Why do so many people not do their spouse’s laundry?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is very inefficient and wastes a lot of water and energy if every person is doing their own laundry- that is a ton of partial loads.

I combine all the clothes for all 5 of us, separate colors and fabrics and wash full loads of darks, whites, reds, jeans, etc. I can't imagine every person doing their own. That sounds ridiculous.

And no one do I want DH touching my clothes. I have a lot of clothes that require hand washing, line drying, or delicate. Stuff would get ruined for sure if he did it.

You have 1 load of laundry for 5 people? That is weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't do my H laundry and yes he has his own basket.

I do 2 loads a week for myself, one regular and one delicate. If he has a delicate he puts it in my basket.

I don't do his laundry because he is an adult and he can do his own. I cook dinner because it is efficient to cook dinner for a family. I don't make his lunch or breakfast, because I eat something different.

I don't see why a grown person wouldn't do their own.

My kids start doing their laundry when they turn 16.

Why'd you wait so long?

I'll do my husband's laundry ... he does mine, too.

Because it was easier. They got home at 7-8 (sports) every night then homework until midnight and my H did laundry on the weekends and they would fight over who had the washer and dryer. My H got 2 work at home days (I already worked from home and did laundry those days) we decided we did laundry during the week and the boys had to fight it out on the weekends.

They did it during the summer because their jobs were until 4 every day.

[Anonymous]

I'm actually happily surprised about the quantity of responses that everyone does their own. It's more than I would have guessed.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I still have sex.

We don’t go to the bathroom in front of each other and we don’t need to see each other’s dirty underwear. We’ve always had separate laundry baskets. It’s small things like this that show you respect each other and helps to keep the romance alive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My husband and I still have sex.

We don’t go to the bathroom in front of each other and we don’t need to see each other’s dirty underwear. We’ve always had separate laundry baskets. It’s small things like this that show you respect each other and helps to keep the romance alive.

are there really adults with fudge tracks on white underwear out there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because he's a grown man and not a child.

This is a stupid argument. I'm a grown women and yet my husband made me dinner last night.

What about breakfast and lunch? Snacks? Did he get you every drink during the day?

It's a false equivalence.

Actually, yesterday he made me breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and brought me a drink to the table for each meal. Your false equivalence point makes no sense. The poster at the top said that her husband does his own laundry because he's a grown man. That doesn't make any sense, and the fact that my husband doesn't do his own laundry doesn't have anything to do with him not being a grown up. I don't know why you people are getting so riled up about this. It seems like the people who don't do their spouse's laundry are super defensive about why, which is interesting.

I'm not defensive at all. Just pointing out that doing laundry is not equivalent to making dinners. Timing for laundry isn't as synchronous as eating. And laundry isn't as scalable as making a large meal (dinner). Plus, dinner is also a social gathering.

It's interesting that people are getting defensive over doing their spouse's laundry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My husband and I still have sex.

We don’t go to the bathroom in front of each other and we don’t need to see each other’s dirty underwear. We’ve always had separate laundry baskets. It’s small things like this that show you respect each other and helps to keep the romance alive.

are there really adults with fudge tracks on white underwear out there?

*checks thread*

*retrieves fudge tracks ice cream from freezer, throws in trash*

[Anonymous]

We have separate hampers. I will wash it if I'm already washing clothes, but it's not something that's expected of me. I also don't fold his stuff. I used to but he prefers to fold it himself. It's not a big deal around here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My husband and I still have sex.

We don’t go to the bathroom in front of each other and we don’t need to see each other’s dirty underwear. We’ve always had separate laundry baskets. It’s small things like this that show you respect each other and helps to keep the romance alive.

are there really adults with fudge tracks on white underwear out there?

I don’t even understand what you’re talking about.

I will say that my husband’s workout clothes are smelly. I don’t need to see his dirty undershirts or regular shirts for that matter! I don’t need to see any of it! He also doesn’t need to handle my sweaty running shorts or any of my dirty laundry. Oh yeah, and in addition to not pooping in front of each other we also don’t fart in front of each other. Basic respect.

Say what you will, but I truly believe there’s a high correlation between people having zero boundaries and being way too comfortable being gross in front of their spouse and all the dead bedrooms on this site.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My husband and I still have sex.

We don’t go to the bathroom in front of each other and we don’t need to see each other’s dirty underwear. We’ve always had separate laundry baskets. It’s small things like this that show you respect each other and helps to keep the romance alive.

are there really adults with fudge tracks on white underwear out there?

Wait, so you think that just because dirty underwear isn’t covered in poop, it’s sexy??!!!

Really??

Way to have low standards!

[Anonymous]

OP, you seem really triggered by this. We don’t do each other’s laundry because we consider it part of personal hygiene. Some things are better kept private.

And as soon as our kids are old enough, they’re also in charge of their own laundry. It’s about personal responsibility, hygiene and independence.

[Anonymous]

He’s always done his own. He likes the way he does it. We have always had separate hampers.

[Anonymous]

For those with families who each do their own laundry - what about things like dish towels, powder room hand towels?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those with families who each do their own laundry - what about things like dish towels, powder room hand towels?

Those get washed with other towels and sheets. I washed my kids sheets and towels until they were old enough to do it themselves.

As for powder room towels/dish towels/etc. DH and I always grab those whenever we’re doing a load of our own whites (because we use bleach to keep everything clean.) It’s really never been an issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those with families who each do their own laundry - what about things like dish towels, powder room hand towels?

Those get washed with other towels and sheets. I washed my kids sheets and towels until they were old enough to do it themselves.

As for powder room towels/dish towels/etc. DH and I always grab those whenever we’re doing a load of our own whites (because we use bleach to keep everything clean.) It’s really never been an issue.

Thanks. Makes sense. Seems like something my husband and I would remember to throw in. My kid, not so much.