Seriously, this seems to be my life. How many loads of washing can you put on in one day? Bring back the sun please as I’m fed up of not being able to hang the washing out. Getting excited that washing can actually go outside on the line is a highlight of the day! I need to get out more.
I apologise in advance for the rather boring subject matter of today’s post but I’m guessing it is something that you all spend a large proportion of your time doing.
The washing basket seems to have a mind of it’s own and multiplies at the rate of knots. I swear I empty it only for it to be packed to the brim again by that afternoon. How can a family of four generate so much washing, it’s ridiculous. Perhaps it started with that mad wash of every item of newborn clothing before Molly arrived. I reckon they recommend you do it so that you can prepare for the mountains of washing that will appear for ever more.
And don’t get me started on the ironing. I make a rod for my own back as I iron everything, yep even bedding, and hate putting stuff away creased. There is something about freshly ironed bedding that I love and I can’t stop myself ironing every little item of clothing the girl’s own. I even did it when they were babies, carefully ironing those teeny tiny babygros. It’s probably madness I know. Does anyone else do that? I find it kind of therapeutic.
I have become a bit of a speed ironer though and can wizz through a weeks worth in around an hour. I use it as a good excuse to catch up on some trash telly. I also feel I may need to invest in a proper steam iron. One of those fancy ones that make ironing a breeze. Does anyone have any recommendations? I spotted this Philips one in the sale and given the amount of ironing I do it is probably worth the investment. Perhaps I should just use the money to pay someone to do my ironing?!
I told you this was a bit of a dull post but what washing liquid do you use? I’ve always opted for a non bio for the girls so Fairy or a supermarket own brand, especially when they were small. I always felt it was kinder on their skin. Alice suffered from really bad eczema as a baby and I really noticed the difference if I chucked any of her things in with a different washing liquid. However, I sometimes found that it didn’t seem to get the stains out and as they have got older I will occasionally switch to a bio liquid to try and shift it. Perhaps we need to talk about stain removal as I never succeed! How is that my mum can get stuff spotless but the girls leggings always have that random patch of mud that just won’t come out. I try soaking stuff or adding vanish powder to the wash but it doesn’t always work. I’ve gone down the natural route with bicarb of soda and white wine vinegar but if you have any fail safe tips for getting clothes super clean I’d love to know them.
One top tip from me is colour catcher sheets. They are a revelation! You can bung almost anything in together and I never realised quite how much colour came out of clothes until I got these.
So there you go. Some Monday morning chore chat! Normal service will resume tomorrow 🙂
Oh god I LOVE this post!!!
I also iron everything, well nearly, not boxers or socks but yes to babygros and even muslins 🙄 Or my lovely mum does when she comes over sometimes. My house is filthy and a tip but the babies are in nicely pressed clothes 😂
I never used to iron ANYTHING … then I got bought a super fancy steam iron – it’s changed my life! Buy one!
Yes to colour catcher sheets – in every wash. They’re amazing.
Washing liquid always Persil non bio and always a fabric conditioner although for husbands building site clothes I stick Dettol laundry cleanser in instead of conditioner.
Best post RMF have ever done 😉
Ha ha ha. So pleased you like the washing chat. That’s how exciting it gets in my life! Yep, I too iron everything, even boxers! My stepdad irons socks which makes me chuckle. The only thing I don’t iron is sports gear as that is fine.
What steam iron have you got? Only just starting to investigate so all recommendations welcome.
x
I’ve got a Morphy Richards one, its amazing!
Soo.. I don’t iron. ANYTHING! (actually, that is a lie, I sometimes iron my husband’s shirts in the summer when he can’t hide the creases with a jumper but that’s just because he’s rubbish at it). But nothing for me or the toddler.
There was once an article on RMS about bed linen and lots of comments said that people iron their bed linen and that you can really tell the difference etc etc. So, at 7 months pregnant I attempted to iron all six pillow cases, duvet cover and fitted sheet and at the end was an exhausted sweaty mess.. And I really couldn’t tell the difference!
However, we do need to get a new washing machine and I am toying with the idea of a washer dryer because of the horrors of having wet clothes strewn around the house to dry in the winter months. So if anyone can recommend any of those that would be great!
We have a Miele washer dryer – I think they only sell the one model. Before this we were in rented housing with washer dryers and every single one broke within a couple of years so I thought it would be worth paying more for quality. We are over a year in and so far ok.
Obviously lots of limitations to washer dryer va separate machines – trick is to prioritise what you tumble and to be very conservative about load size. I also have one of those heated airers from Lakeland which does work as long as you cover it with a sheet or the special case so I tend to do sheets, towels, pjs and my husbands t shirts in the tumble and everything else on the airer.
Sorry this was long!!
