Laundry: How Many Loads Per Week In Your Household?

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Eugene, what disturbs me about your "one sheet set" policy isn't running full loads. It's the thought of the cats. Cats--at least ones I've known--can do evil things, like puke all over the sheets right at bedtime...

I hate to sound inefficient, but I was thinking I might be able to get by in summer by having similar sheets that allow me to wash 2 loads at once. Not sure it would fit into the Shredmore, but might... But...I have a habit established: sheets get washed, line dried, and immediately put on the bed. The second set would go into storage, but that delightful line-dried scent is so fleeting...
 
With the children growing up, we average on about 12 loads a week. The whites (towels bedlinnen) gets washed at 60 degree Celcius and the rest at 40 degrees celcius. We don't use any bleach as the washing machine does not have the ability to inject the bleach (Miele w 5740) but we hardly see the need as the whites come out sparkling white.

On occation we use the 95 degree celcius setting for heavily soiled items, mostly whites though and never really had a problem, with stains.

Regards
 


 

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">We do an absurd amount or wash in our house. 4 to 5 loads a day using 2 washers it goes quickly. Part of it is due to the vicious black pitbull that inhabits are bed whenever we leave the house. I still can’t comprehend how 3 people can find so much dirty wash. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>

 
 
Follow-up: For 40 years I owned only one set of sheets at a time because I couldn't imagine folding the extra pair. In an effort to reduce the number of loads washed each week, I ordered a second set from JC Penney. Guess what? Folding sheets wasn't the insurmountable hassle I thought it would be. My first attempt didn't look quite as neat and tight as those pictured, but it really wasn't a bad experience. I can still change sheets twice a week, as is my custom, but wash only one load, saving detergent, water and wear/tear on the Maytag.

I found a 2-bag laundry sorter/cart online which fit into a tight space in the laundry room to handle the extra laundry that needs to be held during the week (cat towels from the sofa; bed linens). All is well.

Lord Kenmore: Beastie Boy and Miss Kitty are not allowed on the two upper levels of the house (kitchen, dining, bedrooms, bath) due to asthma/allergy issues, so I never worry about them having an accident on the bed. They have run of the lower level: Family/living room, laundry room, catch-all room. The house is built into a hill, so the living room has full-size windows for sun, lounging and overseeing their territory. The laundry room, on the other hand, looks more like a traditional Midwest basement room, with one wall almost completely underground. Diligent vacuuming and changing of towels covering seating surfaces allows me to spend time with them in their habitat every evening.

Mopar65: Great photo of you two...but it does appear you are sleeping with one eye open, LOL!

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Hampers

 

<span style="font-family: courier new,courier;">The hamper is just one of these things with the three sections.  That BOSCH was small but it did hold quite a bit. I was able to get a full one of these in one load.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: courier new,courier;">BTW we got the new ones the other day!!  Holy Crap!!  They are huge compared to what we had.  I can't believe how much they hold.  That drum looks big enough to crawl into and take a nap!  LOL.</span>

[this post was last edited: 6/30/2016-13:27]

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Two or three weeks ago I did 11 loads in a week.  It was stuff from winter I'd held hostage in my bath's hamper.  Last Sunday I did 4 loads that weren't "full" but at least 1/2 to 2/3--sheets, mattress pad, towels, and dining napkins.  All were done on Allergen or hotter washes and took me most of the day--each load about 2 hours.  This weekend I'll do my work shirts, which is about 18-20.  Don't think anything else. 
 
>Beastie Boy and Miss Kitty are not allowed on the two upper levels of the house (kitchen, dining, bedrooms, bath) due to asthma/allergy issues, so I never worry about them having an accident on the bed.

Keeping them away from the bedroom would prevent accidents. And also incidents that aren't quite so accidental. (Imagine: the cat running down the hall, thinking: "I must puke! I hope I make it to the human's bed in time!")
 
My loads/week rate probably will be higher in the short term as I do some "catch up." In June, I felt like it was time to start line drying--but, of course, the weather gods had different ideas, and there were stretches of bad days when it rained. Most frustrating are the days when it's mostly nice, but there is some rain--or at least a very real chance--during a sliver of the time the laundry would be out. So on some items, I ran dangerously close to running completely out as I played the "let's try 'weather these storms' and be able to dry these outside!" approach. So I got a huge backlog, which will mean more loads of some items, and more full loads of others.
 
Frig.... Folded sheets? Mine are balled up.. All 2 extra sets

Moparguy..That is the most adorable picture ever

My best friend, her 3 kids, husband and mom do on average 2.5 loads per person per week, so thats 12 or so in winter.. in summer, it can averge 15 to 17... she uses alot of cold water (i cant break her of it, but she is in san diego out near the desert) and arm and hammer in a tol 2009 Maytag FL set i bought her used 3 years ago (had maybe 18 months useage, i apid $950 for the set, but they are champs)

My mom and step dad do 5 loads a week give or take, but dad works in a very dirty plant.. They only use powder Arm and Hammer

My grandmother is doing probably 7 to 10 loads a week now and i am shocked her 2005 (the first year they where out i think) Frigidaire Affinity is still going with no issues.. Knock on wood, best washer shes ever had.. Her Maytag Perfoma (i think its an amana or something else, doesn't look like a Tag) dryer is doing fine at 14.5 years old with no repairs either (or squeeks)..I bought the cheapest, biggest capacity dryer i could find, since she killed a very nice 5.5 year old Kenmore before

My aunt (growing up) was the nut job with clothes.. Every day she would run a load or two.. Very specific temps, detergents, softners, cycles.. Yeah, only I do that.. She didnt get it from her mother.. I dunno if she's still as bad, but I know I've seen her do 18 to 20 loads in a week
 
How do you fold fitted sheets? Look for the CORNERS!

