I live in an apartment building with a small community laundry room. Lately, people have been leaving their laundry in the machines after the cycles have finished, sometimes for hours at a time. Thus far, I have avoided removing anyone’s laundry from a machine so I could put my own in, but it’s becoming more tempting. May I? —ALLIE

THere’s a balancing act between shared resources (washers and dryers) and the sanctity of our sheets, towels, and underthings. Personally, I would leave the laundry alone for 30 minutes (15 if you’re in a rush), then remove it, leaving a friendly note that you waited for half an hour.  

—Adapted from “Social Q’s” in The New York Times Magazine