Question about washing vs. cleaning (non-SF related)

15 years ago

Ok, my DH and I are having a debate.

Whenever he needs a specific item of clothing or fabric washed he says "Can you clean my shirt?" Or "can you clean my pants?"

He is referring to me doing laundry in the washing machine, not dry cleaning!

I ALWAYS say "wash" for clothes and "clean" for anything else. Like, I "clean the floor" but "wash the sheets."

He swears that LOTS of people say "clean the clothes" but I think he is wrong.

So what do you all say? I am curious! Do you "clean" your shirts or do you "wash" your shirts?

Comments (15)

cindy_pond
15 years ago
I wash my shirts, clean my house, have my clothes dry cleaned.
disengaging
15 years ago
I wash my clothes, I wash my dishes, I clean my floors and house.

I remember long ago in college having to suffer through a philosphy 101 class, where the teacher decided to introduce us to desk/chair philosophification, by sitting down on his desk and asking us the question of whether we should now call the desk a chair?

My answer to him was "No, what we have here is a failure to communicate."

Another student though gave the definitive philosophical answer, "What desk?"
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disengaging
15 years ago
Oh! I know!

Next time he asks you to clean his clothes tell him, "Sure thing, I'll go get the broom!"
silversword
15 years ago
? May be a regional difference. I say I need to clean my clothes. Why is it that we say we have a basket of "clean" clothes but don't say we've "cleaned" them?

I also say "I need to bathe" or "I'm going to bathe" instead of "I'm going to shower" or "I'm going to take a bath".

CLEAN:
â¸ verb: make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from.

WASH:
â¸ verb: cleanse with a cleaning agent, such as soap, and water.

http://www.onelook.com
mom2emall
15 years ago
I say wash my clothes. I say do my laundry. I say clean my house.
nikemama
15 years ago
In Kentucky we Wash Clothing and Clean the house. Maybe tell him to Clean his own Pants...Just kidding. My DH says funny things too. He will say "his eye is burning off" if it gets something in it or something like that. It cracks me up.
finedreams
15 years ago
Could be regional difference, like silverswood said. English is not my first language so I certainly am not an expert but I personally do not know any native speaker who says "clean my clothes" unless they refer to dry cleaning. I also do not know anyone who says "bathe". I live in Midwest. He isn't British or Australian by chance? It is amazing to me what different phrases they use in UK.
lovehadley
Original Author
15 years ago
He is actually from Maine. We live in the midwest, though.
nicksmom
15 years ago
I wonder if it's regional dialect. My SD15 also says "clean" for washing clothes. She lived her first 5 years here in Michigan, but then the next 10 in North Carolina. We say wash clothes, clean the house...here in Michigan.
liesbeth
15 years ago
I say: "There's the washing powder, this is the washing machine, knock yourself out!" :-)
imamommy
15 years ago
If I use the broom to sweep, I am cleaning the floor. If I use soap & water with a brush, I am washing the floor. (if it's just a damp sponge or rag mop, I am mopping the floor)

If I am washing clothes (isn't it called a washer & dryer?), they ARE getting clean but I am still washing them. When they are folded, they are clean clothes, not washed clothes. When they come out of the 'washer', they are washed clothes.

I wash my car and then it is clean. (that's on the outside) but if I am vacuuming the carpet or dusting the dash, then I am cleaning the inside.

None of this really matters since I let my husband do all the cleaning anyways. He lives for straight lines in carpets and spot free glassware. I let him knock himself out while I relax and watch my shows in DVR!
justnotmartha
15 years ago
Ima - your husband makes me swoon! :-)

I wash clothes, but then they are clean. I clean the house. I wash the dishes. I also wash the exterior of the car but clean out the inside. Native West Coaster.
colleenoz
15 years ago
I can assure you that British and Australian people wash their clothes. If I was to "clean" clothes, that would be a surface touch-up.
organic_maria
15 years ago
HAHAHHA..mens minds sometimes! lol
I say, clean my house, wash my clothes, and dry clean other clothes.
And my husband also has Learned...lol. so say wash the dishes and not Clean the dishes.
Yup....give him a mop, and show him how to clean the clothes...hehehehehelol.
You know as long as you can understand what he means its ok.
I used to ask my brother to pull the plads down. Now he understood what i meant. Pull the shades down. My hubby looked at me in confusiong when i asked him once to pull the plads down. He said...its close the blinds...lol..
lamom
15 years ago
Here in CA we wash clothes, dry clean clothes, clean a house or floor, wash dishes, wash windows, do laundry. Clean clothes means clothes that are already laundered or dry cleaned as in not dirty.

Question about washing vs. cleaning (non-SF related)

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cindy_pond

disengaging

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Question about washing vs. cleaning (non-SF related)

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