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I thought I'd start a thread, as there has been a lot of questions on Laundry organisation and smelly washing machines and smelly clothes etc.
So post here your Laundry Solutions, whether its how you sort or organise your laundry. What you use to keep your washing clean and smelling fresh. And don't forget stain solutions :D
Ok this is how I have my laundry sorted:
I have a laundry sorter with 3 sections, 1 for darks 1 for whites and 1 for delicates. (you can sort yours how you see fit ie, colours, darks, whites etc this is just what works for us)
If you don't have a laundry sorter, the spotless chic uses 3 plastic laundry bins (the baskets with lids) and sorts them this way. At bathtime I go to all the hampers with a laundry basket and get everyone's clothes and sort into the sorter. If a sorter is full I put it in the washing machine ready for either the next day, or so I can put the timer on so it starts before I wake. I try to do a load each day, and then an extra load for towels/sheets/shower curtains etc.
Now this is a fabulous thing I have done for over a week... some of you earthies probably have been doing this for a while but I'm a bit slow to catch on. I've been adding vinegar to my wash (about 2 tbs in the fabric softner section) and then add another 2 tbs to the washing liquid slot. I only use 1/3 of the suggestion amount of washing liquid. And add 1/4 cup of bicarb to the drum (because I have a front loader I use this amount, if you have a top loader about 1/2 cup). I store the bicarb in a ice cream container. Its not only making clothes cleaner, smelling fresher, the washing machine doesn't smell and the clothes are softer and they don't crinkle. It also is a lot cheaper than using straight detergent. Bicarb being $3.40 for a kg and vinegar a couple of dollars for 2 litres.
What are your tricks?
I sort the coulors too , i have about 5 laundry baskets , one for whites , darks , smalls , towells/sheets etc. and one for hanging out the clothes ..
i wait untill i have big load and then i wash .
For stain removal i use LOC by amway or just one from the supermarket .
I use MCN and just prewash and rinse every time .
I like vinegar and bi carb too but dont use vinegar much when i was nappies .
I also hang all my clothes on the line (as my line is screwd to a wall ) from the ones least likely to sunfade at the front to my delicate clothes toward the back , if its really hot i wait till the sun is on the other side of the house to hang the clothes out as they stay softer.
and i soak anything with the tiniest stain with LOC or napisan (just the cheap brand) as i am a stain nazi . i have to get rid of them or the item goes :lol:
Cailin do you use bicarb and vinegar instead of any washing powder??
does the vinegar make your clothes smell like vinegar? i havent tried that one yet!
Nope I add it to the wash. But I only use about 1/3-1/2 of the recommended washing detergent. Clothes definitely do not smell like vinegar :)
Does anyone know what to do about little black flecks appearing on clothes after they are washed? Like some kind of grime build up somewhere in the machine. The water that comes out stinks too! (sorry if this has been posted elsewhere, in a total rush at work)
I would run your machine empty on the hottest and longest setting with maybe 2 cups of vinegar, then run another wash with hot water, and it should be fine. I'd also look at changing the powder, or even changing to liquid as it sounds like its creating a build up in your machine. The vinegar/bicarb trick with each wash should probably fix this as well I'd imagine. Do you use softner? As sometimes this creates soap build up which can cause problems for powder as well.
oh ok, i might give that a go! ta :)
Thanks Cai. We use liquid, so I don't know what the deal is. I'm def going to try the vinegar in each load thing and see if it helps (laziest, easiest solution first!!! :lol: ), and I will try the vinegar wash on its own if its not getting better.
Vinegar is magical stuff. I swear you can use it everywhere!
I use vinegar instead of softener. I heard a few years ago that softener clogs up your machhine & that vineger cleans it out.
It also makes the whites whiter & the clothes are definetely softer. Towels too. You can't smell the vinegar at all.
amberj - maybe you could rinse your machine out with vinegar & see if that helps. Normal wash cycle, empty with vinegar?
I'm confused, what does the vinegar do? And the bicarb cleans the machine as well as getting rid of stains?
I get those little greasy flecks, which when dry just seem to brush off the clothing. Have tried cleaning my machine with bicarb and hot water (couldn't stand wasting all that water, especially hot!), but no change at all. I use liquid, not powder, and no softener. Help?
Our laundry is a bathroom as well (little children get washed in the laundry tub, and dried on the washing machine!). Towels collect in the basket in the laundry, dark clothes in the basket in our room, whites and Steph and Ryan's clothes in the hamper in Steph's rooms (or under the change table :rolleyes: in the living room!), the boy's washing in his own room.
Stain removal; grease and baby pooey clothing gets sprayed with Sard, and always a bit of napisan (or similar cheapy stuff) in the wash. I hate stains!
