Comments on: Lean Laundry 2

By: Robyn S.

Robyn S. — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 03:48:14 +0000

I have always washed all garments in cold, but recently read about a study where they tested bacteria on clothing and how nasty it is if you wash in cold. It says they dryer will get a lot of it if you use the dryer, but if you air dry things, it will remain. It said just transferring a cold water washed load to the dryer leaves your hands full of bacteria.

I don’t know that all this is true, but it bothered me.

By: Carol Phillips

Carol Phillips — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 02:20:04 +0000

Living in dry Colorado, I also launder towels only once a week or so.
I would like to hear the opinion of some of the mechanical engineers who read this blog. To me, it looks like the worst mechanical wear on a washing machine happens during spin cycle of an off-balance load — and off-balance is what ALWAYS happens when I’ve got 1 or 2 towels in a load of lighter stuff. For that reason, I wash towels (or blue jeans) as a separate load, which though heavy, is well-balanced.

By: Trish

Trish — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 00:59:44 +0000

Well, if anyone is reading this far, I have a great suggestion… this was taught to me by my brother who learned it in the Army. After a shower, dry first with your clean washcloth… just wet it and wring it out… then use it to dry off, wring as needed. Now when you finish up the drying with your towel, the towel will hardly be wet… thus it will dry quickly and not get that nasty smell.

I transgress and wash towels alone… but not a huge batch. I find that my 20 year old General Electric is still happy with me!!!

By: Tom Willmon

Tom Willmon — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:07:19 +0000

I have long searched for the perfect laundry detergent, one that cleaned well and didn’t make my skin itch. The best I’ve found is a liquid called “Oasis”, designed by grey-water guru Art Ludwig. Having no sodium compounds, it breaks down into plant nutrients, so I pump the wash water out onto the garden. It works as well with cold (in winter, 34 deg.) water as hot – my observation as well as others’. 1 oz. per load, costs in the low $20’s for a gallon (I have long searched for the perfect laundry detergent, one that cleaned well and didn’t make my skin itch. The best I’ve found is a liquid called “Oasis”, designed by grey-water guru Art Ludwig. Having no sodium compounds, it breaks down into plant nutrients, so I pump the wash water out onto the garden. It works as well with cold (in winter, 34 deg.) water as hot – my observation as well as others’. 1 oz. per load, costs in the low $20’s for a gallon (<$.20 per load).

In my off-grid, solar-powered, rainwater-harvest- ing (no well, totally soft water) home, conservation is vital. My washing machine is a Staber, a top-loading tumbler (like a front- loader) designed for low water and electricity use. A great design except for their choosing to use very short between-operation spin times which seriously compromises rinse effectiveness. I manually control the cycle, forcing long spin times. Stock final spin is fine.

Tom Willmon
[recovering engineer]
near Mountainair, [mid] New Mexico

By: nadine

nadine — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:25:42 +0000

Thank you for helping me realize I’m not a weirdo! I guess all the efficiency I have to do on the job got into my laundry habits. I own 2 or 3 towel sets that go with my bathroom decor but are in a light, med and dark tone. I wash the light color with the light color load etc. So I really do follow the idea of throwing a towel or 2 in the load probably because I launder for one. Family washing almost always entails a load of towels.

Being in a humid summer zone, I can only let a towel go for 2 days at the most before the mildew smell appears so I choose to rotate towels rather than launder more frequently. Whatever towel is dirty goes in the appropriate color wash I’m doing at the moment. Also, I’m not a big fan of washing jeans after one wearing but if you’ve been in a 80 degree humidity day, there is no way you’ll want to wear sweat soaked pants twice even if they have dried. I got a rash from that once. So in the summer I opt for thin fabrics which I can wash after one wearing in minimum water and to save energy from extra washing, I line dry. Same with gym clothing. I wear capris that are a dry touch poly with some stretch. I can rise them in cold water and line dry for another use.

By: Kerryn

Kerryn — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 09:55:09 +0000

I bet the same people who wash their towels after one use will wash their Jeans after one wear as well. Rather than just airing them and wearing them again (they’ll last a LOT longer and be much more comfortable).

It’s also important to mix up your loads to help prevent pilling, e.g mixing your jeans and knit tops. The different textures help to wash each other, and you’ll use less powder.

By: Vesta

Vesta — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 03:23:58 +0000

Here’s one nobody has mentioned: I’m allergic to house dust, and therefore must wash sheets in hot water (120 degrees). I wash towels once a week. Our schmancy new front-loader weighs the loads and proceeds accordingly. I actually, gasp, read the manual to figure out why the heck there was no load size knob!

By: esther

esther — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 02:12:18 +0000

We probably have the hardest water in the entire country – no joking (I tested it once, and it was off the chart!). Without our water softener the washer would last maybe a year – if you are lucky. I have grown to love soft water and it does clean better. Worth every penny.

By: carissa

carissa — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:49:49 +0000

I agree with the water type/ climate issue thing. At my old house. I got by with baking soda and vinegar for detergent and rarely used fabric softner. Here the water is different. (BTW mildew grows in less than 24 hours here in the hot, humid summer!) I have to use hot water, tons of detergent- which sometimes means an extra rinse cycle, and lots of fabric softner. Both the liquid and the sheets! I also use Oxy boost.

Sometimes, I still take my clothes from the dryer and from one whiff have to throw them straight back into the washer and go through it again. Our water here smells like a mixture between a pool and a fish tank- yuck. I even had to sell my beloved cloth diapers and switch to disposable because of the horrible water. Stuff doesn’t come clean here. Even my dishes get build up.

I do wash my towels by themselves. I always heard that it would make my clothes pill up. Maybe I should try not to overfill the towel load. Just do a few at a time?

Gee- It turns out I am the supreme laundry transgressor.

By: /anne...

/anne... — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:12:27 +0000

Ok, I wash towels, teatowels and sheets together, mostly because of lint – and I know it’s a problem, because sometimes other things get mixed in.

My washing machine weighs the load before putting the water in, then sloshes around afterwards to see if that was enough – probably to adjust for more absorbent items. It’s as water-efficient as most of the front loaders, and I can open it up during the cycle if I need to.

I also turned off the hot tap, so no one CAN wash with hot water.

Oh, and hot water killing bacteria? Unlikely, unless you’re using steam. Truly, most clothing wouldn’t survive the temperatures needed to kill most evil bacteria, and a lot of types of bacteria are washed away with an adequate amount of water. I only use hot water to wash fleeces (I spin) – lanolin only disolves in very hot water.