Hello all! Im a recently moved out 18 year old guy and live in a shared apartment with no laundry unit. There is a laundromat nearby, but with my current income I cant afford to wash my bedding every/every other week like i usually do. I’m aiming to do this once a month, but I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to keep my space smelling nice in the mean time? Ive been using Odorban occasionally and thats been helpful, but any other advice would be super appreciated!

new to this subreddit, but could use some advice. I was reading old posts and everyone seems to swear by this citric acid purifying rinse.

I tried it for the first load today, towels, and they came out and it almost feels like there’s a residue left? like the towels are a bit crinkly feeling. hard to describe.

Did I use too much maybe? I used the max on my front load machine. Tide pod as usual. extra rinse as usual. hot water as usual. only change was the purifying rinse.

I’ve heard good things but can anyone help with what i might have done wrong? thanks all.

Hi all, new to this subreddit but hoping someone might be able to give me a hand here. I’ve been living in a house share for the last eight months and we have a front-loading washing machine. for the most part I’ve noticed nothing wrong with it, clothes are fine and seem to be cleaned.

Recently I’ve noticed some of my clothes absolutely stink coming out of the washer. I’m not good at describing smells but it’s so strong, they also feel weirdly slimy. For context I’m only using 15-30ml detergent depending on the size of the load (Persil Bio Detergent which is a liquid).

I recently cleaned the washing machine with a washing machine cleaner - could that be it? I put it in the detergent drawer and let it run on a long hot cycle as instructed, but is there anything else I should have done?

Happy to hear any tips! Thanks in advance :)

We purchased a Speed Queen Commercial TR7003WN in January 2025. About four weeks ago, I started noticing water on the floor after larger loads.

The first authorized repair technician said I was overloading the washer and that water was splashing over the top of the tub. I was skeptical because I haven't changed my load sizes or wash settings since we bought the machine 18 months ago. When the front panel was removed, there were water streaks on the outside of the tub, but his test cycles couldn't reproduce the leak.

I called a second authorized repair technician and explained what the first technician found. Initially, he agreed with the first diagnosis. After more troubleshooting, though, we discovered the leak only occurs during larger loads and is actually coming through tiny pinholes along the upper seam of the metal outer tub.

The second technician believes the pinholes were caused by unbalanced loads that allowed the tub to rub against the cabinet until it wore through. That explanation doesn't completely make sense to me because the washer is designed to stop when it detects a significant unbalanced load, and that has only happened a handful of times since we've owned it.

There are also no visible signs of rubbing on the cabinet or the tub. Along about one-quarter of the upper seam, you can feel small raised bumps under the paint. Out of curiosity, I gently rubbed one of the bumps, and the paint coating came off, revealing a pinhole underneath. That made me wonder if the hole was already present beneath the coating rather than being worn through from rubbing. I don't know if that's significant or not, but it seems odd.

In the photos, the white dots are the pinholes where the water is leaking. In the close-up, the red circles show the raised bumps and the yellow circles highlight a few of the pinholes.

I'm waiting to hear back from Speed Queen because the second technician believes this is user-caused damage and therefore not covered under warranty.

Has anyone else experienced pinholes or leaks along the upper seam of the outer tub on a TR7003WN (or another Speed Queen top-loader)? If so, what was the cause, and was it covered under warranty?

I’ve really enjoyed getting into laundry science and this sub is a daily read for me now. I have made a lot of changes and added things to my laundry routine, but I still feel like I have a lot to learn.
I feel like everyone has one or two things that really make the difference for them, and I want to know what that is for everyone.
I want to share everything I learn with everyone I meet but have started asking people if they want some laundry science…unfortunately, the answer is almost always a variation of no thanks, so in case you need it, permission to nerd out granted!

I'm wondering if miele ultradark will actually prevent fading on my nice new black cotton items.

Even in cold water without detergent I see some transfer into the wash water. With one wash in hot water the wash water is dark and the clothing faded. I've been using Tide powder.

Edit: I've just remembered oxygen bleach can fade darks, which tide powder has.

I'm about to try linen bedsheets & kitchen towels, but in the interest of keeping them in good shape for as long as possible, come seeking advice about which laundry machine cycle to use for them.

I already know that - linen technically can withstand high temperatures, but will shrink if not pre-shrunk (these are) - should be hung to dry (I don't even have a drier) - benefits from a mangling (I have access to one, but not sure if I cba) - soaks up a LOT of water, so pre-soaking may be wise - should be washed separately from other items because fibre fluff might come off the fabric and catch on everything - at least one source recommended no/low spinning

Since these will be pre-shrunk white bedsheets & towels, I'm planning to use a 60°C cycle. The real question is if that cycle should be a heavier agitation one (cotton cycle) or a milder one (synthetics cycle). My machine does have a delicates cycle too, of course, but it doesn't go above 40°C. (For reference, I have a Siemens WG44G2FSDN iQ500.)

