I had our flat all for myself for couple hours today, so for the first time ever I...

[MonikaCD]

...did a laundry.
And, boy, it was both exciting and a bit nerve wracking and not because I was dressed (though I WAS dressed)

I had few shirts that definitely needed refreshing, but I didn't want to do it officially.
I expected that I would have no more then 20 minutes to hide everything from the moment I got message that my famiily is coming home, but I could also expect that they will be away for more then 2 hours.
Washing in the washing machine took an hour - luckily I didn't have to stop the program and quickly dispose of soaking wet clothes.
Drying in a dryer took another hour up to the point where I took the shirts to lay down flat to avoid creases.

I try to plan ahead and take into account all possible risks, so I wasn't very happy with myself when I have realized that not only dryer was very warm after the process (and I have removed some things from the dryer to put them back afterwards and my SO could have an idea to take them out as soon as she came back noticing strangely warm dryer), but our apartment had this nice smell of fresh laundry from the softener evaporating from still moist shirts. Both things that can't be handled in a very short time.

I ended up venting the room, but I couldn't make it until last minute as it is freezing outside, and fanning inside of the dryer with a kitchen cloth.
Everything went fine and I used my last 20 minutes, when I already knew they were coming home, to fold and pack my shirts and bring everything to a state like I haven't done laundry in a long time.

[bridget thronton]

Glad things worked out

[CharlotteCD]

If you're worried about the smell, just burn some toast. That pungent acrid smell covers all sins.

[Sabine7]

Yeah, washing own female clothes can be problematic, if you don't want to get caught red-handed. This has to be planned well before. Another problem is not to destroy the things, e.g. by putting all black, white and pink lacy treasures together into the washing machine...
At least, I had a pleasure when drying one of my wigs. I put it freshly washed and still wet on my head and dried using a hairdryer. It was funny.

[Helen_Highwater]

Monica,

Thankfully most Saturdays I get 5-6 hours home alone time during which I can both wash my femme things using a combination of a more scented detergent added to the one we usually use and then follow that by washing some of my drab things using just our normal powder.

Doing a few of my drab things both removes the smell of the other detergent from the machine and accounts for the tumble dryer being used.

My problem is that many femme things, skirts, blouses and dresses say not to tumble dry so on winter days that means spreading them out on radiators around the house or if sunny I can hang them on a drying rack in the conservatory. This can leave a trace aroma of my femme detergent around the place but it does quickly disperse.

I do have to be careful with just how much of the scented detergent I add so as not to make the smell to obvious when say underdressed in knickers, tights or a cami. Trial and error means I now have a good idea of the correct ratios.

I also have 3 different sizes of net washing bags in which to wash more delicate things such as hose and certain blouses. Bras always go in one to stop the hooks snagging other more delicate items being washed at the same time.

Who could have thought washing a few smalls could get soo complicated?

[alwayshave]

Monica, In the last six years of living in my home, I can count on one hand the number of times I have been alone. You are lucky.

[CarlaWestin]

(though I WAS dressed)

I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention.
That's all I heard.
So now, how were you dressed?

[Victoria1]

I'm fortunate that I have a spare washer in my shop that I use for shop towels and so on. I wash my lingerie in this machine and hang everything on a drying rack to dry overnight. As I am in a DADT relationship my wife avoids going into the shop until I have removed my things. It seems to work for us. I typically do a load of laundry at least once per week. She won't wash my lingerie but she gives me tips on how to do it. ie Don't use fabric softener with anything made of spandex, use this detergent for colors, use this detergent for whites, etc, etc. It's a delicate balance.

[GretchenM]

Wow, Monika. You were one busy girl. Glad it all worked out. It was exhausting just to read about. Did you take a nap after successfully completing that challenge? I would, but then you are likely younger than I am. Good job.

[audreyinalbany]

so is this the first time you've ever done laundry?

[docrobbysherry]

OMG, Monika, you're making a federal case out of doing laundry because of a warm dryer and softener odors?

Why not just throw one of your male shirts in with the next load and say u spilled something on it? Leave it hanging in the laundry room.
Or, that your towel fell in the bath or shower. Then, run it thru the dryer with your load and just leave it in there?

"Oh, thanks. I forgot I had to dry that towel."

[Sandi Beech]

Ha , moral to the story is to always have a cover story.

[Natalie5004]

On that note.. I am reading a book on my Kindle about a wife of a Cder. She complains that his girl clothes stink of stale perfume and she knows when he dresses up.

So my question is, How often do women's dresses need to hit the laundry? I never see my wife's dresses getting washed. A few hit the dry cleaners but for the life of me I don't see it happening.

Any GG here care to answer my questions?

Natalie

[char GG]

Depending on the length of time that a dress is worn, I don't wash mine every time I wear them. Two hours or less - back on the hanger. More than that, usually in the washer.

Also depends on the time of year, summer - they get washed every time. Winter - again, depends on the time worn.



And yes, I hate the smell of stale perfume and can smell it. It's even noticeable on clothes purchased as a resale store or tried on in a store where someone doused in perfume tried on an item.

Maybe your wife washes her dresses under stealth mode

[MonikaCD]

If you're worried about the smell, just burn some toast. That pungent acrid smell covers all sins.

That would be even more suspicious as we have super-duper electronic toaster and you have to try very hard to burn them.

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At least, I had a pleasure when drying one of my wigs. I put it freshly washed and still wet on my head and dried using a hairdryer. It was funny.

I had my wigs and my yet to be used wig shampoo and conditioner with me, but I have thought that it will take to much time to do the wigs so I have postponed it for now.
Are you supposed to dry them with hairdryer if they are synthetic? I have read that you should pat them with a towel and leave to dry. Synthetic wigs will lose the shape if dried with hot air as it will melt the plastic. You can style them that way if you know what you're doing though.

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So now, how were you dressed?

Nothing special. I mean really nothing special. Not even worthy to take a photo even if we can take digital photos for free nowadays.
I do not keep my stuff at home, so I have just took black pantyhose and black Pleaser Amuse heels to try with my first maxi skirt (I didn't like it - too long), a wig, that I have considered washing, and my male t-shirt.
To make it up for you, here is how I was dressed minutes ago when checking in at the hotel.
signal-2024-01-09-020548_002.jpg

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so is this the first time you've ever done laundry?

Of my pretty clothes - first time. Too much shopping combined with not enough opportunities to wear make clothes last long.

[GiselleTGirl]

That is a great thing to get done and out of the way, I would say it is one of the unmentioned (or at least not so frequently mentioned) challenges of being a crossdresser. I simply have a huge wardrobe now just because of how difficult it is to do laundry at times. Hour or so in the washing machine, another 2 in the dryer/another half a day on a clothes rack, it's borderline impossible at times. I normally tend to wash a few items at a time as it is easier to hide.

But glad it turned out well

[docrobbysherry]

I wash nearly everything Sherry wears in the shower with me, then drip dry it, Giselle. Altho, some fabrics require 15 minutes in the dryer.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Monika , Be Careful, Cutting it too close may end badly someday, >Orchid**OO**

[Rachelakld]

I like your outfit
As I regularly wash clothes, it's not an issue me doing any washing or drying.
I do have to be careful with daughters stuff because I get in trouble if certain items get machine dried.

[CarlaWestin]

Of course you just checked in. You headed right for the..........

[BobbiKay]

My wife doesn't do stairs well. I do all the laundry, so it's never a problem for me. I've learned to do her things in a separate load from mine, so I don't have to sort by size afterwards. And it's always unscented detergent; the scented stuff triggers my asthma.