Radical laundry reduction

mama67

I wash setting washer nightly on a timer to benefit ffrom Economy7 as follows:
Friday:- school shirts white and pale blue polos and DS2's karate gee
Saturday:-school sweatshirts and trousers and PE kits
Sunday:-football kits (both play for teams)
Monday:-pale stuff including my underwear
Tuesday:- dark stuff
Wednesday:- bathroom & kitchen towels
Thursday:-DH, DS1 & DS2 underwear & socks

Bedding is done as an extra load whatever day i change the beds, mine & DH one day and boys another day.

Also will often have an extra load of dark stuff from boys playing out clothes on a Saturday.

I do not own a TD and line dry whenever possible, if weather not fit it goes on the indoor airer/dryer and then is aired on radiators the next day.

harryhound

I wonder if there is any truth in the theory that our kids get allergic reactions, such as eczema, because their immune systems get challenged with too many washing chemicals and not enough dirt??
Brushing is good for hair, not a daily dose of detergent.

pigpen

harryhound wrote: »

I wonder if there is any truth in the theory that our kids get allergic reactions, such as eczema, because their immune systems get challenged with too many washing chemicals and not enough dirt??
Brushing is good for hair, not a daily dose of detergent.

Of my 8 children.. 2 have eczema (as do I) and 2 have psoriasis.. one is lucky and gets both!!!

They are all mud larks (apart from the one who has both.. she is too girly to do mud) They are bathed.. once a week.. unless grotty or greasy then they get done again.. the oldest 4 are doing puberty now so NEED to wash more often.

They wash in lush stuff mainly.. (just trying to source some olive oil shampoo not from body shop!! or DD1's scabby scalp) they laundry is done in tesco value wash powder.. fewer chemicals and perfumes etc. and comfort or lenor.. 1/4-1/3 capful.

they are never ever ill.. it is banned.. I think the molly-coddled over vaccinated children are permanently ill.. they just seem to have immune system overload so catch everything going... mine have had a few childhood illnesses.. chickenpox, measles, rubella etc.. but because (IMO) they have never been over medicated they fight them off almost before they get ill. antibiotics are over-prescribed.. usually for viruses.. .. which kill ALL the good bacteria as well as the nasties.. leaving the body more susceptible.. mine have had.. between them.. 5 lots of AB's in the last 12 years!!!!! 1 was hospitalised with a bacterial infection.. I insisted they do swabs/blood tests before they gave her anything!

I think eczema is more prevalent from food intolerances and outside influences.. mine is triggered by stress mainly.. which also adversely affects the immune system! In my house it appears to be anyway.

I was one of those little children you see bandaged up for seriously severe eczema. I was never vaccinated for anything either and have had more illnesses caused by food, chemicals (detergents & sprays mainly) & medication than bugs.

So.. in response to your hypothesis..

From my experience with my children.. so even though they are exposed to dirt and muck and germs (that's just my kitchen!!) the chemicals used in washing detergents are still too much for them. In ye olden days they used 'natural' chemicals and now they use manmade chemicals which are more hazardous.. our bodies aren't meant to be exposed to them that is why they don't occur naturally!.. granted the olden days stuff was essence of cow gut and other such delights! lol

cwp500

Never ever ever iron anything that cant be seen.

Dont iron undies, socks, pillow cases, sheets, duvet covers. dont iron towels, face cloths, tea towels, pjs, nighties, ANy bedding or cushion covers.

Pat the creases out of jeans and cords then hang them over a radiator dryer.

Hang shirts on a hanger immediately they come out of washing machine and pat out the creases you can see. Let them go almost dry and iron the few remaining creases out really easily!

Try it, it works and saves bags of time and, of course, money too!

esmeralda2662_2

I use a handtowel to dry myself after a shower - surprising how quickly you get dry, especially if the bathroom is cold! and you can use the same towel a couple of times without being minging.

esthomizzy

purpleivy wrote: »

I never put the full amount of powder in the WM, but have cut even further and adding some soda. Seems to be working great. Must be saving a fortune on powder.

.

What is the soda sold as just soda chrystals in a box? I might try that thanks.

