Airing Dirty Laundry

Meaning:
Revealing unkind and damaging facts about an estranged friend.

Example:
Since the breakup, all James does is go around airing dirty laundry.

Did you know?
This idiom is a metaphor, stemming from the embarrassment one would feel if others saw the clothes, sheets and towels that needed washing. In addition, if the owner did not feel embarrassed, the witnesses would be. This works the same way for humiliating or extremely private family secrets that should not be talked about in front of others.