What Is the Strangest Thing You Found You Have Washed in the Washing Machine?

Updated on August 18, 2010
H.J. asks from Saint Paul, MN
22 answers

What is the strangest thing you found you have washed in the washing machine? I have found some pretty crazy things!

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L.D.

answers from Las Vegas on

My son collects small plastic animals and bugs. Can't tell you how many times this arachnophobic mom has pulled out plastic spiders from the washer and dryer. Ick!!!

2 moms found this helpful

M.P.

answers from Provo on

My entire family (15 people total. Parents, sister, brothers and their kids) lived in one house with one washing machine and dryer. Well one day I found a disposable diaper that my sister had put in there. I had to sanitize both washer and dryer 3 times before I was comfortable with putting anything in there. lol! Thank goodness we are all in different area's!

2 moms found this helpful

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K.B.

answers from Milwaukee on

This was not in my washer by my dryer... a chipmunk (who sadly I did not find till after he died do to the heat), a few days later ANOTER chipmunk and a few days later a baby mole. The first one just feel down the dry vent and did not find till the smell, the next chipmunk chewed a hole in the lint catcher (which the dryer vent leads to) and was inside my dryer (WHAT a surprise when I opened it up and quickly closing it going what am I going to do now, call to hubby to help tip the dryer while I held a BIG pillow case over the opening to get the chippy out) and the mole just feel down the dryer vent and my cats were going crazy (this one I took care of myself by putting a pillow case over the hole where the dryer vent connects and the mole crawled in THANKFULLY). We now have a NEW dryer vent on the outside of the house so the critters stay out :)

4 moms found this helpful
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C.W.

answers from Austin on

I found a banana once... all sorts of mushed up and split open, but still there! (NEVER letting hubby do laundry again... how the heck do you miss a BANANA?!?!)

4 moms found this helpful

M.L.

answers from Houston on

Just the other day, I found my firstborn's sonogram pictures in the washing machine. No idea how they got in there! It made me sad though, because they were the only ones I had of him and now they are ruined.

3 moms found this helpful
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M.M.

answers from Dallas on

I have found lighters, weed whacker strings, screws/bolts/washers, money, gum/candy, various pocket size toys, lens cloths, paper clips, pens/pencils and I am sure many other things I can't think of them right now.

2 moms found this helpful

J.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

Ohhh geez. LOL. Bolts, car fuses/misc car parts that I don't know what they are, drill bits, lighters, a pack of cigarettes, small hand held tools. It mostly comes from my boyfriends pockets (he's a mechanic). =)

2 moms found this helpful
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C.M.

answers from Bismarck on

floor mats of my car--but I put them in there on purpose!

1 mom found this helpful
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M.I.

answers from Albuquerque on

I find dollar bills occasionally, I figure it's my tip! LOL

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S.R.

answers from McAllen on

Do you know does little butter squares they give you at some restaurants or marmalade?
My husband (I for my life can't imagine why) puts them in his pockets!!!! really?? I get one at least every month!!! JAJAJAJA
I also found a panty liner, I have lost and found rings in my washer/ dryer, rocks, shells that my little boy keeps in his pockets
OH!! and I washed a $1500 check once!! OOPS!!!

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

contact lenses in their case, pocket knives, pencils, chunks of broken glass, rocks, money, alarm clock, box cutter.

I have a 12 yr old boy. (who has always picked up things from the playground dirt). And my husband works shift work where he occasionally will nap at work, hence the travel alarm clock and contact lenses he has left in his pants pockets. I would normally notice these items, but sometimes he is helpful with the laundry. :)

You might find some even crazier things in your laundry if you clean out your drain filter. I didn't know you could do that until recently. I did it a few months ago... and found about 1/4 cup of change, several pencils, hair clips, jewelry, a disintegrated pocket knife (the wood came off and the blades all fell off the main part) a couple of bottle caps (my kids collect them) and a few other odds and ends. Now my washer drains just fine! :)) All this from a machine less than 4 years old!

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Nuts and bolts, Slim Jim wrappers and of course, the much loved (and frequent) KLEENEX!

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G.P.

answers from Detroit on

A small rock hard piece of poop...Don't ask, because I don't even know.

S.M.

answers from Columbus on

My husband never checks pockets so I've washed credit cards, matchbooks, napkins, and so on. Also I found a fridge magnet in the dryer, I think our 2 year old hid it in there. The worst was when I washed a pen but it didn't break open until I moved the load to the dryer. It ruined an entire load of whites, including several of my husband's nice work shirts & khaki pants, and now the inside of the dryer has permanent blue streaks!

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K.H.

answers from Minneapolis on

I will not check pockets if the clothes are in the basket so I have washed several of my husbands cell phones and his wallet numerous times, but this by far takes the cake....

I opened the dryer door just last month and a frog flew out, I washed and dried him. My son is 3 and I have a sneaking suspicion he put the frog in his pocket to play with later. LOL!!!!

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W.E.

answers from Sacramento on

a coffee mug full of half melted ice cream. luckily I decided to sort thru what was in the machine before I started it, and halfway down the barrell under a ton of clothes I found the cup. my mom has dementia, so we're pretty sure it was her that stuck it in there!

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A.J.

answers from Sacramento on

I found slimy ol' worms smashed up in a load of my 2 yrs clothes...I didn't think to check his pockets for something like that. I've also just patted if I didn't feel anything I didn't check. This time around I was kind of glad I didn't....ewww!! I even had to have my hubby double check, I couldn't believe they were somewhat still intact!! Boys!!

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J.F.

answers from Muncie on

My husbands wallet that he thought that he had lost and had cancelled all the credit cards.... I have found many disposible diapers and wipes.

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M.C.

answers from Detroit on

My cell phone....urgggh!

Y.C.

answers from New York on

My husband once watch my nice Victoria Secret coat!!!
I just couldn't believe it, he had this look of really, you can't.
This is why we have to teach our kids (girls and boys to do laundry!).
In his defense, I have make the mistake to don't check pockets and I wash my daughters clothes with a crayons on it, not the washables one of course.
Those stains never came out :0(

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

LOL... yeah I've washed and dried my DH's cellphones too many times to count (I will NOT check pockets if the pants are already IN the hamper). Some work (even after several washings) some don't.

The most pain in the tucus thing EVER was a diaper. It exploded. And shredded. That stuff STICKS to everything, btw. Oy. Pain in the _______.

Aside from those we've had:

- wallets
- remotes
- "treasures" (rocks, sticks, leaves, shiny bits, strings... anything my son hides in his pockets and I don't find ahead of time)
- Toys (that I wasn't intending to wash)
- Cash (money laundering legally)
- A snorkle
- My Dog (will hop in the dryer to eat socks. No lie. He opens the door with his mouth and climbs in. I call him my "Dog in a Cat Suit")
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J.W.

answers from Chicago on

The strangest thing was my cell phone a couple of months ago. I washed and dried it, and found it in the dryer in 3 pieces. The craziest thing is I put it back together and charged it and it still works! I am still using it. It's a little beat up, but I don't mind. I have also washed my husband's bluetooth headset (which did not survive). Thanks for the question!

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