Washing

I use Ariel liquid wash and lenor. Cannot abide clothes not had softener in they are scratchy ..I think we must have hard water or it's because i never use a tumbler.

I got one of them blue bubble dryers . Amazing .

I thought I had bookmarked a fabric softener 'recipe'
But alas as yet I can't actually find it

However it was white vinegar mixed with the cheapest hair conditioner you can find .

I had intended to give it a go as an experiment,
But I can't remember the quantity required or if water was also added

Has any GNers tried it?

I found my washing was a bit rougher for a while after stopping softener, but soon reverted back to soft again.

I use supermarket (usually Lidl) own brand biological liquid wash.

I never use conditioner but whenever I possibly can I hang out my washing in the fresh air.

I've never had any complaints- and my OH is an Olympic standard complainer about other things.

I used to use fabric conditioner regularly til I woke up and realised I was being conned by the Advertising Industry. It leaves a waxy type deposit on clothing which builds up, and the nice smells are basically chemicals. Haven't tried any Eco ones. There are some good tips on here about using washing soda and white vinegar which I will try. I think capsules are another ploy to make you use more detergent than you need. I always use half of what is recommended with no probs but we do not have very hard water.

Thing is.. if it's Winter and clothes can't be put in dryers then fabric softener is a must to rid clothes of that damp smell.

I separate out my washing - I do use Persil normal liquid for most things and the one for dark colours as it has less bleach in. I do most things on a 40% wash and towels, tea towels and sheets at 90%.
I no longer use fabric softener but put a small drop of white vinegar in the rinse of each wash.
I dry on the line when I can but do towels in the dryer most of the time so they are softer.
——- I know - get a life!!

Welshwife what sort of white vinegar do you use?

On the advice of a white goods repair man I never use anything other than Persil non-bio powder in my machine and it is as good as the day we bought it 24 years ago. The quantity suggested for use is pretty accurate for normal water just reduce it if your water is hard, you do not need to see masses of bubbles anyway. The repair man said that washing machines are not made to be as robust nowadays and to hang on to mine for as long as possible, giving it a regular empty boil wash. Agree with the suggestion that you run a boil wash with hicarb to clean your machine mollie. I don't know anyone who washes garments after just one wearing, I would think you would find they were swiftly past their best.

Sorry! Should read reduce amount if water is SOFT!

Mmmm, I ought to have said all underwear and tops worn next to the skin are worn once. Everything else gets washed less often.

I use Aldi’s Almat bio washing powder tiny amount as we have water softener. I read somewhere powder is better for washing machines than liquids, but cant remember why! Definitely no to fabric conditioner as it has such a synthetic smell the washing powder has a nicer smell. Quick tumble dry after drying normally softens towels etc up. Have woolite and a silk washing liquid for delicates/ woollens.

I use whatever is on special offer and add a some vanish powder for towels and sheets

Soft water here so never used conditioner and anyway supposed to be bad for sensitive skins.
Always use a powder as like to decide for self how much needed per wash unlike capsule. I split washloads into to coloured and whites and use Lidl powders for each. I use 30 degree cycle with extra rinse. Powder is recommended over liquid for soft water areas.

I live on a boat and go to lauderette every 2 weeks. Everything gets thrown in together on a cold wash. Soap powders/liquids are made for cold or cool washes now....no need for hot. I use tesco own brand...whatever is on offer. I don't wear anything white anymore. How white your whites are really is not an important part of life. What is important is smiling everyday.

I'm with the posters who've had problems with capsules - not just left on machine but also fragments on clothes, never use them now. I like Persilpowder tablets personally but struggle to get whites looking clean even on hot wash... NannyTee, what's the blue bubble dryer of which you speak?

I prefer to use Ariel, having tried other things over the years. I use Ariel bio for whites and Ariel colour for all other things. Sometimes I add a scoop of Vanish powder to the whites, to give them a boost. I use Ariel stain spray on stains before adding them to the washing machine. I use fabric conditioner only on certain washes (woollens etc), having realised it was the Lenor that built up and made my washing machine smell bad in the summer. I wash my dark wash on 30 degrees, and almost everything else on 40 degrees. I love doing the washing - sad I know, but satisfying,

I use Tesco or Morrison's non-bio capsules for everything except (machine-washable) wool, which gets Woolite bought in bulk from Amazon. I rarely use conditioner (can't stand the smell or the disgusting mess in the dispenser drawer); when I do it's an organic lavender-scented one, also bought from Amazon. I do tend to wash sheets, towels, knickers, etc, at 60°C, and on the relatively rare occasion when I do a white wash I will use the full 95° - I think most machines need a boil wash once a month to keep them reasonably clean.

Never use fabric conditioner on towels, it coats the fibres and makes them less absorbent.

I do the washing for myself, adult daughter and three grandkiddies - I do at least three loads a day - one with whites (school uniform plus bedding and towels) one with mixed and one for darks (school trousers/daughter's work trousers etc) I try to change the beds on separate days so not swamped with bedding to get dry. My daughter buys Aldi non bio tablets and liquid as it is the only one that doesn't irritate her skin. Usually do a 30 degree wash, if the whites are looking grubby then give them a 60 degree wash. We use a tumble drier at the moment and I wonder if we really need conditioner in the wash as it dries everything soft and fluffy anyway! We used lavender sachets at home when I was a child, collected from our garden and dried, made bedding and underwear smell lovely.

oh im a terrible washer it all get bungs in together with aldi washing liquid

I’ve just started using the Ecoegg and I really like it. It’s plastic egg shape that holds washing pearls that are made of organic washing stuff. Just pop into the machine and wash as normal. Clothes come out clean, soft and lightly perfumed. It’s good for the environment, no chemicals going into the water system. Our clothes are never badly soiled so I’m not sure how it would perform on stains. The one I bought should last for 700 washes. You can buy pearls to top up the egg when needed.

I stopped using Lenor as it made the washing machine pong to high heaven. I use Waitrose essentials soft rinse instead. We have very hard water and I have found that my white towels and face cloths are going grey so must get some more soda crystals.
Persil non bio powder as anything else gives DH a rash. I discovered Liquid soapflakes and I wash socks and pants in that - lovely and soft so I now add my own socks.

I buy a huge box of powder from the factory shop. Put in one scoop of powder, no conditioner, can’t stand the smells( sorry) perfumes.
If my towels are a bit hard I just put them in to tumble for a couple of mins.
My washing seems fine.