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Thursday, April 7, 2016

All Washed Up (By Mistake)

Have you ever washed something that wasn't supposed to be washed under any circumstances?

IF you answered Yes, you're not alone. We've washed pants with leftover tissues and papers (usually nothing crucial). We've even laundered currency, which thankfully dried OK for re-use :-) coins just rattled around the washer until collected at the cycle's end. 

But we've also laundered some never-to-be-washed items like a wallet, cell phone, full set of house keys and, more recently, Grenville's Apple earbuds. 

No, all these were not washed at the same time because we never remembered to check pockets first!  All went through the wash cycle — not all went through the dryer (whew).

Except the earbuds, which got the full wash & dry treatment and are working fine. Grenville claims he can hear better now.
We're going to try and avoid future mishaps and now we have a sign near the laundry to be done and in very LARGE lettering: Check ALL pockets first (including gym shorts). Yet, despite that caution, I often overlook a tissue which somehow gets washed, dried, and then get tossed !

The washed cell phone was a flip phone (pre-smart phone ownership). Grenville followed a method of burying the phone in uncooked instant rice to dry it out. After a few days, the phone worked but the home screen looked a bit worse for wear. 


If your cell phone is submerged, the recommended method is to use a desiccant, like those silica gel packets which come free in many items (start saving those packets). There's also other steps to follow as detailed in this CNET article

(The commercial washer and dryer shown are in our mill apt laundry room and it's where the keys and earbuds (in gym shorts) were washed. The other items were washed in VA.)


Ever happened to You?

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I often forget to check John's pockets and I have washed screws/nails, etc. Too often, I also wash a facial tissue left in my pocket which deteriorates and gets on everything else in the washer!

MadSnapper said...

the only thing i have washed is garage paper towels, the blue kind, that end up in his shorts.. only a few times because the last time it was with a load of all black clothes and what a mess.

MadSnapper said...

forogt about the dimes and quarters once in a while

Kathy said...

I have a bad habit of not checking pockets. The worst that's usually washed is tissues although I have found some dollar bills and change. Any money found belongs to whoever does the wash that day. I think that's a good deal!

Connie said...

We have washed a few things that shouldn't have been washed. Most of them were things left in pockets when my sons were much younger--tissues, rocks, shells, marbles, small toys, and once an unfortunate earthworm (stored in a pocket of my son as a youngster). In case you are wondering, the earthworm didn't make it out alive. :\

William Kendall said...

I've done it once with a flashdrive. The drive worked fine regardless of having a go through the wash.

Anvilcloud said...

Every now and then, I forget to clear my pockets of kleenexes. It drives Sue crazy. Fortunately, this does not occur often.

Emma Springfield said...

It is amazing some of the things I have found in either the washer or dryer. At least I never found one of the children.

NCmountainwoman said...

Last year I gave my husband an ultimatum. I would no longer check his pockets. He would be responsible for checking them before he put the clothes in the hamper. He's done a pretty good job with only the occasional Kleenex (I've learned to buy the ones that do not shred) and more often, an unused doggie poop bag. I just lay the items on the bed with the folded clothes and he gets the message. I also stopped turning his tee shirts right side out. If he peels them off, they get folded the way they went into the wash.

susie @ persimmon moon cottage said...

I've washed my little Fuzzy Pomeranian's toys two different times now. I have always gathered the clothes to go downstairs to be washed on the floor in the hallway outside of the bedrooms. In the past 6 months Fuzzy has played a little trick and hidden his stuffed toy animals in amongst the clothes. Each time the wayward toy went through the washer and then into the dryer without being noticed. They came out nice and clean and fluffy. Fuzzy wagged his tail when we gave them back to him, but he kept sniffing them. I suppose he missed their special doggie slobber scent that he had taken so much time to give them.

Michelle said...

I have washed MANY things I shouldn't have through the years! Oh well!

diane b said...

Been there done that., but never a cell phone. I check pockets but still I get a hidden tissue sometimes and I hate how it sticks on all the clothes. The dryer helps remove most of it.

Anonymous said...

I have washed my keys once but so far I've managed to keep my mobile phone away from getting washed :-) It is supposed to manage to get wet but I'll not try it :-)

Have a great day!

Christer.