Can you wash shabbos clothes in the 9 days?

Senior Member Joined: May 10 2009 Posts: 170

Does anyone know if you can wash shabbos clothes in the 9 days? Can I wash the tablecloth if its dirty from shabbos and I need it next week? Can I wash my shabbos clothes if I won't have anything else to wear?

I know you'll tell me to ask my LOR but dh hasn't officially got a rav as we just moved to a new community...

You can clean a stain (just the stain). Otherwise you can't launder. If you need a special heter, you'll have to take the advice you don't want - ask an OR. Where are you/ what kind of rav? Maybe someone here can give you a name/ number. Or ask your old rav - it's simple enough by phone.
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I think a lot of us will have this problem this year. 2 shabbosim. I don't know if I have enough tablecloths. We had tons of guests on shabbos and will likely have lots this shabbos. (plus sleepover guests)

I think I can manage with shabbos clothes, but its towels and sheets and tablecloths that are the problem. I can't give guests used sheets and towels. Sad

What I know of is that if it is letzorech and you don't have anything else you wash and then you throw it on the floor and rumple it and then it is not "clean and new". But only if you really need it (like sheets or towels to give guests) and have no alternative. You have to use your intuitive knowledge however of what you really need. A baby who will run out of cloth diapers for example, you wash without question if you can't afford to buy more.

Any chance of buying a paper tablecloth for that one shabbat? Or a disposable woven one that they now sell. Under such circumstances I doubt that anyone - and I am the queen of not wanting to use disposables, remember?! - would raise an eyebrow. Again if you can afford it...
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Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48156

Pretty sure that friends have told me that the rov says to buy new, rather than wash. But maybe you can borrow from a neighbor ?

Platinum Member Joined: Apr 12 2010 Posts: 5799

I heard to buy new anything rather than to wash but problem is when you need tights and ALL the stores here are closed!

I remember my mother being told that towels and shmattes (that will otherwise smell, and are needed) can be washed along with baby clothes that are needed. Once the load is going in, you can put anything else that may be needed. I plan on using this heter since there is no way I will have enough stuff for my baby to wear especially if he goes through 2 pjs a night!
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Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18312

Not everyone holds that you can do the floor thing.

And I've also heard it might be better to buy than wash.

You need to ask a rav. Sorry Sad

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good idea about the disposable tablecloth. Or we will use the interesting assortment of cloths we have that people have given as gifts over the year. Hopefully it will be a quieter shabbos, with less tourists.

Raisin, you should ask about the towels and sheets - maybe it's allowed since it's considered like you've run out.

What's that heter, stinky stuff can be washed, and you can throw in more non-stinky stuff? I am drowning in laundry, buth stinky and not, and my kids can't find clothes. This started on Motzaei Shabbos. Rolling Eyes

Today my once-a-week cleaner will find more clothes all over the house, and get everything wet with sponga water, and throw it in the laundry room, because that's what she does.

Also, we're supposed to go on vacation the morning after the fast. When exactly do I pack clean clothes for everyone?

Executive Member Joined: Jul 13 2009 Posts: 290

Are you sephardi? If you are then you can do laundry-and shave, shower, etc. Restrictions only kept in week that tisha b'av falls in. This year not kept at all because pushed to sunday

for children younger than seven you can wash everything.
if it's not shavua shechal bo you may wash what you need for shabos.
the real question is: is this week considered shavua shechal bo?

- Why is it better to buy new than to wash old? That is counterintuitive to me.

- I would wash clothes for Shabbat if I had no alternative (or if the only alternative was stinky clothing). Shabbat is still Shabbat.

As it is nidcheh I think that this week is shavua shechal bo, no?

I was told (but need to check this up) that since tisha bav is pushed off you can do laundry straight after tisha b'av. (since it is already 10 av at night)

Gold Member Joined: Mar 04 2009 Posts: 2236

I think I will need to ask a sheilah. My daughter is starting camp during the nine days which makes it really hard laundry wise. I found some shmattah t-shirts she is wearing in the meanwhile but underwear and socks are not in endless supply and I don't want to send her with dirty stuff to take along. Anyone else have this problem?

Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18312

Honestly, why are you asking now? Why didn't you ask 2 weeks ago or just have bought some?

Maybe it's my control-freak nature, but I've been counting clothing for the past month to make sure we can get through the nine days, barring unforseen circumstances.