<span style="font-size: 14pt;">--That'll keep him busy...</span>

 

I haven't made any physical count, however I have average figures... And nor have I even configured just when my week begins/ends, but in no particular order, our typical laundry consists of:

Wife's clothes (Cold Wash, Cold Rinse; Slow Agitation, Fast Spin) 2 Loads

 

My clothes <span style="font-size: 12pt;">(Cold Wash, Cold Rinse; Slow Agitation, Fast Spin) 2 Loads</span>

 

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Baby's Clothes </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(Warm Wash, Cold Rinse; Extra-Slow Agitation, Slow Spin) 3 Loads</span>

 

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Work Clothes, which had gone from Dickey's Work Pants that I no longer wear, to my wife's aprons & hats for her job (Cold Wash, Cold Rinse; Fast Agitation, Slow Spin) 1 Load</span>

 

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Towels --Beach/Pool/Water Activities/Swimming </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(Cold Wash, Cold Rinse; Fast Agitation, Fast Spin) 5 Loads</span>

 

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Rags, Towels, Cleaning Cloths </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(Cold Wash, Cold Rinse; Fast Agitation, Fast Spin) 1 Load</span>

 

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Bath Sets, consisting of hand towels, bath towels & wash cloths, in the His/Her that wife picked, though a 3rd set Baby uses, just gets done w/ one beach towel, her's really, from swimming lesson/and-or camp </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(Cold Wash, Cold Rinse; Fast Agitation, Fast Spin) 1 Load</span>

 

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Bedding </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(Cold Wash, Cold Rinse; Fast Agitation, Fast Spin) 1 Load</span>

 

 

 

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">-- Dave</span>
 
factors change from living alone, to with a partner, to having kids/pets...

by myself, 3 loads on a Sunday....everything back in place and ready for the next week....

with a partner, found it best to do one load a day, whites, lights, colors.....each load is a three day build up, enough for a load, and helps keep on top of stuff....

with kids and animals.....I could not imagine doing all this laundry with one set, those machines would be run into the ground......adopting and fostering kids, we had anywhere from 3 to 10 kids at a time....good thing I like to do laundry....sear though, I have more laundry from 3 than when we had 10!

one of the few times I wished the laundry was in the kitchen rather than the basement....not easy keeping an eye on the cooking, kids, and machines...

tack in a Siberian, her blankets get washed 2 or 3 times a week.....

I have several sets of sheets, but found it easiest to wash, dry, and put back on the bed....saves folding....once in a while I will change them out......

for the kids, found it best to place the fitted and flat sheet inside the pillow case for a complete matched set, saves time trying to find all the pieces rather than pull out the whole closet searching...

also found with 3 full baths, rather than run around to figure out which one needed linens, master bath/white, mainbath/blue, guestbath/gray.....once washed, I know which piece belongs to which room....

as for Kevin, I truly get the washcloth count, I must have 200+....they are handy, and I use them for everything, better than paper towels, and a fresh clean one always at hand....

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I found an easy way to fold sheets

When It's just me folding:  When line drying, beginning with the flat sheet once the sheets are dry I just remove all the clothes pins except the ones on each end and the middle.  I flip the ends up as pin them again.  If needed, depending on the size of the sheets, I fold one more time.  Then remove the pin on one end and fold it over in half, remove both remaining pins, remove from the line and repeat with fitted sheet.

 

I then place the fitted sheet and the flat sheet together, fold the pillow cases and put those in then middle and fold over one last time. 

 

This way the sheets come in the house already folded and I don't need an extra set of hands to get them done.

 

When dry in the dryer, I call my daughter and tell her to hold one end.

 
 
I have a bit of a strange set up with laundry loads. I don't like small loads, I think they're a waste. So I tend to save things up and wait until there's a full load.

Weekly, there are 3 loads - a dark wash (which includes t-shirts, underwear, socks, black work trousers, jeans etc), bedsheets and a towels/whites wash.

On alternate weeks, there are 5 loads - dark wash, bedding, towels/whites plus a delicates wash of jumpers and a light coloureds wash.
 
Right...

I have kept a count.

From Sunday 3rd July to today inclusive, I have done 24 loads, and I would guestimate there is probably at least another 6 loads (maybe more) to do - but this will get added into the loads that will naturally accumulate throughout the week.
 
I know I'll sound like a horrible person when I say this...but there have been plenty of times i haven't bothered with folding sheets. Just take the big bundle out of the dryer, and toss as-is on a shelf.

Folding does, however, make more efficient use of space. When I fold to make better use of space, I just do it fast and "good enough". Life is too short to worry about folding to tolerance of +/1 .01 inches on all sides...
 

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