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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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Original poster

Tell me your laundry routines!

18 replies

Rainallnight · 14/10/2021 13:47

We are two adults and two DC (five and three).

I feel like I’m either always doing laundry or else totally fed up with it and then it piles up.

I have no tumble drier but I do have a decent airing cupboard.

What are your routines?

Thanks!

OP posts:

Cynderella · 14/10/2021 14:00

I miss my airing cupboard - I had slatted shelves and a hanging rail. everything dried overnight.

I think it is a choice of a load every day or two, or masses over a couple of days. I used to spend most of my weekends shuffling laundry from machine to line to machine to ironing board and away when full-time. Now, working from home, I prefer some every day.

Blahdyblahbla · 14/10/2021 14:43

I've got 4 coloured baskets, which ever is fullest gets washed. I do a load every day, bedding and towels etc just go in with their colour.
I hang it all over a dehumidifier, everything on hangers where possible to minimise ironing.
Everyone has a basket for small items to go in drawers, the ironing gets done twice a week, another quick air, then put away.
It doesn't feel like too much of a chore as I've got a good system, but we do generate a huge amount of washing.

Cynderella · 14/10/2021 18:03

Oh yes - separate bags/baskets for loads helps - I have whites/semi whites/coloureds in separate bags on a frame in bathroom. Each bag holds one load.

snoopyfloops · 14/10/2021 18:05

I put a wash on every morning, whilst making breakfast. Hang out at lunch. I fold and sort dry laundry whilst DC in bath in the evening. I iron every weekend.

I don't do DH laundry he sorts it.

I have on occasion sent it out with Laundrapp and that can be good if you're really busy.

HartyPat · 14/10/2021 18:12

I put the washing machine on before I go to bed so it's ready to hang out in the morning. (Ive no neighbours so the noise isn't an issue)
If the basket has enough for another load I'll put another wash on as soon as I empty the washing machine in the morning.

So, in theory by the time I'm back from the school run there's two loads to dry through the day
I hang some things straight on hangers and put them on curtain rails in bedrooms/upstairs hall to air dry inside if it's cold outside - school shirts, school polo tops, chiffon tops etc, makes ironing the uniform easier

I iron as little as possible. Tbh I really only iron the school uniforms and the odd t shirt

I generally put laundry away while the dc are showering/bathing at night (they're 9/10 so I don't need to be in there with them).

ThePoint678 · 14/10/2021 19:03

I live in an area where cold water washing is normal and expected for environmental reasons.

During the day everyone adds their laundry straight into the washing machine. The following morning I turn on a load first thing - everything goes in (colours, whites, darks, tea towels) on a cold water cycle and nothing fades or discolours or runs and everything is clean and sanitary. Then before I leave for work I switch everything into the dryer (we have solar panels and battery so no grid electricity is used therefore no guilt on my part!). Sheets, towels and anything needing sun go on the line but that’s once a week.

I fold everything before bed which takes 5 mins because it’s only one load and everyone puts away their own stuff into their wardrobes. No ironing because it’s all been in the dryer. I only iron for special occasions.

I know that’s a mindset shift (cold water!) and investment (dryer, solar) but laundry literally takes me 7 mins a day max and never builds up.

DespairingHomeowner · 14/10/2021 20:40

Do a load every 2 days or so, so it can dry (don’t like using tumble dryer either)

whites (incl sheets, towels) - on weekends
darks - 1 or 2 a week
towels - 1 a week (they are pastel colours so dint go in with white)
might do a load of light/ mixed colours if enough for own load
cleaning rags, mop heads, tea towels & scruffy hand towels - once a week

WFH makes it possible to do this, otherwise I did a load or 2 in the week, and a couple on weekend

Comedycook · 14/10/2021 20:42

Family of four...it's never ending! I do a dark wash every day. Whites every other day...then colours every two days or so. Towels and sheets every other day. Usually works out to 2/3 loads a day. I'm absolutely screwed if I miss a day

FindingMeno · 14/10/2021 20:43

Load and hang every morning before work, and fold any dry clothes from previous days.
Put them away either before work or when I get in.
Catch up loads at weekends.

