One laundry slip, one frozen knit—and advice you’ll want this winter

Drying clothes in winter can be a tricky task—especially when the weather doesn’t cooperate and time slips away.

One woman’s recent laundry mishap has struck a chord with thousands, showing just how quickly things can go from routine to ridiculous.

What unfolded offers both a laugh and a lesson about winter laundry woes.


Drying the laundry in winter can already feel like a losing battle—limited daylight, unpredictable weather and the constant race to bring things in before the cold creeps in.

But for one Canberra woman, a single missed moment turned her most treasured jumper into something completely unrecognisable.

She shared the moment online this week, revealing how a simple request to her husband ended in disaster.


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Winter wash mistake leaves jumper frozen solid. Image source: TikTok/oliviar123456


And while some found humour in the mishap, others offered practical advice for anyone who finds themselves in the same chilly predicament.

In her viral post, the woman—who goes by @oliviar123456 on social media—explained the frosty fate of her favourite knit.

‘I asked [my husband] to bring my very expensive Dissh jumper in last night inside,’ she said.
‘It is frozen solid. It is absolutely frozen f****** solid.’

In the comments, she clarified that she had been in the shower with their baby when she asked him, so he hadn’t heard her request. The result? A very expensive jumper left out overnight in Canberra’s freezing temperatures.

She continued: ‘I’m just going to die. This literally is the most expensive jumper, and look what it’s become!’


The video quickly took off on social media, with viewers sharing a mix of sympathy and humour.

The post attracted over a million views, with commenters joking about the frozen sweater’s new, rigid form.

‘The care label says don’t tumble dry, but also didn’t say don’t put in the freezer,’ wrote one person.

‘New art piece?’ another added.


Source: TikTok/oliviar123456​


Others shared their own similar experiences—many from their time living in Canberra’s brutal winters.

‘I lived in Canberra years and years ago and yes I did snap an arm off my jumper when I realised I left it outside,’ one person wrote.
‘My first winter in Canberra my jumper got frozen and I broke a chunk off it,’ another commented.

While the idea of frozen fashion may sound like a punchline, not everyone saw it as a lost cause.


Thankfully, not all hope was lost. Many in the comments chimed in with suggestions to reverse the damage—or at least soften the sweater.

‘Let it defrost and it will be fine,’ one person assured.

‘Just throw it out in the sun, it will thaw out,’ someone else said.

‘Should have tried soaking it in warm water maybe,’ another added.

And one person jokingly suggested: ‘Just put it on defrost mode in your microwave.’

From fashion faux pas to frozen art, the viral moment was a reminder that winter laundry needs a little extra care—and a lot of communication.

Key Takeaways
  • A woman’s jumper was left outside overnight in Canberra and froze solid after her husband missed her request to bring it in.
  • She shared the mishap on social media, where the video gained over a million views and sparked humorous reactions.
  • Many commenters shared similar experiences with frozen clothes during Canberra winters.
  • Viewers offered simple solutions like defrosting in the sun or soaking in warm water to fix the frozen jumper.

Have you ever forgotten the washing on the line overnight and woken up to an unpleasant surprise? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

In a previous story, we shared practical tips for drying laundry without a dryer—because winter weather doesn’t always play nice.

For older Australians trying to keep costs down and avoid damp clothes indoors, those simple strategies can be a real lifesaver.

If you’ve found yourself in a similar situation this season, that guide is well worth a look too.

Read more: How to dry laundry without a dryer when it's cold or wet outside
 

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I was on a school trip many years ago in Victoria and had washed my pyjamas out and hung them on the line to be retrieved by 2pm when we arrived back from a hiking trip but we didn’t get back until 5:30 by that time they were frozen and it was going to be 2 degrees that night so I had to wear my jumper and trousers to bed that night to keep warm all because my friend had vomited and it sprayed all over me and my pj’s . Oh the fun of school trips .
 
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As a child, my mum would hang the sheets and towels out in freezing winter temperatures in Canada. She loved the fresh smell, but would need to hang them up in the basement to thaw and dry.

Never did the sheets or towels snap off from being frozen. I find the statements that parts of the jumper had snapped off due to being frozen are ridiculous and unbelievable.
 
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I had just the opposite to frozen. Some years ago we had a clothes washer that heated the water, just by pushing a button whilst it was washing. Very young Grandson was staying with us and had a habit of pushing buttons any buttons he saw. Needless to say he pushed button on clothes washer which was on gentle cycle with woollens. End result woollen clothing for dolls clothing.
 
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Reactions: DLHM and magpie1
I had just the opposite to frozen. Some years ago we had a clothes washer that heated the water, just by pushing a button whilst it was washing. Very young Grandson was staying with us and had a habit of pushing buttons any buttons he saw. Needless to say he pushed button on clothes washer which was on gentle cycle with woollens. End result woollen clothing for dolls clothing.
Sounds funny to read it now, but I’ll bet at the time you weren’t laughing. Great little story! 😆
 
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Reactions: magpie1

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