a 40 degree cotton wash and it's fine. Thank you, Boden.

Do anything dodgy on cool handwash and see.

If it can't withstand this, then it deserves to be binned.

I think you're right echt - I wouldn't have tried it in my old machine - I'm just testing my new one in all it's clever programmes

If it says "dry clean only" - you can probably wash it in the bath with some gentle detergent (special stuff that says it is for silk and wool, that kind of thing)

If it says "handwash only" - you can probably put it in the washing machine on the gentlest cycle.

Probably. I take no responsibility for damaged clothing.

aqua draw, it was really smelly and I was planning to throw it out, friend suggested it would do no harm as I could throw it out anywy, came up lovely.

I put my favourite leather shoes in on a quick wash after my waters broke on them.

I have figured life is too short to pay excessive dry cleaning bills and handwashing and if it doesn't survive then so be it, interesting about the longchamp bag though might give that a try!

Also most of my clothes have been obliterated by the moths so........

When the washing machine dies I am going to invest in a really good make (currently have washer dryer and the dryer part has not worked since the guarantee ran out!) infact I am thinking of starting looking soon My mum used a Meile on holiday and it did a fab 19 minute wash for lightly used clothes..........oh yeah baby I might be up for that if I can afford it!

I'm sure I remember someone on one of my ante natal threads worked in a dry cleaners and she said that pretty much anything can go in a gentle wash and so everyone started bunging their wedding dresses in and they all came out fine.

However I shall adopt Trills disclaimer just in case

I've done a buggy too.

I thought it was a different sort of thread, like an accidental one.... In which case I've washed an iPod shuffle and it survived!

I put all the padding off dds highchair in.

Also oxfam's festival bean bags. They came out lovely!

Lamaze baby toys.

Only so much baby milk dribble smell I could put up with. Now tend to do them every 3-4 months.

dita good idea about the aquadraw.

Oh yes, will do aquadraw tomorrow, ours is rank!

I had a bright rug from ikea in the playroom that had had juice spilt on it at various stages over the last 3 years. I'd scrubbed and scrubbed but they were like blackened dots and couldn't be shifted.
I chucked it out on the patio in disgust with a view to taking it to the tip, decided at the last minute to squirt it with floor cleaner and scrubbed with a deck scrubber. Hosed it down, left it to dry over the fence and it's as good as new. Was amazed!

yay I finally did something useful on mn.

And for stuff which is too expensive to risk, I bought some stuff from the supermarket which 'dry cleans' clothes in the tumble drier and it's bloody good I tell you - £4 a packet and I've done four jackets with it and they came up great.

DDs uggs came out lovely and clean.
Made a dreadful noise spinning though.

After reading your post's title I thought you meant things like phones,boat insurance documents and iPods!

Yes I have 'washed' all of the above.

baby soft toys with built in (non removable) batteries. Some survive, some don't. Washing machines fine though!

upahill - I thought that too! MIL tumble dried her cat (by mistake, obviously). He lived by the way!

Plastic bibs in washing machine - we're going on the third child now. I spent ages washing them in the bath with dd1, what a waste! Padding on high chair also. On another note, crocs in dishwasher. Will try the toys in washing machine soon as DC4 on the way and they are minging!

Really? Uggs? I can actually washing machine them and they won't fall apart?!! What temp?

Also now going to whack the high chair padding through as well!!

DS1's wellies after T in the Park. That or throw them away as they smelled rotten inside. Came out fine.

Dolls
lunch boxes
trainers
door mat

And probably some other stuff :

erm didn't know you weren't "supposed" to wash prams and baby toys . I have washed:
Quinny buzz fabrics
bugaboo bee fabrics
car seat fabrics
various soft toys and books (and a not so soft lamaze toy)
boden lambswool jumpers
baby wool cardigans (but these didn't survive -oops! Oh well my mum can always knit more....)

can I add those silicone baking things? in case you have no dishwasher and are too lazy to wash by hand. just chuck them in with a drop of dishwashing liquid.
also lego and playmobil.

My non-washable Ikea Sofa bed cover (gentle cycle, didn't spin.Drain and dry on washing line)