Do you mix your washing together?

[Flyingoutofcontrol]

This is kindof an AIBU, but I'm far too chicken to put this in there, but I want an opinion if I'm being unreasonable or a bit weird or possibly both!

So, I was talking about housework with a friend, and I mentioned that I feel much better with a more or less empty washing basket, so usually do a load every day or two (depending on what's been worn) for DS and I, and a separate load for DS as I don't like using fabric conditioner on his clothes.

So far, we're in agreement and no problems. Now, usually, I do a separate undies wash as again I don't like conditioner on my knickers, but I have been known (if going away for a weekend or requiring my control pants ) to bung my undies in with the normal load of washing so that I can have the stuff I need or have an empty basket ready for a huge load when we get back.

My friend was very and about this, and basically said that it was a bit minging to do this - but she couldn't really explain why.

So, AIBU to mix my washing on occasion? Is this slattern territory and will I be shunned ever more for admitting this?!

I separate NOTHING.

I only separate by colour and dh socks because they stink
but I do wash towels separately because they need (imo) a hot wash whilst the rest I do at 30.

I do colours, darks and whites seperately. No matter what the items are.

Delicates/woollens a different matter of course.

I have darks and lights - and thats it. Though if theres enough towels to make up a load, I might do a separate wash for them on 60 as a treat

I put in a load of washing daily, it alternates between 'whites' and 'brights', that's it. The whole point of a washing machine is that it gets things clean so surely as long as the clours don't run there should be no 'mingingness' about it

Same as mousymouse here. Surely the whole point of washing things is so that they get clean, so it's not as if any, um, secretions on your underwear are going to be magically transferred to your other clothes?

I would guess your friend is the kind of person who would fall for that advert at the moment which seems to be telling you'll catch a virus from your clean laundry unless you wash it in extra-hygiene ariel or whatever it is.

I separate by colour mainly, towels are a separate load as washed hotter, cloth nappies used to be washed separately, woolens/handwash again washed separately. But knickers get washed with everything else.

I sort by colour but not by type of item - and have never known anyone to do that.

I separate mine by colours but I sometimes do one persons load at a time.(If you see what I mean)

So if DS needs school stuff, I will do a full load of his clothes with maybe a few of someone elses if there isn't enough for a full load.

I try to do DH clothes all on their own cause he gets the dirtiest (work clothes) out of all of us.

I've never heard of anyone separating out undies for washing - how would you ever get a full load? Reminds me of that archaic law about not having male and female underwear next to each other on the washing line in Pennsylvania!

I tend to have lights and darks, and any load with my dark undies gets done in Ecover, other loads with cheaper detergent. Never use softener, which solves that one. And icky loads from when MrNC has been doing DIY etc, with bits of plaster and black dirt.

Yep. Towels and bedding separate as they get done hotter, and delicates too, but otherwise I just do it by colour.
Undies generally a separate wash as I can then tumble them so my knickers aren't hanging about when people pop round

Oh good. I'm not a slattern - MNet said so... although I will of course never tell anyone about this

Oh, and it's not usually a full load per say, my machine has a half load/energy saver program so they get done on that usually twice a week as DH has two pairs of socks daily(!) as he likes thicker socks in the house as opposed to thin "work" socks.

I do a load of everything together first thing every morning, a 40 degree wash. All colours, including whites, underwear, tea towels, the lot. However I do the towels and bedding separately, towels because I do them on a hotter wash and bedding because it doesn't fit in with everything else.

Nope never separate anything. Nothing's ever run. However, DH manages to shrink a lot of his clothes, I have no idea how he does it.

Oh I do bedding and towels hotter and silk/cashmere on the handwash setting.

I do spearate by more than just darks and lights though - I have a white wash, pink wash etc - I do an awful lot of laundry.

But I would never mix colours as spend a fair bit on clothes so like to look after them.

Have gone a bit faint at people not separating out their whites - you'll be telling me you don't iron next

I do towels, bedding and nappies separately as there is enough for a full load of each, anything in the laundry bag gets bunged in at 40 as my dear old dad taught me to do.

Why would you do knickers on their own?

I do kids clothes separately (non bio as ds1 eczema). All washes get separated into:

• whites
• very light eg. white sleeves and coloured top
• blues/ greens/ browns
• blacks
• reds/ pinks/ oranges/ purples

But I never separate undies. Is that gross? I figure the bottom of my jeans get as dirty as my undies!

Until recently I put everything together on a 30 wash; just whatever needed washing.

Now I sometimes do towels/dishcloths etc. on a 60. It makes me feel very grown-up.

If I separated out my undies I would forever be running out, or I would have to buy millions more!

I do towels seperate as they make the bobbling on clothes worse! White go in alone too.

Towels & bedding,colours,whites and darks all seperate pants go into the appropriate colour unless they are sexy numbers that are hand-wash only...

And bras go on a handwash cycle

(My mum handwashes all undies with green soap, before putting them in the wash!)

Whites
Colours (light)
Colours (dark)

I shove it all in together