Washing clothes might be a boring, menial task, but when you dream about it, it can have a deeper spiritual meaning.
However, since there are several different ways to interpret such a dream, in this post, we discuss the meaning of a washing clothes dream to help you understand what it might symbolize.
Dream of Washing Clothes – The symbolism
Since dream interpretation is so subjective, and the meaning of any dream can depend as much on the dreamer as on what they saw in the dream, we need to start by looking at the symbolism of washing clothes to see what this imagery might suggest to different people.
Clean clothes represent purity, so the message of this dream could be related to cleansing and a return to innocence – but at the same time, it could also be connected to healing or renewal.
To other people, washing clothes is seen as a chore, so the symbolism of a dream about washing clothes could be something to do with boredom or repetitive tasks.
At the same time, when we finish a boring task such as washing clothes, we can feel a sense of achievement as well as relief that the job is finished, so this dream could be connected with coming to the end of something difficult.
Finally, washing clothes could be seen by some as representing a duty that needs to be performed, however much we dislike it, and for someone who thinks of washing clothes in this way, the correct interpretation could be something along these lines.
Interpreting a dream about washing clothes
Having looked at some of the symbolism of washing clothes and the associations we have with the task, now we can move on to thinking about some of the most common ways of interpreting such a dream.
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Purification
One way to interpret a dream of washing clothes is to see the clothes as representing your inner soul – and if this is the case, the dream could represent your desire for purification and a return to innocence.
It could be that in the past, you have done things you regret – as everybody almost certainly has – and although you can’t go back and change them, you want to draw a line under what happened before and move forward in a more positive frame of mind.
Washing your clothes in a dream could represent the desire to purify your soul as you seek to focus more on spiritual growth and development.
You can seek this kind of absolution from past sins – either in a religious or non-religious way – by facing your errors, admitting them to yourself and promising yourself not to make the same mistakes again.
Then, once you have accepted your past mistakes, you will find yourself more able to pursue the spiritual evolution and enlightenment you seek.
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Seeking forgiveness
A similar interpretation of this dream is that you are looking for forgiveness from somebody you have previously wronged. You know you have done something that hurt somebody, and now you want to ask for forgiveness and repair the damage.
If, during deep thought or meditation, you realize this to be the case, this dream could be a message telling you to speak to the person and say sorry for what happened in the past.
After that, you can leave events of the past behind you, and both of you can meet the future in a healthier and more positive way, free of anger, hatred or regret.
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Hidden worries or anxieties
Dreaming of washing your clothes may tell you that you have hidden worries or anxieties that you are suppressing or hiding from – or that you are only aware of on a semi-conscious level.
Sometimes, things that trouble us can build up imperceptibly so that we are unaware of how much they are playing on our minds. And since we are unaware that they are bothering us, we don’t take the required actions to put things right.
For this reason, a dream of washing clothes can tell you that you need to spend time thinking about your life and your troubles to analyze what is causing you stress.
Then, once you have understood which issues are upsetting and worrying you, you will be able to work out the best ways to deal with them, allowing you to wash away your problems, just like the dirt from your clothes in the dream.
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Preparing for change or a new start
Another possibility is that a dream about washing clothes could represent a big change or a new start that is on its way.
It’s easy to see why washing clothes can symbolize a new start in the dream world because new starts often require us to prepare ourselves mentally and spiritually for what is to come.
If we want to put our best foot forward and face the future in a positive frame of mind, we need to put on clean clothes – in a metaphorical sense.
To put it another way, we need to clean up and freshen our minds and unburden ourselves of any mental baggage we’ve picked up that’s holding us back.
Metaphorically, we need to wash away certain elements of the past to allow us to move forward unhindered by what’s happened before, so dreaming of washing clothes can be a clear indication that this is what’s currently taking place in your waking life.
In this case, you should be ready to embrace the transformation and change that’s on its way and seize the opportunities you are presented with.
Alternatively, the dream could tell you that you are in need of a change in your life and that you should prepare yourself for this big change and then go out and make it happen.
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Stagnation or boredom in your life
A dream of washing old clothes could also tell you that your life has stagnated and that you are bored in your current existence.
It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut when all we do is focus on the daily grind, but after a while, we begin to behave like machines, mindlessly repeating the same actions day after day and week after week without ever taking any joy from our existence.
If you dream of washing clothes and feel that your life is beginning to resemble this repetitive routine that never changes, it could be the time to freshen things up.
Perhaps you need to take a trip somewhere, or maybe you need to find a new job – or anything else that forces you to do things differently.
Stepping out of your comfort zone and challenging yourself can be scary at first – but this is what allows you to grow and develop both mentally and spiritually, so this dream could be a message that now is the time to be brave and do something a bit more daring.
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You are concealing something
If you’ve ever heard the saying “don’t wash your dirty laundry in public”, you’ll understand why dreaming of washing your clothes can sometimes represent something that you are hiding.
Perhaps you have a secret, maybe you have wronged someone or it could be that you have behaved in an underhand or dishonest manner.
You are the only one who can know what provoked this dream, and if you know what you’ve done, you can take the dream as a kind of admonition.
However, at the same time, you can take something positive from it because this dream is also telling you that it’s better for things to come out on your terms rather than being discovered by accident by others.
This means if you own up to your mistakes or misbehavior and apologize for them now, you will have more chance of being forgiven. But if those you have wronged learn about what you’ve done by themselves, things will be a lot worse for you.
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Washing white clothes – forgiving others
If you dream about washing a pile of white clothes, it can represent your willingness to forgive somebody else. If somebody has wronged you and you still hold a grudge, now is the time to be more receptive to their apologies.
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Washing delicate clothes – you are facing a difficult problem
When you dream of washing delicate clothes, it tells you that you are facing a thorny problem – and that you will need to be careful how you handle matters if you hope to find a peaceful solution.
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Washing a large pile of clothes – you are feeling overwhelmed
Dreaming about washing a large pile of clothes tells you that you are feeling overwhelmed by all your responsibilities in life, so now could be the time to reassess how much you can really handle – and who might be able to take over some of your responsibilities for you.
Follow your intuition to help understand your dream
Since there are several ways to understand a dream about washing clothes, you should think carefully about how the dream might apply to your current life situation. Then, by following your intuition, you will be guided to the correct interpretation of what you saw.