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Laundry - how many different loads do you sort it all into?

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  • jackyann
    jackyann Posts: 3,433 Forumite
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    I just wrote something about this on another thread!
    I divide very similarly to OP. I have a divided laundry basket, a bucket for kitchen washing, and I mostly do towels & sheets as they are needed, so they don't hang about for long.
    What I do is see if anything can go through together - I normally do my nice Tshirts on delicate to preserve them, but will occasionally stick them through on a standard wash.
    If some of OH's shirts are not especially mucky, I might put them through with delicates, so they have a wash; take out the delicates and then spin the shirts.
    But I would also say that what may seem wasteful isn't necessarily - if your clothes last longer because you have washed them properly for instance.
    And I do the odd handwash in the shower, if there's a bit of underwear I need.
  • Pooky
    Pooky Posts: 7,023 Forumite
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    Just one basket for 3 adults and a small plastic box at the side of the machine for tea towels dishcloths to go in until they're washed.

    I don't buy white clothes so no white washes. Lights get separated out and washed at 40 on a quick wash. Darks get the same 40 quick wash. Towels and tea towels/dish clothes go in each week on a 60 wash and bedding is a 60 wash too.

    I do a load a day, 2 bedding, 1 towels, 2 darks and 1 light and then one of either pet blankets or rugs. Keeps it all ticking over.

    I only iron DHs shirts and a couple of my tops so every other week.
    "Start every day off with a smile and get it over with" - W. C. Field.
  • Oakdene
    Oakdene Posts: 2,560 Forumite
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    Bedsheets 90 C
    White clothes 40 C
    Darks & Colours 60 C
    Delicates (wool stuff) Hand wash
    Bath towels/Tea towels 90 C
    Dwy galon, un dyhead,
    Dwy dafod ond un iaith,
    Dwy raff yn cydio’n ddolen,
    Dau enaid ond un taith.
  • ripplyuk
    ripplyuk Posts: 2,888 Forumite
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    jackyann wrote: »
    But I would also say that what may seem wasteful isn't necessarily - if your clothes last longer because you have washed them properly for instance.

    I never thought of it that way but you're right. All these separate washes do save me having to replace clothes very often. Things keep their colours better, don't get damaged/shrunk and whites don't end up grey. :)
  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
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    whites don't end up grey.

    Cant stand to see grey whites :(
  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
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    I have loads of washing to do, so only break them down into 3 different loads
    Whites and lights - 40 ( mostly school shirts and blouses)
    Darks and reds - 40
    Towels, dishcloths, teatowels and bedding - 60
    I have tried the daily washload to keep it under control, but I don't like having washing drying everywhere ( I have a compact tumbly in the garage for emergencies :-) ) so I now just do a wild blitz starting on Friday.
    One of my house rules is, if you want it washed, it needs to be down and in the big basket by Friday evening .
    Linda x
  • trailingspouse
    trailingspouse Posts: 4,035 Forumite
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    There are two of us - I do two loads on a Monday (dark colours, light colours), and two loads on a Tuesday (towels, bedding). I dry these outside or round the radiators depending on the weather and finish off in the tumble dryer if still needed after 24 hours. I then iron on a Wednesday (really just shirts for OH 3 days a week). On top of that I'll do 'extra' washes for woollens, cleaning cloths, etc as necessary.
    No longer a spouse, or trailing, but MSE won't allow me to change my username...
  • jackyann
    jackyann Posts: 3,433 Forumite
    edited 14 October 2016 at 3:06PM
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    I'd add that I am known among my friends for keeping clothes for ages, although by family standards, I am profligate!

    A fairly recent example is 3 Lands' End Tshirts that I bought 8 years ago, and have just gone into the ragbag. They were 'good' for 3-4 years (delicate wash) 'good enough' for wearing around the house (delicate usually, but standard sometimes) for another 3 or so, and in the last year or so have been relegated to 'mucky jobs' and gone through any wash!

    Edited to add that they probably had about 30-40 washes a year at first, then rather more. So I got 100-120 wears/washes out of them whist still good enough to wear out, looking nice. Do others think that is quite good or not?

    I do have a lot of much older clothes, but they don't get the same wear, except for 1 Etam top, 20 years old - last 5 or so only 'round the house' wear, at least once a week, but still won't bite the dust!
  • LameWolf
    LameWolf Posts: 11,234 Forumite
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    Bedinen - 1 x double duvet cover, 1 x sheet, 4 x pillowcases is a load on it's own, so that gets done as such.

    If I'm changing the bath towels, which I wash at 60, I throw in the flannels for freshening up, hand towels, and any hankies that need washing.

    Mr LW's clothes get done when there's enough of them to fill the machine.

    My clothes get done when I'm down to my last bra (!) - bearing in mind quite a lot of my stuff has to be washed by hand in cold water as it runs better than Usain Bolt!
    If your dog thinks you're the best, don't seek a second opinion.;)
  • PenguinOfDeath
    PenguinOfDeath Posts: 1,863 Forumite
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    Normal wash 29 mins split into light ish with darks that wont run and darker clothes inc jeans

    Hotter 59 min wash for underwear, sports clothes etc

    Towels bedding etc done on a 90 wash ...only the former done every single week others done as and when needed
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