I hang out washing asap when finished, so it can't go musty, and so is less wrinkly. If its still damp after being on the line all day (winter only) I chuck it in the dryer for five minutes or so to make sure is totally dry, and don't scrunch up clothes as I take them off the line (quick fold as I put them in the basket to smooth and refold inside for hanging/putting on shelves).
Towels are stored on shelves above the washing machine. My dryer is outside (under cover) near the clothes line, which is great, because my laundry stays lint and condensation free. :)
How old are your machines? Could it be built up scale or plastic thats breaking downs? Or even something in the pipes?
Netix - vinegar is one of the best cleaners around.
Try the vinegar. You may not need the hot empty wash. Just add it to the softener dispenser & see if it help after a few washes.
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??? :dunno: 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 :dunno: Anyhow, our clothes etc are soft enough without it.
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! :)
xxxx
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 :D) 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.
I think my machine is about ten years old, a top loader, and the lid is always closed.
I meant to put vinegar in the last two loads I did, but I forgot. It would help if I put the vinegar in the laundry I suppose :rolleyes:. About two tablespoons, right? I'm glad I went back to read that, as I would have used waaay too much!
I watched Lush House on Lifestyle yesterday, and saw Shannon's list of about ten things you need to clean with. I'll have to watch it again and write them down! I'm not too bad with using cleaners, but I can be better! Vinegar and bicarb are on there.
Bath, I'm with you on the folding and putting away! I have about three loads worth to do!
I also do ALL my washing in cold water, including the Man's uber greasy workshop clothes. My Mum says she would love to have two washing machines, side by side. She has a method of washing that is all her own I reckon. My late, Great Aunt (a brilliant woman) said the way to wash is "to take the clothes out of the water, not the water out of the clothes". This means that there is no lint left on the clothes, etc.
Titti, that's an interesting thought, using drawers as laundry bins. Very tidy. Lol about the cold water only washing 'weird thing'. :lol:
Other than vinegar - if that's not working, try doing the same empty machine with hot water and CLR - could be a build up of scale from the water.
I live alone so wash twice a week -- just sort when I am doing it, two lots, lights, darks. Usually put my towels in the lights - (hint buy light towels) as you don't get a fluff issue that way. The other pile just gets sorted onto the laundry floor - my dog often has a nap on it. I suds save if I am running low on tank water - as I am mainly tank water except the cold water tap to the laundry all rest of house is tank.
I wash in the evening and hang out before going to work in morning. I usually leave the lid of the machine up all day to dry out and have never had a smell issue - never leave wet laundry in machine - peewwwe!
I'm so going to try the bi-carb trick. I don't use softener- it does clog up your machine. And the fabric softener sheet sfo rthe dryer are awful- your filter catches 75% less lint when you use them, it all goes straight through to the motor.
a 'la FlyLady, I do a load every day, two loads on Monday and Tuesday after I've house blessed (I know, it'a bit pathetic!) to wash all the sheets and towels. Our clothes and ds's are washed seperatley (we use the Ark washing powder in miniscule amounts for ds's clothes so as not to aggrevate his excema). i have two buckets going in the laundry sink- one for soaking our clothes, one for bibs and facewashers (which I use to wash seperately as well, but there is not enough of them to bother anymore!). I've found the HomeBrand Napisan from Woolies is excellent value.
I put a load on at night, hang it out the next day while ds is having his morning sleep (they don't go smelly in the machine, but I'm not sure why, but if I take them out of the machine and leave them sitting there, they smell), bring it in during his arvo sleep, and fold it just before I give him a bath, while I'm upstairs anyway. Once a month (during laundry and bathroom week) I give the washing a run with warm water and 2 cups of vinegar, and wipe out the inside (it's a top loader and gungy bits accumulate). I also scrub and shine the sink, have a quick look and toss of the cupboard and run a swiffer under the machine. Oh, and give the dryer link filter a proper clean.
Phew! Yep, I'm a slave to the FlyLady. But I never have a backlog of washing, i always know where every article of clothing is and the laundry always looks and smells fresh and clean (a neccessity as it doubles as our downstairs bathroom). Works for me :)
I'm only just doing all my folding of three baskets worth (which has multiplied) from my last post here. Eek. Well, Maybe not at this exact moment, as I'm feeding the little man.
I have been adding vinegar to my washes, but not sure I've noticed any change in the washing.
Capital :doh:! I was going to ask you wonder washers out there something.... But I forgot! In the mean time, my laundry (the room, not the clothes) smells like vinegar! Does anyone else's? (That was my question! Sorry, I'm feeling a bit unwell atm and tired).
OMG Vinegar and Bicarb - huh I would NEVER had thought of that I am so going to try that to get a bit more softness.
