DH please empty out your pockets before I do laundry..

[newg]

DH always seems to be leaving something in a dress shirt pocket....business card, reciept, money.............I don't care that much because it just wads up into tiny balls that I clean out of the washer or dryer......
I try nicely to mention for him to check his pockets before he throws his clothes in the hamper so I don't ruin something he needs....

.....well a few weeks ago I washed and dried his blue tooth.....
.....and today I almost ruined a load of his clothes and mine because he left a pack of gum in his pocket....I caught it just as I started the dryer (as I was cleaning out the washer and noticed a half piece of gum...).....so 1/2hr later (a precious 1/2hr of nap time!!) the dryer is cleaned out (I hope) of all gum, as well as the washer....

....the thing that really gets me is when I mention to DH.....as he is asking me to check out some new shirts he just bought...."hey, can you look at these shirts, tell me what you think.."...."hold on, I'm cleaning washed gum out of the dryer so it doesn't ruin our clothes..."
"oh, well are you almost done 'cause I gotta get going..."

oh...ok...sure.......I told him to come down to the washroom and show me the shirts while I cleaned out the dryer.....
...but I still don't think he gets it!!!

:banghead:

[lizajane]

i always check DH's pockets because of this sort of thing. i wish he would do it himself. but i don't want pens, business cards, thumb drives and wrappers in my washer!

BUT i will say... i finally realized that just because HE doesn't turn his socks the right way doesn't mean I have to do it! i just leave them inside out now and put them away like that. turn your own darn socks!

[ewpmsw]

If it was my DH, he'd be the one cleaning gum out of the dryer. Of course, I'd have to check behind him and make sure it was all gone... That sounds like a big job!

[MamaMolly]

Honey, it is time for tough love. Your DH needs to be the one cleaning out the washer and dryer, not you. The reason it isn't a problem for him is because, well, it isn't! It is a problem for YOU.

I just saved a load of wash from one of DH's ink pens. A rollerball that would have gone everywhere. He'd have heard about it and BELIEVE ME I'd have replaced my clothes and DD's immediately and let him replace his own on his own time. Or let him wear wear inky drawers.

We have gone rounds over the laundry. He thinks the laundry fairy comes and magically it gets done and I sit around and do NOTHING all day. No seriously. So here are our laundry rules:

1. if you want it washed it goes in the hamper. I'm not psychic nor do I have the stomach to smell your grotty clothes to see if they need to be washed.

2. socks will be washed as they get put in the hamper. DH knows we have a crummy washer in this rental. They aren't going to get clean inside out or balled up. And it isn't my job to turn stinky nasty socks right side out. So if he wants them folded right side out they need to go in the hamper that way.

3. ditto for undershirts.

4. so that he can better understand how much laundry I do, it is neatly piled for him on the bed. He is responsible for putting it away. If he doesn't see it, it doesn't happen in his mind, so he needs concrete evidence that the laundry fairy is in fact, ME!

5. if I ask him to take the clean laundry upstairs REPEATEDLY and he doesn't do it, I will pull out mine and DDs and leave his in the basement. It usually takes 2 days of having to go down there (from the second story) buck nekkid in the early early morning for him to bring up the laundry.

Good luck!

[newg]

See thats my problem.....soooo a control freak......he would do it if I made him...but then I'd be right back in that dryer making sure he cleaned it out well.....that's why I don't fuss about doing all the chores....I have to clean something/organize it myself in order to feel that it's done correctly........

[newg]

LOL...Molly...
I've started to do some of that...I only wash what's in the hamper and fold all clothes, but he has to put his own away.....I was very tempted to pull my clothes out of the dryer and let his stay in with the gum....but replacing all his undies and some dress shirts just isn't in the budget right now....and a 36/37 sleeve 16 1/2'' neck dress shirt is not easy to come by...

Next time I will try to let him clean it out....but the control freak in me will be wringing her hands!!

[MamaMolly]

Next time I will try to let him clean it out....but the control freak in me will be wringing her hands!!

See here is the thing. He doesn't have to do it right or well or even to your standards. THat isn't the point. What you want is for him to be the one to experiences the consequences of his actions. Right now YOU are the one doing it, and really you are only enabling him. What possible deterrent is it for him if *YOU* do all the dirty work?

By all means go behind him and make sure it is cleaned properly. But let him waste a half an hour getting the big chunks out first. Leave the room and let him have at it. Hovering wont do either of you any good.

[jillc]

Ok, Liza, I have the same sock situation with my DH! It drives me bonkers! 9 times out of 10, I just wash them as-is, too. It amazes me that he can't remember to not leave the socks inside-out! Heeeellllllllloooo!

[niccig]

I had this conversation with DH. He said he WOULD not go through his pockets. I said fine, but I will not be doing it either, and if something got washed, so be it. A couple of ruined shirts/pants later because of pens and yep, he cleans out the pockets.

What really helped was that he took over the laundry and he yelled at me for a tissue in my jeans pocket...he had to clean it all up and he really got it then...

[JMS]

BUT i will say... i finally realized that just because HE doesn't turn his socks the right way doesn't mean I have to do it! i just leave them inside out now and put them away like that. turn your own darn socks!


I recently realized I didn't need to do this either. I told him many, many times that it would make my life so much easier if he could right side out his clothes before I washed, dried, folded, and put them away!!!

Repeated discussions did nothing - so now I wash, dry, fold and put away inside out and he can deal with it :)

[KrisM]

I'm another who doesn't turn things rightside out anymore. I don't unball socks or unbutton collars either. If he leave the shirt sleeves rolled up and he wants it ironed later - he can iron it. I even hang up his shirts inside out.

[Corie]

I did not used to check pockets until I washed a pair of my husband's jeans
with a can of Copenhagen still in the pocket.

What a huge mess.

I was so pissed. Who doesn't clean out their pockets before dumping
clothes in the hamper?

But, my DH thinks it's the responsibility of the person who is washing
the clothes to clean out the pockets.

Now, I think we both end up checking the pockets. Neither of us wants
to admit the other person might be right. :) So we're both doing it!