Oh gosh, I wish I could just not iron. Edd’s pile is normally the biggest and his work shirts are the worst. So many of them. I sometimes get fed up as I spend ages ironing only for him to ram them in his wardrobe so they are all creased again. Does anyone else’s husband do that?
We’ve got the Bosch Serie 6 and it’s great. Big loads and very quiet.
x
Yes how is it our mums an get anything out of anything, laundry wise??
Following these comments with interest. Laundry is a massive drag, it’s the putting away part I loathe the most, we’re pre renovation and even though I’ve pared back our stuff, I still can’t get it all in our cupboards and draws so most of the clean washing ends up living on the airer and ikea octopuses in the spare room for days on end. I try and stick to KM principles and all that folding is so time consuming, even now I’ve been doing it forever so quite adept. Someone needs to invent something to automate getting clothes from the dryer/airier into the drawers.
I have a steam iron I don’t really use at the minute. It’s great for powering through but takes up a lot of space to be permanently situated for those occasions you just need to quickly press one item. Again, once our house is renovated and I have a dedicated utility/laundry room I’ll configure a dedicated area for it but for now I’m just carefully selecting clothing and carefully hanging washing out to dry with a view to not ironing it (don’t pass out, Lottie)
Any time/effort saving tips when it comes to the laundry process are welcome here!
I’ve been training E to fold (with minimal success) and always try to get it out of the dryer while it’s still warm. That way, you can shake and fold the right way and – depending on what it is –
they never need ironing anyway.
Other top tips for lazy drying – let shirts and dresses dry on a hanger in various displays along doorways and curtain poles, that way you can just hang them to dry then throw ’em straight in the wardrobe.
Another extreme measure that’s working well for me is to pile on loads of weight so every item in your wardrobe is slightly too small. The creases just stretch right out! 😭😭😭
Oh god, the putting away. I dread it. So many drawers to open, things to hang and don’t get me started on the knickers and socks. Sorting the socks is the one job I make Edd do! In terms of time saving as I iron each of us has our own pile so at the end I add the relevant underwear and then carry said pile upstairs in the washing basket and put it away for each person. When I get upstairs I sort it in to piles on the bed of t-shirts, trousers etc etc depending on what goes in what drawer then I can just do each set on clothes in one go if that makes sense? I long for a laundry room x
Oh Lottie you’re hitting all my buttons today.
Colour Catcher sheets give me life!
I tend to sort the washing into vague colour piles; darks, whites, grey/blue, brown/pink/red, so there’s never huge variations, but there’s always stripes and patterns going on and without colour catchers they just run and go murky don’t they?
Im the same with stains, I often find the vanish spray stops spraying properly halfway through a bottle, EVERY TIME, is that just me? It starts being more of a foamy drip down your fingers. So I tend to use the gel, but I’m often defeated by beans or tomato stains. You know it never occurred to me to throw in a bio powder once in
A while! I might try it on some of the ‘this one is ruined’ outfits.
Im such a slut when it comes to ironing. I feel as though I need to mend my ways now 🙈xx
Karen also an iron slut over here, James has always done his own shirts and apart from the odd thing of mine here and there I have always paid someone else to do it or just left things….creased. Admittedly I have learnt what fabrics/brands are more crease resistant than others so I do tend to opt for those where possible.
I also use the Vanish gel – if you apply it, leave for ten minutes then leave to soak the garment in hot soapy water THEN put in the machine I find this is quite effective on tomato type stains. I’ll definitely use than bio trick though!
I really need to get Edd to learn to iron his shirts Charlotte. I tried once and it took him half an hour to do one so I gave up!! x
You know, I never soak… I’ve definitely been doing it wrong! I’m going to vanish/soak/bio the sh*t out of all the stuff I thought was ruined 🙌x
A day late but to add to the stain commentary – SUNLIGHT! Most amazing thing ever even for tomato stains. I wash and do all the various Vanish tricks and they still remain. A few hours in the sunshine though and tadaaa!
Absolutely laughed at the ‘slut’ comment. So good. Yep, colour catchers are a revelation and you don’t realise how much stuff comes out until you use them. Everyone needs them in their lives. Oh god, I too have that issue with the Vanish spray, perhaps we need to write and inform them x
I’m glad it’s not just me! x
We’re mid renovation and were without our washing machine for four weeks so have been relying on some very lovely friends (seriously amazing people!) but we’ve just got our machine temporarily plumbed back in and there seems to be so much to do. The first load we did took ages to dry, so we were so happy when the weather perked up and we could hang things out again.
Normally in the winter we use our dryer, but nothing beats the freshness of a load that’s been dried outside. Persil non-bio here too, and also only iron for special occasions (as my husband puts it: weddings, funerals, interviews… and he tends to more than I do) though if I do start ironing I don’t mind it too much, it’s all the faff of setting up the ironing board that I can’t be bothered with. My mum also has the magic power of getting stains out and. Just don’t understand how she does it.
