Washing

I have a washer/dryer due to lack of space, wash load is higher weight than dryer load so I rarely have my machine full unless I'm washing non Tumble Dry items.

I use Tesco Non Bio or Fairy as Bio irritates my sensitive skin. I haven't used fabric conditioner for years. I add Astonish Oxy to my wash, I rarely have to use Stain Remover.

I am allergic to practically everything in the way of detergents, so I never use fabric softener and wash everything in a fairly expensive detergent designed for people with allergies and astma.

Vinegar can certainly be used as a fabric softener, and it you have hard water, you should always add something that softens water too, on all cycles.

The dosage stated on packets or bottles of detergents is always in excess of what is actually needed to get clothes clean - the manufacturers have to earn money after all.

Most clothes do I find come clean on a 40 degree centigrade cycle, but bed linen and underwear and tea towels and dish cloths should be washed at a minimum of 60 to be germ and virus free, as nothing I have ever heard of in the way of germs is going to lie down and die at a lower temperature.

As others have said, liquid detergent builds up sludge deposits that can lead to smelly machines. I tend to use either Lidl or Aldi own brand powder detergent and my DS’s school shirts are still bright white.
As for slavishly following advice given over 20 years ago, that’s seems a touch weird! Are you also still using a twin tub washer and listening to cassette tapes?

I don't think you need to get a life Mollie. The state of my laundry really bothers me. I hate the capsules as they leave a slimy film in the machine. My whites are starting to look dull and grey no matter which powder I choose. I've tried 'colour catchers' and 'whites whiteners' all to no avail. Have just bought a new Samsung machine as husband thinks the brand is wonderful. If I want a 60 degree wash I have to choose the baby clothes cycle and can't have a spin without a 15 minute rinse too. All in all I'm disappointed by all brands of powder.

The powders/liquids/tablets etc for washing whites have bleaches and more optical brighteners in them than the ones for coloureds. That's why they get your whites whiter. If you uses them on your coloured items, they will fade faster than if you use a powder etc that has been manufactured for coloureds.

I do exactly the same as Teetime, except no capsules but Persil powder.

I use Aldi Almat tablets (for colour and also bio) as they don't stink of cheap scent like the more expensive versions. (I mean you Persil.) Don't buy the box powder though - it doesn't dissolve in anything under 60 degrees. Ask me how I know.

Also, I believe that liquid detergent is bad for washing machines as it doesn't have the chlorine in it that cleans the pipes. Helpful hints from whitegoodshelp website:

- For whites you need a detergent containing bleaching agents to keep them bright white. You also need this type of detergent for the essential maintenance washes designed to keep your washing machine in good health these days (causes of grease, slime, smells & black mould inside washing machines). However, detergent containing bleaching agents is not so good for dark laundry because it can fade the colours.

- If you only use a detergent that contains bleaching agents, your whites will be lovely and white, but your darks can fade in colour

- If you only use a detergent that doesn’t have bleaching agents your colours will keep their colour much longer but your whites will not remain as bright and white, and can start to look dingy

- Liquid detergent does not contain bleaching agents, neither does detergent designed to look after colours in your laundry such as Ariel colour powder

- Biological detergents should not be used on silks and woollens

- An ecologically friendly or 30 degree wash detergent could also be used occasionally for lightly soiled laundry. It’s early days for them yet and they aren’t so good for heavier soiling, or bedding and underwear etc. but whenever you are just washing something lightly soiled you could use it effectively

Apparently, fabric conditioner leaves a residue build-up on your clothes and makes ironing (if anyone still does) harder!

I've been using half a cup of white vinegar with powder or liquid for years and it doesn't smell. My machine is smaller than average and does a really good time-saver wash in 30 minutes. (That's at 30 degrees.) There's only me and DH and we don't play rugby or get too dirty nowadays!!

I do give my very dark/black clothing a special wash at 40 degrees though, because there's always residue on them after a quick wash...

On the subject of plasticky capsules, I had some of the Ariel pods when they first came out and they left bits of the outer pods stuck to the machine and on my clothes. I phoned the Ariel helpline and spoke to them about it, having sent them a couple of pics on their FB page. They explained a) how to resolve the clothes issue, so they weren't ruined, b) said that these pods aren't really suitable at 30 degrees as they need hotter water to dissolve properly and c) sent me vouchers to replace the pods with liquid. Pretty good customer service!

I've been using Tesco non bio tablets for years (hate capsules.......!) and they are better than loads of other makes I've tried I think.

