Ladies, if you are stuck doing laundry you have only yourself to blame

[jeffrey]

This is taken from an article I just read:

Ladies, if you are stuck doing laundry you have only yourself to blame.

Hey, don't get mad at me. I got numbers to back me up, from General Electric (which, as it happens, would love to sell you a washing machine).

Sure, 70 percent of the time women are stuck with the laundry chore. But there's a dirty little secret in this laundry room: 75 percent of the 510 women in the 1,042-person survey said they do the wash because THEY DON'T TRUST ANYONE ELSE.

So it should come as no surprise that 95 percent of the no-do-laundry men surveyed said they don't do it because their partner won't let them. And in case you are wondering, 88 percent of those guys are married... [full article Here]

Personally, in our household I am not allowed to do the wash, but I am the one in charge of folding the laundry...

I'm very interested to hear your comments on this

[asrai]

I don't mind doing laundry.

But it's true I prefer to not have my DH do it. He always forgets things or doesn't sort "properly" (read: the way I want it done). (i'm the same way with the dishes). I'm learning to stop being such a uptight person, but I do get the stains out better.

[DivaJen]

Yeah, I admit it - I cringe when I hear DH did my laundry sometimes.
And with good reason - more than a few of my things have been shrunk over the years!

[midnight]

OK, as much as I don't like to admit it, I'm one of those that won't ley my husband touch the laundry. The problem isn't that he can't do it, but that he really has no interest in doing it so doesn't pay attention when doing it. The result is that things go wrong a lot more often when he does it rather than when I do it myself. So I will keep my mouth shut and not complain anymore when I think he isn't doing his fair share of the laundry.

[Lori63]

I had to laugh-there is no way I'll let my husband do the laundry. I read this to him, and he said 'What's so hard about it? You throw the stuff in no big deal". Clothes cost too much, and there are plenty of dishes to do, floors to vaccuum, etc. if he feels like helping. Plus, I have a huge poster of Harrison Ford in my laundry room, so my imagination helps me pass the time i gave to spend down there.

[boxxies]

;;;;;;;;;;;My husband has never done the laundry once in more than
30 years. I never ask him to do it and he never even thought of doing it.
For him, it's my job. And I'm not complaining because I love doing laundry
and dishes too. And I figure that's a pretty darn well paid job.

It got me a fantastic house,a few cars and all I can ask for.
No, I am not quiting this job. I love it.

boxxies

[Tree0164]

I dont like hubby do laundry either.... ooh colors don't go in hot hot water... puts everything in the dryer. He doesn't spray the clothes either that have stains and with 3 boys there is always something.


I will willingly have him fold the clothes... I hate doing that.

[terry1156]

I don't think my wife wouldn't let me do the laundry, but I'm not willing to ask (on the off chance that she doesn't mind) since I have no desire to do the laundry

[mahanda]

everyone in this house does their own personal laundry (there are now nine of us) i do only mine + towels. trained the kids early, husband came already trained

[lieweheksie]

One of the reasons I married my husband is he used to do his, and then our laundry. I now do all of it as I don't work outside the home and he does- but at times when I was working and he wasn't- he did it
Only way to free ourselves from housework as womens work is to make sure everyone sees it as WORK- no more, no less

[britbunny]

I do the laundry most of the time in our house and it is for this reason:

I used to be a manager for a charity, I gave that up about a year ago. DH and I decided to sort out our finances and we realised that it actually cost me about 50% of my wages just to go to work, so now I stay at home.

My job is to do the laundry, cooking, gardening and stuff like that. DH does some stuff too, but it's an arrangement we have. Plus I used to work in a hotel as a chambermaid and manager's assistant so I have a good cleaning routine and I'm very organised!

[jeffrey]

A press release with short quiz to give those husbands out there:

The battle of the sexes rages on as the great Laundry Divide continues to pit men and women against each other in laundry rooms across America. Last August, GE’s National Men Do Laundry month aired America’s dirty laundry revealing that 89 percent of women across the country were still responsible for doing the age-old chore, and therefore encouraged ladies to throw down their laundry baskets for the month.
This year’s GE poll proves that hands down, women still dominate this domestic duty. An astounding seven out of 10 women claimed they’re the ones carrying the laundry baskets. But men are striking back.

GE Declares August National Men Do Laundry Month -- The Men Strike Back

It seems the debate in the American home isn’t who wears the pants, but who’s allowed to wash them? GE’s study showed that by far, most respondents not doing laundry are holding back because they are “not allowed.” Of those “not allowed,” a whopping 95 percent are men.

“Last year, we discovered that it was the women who were doing the laundry, and we encouraged them to throw down their baskets, share the chore and create household harmony,” says Cynthia Fanning, clothes care marketing manager, GE Consumer & Industrial. “One year later, the laundry divide is still there. But we have uncovered that it might not be the men who are to blame. According to this year’s survey, almost 75 percent of the women surveyed chose to do the laundry because they just don’t trust anyone else with their clothes. And we also found that men are willing and able to share the chore.”

Eighty-six percent of men polled said they were confident in their ability to pass a “Laundry IQ Test.” This could very well be the beginning of household harmony. So this year, GE is once again declaring August National Men do Laundry Month and is asking women to step aside and let a man have a go with the laundry.

Gender aside, many Americans could use a crash course in “Laundry Education.” Luckily, there is hope. The GE Profile Harmony Clothes Care System is the first washer that communicates electronically with the dryer, presetting dry cycles for better clothes care and increased time savings. The washer talks. The dryer listens. The result is better clothing care. With this laundry pair, and a few laundry room tips from GE, men and women alike can relax. The wash cycle, and the debate for that matter, is over!

