Nine Days - Laundry

Hello,

We have been learning about the Nine Days of mourning which precede Tisha b'Av.

Traditionally, we don't wear freshly laundered clothing during this period; this is an act of mourning. Even the act of laundering clothing for later use is deemed an act of distraction from mourning.

[This may be understood in terms of the pleasant feeling of new clothing, as well as the fact that a mourner, in his most intense, abject state, has no interest in new things or in the future, and so he does not wear new things or launder clothes.]

Note:
1. This does not apply to Shabbat; on Shabbat we wear fresh clothing.
2. One may wear freshly laundered clothing for several minutes before the Nine Days begin, for enough time that the freshness is gone, and thus render the clothing usable during the Nine Days.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 551:3)

Have a good day,
Mordechai