I've been considerably more carefree with my linen shirts and washed them in a 40°C cotton cycle and high spinning, finishing with a steam treatment to reduce wrinkling. That steam treatment is something I will try on the sheets too, since it has worked wonders on my shirts. All the other linens I've ever had have been older than me and seemingly impossible to damage in any way, no matter what I do. They'll probably outlast me, because cloth from the 40's is just that good.

TL;DR: linen sheets and towels -> high agitation cycle / low agitation cycle? High spinning / low-or-no spinning?

This shirt got something melted (?) on it in the dryer. It's my favorite t-shirt. How should I fix it?

Thank you!

had super irritated skin, assumed it was the heavily scented bio pods i was using. switched to heavily scented non bio liquid. still irritated. realising now that the non bio stuff isn't properly cleaning my clothes and im still just as itchy so it's probably the fragrance. sucks because i love having super scented washing but my skin clearly disagrees.

i just cannot seem to find anything in stores that has enzymes and no added scents. debating trying ecover products because i've heard they aren't super heavily fragranced. does anyone have any similar experiences and has anyone found anything that's worked for them?

I bought a jacket from the thrift store, not noticing that it has what looks like water marks on the back. The tag says dry clean only, but it was only $5 so I’m happy to try washing it myself.

It’s Viscose/Polyester with Polyester lining.

Should I just throw this in the machine and see what happens, or is there a specific routine or products I should be trying?

Thanks

Ignore the outline stain

We’ve been getting random orange stains on our whites. At first I thought it was iron in the water but we use softener salt that is supposed to be good for iron. How can I get rid of these and not get them in the future?

Howdy, laundry nerd fam! Need y'all's help bc I am having extreme difficulty using the Lipase List spreadsheet on my phone.

I'm looking for an enzyme laundry booster that's unscented, no OBAs, and no oxygen bleach to go with my 365 powder.

In order of importance:

1. Unscented

2. No OBAs (to protect darks)

3. No (or very little) oxygen bleach (to protect darks)

Notes:

1. I have Dirty Labs for DNase.

2. I have Oxyclean Free

I'm neurodivergent and am trying to systematize laundry similar to:

1. Add detergent detergent

2. Add primary booster (the one I'm looking for above)

3. If whites, lights, or colors, add oxi

4. If load is unusually gross/stinky, add Dirty Labs

5. Add citric acid to rinse

6. Result: Clean clothes my nose will confirm are clean on wash day, while wearing (no odor rebloom), and from a drawer weeks later (no dirty washer smell that appears during storage, been there)

Bc I'll be asked: I wash on a hot/extra hot cotton cycle with an extra rinse in an LG front load that I clean every 2-3 weeks, swapping between citric acid and chlorine bleach cleanings. I keep that washer smelling and looking *fresh* y'all. I tumble dry most items, and I air dry delicates.I use 365 powder, 1 scoop, in very soft water.

So.... Back to that booster and the Lipase List I'm having no luck working on my phone: Do we know of an unscented enzyme booster w/o OBAs and no (or very little) oxygen bleach (to protect my darks)?

Hello all! Im new here. Stumbled across by accident and then got engrossed!

Im uk based and don’t recognise a lot of the products everyone is talking about in the group, however i now have a new found fear that my washing machine is dirty, my clothes arent getting clean and my detergent is just seasoning my clothes 😅

We are family of sensitive baby skinned souls so I always use Fairy soap pods + fabric conditioner, and what ever stain remover / vanish is on offer. Im also a bit partial to a bottle of tallow and ash now and again. We are in a super hard water area and im forever cleaning black gunk out of my detergent draw - this is also why I favour pods over powder.

I guess what my question is is that what products - easily available in the UK - are needed as staples for clean laundry / machines? Im 35 and feel like I’ve been washing clothes wrong my whole life 😭

Hello Everyone,

I'd appreciate any help on shedding some light on laundry issues with my 3 month old Electrolux Laundry Centre.

Model ELTE760CAW

https://www.electrolux.ca/en/Laundry-Appliances/Washing-Machines/stacked-washer-and-dryer/ELTE760CAW/

Mustiness - I was having a problem with a little lingering mustiness in the clothes at first, and tried running the cleaning cycle as per the manual a few times (using a bit of regular bleach)

The mustiness didn't really completely go away even after re-washing white towels with bleach.

I use TIDE FREE AND GENTLE, also tried using OxiClean powder in the bottom of the drum which didn't do much. I normally do my whites in hot water, colours in warm.

DULLING - Then my color clothes started getting dull, but my whites started taking on a darkish grey I can't get out. (all 100% cotton)

You can see my examples up in the pics.

I tried re-washing and re-bleaching the whites to no avail. I reduced the amount of soap I was using after being recommended that.

SYNTHETICS - The weirdest thing is that some of my synthetic fabrics starting completely changing color as well! I DID NOT bleach them, or even do them right after a bleach cycle.

