Washing machine and soda crystals - astonishing!

Like Flexible Friend I don't get on with powder. I had a whole thread on it a while back. I had to throw out 6 tops, some brand new, which were ruined by the use of the powder.

And before anyone comes along again with advice:

No, I didn't overdose, in fact we have softened water, so I used the minimum dosage
And I even tried dissolving it in a jug of water before putting it in the machine.

I use pressed powder tablets, in the drawer with a little soda crystals and have no trouble.
I too read many years ago of the gunk that gathers in a machine when constantly using liquid. this was written by a repair man.
I always add laundry disinfectant in the softener section as I usually wash at 30 or 20 degrees centigrade.
about every 6-8 weeks I use a special washing machine cleaner. my machine has a special programme for this. if not it recommends 60 degree wash.
I think for delicate items I would use a special liquid for that purpose. occasional use will not cause gunk build-up.

Doesn't putting powder into the drum mean it's washed away with the first rinse?

No more than with liquid detergent it seems.

I liked Fairy powder in tablet form. Of course they stopped making it. Now powder only but at least it's not plastic. A cup of white vinegar is what I was advised for both my dishwasher and washing machine.

Well the powder drops into the drum with the water , leaving gunk clinging to the drawer . I would hope the rinse water takes the soap out of the clothes !

I use soap nuts for all but the (occasional) white washing, and liquid for that. The machine gets a run through with cleaner every couple of months. Apparently, there's a lot of germs in washing so I'd never have a machine in the kitchen.

I tried using white vinegar in the drawer instead of softener as the drawer is always getting bunged up. This worked as far as the drawer was concerned but the washing came out crusty so I've now gone back to softener. I assumed the problem was that I don't have a tumble dryer, I hang the washing outside in the good weather or in front of the fire in the winter.

Love soda crystals for washing machine sinks shower plug holes always works wonders as does white vinegat

This has been a revelation. Another useful tip our mothers used to use.
No doubt the price of soda crystals will suddenly increase now.

I use liquid in the drum and white vinegar in the drawer, which is great for the machine, but like NotTooOld, some of the washing, particularly towels, comes out rather rough. I will try the soda crystals to see if this is a better solution. In the meantime, how do you clean your dishwasher? The combination of bicarb of soda & vinegar didn't completely clean my machine!

Does everyone know that 30 degree washes do not kill bacteria? Or remove faecal matter.

Also if someone has been incontinent or has a vomiting bug sheets, towels etc need to be washed at 60 degrees.

We need to know that, Elaine. I do wash such items at 90 or 60 degrees, but 30 degrees is ok for most other washes.

Eco eggs were reduced yesterday in Waitrose, so after a long talk to another customer we both bought one. So fingers crossed.

It look very easy, must be a catch.

Years ago our boiler broke down. When the engineer took it apart, the waste pipe was blocked with dried up washing powder!
Somehow the water from the machine had backed up towards the boiler. He said it wasn't uncommon, it was something to do with the angle of the piping. The machine was also choked with powder and we have very soft water.
I haven't used powder since then.

I remember that my mother always had a box of soda crystals under her sink, it cured all ills!

Funnily enough have put soda crystals on my shopping list for today but I had thought for usual drains, sinks and new shower. Will add some to washing machine now. Cupful in drum? I use liquid detergent

When I lived in London (hard water area) I always used the Sainsbury version of Calgon tablet with every wash. For some years Ihave used washing sheets, but these seem to be increasingly difficult to purchase and when I run out of my present ones will probably be looking at something like Ecoball.
Where I am in Somerset, now - much to my surprise is still hard water, so I have continued to use these, although now have it in powder form. Do wonder if this is really just a different type of soda crystals. I always have those and use them in outside and inside drains along with white vinegar.
Anyone here know if the so-called anti-lime powder for washing machines is anything very different from the (Cheaper to purchase) soda crystals?

So glad I found this thread. Thank you Witzend. I have tried all kinds of cleaning stuff in my washing machine but still sometimes get these awful grey streaks across my white washing . Apparently caused by detergent build up in the drum . I wonder where I will find soda crystals ? My local Asda don’t stock them .

Soda crystals, brilliant ! DS and DIL were very sceptical but now converts as are their friends - cheap and so effective. .
Would not be without distilled vinegar either use it often - I must sound like a dinosaur but see no reason to pay a silly price for a product that has been around for years but "reinvented" .

Most supermarkets do stock soda crystals in the cleaning aisle.

I have been using half cheap detergent and half soda crystals for years.

I live in a fairly soft water area, so I use about a walnut size scoop of each.

Got my soda chrystals from Wilko (Wilkinsons).

Oh thank CurlyWhirly you I will try Wilkinson’s .

Tesco’s also stock them, and Sainsbury’s, and a local ‘value’ shop.

I have managed to find soda crystals hidden on a shelf here in Germany. The only thing my mother used them for was occasionally cleaning the teapot when the inside was thick with teastain. It works beautifully for that.

Assuming these are the same as the soda crystals you get in the UK, here are the recommendations on the packet:

2 - 3 dessertspoons (20-30 gr) in 5 litres of water for anything in the kitchen that needs sterilising, removing smells, removing burnt on stains.

4 - 5 dessertspoons (40-50 gr) in 5 litres of hot water for blocked or smelly water pipes.

1 - 2 desertspoons (10 - 20 gr) in 10 litres of warm water, leave for 0 mins, then put stained washing in to pre-soak overnight. Then wash as usual.

(The Germans don't have tablespoons)

So there are no instructions for washing as such.

Does anyone have any guidance as to how much to put in if you're washing, say a gull load of towels in the washing machine at 60 degrees?

When I went shopping for my mother, I easily found them in Waitrose.