How long can you leave laundry in a shared washer?
Guilty
The short answer
Clothes should come out within an hour of the cycle ending. After that, a roommate may move them to a basket, but not onto the floor.
The ruling
From the public record. Names are replaced with roles.
Small claims division
Case no.PC-2026-06019
The roommate waiting to use the washer v. The roommate who left the wet towels
Filed 10/19/2026
- Plaintiff
- The roommate waiting to use the washer
- Defendant
- The roommate who left the wet towels
Statement of claim
My roommate started a load of towels on Friday night. On Sunday afternoon they were still in the washer and smelled like a pond. I had nothing clean to wear to work. She said she forgot they were in there.
Charge
Abandonment of wet towels in a shared washer for approximately 40 hours
Judgment
Guilty
Roommate found guilty of leaving wet towels in the washer all weekend
Sentence
The defendant rewashes the towels, runs one load for the plaintiff, and sets a phone timer for every load this month.
How the court usually rules on this
The court treats a shared washer like a parking spot: the cycle ends and the space is needed. A set time, usually an hour, is reasonable without any written rule. Moving someone's wet clothes to a clean basket is allowed and does not count as interference. A load left long enough to need washing again is a guilty verdict almost every time.
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