"Our Harmony clothes care system is the ideal appliance for any family,” said Fanning. “Complete and safe clothes care is just a few easy taps away on our washer-dryer unit.”

And now, the “Laundry IQ Test:”

1. To get the brightest results straight out of the washing machine, add detergent:

A. First, then add clothes

B. After the clothes are in the machine

C. Pre-treat everything

2. What is the best way to remove perspiration marks?

A. Sponge white vinegar onto the stain, then wash as directed

B. Use powder detergent in the wash cycle, it’s a sure cure for perspiration

C. Pour liquid detergent directly on the stain, then wash as directed by the clothing label

3. The best way to remove ink stains is:

A. Spray hairspray on the stain before washing

B. Rub corn syrup on the stain, and then wash in hot water

C. Pour liquid detergent directly on the stain, then wash as directed

4. Can the dryer really help me avoid wrinkles?

A.Yes

B. No

5. The great fabric softener debate: to use or not to use on towels?

A. Yes

B. No

6. To repair the wool sweater you accidentally washed, should you:

A. Soak it with hair conditioner

B. Wash it again, this time in cold water with no detergent, then let it dry flat

C. Toss it, it’s hopeless

Your Laundry IQ:

If you answered A to more than 3 questions, you are a laundry whiz!

A. To get the brightest results, add detergent first, and then add clothes. Add bleach only after agitation starts. Adding bleach early may destroy enzymes and whiteners that make detergent more effective.

A. Perspiration marks: Sponge white vinegar into the stain and then launder as usual.

A. For ink stains, spray hairspray over the stain and then wash as usual.

A. Yes, just don't over-dry clothes. Take clothes out while they are still slightly damp to reduce the need for ironing.

A. Stop right there! Do NOT use fabric softeners or dryer sheets on your towels! Washing in fabric softener coats the terry fibers with silicones, and will actually make towels less absorbent. To freshen towels and keep them smelling sweet, add a half-cup of baking soda to the wash cycle. You'll end up with extra-fresh smelling towels!

A. If you shrink your wool sweater in the dryer, try this: Soak the sweater for a few minutes in a bucket of water to which you've added a couple of capfuls of hair conditioner. The hair conditioner will loosen up the fibers enough so that you can lay the sweater on a dry towel and gently pull and stretch it back to shape. Allow to dry thoroughly.

For more information about the GE Profile Harmony Clothes Care System, visit geharmony.com.

=====================

Courtesy of ARA Content

[crosses]

My DH didn't do very well on the quiz. It just confirms that I shouldn't let him do the wash.

[Razzy]

If my dh wants to do laundry than he can do it I have no problem with that. My dh did not come trained so I have had to teach him. He also know's how to hang clothes out on the line and he can do that whenever he wants to do so.

Razzy

[PRICEPLUS]

My father insisted that everyone in the house growing up learn how to do laundry. The wife does the laundry with the exception of my clothes. I wash, dry, and fold my own clothes. I like it that way as I have my own way of doing things. The wife won't let me do the vacuuming or the dusting even though I think I do an excellent job!

[Razzy]

my dh is welcomed to do any of those things if he so chooses I will not stop him. Now my dh is particular on how he wants his clothes folded and hung so he does his own folding and putting up.

Razzy

[PrincessPerky]

My Dh came not knowing thing one about laundry, which up until my son was born was fine, but when you are nursing 20 hours a day a litle help is needed. I made a laundry chart for him. No sense complaining htat he doesn't know how to do laundry when no one ever taught him. Now he does most of it when I am sick, or whatnot. He does a great job, and yeah he isn't perfect but niether am I!

[Razzy]

I totally agree that none of are perfect. I believe that when we have kids we need to teach both sexes how to do laundry and other things so they know how to survive.


Razzy

[MargaretKur]

Talk about survival! I agree with you totally there. It's hard to believe in this day and age that many parents haven't realized that boys need to learn how to clean, cook, and do laundry. Also, they should realize that girls should know how to do some basic repairs around the house and in the car.

When I grew up it certainly was different. I'm glad for the sewing in home ec, but I wanted to learn how to make a stool in wood shop, too! Of course that just "wasn't done" so I know where a lot of you are coming from.

In our home, we both do laundry and are basically responsible for our own clothes. My husband is retired and I work irregular hours. I do as much as I can by hand in the sink. Occasionally, my husband will do some hand laundry as well. As for the laundromat (we rent and have no hookup for a washer/dryer) my husband usually takes the bulk of his clothes, plus anything of mine that is difficult to wash manually. Of course, he also takes the bedsheets and towels.

He uses a bit more detergent than I would, but that's OK. He likes to spend the time sitting and reading as the machines run, but that drives me crazy...I'd rather be doing something useful. So, he just brings my clothes home flattened and folded over once and I fold or hang them.

The only time he really wants me to go with him is when we're doing the infrequent bulk items such as the winter comforters and blankets that have to go into the giant machine (I don't know what's so "mysterious" about the big machine, but it's not a big deal, LOL).

It's great not to have to worry too much about doing the laundry at our house.

BTW, so as not to let the hand laundry build up, I do my best to wash underwear daily in the morning either right before or after I shower. Other things I try to do in pairs or threes so I don't wear myself out. There's no "wash day" mentality for me.

[Razzy]

I refuse to do all my laundry in one day. I find that if I a load a day over two to three days it makes it much easier on the both of us. Yes occassionay we do have to do an emergency unexpected load, that is to be expect when you have a lil one. This way I can hang my clothes to dry and not have to worry if I can fit all the clothes on the line.


Razzy