We have the one clothes basket kept in the outside bathroom (we have an outside wash house) and I wait until its overflowing before I will do a wash. I really enjoy having a "washing day" I just love the smell of clean clothes as you hang them out. We have a verandar that goes right around our house so the back has two lines, one right on the edge for those sunny days and one closer to the house so we canhang washing out when its wett and not worry about it getting rained on.
I do separate my loads into darks, lights and fluffies (fluffies being towels fluffy socks, polar fleece and flannels) I only ever hand wash my woolens and my few but precious pretty underwear.
I use the Eco store front loader powder (on trial before I wash my MCNs) and I am very happy with the results and quite surprised by the freshness of smell.
I also leave my front loader door open and because the laundry and external bathroom are in the same building we leave the windows adjar slightly so fresh air always circulates. Our towel cupboard is also out here and for some reason they never smell musty - just just have to watch a huntsman hasn't snuggled in the towels :rolleyes:
Nope my landry doesn't smell like vinegar... Did you spill some?
I've got another miracle for the laundry. Dh's work shirts get the worst deoderant stains to the point that they are all hard under the arms. We were binning them when they got bad, but the other day I thought I would try another vinegar trick... And after two goes it fixed it, they are like new! I poured Vinegar on the stains, left for 30 mind then rinse in cold, then rubbed with sard wonder stick and then Let sit for 30 mind and wash as usual. The second time I rubbed the fabric together a bit befre letting it sit for 30 mins. I think about all the products I've wasted money on only to throw shirts out!!! I know it's the deoderant he uses but he won't use anything else :rolleyes:
Hijacking this thread! LoriRae, I'd love to hear about your FlyLady routine, I'm just about to start. Would you mind posting in the FlyLady chat thread? :D:D:
I have just been to the shops and bought some pure soap, more bicarb and some washing soda and plan to make my own washing powder with that. I found a recipe for it. My only question is how much do I use in a front loader? Should I just use trial and error until I find the right amount for me?
PS: I did buy 2 boxes of normal washing powder too coz it's on special and also in case I'm not happy with my home made one.
I use 1/4 cup bicarb and 2 tbsp vinegar as Cai suggested, but sometimes if the clothes aren't too bad, I don't even add the washing powder (we use Aware sensitive)
Wow good thread! :)
I've been using vinegar for a bit over a year now after I read about all the chemicals... I add a few drops of essential oil to it -I find the vinegar & oils keep the clothes smelling fresh better than fabric softner did.
I keep mine in a well-rinsed dishwashing liquid bottle, I just squirt as much as I want into each wash.
I do have a pretty good recipe for home-made washing powder, I used it for a while although I did think after a bit the clothes were not quite as white. When I'm too lazy to make my own I just use Cold Power. I'm using something different for bubs stuff atm but I can't remember what...just one from the supermarket..any suggestions there welcome...
Danni - I use roughly double the amount I would with a bought one, not sure if that's right or not but it still works out heaps cheaper and there's not the chemicals etc.
I must confess...I don't sort my washing :redface: .... we have only had one disaster resulting in pink socks... I know clothing doesn't stay as white but we can't seem to keep on top of it as it is :s
What is Flylady?
great thread!
i am still yet to try soap nuts - has anyone used them in conjunction with bi carb?
I too use vinegar and add a few drops of lavendar/tea tree/ eucalyptus oil to it - makes the clothes smell soooo lovely
I am going to start using the bicarb/vinegar in my machine. I just have a few questions first. I have a LG front loader.
You ladies have said to put the bicarb in the barrel....do you put that in before or after you put the clothes in? Why do you put it into the barrel instead of the washing powder dispenser?
Is bicarb safe for use on MCN?
I use powder at the moment...is it better for the machine to use liquid?
ETA: Also, is it ok to just use the cheap "no brand" vinegar and bicarb?
TIA:D
Jasp - just sort the clothes into whites / coloured / darks as you put them in the dirty clothes baskets, its the easiest way to keep on top of the washing and to keep the colours nice.
Marlene - I use bicarb on my MCN all the time now. Don't use vinegar cause it will damage the PUL / elastic.
Cheap brand is fine :)
Just another question. If vinegar can't be used with MCN due to the elastic, then how is it with normal clothes and the elastic in them?
The amount of vinegar needed to deteriorate is like half a cup or so. I know plenty of people who have used it for years and have no problems.
Thanks for the replies ladies, still a couple of Q's i need answered....:D
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I put it in the barrel because I have a front loader and I use the dispenser section for soap, and I don't want to mix the two.
Cai - Why don't you want to mix the 2 together??
Because my washing machine doesn't dissolve any powder in there well, if you know your machine rinses it through well I' sure it will be fine.