Dream Symbols | Objects

Laundry Dream Meaning: Dreams About Washing Clothes

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Laundry is a part of modern life we can’t escape, so of course dreams of washing clothes are common. It may seem like a mundane task, but there is actually a lot of surprising symbolism when you see clothes that need washed in dreams.

What It Means to Dream of Washing Clothes

dream about washing clothes

If you see a washing machine in your dream, or maybe you have a big pile of clothes that needs tended to, it tells us to look at our everyday life and examine what areas need improvement. We can learn a lot about how to solve some of our daily problems from a dream like this!

1. Your To-Do List is Too Long

If you dream about washing clothes or see piles of laundry in a dream, you are most likely thinking about your never-ending to-do list. You might have appointments you need to get to and are unsure how you will fit them into your busy schedule.

2. You Are Bored With Routine Activities

When you  consider you could be dreaming about anything – like going on a space adventure to worlds or something more exciting like flying, it’s kind of boring and disappointing to have dreams of clothes needing washed. 

This usually means we need a change of pace and something a little more interesting to help us stay happy in life. It might be a good time to consider a career change or even to move to a new place where you will find some exciting and positive challenges. 

3. You Feel Like Others Are Judging You

As a mom, I know lots of moms feel judged when the laundry piles up too high. It’s embarrassing when you have a laundry basket full of socks and not one of them matches. 

The reality is we often feel as if we are being judged even when we are not actually being judged. Most people are rarely as hard on us as we are on ourselves. It’s easy to think we are not doing a good job, especially when we compare ourselves to where we want to be. 

Comparison is the thief of joy. – Theodore Roosevelt

If we want to be happy, we need to realize that it doesn’t matter what other people think. If you know in your heart who you are and that you are doing the right thing, you have nothing to fear. 

4. Feelings of Guilt: Is it time to come clean?

The act of washing clothes is often associated with cleaning – and if you are guilty of a crime or doing wrong it is likely a sign that you have a dirty conscious. While clothes in dreams typically symbolize our outward appearance, the act of washing them means we are trying to clean and correct our wrongdoings. 

Ask yourself: Is there something from my past I am trying to correct? Do I seek approval or forgiveness from others? Do I have a guilty conscious for something that may not have been within my control?

5. Are You Ready and Prepared?

clothesline drying clothes dream meaning

Seeing piles of neatly folded clothes and towels can mean that you are organizing your affairs and that you are prepared for anything. You may feel a great sense of satisfaction seeing neatly organized shirts, pants, and dresses all hanging perfectly. 

Sometimes this means you feel like you aren’t prepared. Most dream symbols either are exactly what they seem – but sometimes they can be the opposite. It’s sort of like how you can have a reverse tarot card meaning if the card is drawn upside down. 

Pay attention to how you feel about the arrangement of items folded and put away. If you feel as if you can’t keep up, you are not ready. If you feel a sense of ease and accomplishment in the dream, you are confident and capable of seeing success no matter what might happen.

Sometimes this can also mean we need to start getting organized in our own lives. Is everything cluttered? Could you benefit from some organizational systems in place at your own home?


Additional Meaning of Dreams About Washing Clothes

When you have any sort of dream, it’s important to take into consideration the context of the dream symbol itself. A pile of laundry sitting neglected at the bottom of the basement stairs in a dream is certainly different than seeing all of your personal clothing items being hung and strewn across a city for all to see. 

Dream of Clothes Hanging on a Clothesline Drying

Think about your dream of a clothesline. Was it a peaceful and happy scene in a rural setting? This could mean that you are experiencing great satisfaction and contentment. You feel as if your needs are met and you are calm and happy with your current state of affairs.

In contrast, if you see a clothesline in your dream and find yourself horrified by what clothing is being hung out to dry for all to see, it is likely you are very upset with how your current work is going. You may feel as if someone has betrayed you, or you may feel worried that your deep personal secrets may be soon discovered.   

There is an expression “Hanging the dirty clothes out to see”, which means it is time for someone to see what things have been done wrong. It is time for the truth to come out. 


Dreaming of Piles of Laundry Needing Washed

This is a dream indicating that you feel overwhelmed and are neglected key areas in your life due to an enormous workload. You may feel as if you are stressed out and that you cannot keep up with all of the demands placed on you. 

Sometimes this can mean that you are trying to sort and reorganize your current life. Maybe you are restructuring in business, or you may even be thinking about better ways to improve your efficiency and productivity.