I use about 1/4 bottle in empty machine once a month same for dishwasher

mollie
I buy on 'special offer' washing products from what ever store /shop has what I want to use , either bio or non bio. Who makes it is not a priority.As long as a product does its job suits me.
I do use, although living in a soft water area, a small amount of lime scale remover /preventer /water softening powder it does make your whites whiter than white and I have not noticed any fading of coloured items. Make sure though that you use them in powder or liquid form as one manufacturers tablet form I once tried did not dissolve completely leaving a soggy mess in the detergent drawer which is where it was advised you put them.

Waitrose own make washing liquid. Never use fabric conditioner think it smells like bad air freshener on clothes! Use a stain remover on clothes that have marks on them then wash straight away. Clothes washed at 40 degrees. Bedding and towels at 60 degrees . Always use non bio

How much white vinegar, please? A cupful?

Simple white vinegar on a hot wash gives the machine a better clean than special washing machine cleaners it does not leave a vinegar smell.

I separate white and coloured washing but always put a colour catcher in the machine. It is amazing how much dye it catches, even from clothes that have been washed many times before. That dye would otherwise have ended up on other clothes and changed them/made them duller. It really helps.

I use Ariel liquid, the whites one for whites, the coloured for colours. I wash everything on a 30 degree wash except towels, which I wash on 40 degrees. I always use a fabric conditioner, whichever is on offer, but that's because our water is so hard. Sometimes I use the Vanish powder stain remover in the wash, but since I got my new washer earlier this year, I've found I can use less wash liquid and rarely need the Vanish stain remover. The washer is Neff, as was my last one, but this new updated one (same model) seems to be much more efficient. I hang the clothes outside when the weather is good, or use the tumble dryer when it's not. I take care to hang coloured things out of the sun, as sunshine fades colours badly. I wash every day, can't manage any less, what with whites, coloureds, sheets, towels, delicates etc.

I was told by a washing machine repair man that liquid detergent is a bad idea as it builds up inside the dispensing area of your machine causing an odour to develop over time. You need to regularly run a washing machine cleaner through at 90 degrees to avoid this problem. You would be horrified to see the sludge that builds up in your machine, it was enough to prompt me to return to washing powder. Similarly, conditioner does the same thing, especially as most of us use too much. Many items do not need it, like towels etc as it decreases their absorbency. I prefer to use a laundry cleanser with my powder, though sceptical of it at first I am a convert as it really removes any lingering odours of wet towel and kills bugs too. Try giving your machine a good clean on a very hot cycle and use one of the many optical brighteners available in the laundry aisle and hopefully you will see a difference.

I use non bio of the super market make I am shopping in at the time. I do not like the dual Fairy tabs so so not use them. I do not use conditioner. I find it important to separate whites and coloureds. I have washes at 30 or if necessary - husbands coloureds at 40. I decide how many tabs depending on dirt and amount of wash. If I have whites that are soiled I do a 60 or even 90 degree wash with Vanish added.

Whites get washed with Ariel tablets and coloureds get washed with Persil colour protect. If you wash black clothes with biological powder it fades the colour. I always use Comfort and have never had a smelly machine, probable cause is too low a temperature when washing.

Wash at 60C and rinse several times, as the soap doesn't always seem to come out of towels with the normal number of rinses. Bash around in the tumble dryer if you have one.
If all else fails - they make good floor cloths.

I've seen this recipe for fabric conditioner Cherrytree. I haven't used it but keep meaning too. You can use any hair conditioner apparently
www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/easiest-best-smelling-homemade-fabric-softener-out-there

Is there a way to get older towels which have become scratchy soft and properly clean again? I normally wash at 40. Thanks!

So - do. Those. Should wear specs and check before posting.

Any detergent that is meant for 'whites' will have some bleach in it so will fade your bright or dark items. I use bio liquid for colours on everything these days.
I still use conditioner, but having seen everyone's posts I'm thinking I'm a mug and should stop buying it!

If you live in soft water area, need less detergent. The machine manual suggests a regular dummywash so empty machine, detergent and wash on highest, longest setting to clean residue from drum. As important as washing and detergent is rinsing. Rinsing is what all grandmas used to talk about, getting rid of removed dirt and soap residue. If you go back and so a hand wash and rinse until the water is perfectly clear, it reminds you of the importance of the rinse. For thos with sensitive skin an extra rinse and spin after the final wash can help. This can be cold water. Line drying seems to brighten whites. All a bit old fashioned but thousands of years of method.

I love to see washing on the line - simple pleasures.