I'm probably quite skanky I wear trousers and tops for two days often unless I get a mark on them. If I can't remember how many days I sometimes sniff test clothes to check they are ok to wear. Obviously underwear and socks gets changed every day. I don't wear PJ's but change bedding about every fortnight. Towels get washed between once a week and a fortnight depending on how much drying space I have because of other washing. I buy clothes that don't need ironing much (fortunately I have a low formalwear job) and only wear ironable clothes for weddings. My Mum had a shock when she came to visit for a wedding and asked where the iron was and only then I remembered that it had left with my ex boyfriend 7 months ago. I've got a replacement one now (iron that is) though. I would never iron sheets, a few nights sleep and the creases drop out anyway.

Sharra

This is a really interesting thread - I love the glimpses into other people's lives
I too work on the theory that if it looks clean and doesn't smell then I'll wear it. I cut down on my washing by changing clothes dependent on what I'm doing.
I have a pair of jeans and a fleece that I put on every morning to kick the OH and DS out of the house, to walk the dogs and load the dishwasher etc, then I change into work clothes, when I get home I chuck on joggers or other jeans. I only work 5 hours a day so work clothes will last me at least 3 days usually, dog walking clothes only get washed once a week even if they get really muddy, and my slobbing about clothes will last me almost a week too. I do make the effort if I'm going out somewhere but now in my house its my OH and DS who create most of the washing.

helsmadhouse

Oh, I dream of leaving the laundry to the weekend!! Am usually doing 1 or 2 loads a day. My middle son (6) has continence problems which usually means a cou[ple of changes a day. He's also very messy with eating, so a clean top set aswell. I usually have to change his sheets every day and wash his quilt once a week as it gets very smelly!! In fact on saturday had to do an emergency load as he ran out of pants and trousers (6 changes in 3 hours, a new record !!) On the plus side my other two sons are quite clean and have one uniform change a week (spot clean with baby wipes works every time). My youngest is at afternoon nursery, so i change him back to his morning clothes after school. My eldest (9)changes into 'play clothes' - handed down stuff thats a bit tatty - these are worn for the week. He only wears one pair of trousers at weekend (he has to change into 'play clothes' if he's playing in garden- this has really saved on clean trousers). My problem is my husband (lol), he comes home at night, changes from his suit/shirt and gets a clean t-shirt, wears it til bed time then puts it in the wash!!! He hasn't sussed out that i fish it out in morning, air it and put it back in the draw. (Have been doing this for last 13 years and he hasn't clicked!!)
Even with this mountain of laundry i have still saved money. I bought a bigger 'A' rated washing machine earlier this year, this cut the loads down from 3/4 to 1/2. It has a variable temp which I change to 30 for everything except whites. It also has a variable spin speed which i reduce to minimum in warm weather, as i line dry then. I've stopped using my tumble dryer which has saved loads of money. I used to work in a laboratory testing washing powders, so i know only to put in the amount needed for soft water, soda crystals (60p a bag!!) will soften the water so i don't need more. A scoop of sodium borax helps to get stains out (90p a box)- and of cause i only buy washing powder (by the trolley load!!) when its on offer.
Sorry if this is long, but have been trying to reduce laundry loads for years, so any suggestions will be most welcome.

blue-kat

I've tried to seriously cut back on laundry not jsut because of cost, but also the physical effort.

we got some plastic over trousers for 50p at a charity shop for my son to wear for dog walking - it's cut down massively on washing mud encrusted joggers !
the plastic trs can wiped down, or rinsed in the WM.

any ideas where to get more plastic over garments? I'd like to treat husband to a matching pair

I change into old pair of trousers for muddy trips, and change out of them when I get home, and put them aside to use for rest of week, or as long as poss.

the car interior is messed up through

wear an apron whenever cooking, it really does save on messing clothes with splatters, especially ruinious bleach splashes.

also use a tea towel as napkins for family meals, saves spoiling a clean-enough top with greasy stain. Better to have to wash and dry an extra tea towel than a heavy hoodie.

pebbles88

Spendless wrote: »

looking for one of those large net washing bags that you used to be able to get, thinking I'd start washing socks in that, to stop strays but I couldn't find one. Anyone know where I'd get one from? I used to have one years ago, back in the days when i didn't need one as I lived alone, no idea what happened to it.

I think you may be able to get one in Wilkinsons (shop we have down here but i dont know if they are regional) failing that i think Lakeland may do them???
HTH
Laura