Datsandcogs · 14/10/2021 20:53

Family of 3. Laundry bag in main bathroom, brought down on a Saturday and sorted into a laundry sorter - 4 different colours for clothes and then I do separate loads for towels, tea towels and bedding. Clothes are usually 3 or 4 loads a week and I get them done at the weekend. Household stuff as and when necessary through the week. Then it all goes to pot in the hols!

Weseylady · 15/10/2021 13:13

How do those of you who dry by hanging stuff in the house find towels and bedding dry.? And how to dry kingsize bedding.indoors? Seems too big to.me ?

LaBellina · 15/10/2021 13:17

We have 4 separate laundry bags: one for me, one for DH, one for DS and one for towels etc. I wash the towels separately but usually wash our clothes all at the same time unless DS has had a little accident, then those clothes are washed separately. I also have a special detergent for this kind of laundry that removes urine stains and smells. For the rest of the laundry, I use normal washing powder and oxygen bleach. I have a dryer but try not to use it too much and do line dry outside as much as possible.

Mantlemoose · 15/10/2021 13:19

Load machine in evening, set timer to finish by 7am. Hang it up/out and repeat.

BergamotandLime · 15/10/2021 13:24

Autumn/winter load on whilst I'm making dinner. Once dinner is finished and kitchen tidied I load bigger things onto Lakeland heated airer and underwear/towels/bedding into tumble dryer. Fold it whilst the kettle boils in the morning.

Summer/if I know weather is going to be good for drying will put on a load to finish by 7am so I can hang out before work.

I do a load every day and iron as I go. Takes maybe 20mins a day max.

DespairingHomeowner · 15/10/2021 13:32

@Weseylady

How do those of you who dry by hanging stuff in the house find towels and bedding dry.? And how to dry kingsize bedding.indoors? Seems too big to.me ?

Try to hang both outside if I can. Otherwise towels dry without too much trouble on rack/radiator/bannisters

Sheets: used to hang over bannisters in upstairs flat, or drape over dining room chairs in front of radiator (doubles, not king size)

user1471523870 · 15/10/2021 13:44

@Weseylady

How do those of you who dry by hanging stuff in the house find towels and bedding dry.? And how to dry kingsize bedding.indoors? Seems too big to.me ?

I always hang them over the bannister, upstairs. If just sheets (vs heavier duvet covers) and I don't have enough space on the bannister, I fold them neatly and hang them on the airer like a towel. I just make sure to turn them every few hours when the outside gets drier than then inside.

BiddyPop · 15/10/2021 16:12

Do a load most days, so we have darks, lights, towels, sheets, sometimes light colours, sometimes purely sports gear etc. We now try to do by day when sun shines for solar power but used to run as we left the house in the mornings for school/work (pre covid). And the load that's run depends on what has built up to a full load in the hamper and how urgently particular items are needed.

Get home (or emerge from office upstairs), hang on outside line if a decent chance of drying, otherwise combination of clothes horse or tumble dryer depend on what's been washed and how bad the situation is.

All dry clothes get thrown into a clean hamper downstairs. So urgently needEd items can be found by rummaging in the clean but unfolded clothes. Folding happens once a week (usually while watching tv at the weekend) and then carried up to hot press.

Dd puts away her own (or we give in and do it to get the basket back), DH and I each do our own from the hotpress whenever we need things or they've built up too much.

Dh irons on Sunday nights while watching countryfile and I make dinner/clean up in the same room.

BiddyPop · 15/10/2021 16:17

We have king sized sheets and a super king duvet and all are fine on the line outside when the weather is ok. We tend to keep them for washing until we are sure of weather or know the tumble dryer will be available as it takes 2 loads to wash abs 3 to tumble sheets from our bed, abs another 1 wash for DD's bed.

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