I think you'll find yourself having more patience if you talk less and when you do talk, get extra silly about it. Something like a very very overexaggerated silly voice "Oh yes, of course, you meant cold not chilly, I can see how cold might have confused you since you were talking about being chilly!"
I do use that every so often, but I'm afraid it sometimes makes him feel stupid, so I try to do it only when he seems to be feeling relatively secure. If I can get him laughing, though, it's good.
When you need something done a simple "You can talk to me again when you have put your clothes away" then walk away. Don't let him engage you. I'd stick a sticky note on the mirror that says "Wash with soap or don't come out." If he comes out, don't talk, just walk into the bathroom, point and walk out. Less talk, more action!
Heh - I have posted print-outs from the CDC, I have told him the stats about how many children in our area have died and how many have been hospitalized, I have written mnemonics, I had him write a song, I posted a list of what people used for toilet paper before toilet paper existed ... oops, different issue!
Don't keep repeating yourself, you're going to go nuts!
I think I'm going to start repeating that to myself!
