Washing . . . Again

Babs03 I can assure you a big standard wash did not get rid of my son's sweaty smells. Well it did till it got warm from ironing or body heat. I've been married twice and have 3 sons and this was only an issue with one of them. Maybe you've just not come across it.

I have skin allergies and I am very wary of using too many washing products, which all seem to be made fom harsh chemicals that require warning signs in red and doubt consume a lot of energy to produce the raw materials then manufacture., so I just turn the heat up and wash at 60 with a minimal portion of washing liquid.

It is money and emisssions on my electicity bill, but fewer from my housekeeping.

Synthetic sporty type long sleeved base layer top (not mine) was washed t’other day on 30 degree -30minute minute quick wash on a Beko.
The arm pits still reeked -truly! and so I re-washed with a “deodorising” liquid designed for quick wash cycles, not much improvement.
I absolutely hate this machine now (not mine -thankfully) with a passion as all the other “normal”programmes on it no matter if at only 20 degrees just go on and on for hours.
Only the hottest wash for sheets and towels eg smells like clean washing should. 😩
Daren’t criticise machine -to him as it is quite new!

I like clothes to smell good, but not overpowering. There is one conditioner in particular that is very strong and can be smelt over perfume etc on public transport. I don't know what it is, but I don't like it. I use Tallow and Ash on clothes (particularly hand knits) and Kirkland powder (Costco own brand) for towels and sheets, with a bit of Lenor.

I think the smell is a matter of taste (that sounds odd, but you know what I mean), but agree that the constant fearmongering about bacteria and the like is just Marketing. Clothes would have to be really manky to infect someone.

Laundry ‘pods’ are the most expensive of all the detergent options just so you’re aware, and powder is the cheapest.Pods contain the detergent and usually fabric softener plus other cleaning materials.I reckon soon there will only be these pods which will force us to pay, in some cases 50%more.
Depending on the material to be washed I wouldn’t go splashing white vinegar around, there’s no need in any case as detergent does the job.If using powder or washing liquid/ gel it’s a case of less is more.

I think an item of clothing would have to be very dirty and sweaty to retain any smell after a bog standard 40 degree wash.
My daughter and SiLs running gear is often whiffy but that comes out fine.
Perhaps if someone rolled in liquid fertiliser and then rubbed an extremely smelly cheese all over themselves it might cause problems, but otherwise a bog standard wash should do.

I just look for the cheapest powder/liquid in the supermarket I happen to be in. (Prefer powder in cardboard). No conditioner and I like a rough towel.

I have five plastic balls which go in the drum and are supposed to give a better wash with cheaper powder. Had them for years but I’m not sure they do anything…

I stopped using conditioner 20 years ago. I line dry when possible and do not have a tumble dryer. I use capsules mainly for convenience. I only wash at 30 or 40 degrees and my clothes are fine.

Jaxjacky

Liquid soap, no conditioner or other additions, I use soda crystals to clean the machine every couple of months, leave the door upen after washing for a few hours. I’ve never had a rumple drier, so the washing is outside or on an airer with a dehumidifier running in a spare bedroom.
There are two of us, washing is roughly once a week on an eco wash, extra wash for towels, the drum takes a 10lb load.

I’ve never had a rumple drier either, but it sounds fun!

I line dry when possible. I took a t-shirt that I haven’t worn for months out of a drawer the other day. It still smelt of outdoors and summer, I couldn’t stop sniffing it. ❤️

I use M&S non-bio liquid at about half the suggested amount for everything except cashmere jumpers, when I use a product for wool. No conditioner. I think our clothes and linen smells fine. I used that Dettol sanitiser when we’d had a flood and I used towels to mop up floors etc. It left the towels with huge faded patches on them.

I was amused by the washing instructions on a new chiffon type top this week. It said ‘Unless dirty, wash at 30deg.’

Our washing smells really nice, I love the smell of freshly cleaned laundry. I just use Lidl washing capsules and their fabric conditioner. Smells lovely when I wear the clothes.

AreWeThereYet
One of the worst things is that all these chemicals find their way into the water systems and have to be cleaned out.

Astitchintime
More likely they find their way into the seas and oceans and are damaging sealife.

A product that claimed not to harm the environment would be a really good product.

AreWeThereYet

One of the worst things is that all these chemicals find their way into the water systems and have to be cleaned out.

More likely they find their way into the seas and oceans and are damaging sealife.

In view of all the advertising, I kept sniffing my freshly washed clothes once they were dry, just in case.

I’ve never had a problem, but then I wonder, am I not noticing because we don’t notice a familiar smell?

We’re currently using those sheets, which was another reason for wondering about smells.
Some say. Put in the drum before adding the washing others have a little picture of a happy housewife tossing in a sheet on to of half a drum of washing.
Which way is right, and is one make of sheet only suitable for half loads?

Perhaps I really need term to start again so I’ve got something else to think about.

Liquid soap, no conditioner or other additions, I use soda crystals to clean the machine every couple of months, leave the door upen after washing for a few hours. I’ve never had a rumple drier, so the washing is outside or on an airer with a dehumidifier running in a spare bedroom.
There are two of us, washing is roughly once a week on an eco wash, extra wash for towels, the drum takes a 10lb load.

Just ecover liquid plus (sometimes) good old-fashioned washing soda. Nothing else. I hate "artificial smells" of any kinds: fresh air is the best smell of all IMO. We have "average" water (not notably hard or soft) and no problems with laundry smelling! Sometimes we use the tumble-dryer (if desperate to dry towels or cotton bedding in wet weather) but even then we include only a "sheeps' wool ball" as a "softener".

V3ra

theworriedwell

One of my sons had very sweaty underarms as a teenager. I just used to splash some white vinegar on the underarms of his shirts/t shirts. Did the job.

I wonder if that would be effective on stains, and easier to apply using a spray bottle... 🤔

I never thought about that, spray bottle sounds a great idea. It did get rid of all the smell, before I used it I would be ironing his things and get the smell and the vinegar stopped that completely.

theworriedwell

One of my sons had very sweaty underarms as a teenager. I just used to splash some white vinegar on the underarms of his shirts/t shirts. Did the job.

I wonder if that would be effective on stains, and easier to apply using a spray bottle... 🤔

One of the worst things is that all these chemicals find their way into the water systems and have to be cleaned out.

Yes, it's a sales technique, encouraging us to raise our cleaning game to frenzy level on the back of the virus-fear we developed after Covid. One of the most basic techniques of advertising is to present consumers with a nonexistent problem (like personal smells that "keep coming back" in our laundry). Luckily for us, the ad then reveals a miracle cure fin the form of whichever chemically-enhanced gunk they're flogging. This is actually quite clever manipulation of our fear of being criticised by other people. I now do most of my laundry with maybe a tablespoonful of eco-laundry-liquid, on a zero-degree wash. Haven't yet perceived any increase in the way our home/clothes/bodies smell...

If I'm honest I'd rather smell a bit of sweat than most of the highly perfumed washing products 😆 I have to send MrA to get laundry stuff because the smell in the aisles is so overpowering.

I can't stay at a friend's house because she uses scenty stuff on the sheets and the smell makes me heave. Last time I stayed I slept on the floor.

One of my sons had very sweaty underarms as a teenager. I just used to splash some white vinegar on the underarms of his shirts/t shirts. Did the job.

Max 40.

Aldi powder, out on the line if weather allows, otherwise indoors, or over the bannister if sheets. Hand ironing ie smoothing, as I fold. Done. ☑️
I don’t clean out my washing machine often….. I should as we have hard water here. . Any suggestions?