If you look at the 4th photo, there are two pairs on underwear. The ones on the right used to be the same whiteness as the ones on the left! (Except for the leg ribbing, those were always a darker colour. (87% Nylon / 13% Elastine)

In the last photo, the shirt was part of a set, and the grey underwear below are what the shirt used to look like. yes - the tan shirt used to be that grey color. (87% Nylon / 13% Elastine)

The changing color issue has been somewhat intermittent for some reason. I should also mention I don't have any new clothes recently - everything has been owned and washed many times.

I did discover that the installer put the drain hose too far down the standpipe, so I set it back to the recommended 7 inches. I'm now afraid to wash clothes in case this still happens.

Do you think it's a lemon and I should get a replacement?

Any recommendations are greatly appreciated!

I have other Nike hat; and that one is not like this.

I just usually chuck it in to the washing machine like other clothes.

Any suggestion is appreciated.

Thanks

I was at Whole Foods, and they were out of the 365 Unscented Powder! I saw another comment in this sub from about 6mo ago saying it was being discontinued; I hope that’s not the case. They did have 365 sport, which I bought, and they also had this “Aunt Fannie’s Extra Strength laundry detergent powder,” in eucalyptus scent or fragrance free.

Here are the ingredients from their website: Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Borate, Sodium Percarbonate, Calcium Carbonate, Hydrated Silica, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Sulfate, Magnesium Carbonate, Cellulose, Sucrose, Magnesium Sulfate, Kaolin, Polyethylene Glycol, Deoxyribonuclease, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Thiosulfate, Protease, Amylase, Mannanase

Are all those minerals purely for water softening? Nothing on that list appears to me to be a surfactant. But it does have DNAse and is fragrance free, so seemed worth a mention. I don’t remember the in-store price but it’s 19.99 for 44oz (supposedly 70 loads) on Amazon.

So as the title says, I’m wanting to do laundry and was going to throw in some rags that have a bit of acrylic paint on them from the other night, but as I was about to load everything I got worried that maybe the paint will wash off into my clothes? I’m not a laundry or paint genius and I don’t trust AI so I’m turning here for tips/advice.

I’ve totally overhauled my laundry routines in the last year or so, and now I’m trying to optimize.

I’m currently working through my supply of Tide Clean + Gentle powder, boosting with GearGuard, which I use for all loads. I’m considering switching to Tide Free + Gentle liquid and boosting with FEBU. The major reason is that I’m in the US, and the price of GearGuard is steeper (about double the cost per load by my calculations).

Is there anything I’m missing by making this change? I know I won’t get optical brighteners anymore - will I notice a difference? On the other hand I’m too lazy to sort out darks so they will probably look better.

Based on the advertised cost per load, tide liquid is slightly cheaper than tide powder, but is this accurate with real world dosing? I use a laundromat style front loader in my apt shared laundry space, and our water isn’t too hard, I haven’t had to dose very high with the powder. Can I assume the liquid will stretch similarly far?

p.s. I’ll probably still keep some gearguard on hand for my silk and wool, I still love you Garame!

So there were some stains on this baseball cap that was a gift from a friend and handwashing wasn’t doing the trick. I then researched online that you could put it in the top rack of a dishwasher on a gentle cycle with no drying, so that is what I did. I then promptly forget that although everything else was likely dishwasher safe, the leather badge is not. I took it out halfway through the cycle to find the badge very faded and dulled in color. is there anything i can do to fix it and restore its color?

I wear hats all the time and realized I honestly don’t have a great way to clean them. What does everyone do to keep their favorite hats looking good?

I have tried dishwasher and washing machine but my hats tend to lose shape or get ruined.

My washing machine can't do 30 degrees for some dumb reason, it's either 20 or 40. I find that 20 is not enough for many things, so my default is 40. Most of my things are cotton, a few are polyester or blends. Some say to wash at 30 degrees but they've been surviving 40 just fine, so oh well.

I recently bought some 95% viscose 5% elastan clothes. They all said to wash at 30 degrees and I heard viscose is super finicky, so I've been washing it at 20. It's not great, I 1. have to keep them separate from the rest of the laundry and 2. end up running many loads with very few things in them (it's been literally just one item several times, I separate colors (from experience I need to, I've been told it's "outdated advice" but I own several proofs that it is still necessary) and several of the items are color that doesn't match any other of the viscose stuff). They also don't wash as well as on 30 degrees. Yesterday I got another 95% viscose 5% elastan thing, from a different place than before. This one says you can wash it at 40 degrees (photo in a comment, forgot to add it to post, sorry). So how is it? Can I wash that thing at 40? What about all the other ones? Is there a way to test it with minimum risk?

I use washing powder only, some generic Persil all-purpose one that claims to work at 20-95 degrees. Not really interested in switching to something else (I'm incredibly sensitive to scents and glad to have found this one I can tolerate).

I forgot I had a top that I’d recently dyed in my load and all of my whites became not so white. I ordered Carbona Color Run after an over night OxiClean White Revive soak gave no results.

Lesson learned, need to always separate whites but is Carbona the right move? Are there other suggestions?