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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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Original poster

washing in machine overnight

19 replies

strawberry01 · 20/04/2015 20:41

Can I leave a washing (washed) in the machine overnight?

I would like to do a load last thing before bed so it's there to hang out as soon as I get up.

I do load the machine at night but by the time the cycles done and I have sorted DD sometimes I don't get it out until lunch time.

OP posts:

HolgerDanske · 20/04/2015 20:43

Yes as long as your machine is very very clean, so no musty smell or gunk in the seal, it'll be fine.

WishUponAStar88 · 20/04/2015 20:43

Do you have a delayed start option so you could preset it to start first thing? Otherwise I wouldn't want damp washing sat in there for 8 hours tbh

AnythingNotEverything · 20/04/2015 20:43

Yes, but if you open the door it will start to smell, and it's likely to be quite creased. Other than that it'll be fine.

TheFutureMrsB · 20/04/2015 20:44

Yes it's fine I do it all the time

olbas · 20/04/2015 20:45

I do my last wash so it finishes around 11pm as I don't like leaving the machine on all night. I then take it out of the machine and sort it so it's ready for hanging out in the morning.

HolgerDanske · 20/04/2015 20:48

Delayed start is a good idea, does it have a timer?

I must admit I'm not keen on doing it and usually don't, but my household runs itself really, haven't got young children anymore, so it's not as if I'm pressed for time to get things done. But I have done it here and there if needed and it's always been just fine. I actually don't find that the clothes smell if the door has been opened - once in a while if I've had to rush out of the house I just open the door if the machine's done running, as I've always thought it's better to have air circulating (don't know if that's actually true or not, mind) and I've not noticed odour issues.

I think if it'll help things run smoothly then that's what you should do.

ZenNudist · 20/04/2015 20:51

It's fine.

Hobbes8 · 20/04/2015 20:56

I do it accidentally all the time and it doesn't smell (slutty housekeeping).

However you can buy special timer things for your plug socket so you can set your washing machine to come on just before you get up in the morning. I've seen them in ikea.

wowfudge · 20/04/2015 21:40

I do this all the time and I put washing on in the morning before I go to work. It's sometimes there for hours before I empty it.

Littlefish · 20/04/2015 21:43

I do it all the time. Sometimes I even leave the washing in the washing machine all the next day if I forget about it. I just hang it up when I get home from work - it's always been fine!

milkysmum · 20/04/2015 23:07

I do it very frequently- sometimes it gets left in there days and it seems fine

rabbit123 · 22/04/2015 21:37

If your washer has a delay start or a rinse hold feature, that would be good to use.

Rinse hold keeps the clothes in the final rinse water and tumbles them occasionally so it stops things getting creased. In the morning, you can change the cycle and drain & spin.

Pipbin · 22/04/2015 21:42

I do it all the time. It's fine.

didireallysaythat · 22/04/2015 21:43

I do this all the time. Put on a load of bed sheets at least once a week in the middle of the night (pullups leak) so they can go on the line in the morning. I only ever do 30 minute washes, I haven't ever cleaned the machine out (it doesn't have a service clean but I go wipe out the seals) and I always leave the door open after it's been used (it's in the garage - probably not as easy to do if the machine is in the kitchen). Never had an issue

AgentProvocateur · 22/04/2015 21:53

I do it in the evening and hang it out before I go to bed.

rabbit123 · 23/04/2015 08:18

RE: 30 minute washes

Quick washes are only designed for small loads. Washing a full load on quick wash causes excessive strain on your washing machine motor and bearings, especially as a cycle that's only programmed to take a half load revs up to full spin with a heavy load in it.

They also use more water and electric than standard cottons cycles. The machine has to use more water to compensate for the shorter wash time and has less time to heat it up so the heat element (which is the component that uses the most energy in a washing machine) has to come on at full pelt.

BoozeyTuesday · 23/04/2015 08:20

yeah I do it all the time! Smells fine!

Aridane · 23/04/2015 08:21

Yes - it's fine! I thought everyone did this - ie put washing on before going to bed (and handing up in the morning), or putting on in the morning before work (and hanging up when home).

As another poster has said though, don't open the door!

(Though don't do which I did once which was to totally forget I had done the wash, and many many days later found the washing, smelling quite ripe...)

didireallysaythat · 23/04/2015 17:30

I'm not sure the 30 minute wash is so bad in our case - the machine is 15 years old and has a hot water feed (with solar hot water). Don't know if you can still get a hot water feed machine.....

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