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Washing machine

(55 Posts)
Sallywally1 Mon 29-Jul-24 09:12:41

Only had it for four months and it has broken and am waiting for repair person. I’ve been washing by hand for the past week and my thoughts go out to our grandmothers and great grandmothers for whom this was a daily chore. We are so lucky.

Hurry up washing machine repairman!

Farzanah Mon 29-Jul-24 09:18:51

I’m similar but with dish washer! Appliances used to last years but they seem to have short lives now. This one that has packed up has only lasted about 4 years, was supposed to be a reliable make, and have been told it isn’t worth repairing because it will cost £££s.

Waiting now for delivery of a new one.

J52 Mon 29-Jul-24 09:38:19

It’s surprising how much we rely on the washing machine. I can’t imagine the drudge of not only household washing, but Terry nappies as well!
When we waited for ours replacement to arrive we did a 10 mile round trip to the laundromat, with the large items.
Since then I have noticed a couple more have sprung up. I wonder if it’s due to modern tiny houses not having room for washing machines or the cost of buying one.

Grandyma Mon 29-Jul-24 10:10:36

In the 1920’s/30’s my grandmother had 10 children. My grandad was a butcher as were 8 of her sons. Can only imagine how she coped with washing all the butchers smocks & aprons with no modern appliances!!

JaneJudge Mon 29-Jul-24 10:12:54

it really would be awful not to have one

Astitchintime Mon 29-Jul-24 10:24:02

I do remember my grandmother washing in a large tub placed on the ground outside the backdoor. She used a ponch to agitate the laundry which she them put through a manual mangle - it must have been exhausting.
Larger items - blankets, curtain etc were sent to the laundry in brown paper parcels tied with string and a label attached stating the customers name and the contents of the package.
That laundry is still operating today although I think the main customers will be corporate clothing, restaurants hotels etc.

MissAdventure Mon 29-Jul-24 10:40:49

Apparently things these days are built with a short life span.

Four months is very short, though!!

I couldn't manage at all without a machine.

Charleygirl5 Mon 29-Jul-24 10:58:43

My mother had a full-time job as a ward sister but in the 50's could not afford a washing machine so sent bedding to the laundry but did everything else by hand.

We lived in the middle of nowhere so food was difficult to buy although one fellow came weekly with his horse and cart. My mother used to pick up the horse droppings for the garden!

Times are rather different.

dragonfly46 Mon 29-Jul-24 11:09:42

Even when I had my first baby I didn't have a washing machine. My mum bought me a spin dryer so I used to wash everything by hand (having soaked the nappies in a bucket) and spin it in the dryer.
Ironically when we let the house to go to Holland the letting agent made us put a washing machine in.

SueDonim Mon 29-Jul-24 11:22:12

I’ve been without a WM, TD and DW for several weeks due to ongoing house repairs. I’m fortunate that my dd leaves a couple of miles away and I could use her WM but I didn’t want to abuse her generosity by doing my ‘summer’ washing of duvets, pillows etc in her machine. Luckily, the weather has been good enough to hang out most of the laundry to dry.

To me, doing the dishes by hand is a chore but I could live without a DW if needs be. It doesn’t take long and isn’t as physically strenuous as hand washing clothing and bed linen.

My mum always had some sort of WM. I remember she had a tub machine with an electric wringer on top, then had a twin tub for years. My late sister chose not to have a WM for many years, handing washing absolutely everything! Her first baby didn’t wear plastic pants over the towelling nappies to begin with so each change of nappy meant a clean set of clothes and pram/cot linen, too. shock She used plastic pants on the second baby. grin

HattieTopper Mon 29-Jul-24 11:35:04

Our son bought a fridge/freezer which broke down after 12 months. He wrote to the Consumer protection services pointing out that a fridge/freezer should last longer than 12 months before breaking down. Consumer protection agreed with him and the store refunded him all the money he paid for it.

Your washing machine will be under the 12 month guarantee period so should be repaired or replaced free of charge but if it had been older than 12 months then people should complain to Consumer protection as the broken items are not fit for the purpose they were intended for.

MissAdventure Mon 29-Jul-24 12:11:12

I didn't have hot water when my daughter was a baby.

I lived in a tumble down little caravan.

Sallywally1 Mon 29-Jul-24 12:18:25

Hurrah!, the washing machine man has cometh! The wondrous machine is making a normal noise and turning round!

Sallywally1 Mon 29-Jul-24 12:19:45

I have got an old fashioned spin drier luckily which is useful from time to time. My mum had one!

MissAdventure Mon 29-Jul-24 12:21:39

Fanfare of trumpets for the washing machine!! 🥳

Shinamae Mon 29-Jul-24 12:23:46

I bought a Bosch washing machine a few months ago and there was an offer with it that as long as I registered it, I would get five years free callout charges and parts…🤓

Shinamae Mon 29-Jul-24 12:24:12

MissAdventure

Fanfare of trumpets for the washing machine!! 🥳

And labour!!

Shinamae Mon 29-Jul-24 12:24:34

Sorry that was meant to quote my own post 🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️

MissAdventure Mon 29-Jul-24 12:25:46

And fanfare for free parts and labour!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

dogsmother Mon 29-Jul-24 12:26:44

Ooh I like my laundry to be a smooth operation these days too after early years of spindriers, then twin tubs.
Recently invested in a new tumble drier after repairs were getting too frequent on existing one. Thrilled with heat pump version, set to save a fortune over the coming years.

MissAdventure Mon 29-Jul-24 12:26:48

I don't care, I gave it a fanfare anyway. smile

Farzanah Mon 29-Jul-24 17:36:41

Shinamae

I bought a Bosch washing machine a few months ago and there was an offer with it that as long as I registered it, I would get five years free callout charges and parts…🤓

That’s good. My dishwasher was a Bosch, and under 5 years old and has been written off as too expensive to repair! Out of guarantee. I think they are a reliable brand so I must just be unlucky! I also have a Bosch washer so fingers crossed….

crazyH Mon 29-Jul-24 17:41:31

I have been very lucky with my electric appliances. My last washing machine was still going after 20 years. I only got rid of it, because the outside got rusty and it looked awful .

dalrymple23 Mon 29-Jul-24 20:19:23

Think about it - without washboards, we would not have had skiffle groups!!!

NotSpaghetti Tue 30-Jul-24 05:27:16

I love having a washing machine however if I had to choose I might well go for a dishwasher instead!