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Housekeeping

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Original poster

Am I mad to want a twin tub?

83 replies

wigglybeezer · 10/03/2014 12:23

I have a bit if an obsession with finding a second hand twin tub at the moment. I have a very reliable automatic but I find I just can't wash enough stuff at once or do enough loads a day to keep the laundry pile down.
If I had an old fashioned twin tub I could do all the bedding and towels for instance in one go, not to mention actually getting the mud out of DS's rugby kit.
It would suit my way of working to do a big laundry session one morning a week and get everything out on the line ( spin speed much faster in twin tubs too).
I did use one in a student flat so have previous experience.
If anyone has one to sell in the central belt of Scotland let me know !

OP posts:
5littlefreckledspogs · 10/03/2014 20:53

Maybe not the most helpful contribution, but one of my earliest memories is of being in my Mum's arms and puking into the spinning section of the twin tub - just be aware of this if you have toddlers!

Original poster
wigglybeezer · 10/03/2014 21:23

If mine were still little toddlers I would still be able to fit all their clothes into the washing machines ( remembering rows of baby grows on the line fondly).

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FanFuckingTastic · 10/03/2014 21:51

I followed the FLY lady approach to washing, can't actually remember now what it was I haven't had my own place so long, but it split the washing out over the week and I never felt overwhelmed with loads to do. Part of the morning routine was to take out washed overnight stuff to dry, put on a load and then do the school run and any other out of the house stuff, then come in and fold the washing from the drier, move the washing from the washer and dry, put on another load if I needed, but more often than not because I could manage two loads a day. Just put stuff away at bathtime, and then last thing before bed another load on for the next day.

Washing never seemed to dominate that way, it was always kept on top of. Ironing was done on a Sunday, bedding was washed on a Saturday morning and back on by the evening. Shopping was done on a Thursday, fridge clean and check on a Wednesday so I could menu plan and sort a shopping list.

When I go back to my own place, I am definitely putting FLYlady routine back into play, as it was pretty amazing at making everything easy and not time consuming.

soaccidentprone · 10/03/2014 22:06

We had a twin tub when I was a child. I grew to hate it.

The whole kitchen and dining room would be full of steam, it was bloody hard work taking the wet clothes from the washing bit, to the spinning bit with the wooden tongs. It used to take virtually the whole of Saturday to do the washing.

And then it started to leak, so you had to keep mopping the floor.

We currently have a Bosch which I think holds 9 or 10kg. Ds1 has now left home, so there are just 3 of us now. We do around 4 washes a week, plus bedding and towels once a week. We can even fit a king size duvet in it. We usually do 3 loads at the weekend, then maybe 1 or 2 loads during the week.

But that's what works for us.

ThatVikRinA22 · 11/03/2014 00:14

gawd....nannas had twin tubs!! im only 42 and we had one, and my first washing machine with dh was a second hand twin tub that cost a fiver!

never ever again.....

really - you have to use one to appreciate the absolute full pain in the arse capacity....

BrianTheMole · 11/03/2014 00:19

I have fond memories of my mums twintub. And water could be recycled and the spinner was great. I'd get one again if I had space.

Ps, my mum still has one.

Original poster
wigglybeezer · 11/03/2014 08:20

I probably liked having one when I was a student as the alternative was the huge expense of the launderette, rare to have a washing machine n student flats in the eighties.

OP posts:
NinetyNinePercentTroll · 11/03/2014 19:16

I'm not much younger than you, vicar, and yes, my nanna's had one (or a succession of the bloody things).

NinetyNinePercentTroll · 11/03/2014 19:23

Nanna, not nanna's. Thanks autocorrect Hmm

Ohhelpohnoitsa · 11/03/2014 19:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PigletJohn · 12/03/2014 10:24

Twin tubs take less elapsed time, but more of your working time because you have to stand and attend to them.

An auto you can set going, then go and have your shower, breakfast, whatever and come back when it's finished. You can throw the sheets and things in as soon as you get up.

Twin tubs are still made for old ladies who don't want to move into the 1970's.

hellymelly · 12/03/2014 10:33

I had a whirlpool top loader and it was really great, I lived on a boat so needed something that would take a cold water feed only, as I had a hosepipe that came through the window from the standpipe on the quay!
I grew up with a twintub, my Mum loved hers and it was still going decades after she bought it, but we don't still have it or I would give it to you op. I think ebay or freecycle will turn up the goods for you, but check out the whirlpool top loaders too. Mine was a slimline smaller model but still took lots of washing, and the American ones are massive. They pop up on ebay too.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 12/03/2014 11:49

I thought everyone had 3 laundry loads, white, dark and coloured? How else would one do it, bung it all in together?

Original poster
wigglybeezer · 12/03/2014 16:53

Yes, feeling mildly patronised now ; ). I am not bad at housework, I have just been doing it for 16 years and am a bit bored, I like the idea of having a massive blitz once a week and then having a few days of not having to think about laundry, it suits my personality better.

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Original poster
wigglybeezer · 12/03/2014 16:53

I am watching one on ebay now.

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helzapoppin2 · 13/03/2014 12:00

I lived in America and had a really old fashioned top loader. Not the latest technology, but the washing was done really quickly!

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 13/03/2014 21:55

Oooo did you bid on it?Grin

Original poster
wigglybeezer · 13/03/2014 21:59

I have bought one, no going back now, if it turns out to have been a mad flight of fancy, I will just pop it back on ebay.

It will be worth the money to see the confused look on MIL's face when she sees it !

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DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 13/03/2014 22:19

Oooo can you update after you've done your first wash?Grin

I thought of you last night when I did 3 loads at 8 pm in a mad rush!

Original poster
wigglybeezer · 13/03/2014 22:38

It had to be collected from far away so won't get it for a while, will probably arrive when the good weather disappears!

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Paulinroyton · 15/01/2017 22:05

Hi

I have a twin tub which I bought off eBay. It's fantastic. Can do a complete family wash in about 1 hour, and it spins at 3100rpm. Have you considered an American top loader washer. Speed Queen are excellent

Stilitzvert · 15/01/2017 22:09

My dream in life is a top loading American style washing machine. In the meantime I do almost all my washing on the short wash cycle, I've done about 7 loads today

WellErrr · 15/01/2017 22:36

@wigglybeezer did you ever get your twin tub!?? Grin

Original poster
wigglybeezer · 15/01/2017 22:48

I did and used it for a while to do mega washes on good drying days, to clear backlogs but the clutch shoes went on the spin dryer and I couldn't find someone to fix it but I do occasionally use it for dyeing things ( very good for that ). I was thinking about it today actually as I have to decide what to do with it, Dh has a new friend who took his washing machine apart to fix it successfully and I was thinking of asking him to fix it! However I inherited a sum of money and treated myself to a new 11kg machine with a faster spin ( but I still have a laundry backlog!).

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Original poster
wigglybeezer · 15/01/2017 22:53

It was the best at a shiny muddy rugby kit though!

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