Preparing for Winter V

IrishWasherWoman

WINTER DUVETS - LAUNDERING
My domestic washing machine can't handle winter-weight duvets, and taking them to the laundrette is expensive. Having had two kids who wet the bed longer than most, made me come up with this solution: In the winter, when summer-weight duvets (4.5 togs), are being sold off cheaply, I buy them in sets of three: 3 x 4.5 togs = 13.5 togs, i.e., equivalent to a winter-weight duvet.
I pin them together three-deep using nappy safety pins, and put the duvet cover on the same as usual.
When they need washing, they can be laundered at home easily, just one at a time. No travelling, no carrying, no extra expense, or finding the correct coins for the machines.
In spring and autumn, I take one away and have 9 togs, and in summer, just use one at 4.5 togs.
I hope this helps others to save money on laundering their bedding.
PS - For those worried about the pins, they've never been any problem, as nappy pins are extra secure and safe, and the child doesn't know they're there, so mine have never messed with them.

WeegieWumman

IrishWW,
It was only 2 days ago that I thought (for the first time) of buying 3 x 4.5 tog duvets to allow me to launder them at home. I had thought of sewing a strip of 'loop & hoop' to each of the corners to attach them together. With all the disposable nappies, I didn't realise nappy pins were still on the market. Do they sell the pins in the larger chemists?

-taff

IrishWasherWoman wrote: »

Having had two kids who wet the bed longer than most, made me come up with this solution: In the winter, when summer-weight duvets (4.5 togs), are being sold off cheaply, I buy them in sets of three: 3 x 4.5 togs = 13.5 togs, i.e., equivalent to a winter-weight duvet.
I pin them together three-deep using nappy safety pins, and put the duvet cover on the same as usual.
When they need washing, they can be laundered at home easily, just one at a time. No travelling, no carrying, no extra expense, or finding the correct coins for the machines.
.

That is such a good idea. I'll probably pinch it

Lucy5781

Am I the only mother of a two year old who actually asks for his hat, gloves and sunglasses when we go out in the morning in this cold weather?? Lol.

Mummy often still in just her thin jumper top as pushing over three stone of children and double buggy several miles a day keep her rather warm....

littlemoney

In previous years I havn't closed the doors of unused bedrooms and the only heating they get is when the central heating first starts up. Last winter I could feel draughts coming down the stairs but couln't find an obvious source. If I keep the doors closed and perhaps the curtains closed all the time for the duration of winter will I have a problem with dampness or possible mould in these rooms.

Laura_Elsewhere

littlemoney wrote: »

In previous years I havn't closed the doors of unused bedrooms and the only heating they get is when the central heating first starts up. Last winter I could feel draughts coming down the stairs but couln't find an obvious source. If I keep the doors closed and perhaps the curtains closed all the time for the duration of winter will I have a problem with dampness or possible mould in these rooms.

Unless the house generally tends to a damp problem, then I wouldn't expect a damp problem to develop in a room which is unused and unheated - but if you are concerned about it, then when there's one of those gorgeous bright, dry, crisp, cold winter days with a thousand tons of sunlight, just turn off the heating and run round opening not only the doors but all the windows too - give it 5-10 minutes and close them all again and put your normal heating on in the rooms you use.

It's what the Victorians called "changing the air" and it's the best, cheapest, most effective and most efficient way to keep out damp problems and even to tackle dust mite problems and help people with asthma and so on.
Our little flat IS prone to damp and we don't use any heating, so I open windows front and back every day unless it's really really pouring, and it's made a huge improvement to the damp we inherited on moving in!

Primrose

I think changing the air regularly like this is a good thing anyway, quite apart from helping to avoid any damp problems. It,s surely beneficial also from a health point of view. Bugs probably have less chance of surviving in freaher air environment as well as helping to avoid that "stuffy brain" syndrome. Even leaving those little window ventilator slots open, at least for a while, on cold days will help and it also helps to dissipate those stale cooking smells which build up.

Having said that, we currently have a slow oxtail casserole bubbling away in the oven and I want to capture that delicious smell and let it linger as long as possible. Why don,t the parfumiers capture some of these smells instead of flower fragrances?. They might be missing out on a good market !!

Wednesday2000

We only have one living room that leads out to the garden and we have dogs so we have to have the doors open even when it's really cold!

I open windows even when it's snowing anyway, I can't stand the feeling of being enclosed.:o

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

Wednesday2000 wrote: »

We only have one living room that leads out to the garden and we have dogs so we have to have the doors open even when it's really cold!

I open windows even when it's snowing anyway, I can't stand the feeling of being enclosed.:o

I'm with you on this. I open every window in the house when I wake up and they don't get closed till dusk. I'm usually busy all day so I don't get to feel cold and I just love the fresh air. Drives me mad when my husband's in all day ,he insists I'm obviously round the bend lol. Hes one of those people who needs the heating on just cos the timer says it's time, regardless of whether it's cold or not. Of course he doesn't realise if he put on a jumper when it's not actually that cold it would save us a fortune. That would be just too simple a solution.

FrankieM

My boiler has been broken for the last week so no heating and I've found it okay.

Because I have throws and a hot water bottle and an electric blanket, I haven't really noticed it (just the odd day) I may keep it off once its fixed! lol

I open my bedroom window first thing and close it before I go to work. It's good to give the room an air