Help! All my whites are turning grey!

[thepixie]

We got a new washing machine when we moved, because our old one didn't fit in the space in the laundry. So we bought a new water efficient front loader. BUT all my whites are turning grey now. Badly. I used to just chuck everything in together and put it on cold wash, and I never had any problems with our old top loader. I'm not sure what the problem is here. The front loader doesn't seem to have a cold wash, the lowest temp seems to be about 40 degrees. The Bear also isn't quite sure if the cold and hot taps are on the right connections ITMS. I suppose I could start doing whites and darks wash but I'm lazy
Any ideas people?? I don't want to keep having to bleach all my whites!

[Olive]

ours is connected to the cold water and the machine heats it up, i never mix whites and colours! my inlaws do and when shes washed my whites they too went grey, id stop mixing

[Phteven]

Never mix your whites. Give them a pre-wash soaking and they should be fine. Drying in the sun also helps.

[~clover~]

Vinegar can bring out the white. Maybe a good soak, then use some vinegar in the wash. (& yeah, stop mixing...I do it too..)

[Meo]

ITA on the not mixing whites with colours. If you went from a top loader to a front loader, did you change detergents too? I know you're supposed to use "lower foaming" detergent with front loaders, so that may be the variable that's causing it. Also, hot (even warm) water makes dye run! Which is why it's especially important to sort your washing You could try adding some salt to your wash for the coloured stuff (about 1/2 a cup) as that will help to "set" the dye, but don't do this if you use your grey water for the garden.

[thepixie]

I think you're right, this machine doesn't actually seem to have a cold wash, they are all at least warm. I did have to change detergents but I have used various detergents in the past so I'm thinking it's the warm factor.
guess I just have to get over my laziness and separate my whites! thanks for the help ladies

[squidipa]

i always separate and chuck a tanty when hubbie doesnt, did you let the machine do a few washes with nothing in it? as sometimes there guncky from the factory?

[thepixie]

that's actually a good thought squiddy - we did run it once, but that was all, and the other day when we were checking the connections the filter was completely clogged with gunk!

[Turkish Delight]

I NEVER mix colour and whites. I even separate colours into lightER colours and darkER colours. I never mix towels in with clothes or bed sheets with clothes. I never wash my tea towels in the machine, i soak and hand wash.

I am so AN@L when it comes to washing. If DH is going to the washing, i separate the clothes into piles for him to wash. And i love bleach with my whites. I pour it in and they come up brilliantly.

[squidipa]

I am so AN@L when it comes to washing. If DH is going to the washing, i separate the clothes into piles for him to wash. And i love bleach with my whites. I pour it in and they come up brilliantly.

ive just been downstairs separating the reds and blacks and lighter and colored and white clothes lol haha so if hubbie gets there before me he can see what i have done. My tea towels are dark red.

[Turkish Delight]

That's it. Knowing men, they just dump it ALL in together. eeeeeeeeeeeekkkk. I'd have a heart attack.

[Phteven]

TD, I'm even worse than you. I don't just sort into lights and darks I colour code. I'll do reds, pinks and oranges in one wash, blues and greens and greys in another and so on. I do seperate washes for jeans and other things with zippers.
When DH does the washing and chucks towels in with the clothes it takes all my will power to say nothing.

[Turkish Delight]

I wash my work clothes and DS's school uniform together,
DD's clothes separately.
I tend to wash DH's clothes separately too. I dunno why, but his just get done separately He's a man and his is more smellier probably.

i never wash our underwear with DD's. I believe she is too small and have hers washed separately. I never wash DH's underwear with mine or DS's either.

Okay we are both an@l.

[feeb]

Hehe girls you crack me up!!!!

I wash my clothes and DH together But DH work shirts seperatly (just cause a weeks worth take a full load) and then DS seperatly.

I then wash linen and towels sepeartly.

if we have new dark clothing I will wash seperatly to avoid running.

[AnyDream]

I'm so glad you posted this thread, I've been thinking of asking the same question. We got a new water efficient front loader and I've noticed my whites are oh so slowly turning grey. I believe it's the detergent, not the water temp. 40 degrees isn't very warm (we washed warmer in our old machine) and I sort my colours and whites so it's not that either. I'm thinking of adding some napisan or similar as a wash booster to see if that works.

[thepixie]

MD I have been adding Napisan to the wash, but I'm finding I have to soak everything overnight before washing just to keep it white!

[AnyDream]

Have you tried the hotter washes?

[Oorki Galoorki]

i always was blues with my whites.. kinda like the old school blue rinse to bring out the white....
i only use the oxy action napisan in my whites...(no other powder)