Love that you iron for special occasions 🙂 x
Ha! Love it. When we were mid-renovations we had wonderful friends who would invite us for brunch and tell us to bring our washing with us. Friends like these are keepers…!!
Oh man. I have so much ironing to do!! Hot enough to whiz loads through, but too hot to iron. I am rubbish at hanging up, things are always wrinkled no matter how I stretch and shake! So ironing builds up- I do iron bed linen but don’t do sleepsuits or pjs.
To Jennifer- don’t get a washer drier! I always found the moisture hangs around in the drum and makes drying a torturous process! I’d say get a good washing machine with a 15 minute quick wash and the Lakeland heated dryer with cover- the thing is magic.
Also you can get colour catchers from Lidl but they are called snatch a dye…
I need one of these heated driers. It is on my purchase list for this winter x
Oh and we use Ariel bio gel. All four of us have very patient skin that is happy with any old crap. So this is what my Mum always used and it smells like home to me still.
My mum always used to use Ariel Bio too! x
So, random fact of the day: no other country has the bio/non-bio distinction. It turns out that it was the fragrance causing reactions in people rather than the bio enzymes. The old fragrance has now been swapped out.
See this post for a super brief explanation:
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/protonsforbreakfast.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/the-difference-between-bio-and-non-bio/amp/
Mind. Blown.
Even my health visitor asked what laundry powder I was using, which I answered like I was asking for her approval or something!
I use Fairy mild green household soap for all my stains and they always come out. Tip is to rinse the stain in cold/lukewarm water as, as soon as you add hot water the stain sets and is impossible to remove.
Also I pop ALL my washing in washing bags, to stop them from getting pulled and stretched during the cycle.
All the wisdom came from my Momma Bear, who I ship all Anabelle’s hand kitted cardigans off to to be hand washed, although it helps me immensely, I secretly think she doesn’t trust me to wash them properly!
Ooh what is the Fairy soap please? Is it a bar? And how do you use it? Thank you!
Hi Amy Here’s a link to it on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fairy-Mild-Green-Household-Pre-treatment/dp/B001DMWHT6 – you just rub it into the stain & lather it up before popping it into the washing machine. Another tip is to scrub on the opposite side of the fabric to the stain, as sometimes you embed the stain into the fabric more scrubbing on the right side. xxx
I always forget about the Fairy trick Lorna. Must give it a try. I also feel I need some of these washing bags… x
you really do Lottie xxx
Ace bleach is a stain miracle worker! It’s inexpensive especially when on offer in the supermarkets and I haven’t yet found a stain it hasn’t removed. I use it neat for spot treatment (also great for freshening shirt underarms) or I use it for overnight soaking when the little one has had her favourite spag Bol, you all know the mess that makes! My mum discovered it years ago and I’m so happy she did!
I’ve not heard of this so it’s another one to try out. And mums seem to know best when it comes to washing! x
Vanish anti oxidant in cold water is my go to stain Remover it’s not let me down yet.
Adding it to my next supermarket shop! Thanks x
For stains removal, we swear by Violets mineral bleach and fairy liquid 🙂 Got rid of most stubborn stains.
I’ve heard excellent things on the fairy liquid front so I must remember to give this a try x
The Lakeland heated airer has saved us for drying clothes. It takes us quite a bit of space though – but unlike a tumble dryer you can put it away. We just don’t have space for a dryer. Also i iron nothing. Why bother! If my husband worked in a job that required him to wear ironed shirts etc i’d either leave them for him to do or i’d outsource the ironing to a company to pick up and deliver!
I am definitely up for a heated drier purchase this year. All the glamour! x
We’re currently deep cleaning as both me and the husband have contacted hand foot and mouth!not the bloody toddler ,oh no he’s fine and at nursery!
I always use non bio. I have reactive sensitive eczema skin as does husband and harbinger toddler! For bad stains I use the vanish spray and a scoop of vanish powder too. I’ve found aswellnif it gets line dried the stain gets a bit of a bleach from the sun too!
For mega stains I’ll quite often mix up the vanish powder with water and make a paste and rub that in. And always wait 5or10mins before starting the wash to let the vanish do its work.
Ironing is generally the husbands domain (a hangover from our old house that had 3toilets which I cleaned and he did the ironing!) but if it gets too much (i.e he’s left it a month and I’ve run out of clothes) then I do it during nap time.
We have a brabintia ironing board and cover which in theory means you only need to iron one side of your clothes to get the creases apparently.
We only iron what needs ironing but my one weird thing is properly ironed pjs!
