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Housekeeping

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Original poster

How do you sort your washing?

60 replies

suzi2 · 22/12/2007 15:44

DH says he's confused by my system. He groups things by colour (pinks, blues etc) whereas I go for lights and brights (then whites and darks). DH can't understand why putting a bright pink thing in with a baby pink thing might not work...

How do you group yours?

OP posts:
JoyeuxNoelBiggy · 22/12/2007 16:39

I have two girls. Every so often I can do an entirely pink wash.

CarGirl · 22/12/2007 16:39

whites & very pales/lights
darks
pink/lilacs/reds

then once per week blues & greens

one of the joys of a large family is sufficient washing to group so accurately!

gladbag · 22/12/2007 16:43

I do

  • whites (dh's work shirts, sheets, anything whitish)
  • colours
  • darks
  • woollen and delicates wash about once a month, when all the knitted jumpers/cardis, things that say 'dry clean only' get washed.
littlerach · 22/12/2007 16:46

Ooh, yes, I od the pink wash too.

Looks very pretty strung out on the line.

alliwant4xmas · 22/12/2007 17:28

whites and colours/darks

I wash everything at 30 and comes out clean - once a month i do an empty wash at 90 with some white wine vinegar as is supposed to be good for limescale.

foxinsocks · 22/12/2007 17:29

I didn't realise you were supposed to. I just shove it all in at once and it seems to work.

MrsGrinch · 22/12/2007 17:34

Lights, darks, jeans, dh's stinky smokey work stuff.

Lights sometimes go on a 60 wash if suitable, otherwise it's all 40 degrees.

yorkishbirdy · 22/12/2007 17:34

I have no trouble with 30 wash, I tend to store up very dirty things and then put them all in a 40 wash when there is enough.

I do wash the bedding hotter for dust mites though.

FluffyMummy123 · 22/12/2007 17:36

Message withdrawn

FairyTaleOfNewYork · 22/12/2007 17:39

light

darks

reds/pinks/purples (dd's school sweaters are red)

Octo · 22/12/2007 17:40

white

everything else

nutcracker · 22/12/2007 17:42

Whites/lights
Darks inc school sweatshirts
Brights

foxinsocks · 22/12/2007 17:43

yes, I remember cod's over sorting (I have been on here too long).

In fact, I do take out whites sometimes if they have started looking more like grey but if we do a hot wash, the dishwasher stops working (dodgy plumbing) so in general, we don't separate any more at all.

motherinferior · 22/12/2007 17:44

I mutter vaguely at Mr Inferior that surely it's time he did some washing.

claireybee · 22/12/2007 17:51

Nappies&wipes
Whites
Lights
Brights
Darks
Towels (only cos they make up a full load on their own anyway)

Whites and lights sometimes washed together, darks and brights sometimes washed together. Mostly all washed at 40.

coldtits · 22/12/2007 17:56

Whites, and everything else. Blacks if there is a lot of mine in there

Bridie3 · 22/12/2007 18:08

I wash everything at thirty: whites in one load and non-whites. If you use a good-quality detergent it will come out clean. Often, just to freshen things up, I use a washball, without a rinse programme. Then i stick everything on the line to have a good blow-through.

I rarely use a tumble-dryer because I think it's unjustifiable most of the year. But I do have an electric dehumidifier if there's a lot drying on radiators to keep the house dry and reduce dust mites.

sparklygothkat · 22/12/2007 18:16

whites
darks
colours
towels.

mumofmonSTARsOfBethlehem · 22/12/2007 18:33

blimey, MN is fast proving me to be a slattern

I do lights and darks...all at 40. If anything is still dirty it will just go in tthe next light/dark wash. I even stick my towelks in at the same time as normal clothes.

JingleyJen · 22/12/2007 18:35

Whites, Darks, reds, nappies, Towels

NineUnlovelyTinselDecorations · 22/12/2007 18:39

Whites
tea towels, dish cloths etc (60 degrees)
Towels (white)
Towels (coloured)
Nappies
Nappy liners
Jeans
Darks
Pinks/reds
Pales
DS washing done separately, see above categories

No wonder I spend my whole life washing

needmorecoffee · 22/12/2007 18:58

everything goes in at the same time (I don't buy whites) at whatever setting 5 is.
And I cram it in.
Hate washing. hate sorting it into piles after.

DaisyMoo · 22/12/2007 19:03

Whites
Pales
Darks

Wash eveything apart from towels at 30C and it comes out just fine, although really manky stuff sometimes gets a rinse first if I can be bothered.

My mum doesn't separate clothes AT ALL. Only found out once I'd left home and I'd spent years wondering why she was always dying my stuff weird colours.

Blondilocks · 22/12/2007 19:07

Whites

light colours

darks

(although if they are old items that won't run they all get chucked in together)

Then they get split into things that can be washed normally & delicates

tallulah · 22/12/2007 19:38

Similar theme.. can you get your laundry line-dry this time of year?

I find that from November to March, even on a dry windy day with everything pegged out first thing it is still wet at 2.30pm.

My mum who is in Bath gets washing dry on the line on any day it isn't actually raining.