Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

If you really do three loads of washing a day....

357 replies

Clary · 30/10/2006 13:42

That?s 21 a week, right? What are you actually washing? I?m not having a go, just interested (following ?how many times? thread) in how many people claim to do this much washing.

Yes, some days I might do 3 loads (if one of the kids has a night accident eg) but the next day probably none.
Are you mega washers really doing 21 washes a week? Are you all really dirty? what?s your laundry list, come on, I need to know if there is laundry I am failing to do.
(I have three DCs btw)

OP posts:
belgo · 30/10/2006 13:47

I'm assuming the washing machine isn't being used to full capacity each time - in which case it's a dreadful waste of money and resources. Even when both my dds were in cotton nappies at the same time I still only had 5 -6 washes a week, and I thought that was a lot.

slaughterfalls · 30/10/2006 13:50

I do at least 3 loads a day, d create one load a day by himself as he has bladder control issue, dh works 2 jobs and has to have freh clothes each day.

covenoveneer · 30/10/2006 13:50

I change the sheets once a week (king size and 2 singles). Change all towels twice a week 4 bath sheets 4 hand towels and 4 flannels. I have a sofa in the dining room that has a throw and 5 large cushions which the cats sleep on so I do the throw and cushion covers 1-2 times a week. Occasionally need to stip the cushions on the other sofa/arm chairs in the living room if one of the kids spills something. High chair cover once a week, occasionally car seat covers, then clothing. DS still gets through at least 2 outfits a day.

twelveyeargap · 30/10/2006 13:50

That's a LOT of washing indeed. My SIL does one to two a day and there are 5 in her household. There are three in mine and I do around 6 to 8 loads each weekend.

slaughterfalls · 30/10/2006 13:51

We are on our 4th washing machine in 7 years

Zog · 30/10/2006 13:52

I do 2 loads of towels a week and 2-3 loads of bedlinen every other week. Probably 6 loads of clothes a week. So that's 18-19 over 2 weeks or about 8 loads a week. There's 5 of us, so 21 loads a week sounds loads!

IdrisTheDragon · 30/10/2006 13:53

I will sometimes do 3 loads in a day. But then will do no washing for a couple of days. Probably averages about 1.5 loads a day I should think, with two children (one in reusable nappies).

CountessDracula · 30/10/2006 13:53

If you dry your towels over radiators, is there really any need to wash them twice a week? After all you are clean when you are drying yourself on them! Seems a terrible waste of resources

QuootieSpookypie · 30/10/2006 13:53

some days i do 3, some i do none... averages at 1 or 2 a day?

LadyTophamHatt · 30/10/2006 13:54

2 adults and 3 children (soon to be 4) so I can easily do 2-3 loads a day.

If I miss a day it takes about a week of 2-3 loads a day to catch up.

Yesterday I had One load on the line, one on the airer and one on the radiators.

Today, I have just one on the line and one waiting to be put on the radiators......and a washing bin that is still full to the top.

I dread to think how much worse it will get when the baby arrives.

GeorginaA · 30/10/2006 13:54

Bear in mind it depends a lot on the size of your washingmachine too.

I do 2 loads a day, except Sunday which I don't tend to do any. It's increased to 3 loads recently (potty training, don't ask).

Generally have:

2 loads coloured towels
1 load light towels
1 load white bedding
2 loads dark bedding
4/5 loads dark wash (clothes)
1 load white wash (clothes)

All loads are full loads in a 6kg drum. I have 2 dses (5 and 2). Change towels and bedding weekly.

dyzzidi · 30/10/2006 13:55

I do at least 1 a day and two per day on the weekends. There is normally just me and my 10mth old DD at home. BUt my DD is a very sickly child although there is nothing medically wrong with her and she can easily go through 4/5 outfits per day and her bed needs changing every other night . I wash my bedding once per week and the towels every other day.

threebob · 30/10/2006 13:55

I do 3 loads a day if the weather is nice. But then I will do none for 3 or 4 days.

My mum will try to scrape a load together every day if we have a run of nice weather, and get disappointed if we can't come up with enough!

ggglimpopo · 30/10/2006 13:55

Message withdrawn

BudaBeast · 30/10/2006 13:55

Generally 2 loads a day over 6 days - have one day of rest!!

Change beds once a week - two beds.
Change towels once a week - each have own towels.
Clean tea-towel in kichen every day so they get done with towels.
One light and one dark load on alternate days.

There are three of us.

Dry as much as poss outside when weather warm enough or in boiler room in basement.

CountessDracula · 30/10/2006 13:56

towels every other day???

Weird...

threebob · 30/10/2006 13:56

Towels are full of dead skin - not what I would call clean.

CountessDracula · 30/10/2006 13:56

yes but it's your skin!

covenoveneer · 30/10/2006 13:56

DH has psoriasis so his towels need changing regularly (his are done every day or 2 the rest weekly so that equates to all twice a week)

Cappuccino · 30/10/2006 13:57

agree with belgo you should wait till you have a full load otherwise it's a really wasteful way of doing it

Zog · 30/10/2006 13:57

No, I wash all our towels once a week which takes two loads, just to clarify.

BudaBeast · 30/10/2006 13:59

Always have full loads!

ludaloo · 30/10/2006 13:59

I honestly do 3 loads of washing a day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ok perhaps it is sometimes only 2 but if I don't then the pile gets too much to cope with...no where to put it all!
I have 3 dc and a grubby dh.

Today for example I actually have to do 4 loads to be able to shut the laundry basket as I didn't do any yesterday and only 2 on sat.

I wash clothes mainly...I usually cannot get more than one wear from the kids...they are too grubby (5,3 and 15mnths)we went pine cone picking yesterday so no chance of rescuing clothing!!!

I do dh work clothes (he fixes gearboxes) he is super grubby... muck even goes through his overalls
I don't usually fair much better if I let my dd2 anywhere near me after food(even a banana can get sticky hand marks all over the place!)

I wash tea towels (maybe need more to reduce the amount of time I have to wash them?)Towels take up loads of washing space Dh has designated towels as he turns what ever he touches black when he comes in
Thats it really..I don't underload the machine as dd2 is sensitve and I use capsules...so I don't want to make her itch...I don't overload though as It doesn't clean your clothes properly!

ScreamandYellowFeathers · 30/10/2006 13:59

Now call me lazy, call me weird, call me what you want but I never ever ever seperate my colours. Never.
Yes we have lots of washing (2 adults, 1 toddler and a baby) but we never do 21 a week. No way!

I dont understand why people do different colour washes. I guess thats why there is so much to do and like someone else mentioned this normally results in half loads.

Spidermama · 30/10/2006 14:00

1 load a day. Sometimes two when I have to do bedding and towels.

There are six of us to wash for so I have a big washing machine. I try to sponge jumpers and trousers because they don't have to have clean clothes every single day.

I teach the kids that pants and socks automatically go in the washing basket every day, as do school shirts, but everything else must be assessed for marks and worn again if at all possible.