I quite enjoy the whole laundering process until it gets to the "fold and put away stage" LOL
We've never had an issue with bad smells in our machine... maybe because it gets used so much??? we do at least 2 loads per day. I have a top loading LG machine that is nearly 10 years old but hasn't skipped a beat. Recently i have bought new filters (two cloth little lint collecting bags that are in the main part of the machine) and this has improved the removing of bits of lint, tissue etc.
I use OMO or Drive which I buy in bulk... up to 20kg at a time.... works out to be under $2.50 per kilo... pictured HERE. That lasts us about 5 months I think.
We pretty much always line dry... only use the tumble dryer sparingly.... maybe because I love using my pegs, pictured HERE
We have so much washing these days that I not only sort into lights and darks.... but often colours like: dark blues, dark reds. I am very particular about my DH's business shirts as now he is spending a fortune on them (the last one was nearly $200).... so they get washed by themselves (5 at a time) or with a white sheet for example.
I also wash whites with a similar level of dirt... really dirty things like socks, kids t-shirts, nappies, aprons etc get put in together (hot soaking wash) ... while less dirty things like towels, my shirts etc also get grouped. Darks get washed in cold water.
I like being in my laundry... but I would LOVE one about twice the size so i could have a better system in there.... if we bought this house I would knock out the wall between the laundry and the kids' bathroom and make one huge mega laundry... *swoon*. I'm sure it would feel just as good as it did when we went from using a fold down clothes line to our new humongous free standing Hills Hoist last year.
Also, even though our machine doesn't smell i'll give the vinegar a go... have heard a lot of good things about that.
ETA: oh and I have hardly ever used a softener liquid.... maybe that's why we have so few issues? I just don't like the idea of the extra chemicals... and the idea of a softener seems so... gluggy... like it would gunk up the machine or something Anyhow, our clothes etc are soft enough without it.
Last edited by Bathsheba; May 1st, 2009 at 02:45 PM.
Top Loaders don't smell because the smell usually comes from the water trap in the door in a Front Loader, which is why its important to always leave the door open after washes, and clean the water trap regularly.
Vinegar isn't just for smelly washing machines or laundry. Its good because it breaks down the soaps which can leave clothes wrinkly and starchy. So clothes end up being softer and brighter too.
I love my laundry/lingerie bags, I use them for many things that I think need that extra protection in the wash. I find baby handknits are washed better put in them on a delicate cycle than what I could do by hand washing.
Q: Where is the best place to buy Bicarb in bulk? Can only seem to find the small packets here. Would like to stock up and have a tub of the stuff in the laundry.
I can get 1kg boxes from my coles and 2 of them fit nicely in my ice cream container. But you can buy it in bulk from pool chemical supply stores. From what I've seen its not cheaper it still works out the same as supermarket prices its just in bulk. I'm hoping when CostCo comes out they'll sell it in bulk
Wow, can't beelive there is a thread for washing / machines! lol
I have a clothes hamper at the back door and put everything into that. Once that is full I take it to the laundry outside and sort through whats already in the 2nd hamper (kept in the laundry) and the inside one. ie this arvo I am washing all the red/pink/orange clothing.
I wash my loads in darks, whites/very light coloured clothing, blues/greens and red/pink/orange, towels incl tea towels etc, sheets, Dh work clothes (he is a builder) and stuff that has been soaking for a day or two in my fav soaker - Napisan!
I normally use fabric conditioner but have used vinegar and it is fantastic. I think I used too much as 2L went so fast! I probby used 1/3 cup per wash. EeeK!!!
my washer is a Maytag and has a mechanical pump and I notice if I leave the lid shut it smells so i leave it open when not in use. My last washer had an electric pump and never smely as the pump would suck the last droplet of water out. Maybe that is why some smell??????? Just a thought!
Love this thread!!!
I use Napisan (or similar) in every wash. I will absolutely try the vinegar and bicarb tip! (I was almost running to the laundry as soon as I read, but I think I will wait until I finish typing this post!lol).
I sort things out in baskets or drawers (we just moved house and in the old one I had an Ikea set of aluminium drawers that now I don't need, so I put it in the laundry and I have one for whites, one for pinks/red, one for darks, etc).
I wash a lot! more now that we have internal laundry and new front loader washing machine! I love it! In Europe we have only front loader so I was in shock when I found the top ones here... lol... in my first unit we had a common laundry where I could wash only with cold water. I was so shocked I had to call my mother in Europe and tell her this "weird" think. LOL
Anyway, I don't have a dryer at all, because I love to dry my clothes in fresh air (and I am stingy ) but we bought a camping type (umbrella) line and I love it. I use it under the veranda if raining or for delicates (wool, silk etc) and if very cold I use it inside. It was a bargain, around $20 and sooooo useful (especially with newborn and kids!!!).
When I collet the clothes from the line I divide them into basket accordingly to the rooms where they are stored. Then I take the basket to the right room, fold and put away. I keep out only the washing that needs to be ironed (e.g. business shirts/pants/skirts etc).
As a principle I DO NOT iron kids clothes (nor newborn, or bedlinen, towels... I fold them neatly and put them away as they are)... life is to short to have a close relationship with the iron (my DH does most of it! How I love him!!!).
Sorry it's so long... I get carried away about this things. lol
thanks for all the tips!
I use a pillow case instead of a lengerie bag. Only coz I don't have one, lol.
The only things I seperate are DH's work stuff, mine & kids stuff, sheets, towels etc & nappies.
I don't worry about colours unless I think something new will run. I might do a white load on occasion, but if I seperated any more than that I'd never fill my 7.5kg washing machine. The only thing I put in a small wash is nappies & whites when I do them.
we do at least 2 loads per day. I have a top loading LG machine that is nearly 10 years old but hasn't skipped a beat. Recently i have bought new filters (two cloth little lint collecting bags that are in the main part of the machine) and this has improved the removing of bits of lint, tissue etc.
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) but we bought a camping type (umbrella) line and I love it. I use it under the veranda if raining or for delicates (wool, silk etc) and if very cold I use it inside. It was a bargain, around $20 and sooooo useful (especially with newborn and kids!!!).
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