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Original poster

HELP! American and/or Canadian Ex-pats...what is wrong with my laundry!!!

154 replies

lillabean · 04/09/2006 14:54

Why is it CRUNCHY? WHAT DO I DO??? My baby's clothes are all scratchy, even if I use fabric softener. I have a washer/condenser dryer combo.

Is it my machine? Is it the hard mineral water in London?

Do they make "American" style washers and tumble dryers here? Can anyone recommend a brand?

My baby gives me such dirty looks when I try to dress her in these sandpaper garments! (and let's not even talk about my towels....)

Any other ex-pats figured out a way around this problem, is it just me?

Please help, else must consider life as nudist!

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 04/09/2006 16:37

Washer dryers are infamous for breaking down a lot. We had one (came with the house), I never used the dryer function, though.

Proper tumble dryers are nice, work well, and leave clothes relatively unwrinkled. Doesn't mean I'll get one, though.

Flamesparrow · 04/09/2006 16:37

Hanging nappies only takes a minute or two.. and they look sooooooooo nice blowing in a breeze

Uwila · 04/09/2006 16:39

But putting a disposable in the bid only takes seconds... and I forget to do that sometime, much to DH's distress.

Uwila · 04/09/2006 16:39

bid=bin

MrsFio · 04/09/2006 16:39

I LOVE hanging out washing, I really really love it

Flamesparrow · 04/09/2006 16:40

Big fridge wouldn't fit in my kitchen...

Bozza · 04/09/2006 16:40

Well I hardly ever cook in metric but really hate this american cups thing. I have had a permanently loaded washing line yesterday and today. Waste of money to tumble, although I did give the kids party clothes a quick blast to get them finished yesterday.

Uwila · 04/09/2006 16:40

You are weird.

JessaJam · 04/09/2006 16:40

Can I be irritaing eco-warrior and point out that it may be a few seconds to put a disposable nappy in bin, but very very very many to finally decompose in a land fill? There, said my piece, off now.

DaddyCool · 04/09/2006 16:41

those little wimpy fridges are pants.

Uwila - if you've got a nanny, my guess is that you're not too concerned with the cost of electricity that your tumble dryer causes

Uwila · 04/09/2006 16:41

Sorry, that was for MrsFio, or anyone else who likes hanging the washing.

NotQuiteCockney · 04/09/2006 16:41

Yeah, I can't really get my head around tiny fridges, although I'm sure they're more efficient. We have a big one that is only a fridge, and is mostly pretty empty, but I like it that way.

Bozza · 04/09/2006 16:41

Uwila if that is your decision then she would have to abide by it. When I was au-pairing in Dallas I was so shocked (was only young) that all the clothes went in the dryer when they had wall to wall sunshine.

NotQuiteCockney · 04/09/2006 16:41

Oh, a friend of mine got rid of her dryer as her au pair was using it too much.

Flamesparrow · 04/09/2006 16:42

The putting in the bin isn;t the issue - its them leaking all over the clothes and having to change outfits and wash 3 times the amount of clothes...

DaddyCool · 04/09/2006 16:43

my mother (the stereotypical north american night-mare) would never hang out washing... or pump her own petrol for that matter lol.

Uwila · 04/09/2006 16:44

On the contrary Daddycool, because I have a nanny I have to worry about all kinds of cost a never used to give a second thought to. I even had a go at DH las night for not eating all of his rice because I could have used it for my lunch this week.

There is a common misconception that nanny employers are wealthy. Believe you me, I am not wealthy.

Original poster
lillabean · 04/09/2006 16:44

... thought I might get the piss taken, sigh...

I was secretly hoping only friendly Canadians with a sympathetic ear towards my scratchy woes would read this thread, as I knew I'd get a good roasting otherwise.

But since we are speaking of roasting... my dryer just seems to "bake" the clothes. It is like the creases were ironed into them. It is utterly confusing, as on the other side of the pond--- you would throw an item in the dryer for five minutes with a bounce sheet to get the wrinkles out.

Thus I hardly ever use my dryer (besides, it takes 4 hours, and I'd never keep up with the mountain of onesies at that rate.) We don't have outdoor space, so I just dry them inside on one of those rack thingies.

I thought about the detergent, but I use those persil tablet that go in the little net pouch (thinking that this would be a fool proof way to not overdose on detergent).

It must all sound precious... but if you'd been raised on those fluffy north American towels, you'd be pining too! mmmmmmmm....

But yes, clothes are crunchy and sadly baby does give me looks of utter disgust- but can I blame her? Her pants will stand of their own merit. That just ain't right.

OP posts:
Uwila · 04/09/2006 16:47

Daddycool, your mother sounds like a Southerner to me.

Flamesparrow · 04/09/2006 16:47

Use just one tablet rather than the two they say to use, and it might help.

Gotta ask though... onesie?? Is that a babygrow?

Uwila · 04/09/2006 16:48

onesie = vest

LIZS · 04/09/2006 16:48

You can get Bounce over here I think, if you haven't tried that yet ! Seriously could your dryer be overheating, has it been serviced ? It should n't take 4 hours unless the filter is clogged, it needs more ventilation or the thermostat dodgy in which case the air will just recirculate getting hotter and hotter.

Flamesparrow · 04/09/2006 16:49

Thankyou

DaddyCool · 04/09/2006 16:50

i'm canadian but i'm not sympathetic to anything.

and c'mon! they can't be that crunchy!

Uwila · 04/09/2006 16:51

4 hours? Missed that. I'd say something done broke on your dryer. We had this problem a while ago. I can't remember which part broke, but it wasn't the filter.