My mum irons everything! Socks, pants, hankies ( my dad still uses hankies), sheets, tea towels! The socks and pants thing is because they ‘lie better in the drawer!). She even ironed a sarong…
However she did wash and iron ALL the baby clothes for me when Felix was born so my baby was neatly turned out! I just buy clothes for Felix which don’t need ironing!
Oh no Vicky, so sorry to hear you are feeling rubbish. Molly had Hand Foot and Mouth and it was not nice at all so I’m glad I never caught it. Get the Dettol out!!
I am loving the sound of this Brabantia magic cover, I might need one!!
I also love your mum and her ironing. Can you send her round to mine please?! x
Thanks Lottie, that no we’re over the worst now! Felix had it when he first started nursery and didn’t seem that affected by it. The mouth ulcers are the worst!
I love getting things my mum has ironed they are always much better ironed than mine! Although i remember my brother had a pair of Levi Twisted jeans in the late 90s and she complained about them being a pain to iron. My brother just told her off for trying to iron his jeans! All my baby blankets were lovingly ironed pre Felix arriving too!
I can’t recommend the Philips steam irons enough! We were lucky enough to be gifted one as a house warming present a couple of years ago and I wouldn’t be without it.
The biggest plus for me is not needing to adjust the temperature on the iron depending on what you’re ironing, as it just magically knows how hot to be depending on the fabric – amazing!
Oooh, this sounds very fancy indeed. I will do some research x
Oh gosh I hear ya!! I’ve recently had my first baby (5 weeks old! 😌) and I was saying to my mum the other day how does such a tiny little person create so much washing?! I swear I do more in a day now than I used to do in a week! And nearly EVERY item needs stain treating either for poop stains or sick! 🙈 My sister in law taught me her stain removal tricks years ago and I have to say it’s never failed me… the only thing that ever works is Vanish but the one that’s like a bar of soap, the sprays and powder you put straight into the machine are useless. I boil the kettle, pour a little hot water onto the stain, rub with the vanish bar and then wash as normal and I’d say 9/10 times it’s like the stain was never there 👍🏼 Sadly I can’t advise on the ironing though, the closest I get to ironing is using the ‘reduced iron’ setting on the tumble drier! 😂😂
Welcome to the world of never ending washing Kayleigh!! I think I need to get one of these vanish bars and give it a whirl x
One of the most helpful things I’ve heard recently is that you never “catch up” with laundry, you just “do laundry”. I guess it’s stating the obvious but it really stuck in my mind and ever since the load has felt lighter! The satisfaction of achieving an empty hamper is so short lived as by the end of the day it’s going to at least have your other half’s dirty socks in it and that’s just life, not a failing on our part 😊 Now I think of laundry as a continuous rolling part of life like making dinner or hoovering and it’s much less stressful 😊
Oh this is brilliant, thank you Elle. xx
What a brilliant post! Thank you Lottie and the others who have left comments – I have learnt loads! We are lucky to have a laundry room with a separate tumble dryer (it was a must from our recent extension!), and I feel terrible in saying that I use our dryer for nearly everything, all year round 😬! The things I don’t think will cope in the dryer (knitwear etc) gets hung up around the house. This means I don’t iron at all! Not even my husbands shirts – he won’t let me near them because I am so rubbish! My girls sound like yours Lottie and produce so much washing, the thought of ironing all their clothes makes me feel slightly panicky! However your post has inspired to try and do a little bit of ironing… ! Xxx
Love that you love the post. Everyone seems to be in the same boat which makes me feel better. Also very jealous of your laundry room, if we move house it is firmly on the wish list xx
Just catching up late. Great post and advice above! The Philips iron looks like mine (although haven’t checked the number. If it is the same one it’s brilliant and if you iron everything I think a steam iron is a must for your household. I actually quite enjoyed ironing (as you said it gave me an excuse to catch up on TV) and did everything bar socks, underwear and pjs. However since the arrival of our twins (almost 4 months now!) I haven’t ironed a single item – makes me sad that my husbands shirts aren’t as crisp but I’m not currently prepared to sacrifice half an hour’s sleep for it!
Loving this thread. Anyone got any advice on how to keep clothes and towels soft? I hate it when I wash baby’s clothes and eveything feels dry and coarse.
If you dry them in the tumble dryer use the dryer balls (Lakeland sell them) they make everything soft and fluffy. I’m still trying to work out how to make line dried stuff soft and fluffy…
The dryer balls are great but the last time I checked in Lakelands they were discontinued.
I recently discovered the joys of using a steam generator iron and it does a fantastic job of cutting down my ironing time. My work clothes and my husband’s work clothes for the week took me 25 minutes every weekend, now it takes less than 15 minutes with my steam generator iron. It’s a really good gadget for those who don’t like to iron.
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