Dreams of Putting Clothes in the Dryer

Wet clothes need dried, and dryers are a good sign for air and circulation. Most washers and dryers spin the clothes in a cyclical motion, and so in this dream it is possible the washing machine and dryer are a symbol for cyclic events that happen frequently. 

Have you ever had dreams about washing clothes in the past? Think about what events happened then, and now compare what events are going on now. It could be you are experiencing similar thoughts, emotions, or even related life events. 

You may feel as if you are always going around and around spinning in circles but never really getting anywhere in life. Remember this: sometimes we need to be ready before we can truly take off! You cannot wear a wet shirt very comfortably, and so the spinning around in circles is what helps the shirt be ready to wear. 

Our life is a lot like this. You can’t start a new life if you are not ready. Sometimes we have to spin around in circles so to speak in our own relationships and careers before we are ready to know what it is we really were made to do. 


Dreaming about Washing Other People’s Clothes

If you are washing someone else’s clothes in the dream, it means you feel as if you need to help this person. You may be wondering what you can do to ease their own pains and burdens. You may love this person very deeply and are willing to do whatever it takes to help that person succeed. 

laundromat dream meaning

Dreams About Laundromat

Dreaming about a laundromat means you are trying to figure out a way to scale up your current operations. You may have some grand ideas for the future – it is important to remember to plan accordingly. 

If there are other people at the laundromat in the dream, it can mean that you may form a sudden and unexpected relationship with someone new. This person may or may not be someone you already know. Make sure you listen to your intuition. 

The laundromat may also be a symbol for feeling overwhelmed with how you feel about other people in your life. Are you comfortable with your current role in your relationships? Do you feel as if you are getting stuck somewhere? Are you able to communicate with others easily?

Someone Else Washing Your Clothes

If you have a dream where someone has stolen your laundry or your clothes and they washed them, it means you feel as if your privacy has been violated. You may feel like someone doesn’t understand that you want to be independent. Someone is prying into your business where they don’t belong. 

Conversely, this dream could be a sign that you need to find ways to be more independent. You may feel as if you need someone to take care of you, when reality is you are the person who is responsible for your own happiness and joy in life. 

Other Things to Consider If You Are Washing Clothes in Dreams 

If you keep having these dreams, there are a couple of other things to pay attention to that will help you understand more about what they are about. Every person and dream is unique and you are the best interpreter of your dreams. Here’s some ways to better understand your own dream interpretation for washing clothes. 

What color clothes are you washing? What kind of clothes are being washed? 

Colors can mean a lot of different things in our dreams, especially when you are washing clothes.

If you dream about a yellow shirt being washed, that can mean that you feel nervous about coming clean about a situation. If you dream about a red shirt being washed, it can mean that you are angry and trying to sort out and release these feelings of anger.

See more about color symbolism in dreams here.

The type of clothes also makes a pretty big difference. If you are washing business suits that is different from washing dirty beat up clothes from working outside. Dirty clothes might symbolize hard work or little reward, whereas a business suit could mean that you are feeling uneasy about current dealings in your life. 

Dreaming of a fancy ball gown being washed, or dreaming of washing dry clean only clothes in a washing machine, can mean that you are failing to see how and why things need to be done a certain way.

You may not understand the practicality of the small and minor details that make a big difference. This is especially true if you are trying to accomplish a goal but only have your sights set on the top. Remember you need a solid foundation to build upon!

How Does Your Real Life Laundry Situation Compare to Real Life?

Many years ago, I rented an apartment above a laundromat. I would sometimes have dreams about the laundromat, but it wasn’t because I was dreaming about laundry – that was seriously just where I was living at the time. In that case, it was actually a symbol for home, comfort and warmth for me. I’m sure the scent of dryer sheets floating up through my upstairs window had something to do with that!

If you do laundry at home, look at your current process. Are you happy with what you have?

Laundry sometimes comes to remind us to practice gratitude. If you’re looking at all these fancy laundry rooms that belong on a magazine, perhaps it is time to remember we need to be thankful for what we have. Would you rather have dirty clothes and no washing machine at all?

Every day these mundane tasks are a reminder for us to practice mindfulness and gratitude in everything we do. It might be something boring, but it’s definitely important to stay thankful and happy.


Did you have a dream you would like to share about clothes being washed you want interpreted? Tell us about your dreams in the comments section below!

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