I do believe my coworkers may be using entirely too much detergent. 😂

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 😭

I just noticed that the "Pure" brand on Amazon has a BOGO offer on their powdered citric acid. With coupon it makes it 4lb for $10. No idea how long the coupon will last. It wasn't there a couple weeks ago.

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.

I find myself so drained whenever I have to do laundry. I do sports so I typically have double the laundry for myself alone. I literally keep all my clothes in a pile which takes me forever to get actually get around to sorting and folding clothes. I find the thing that deters me the most is that the weekend is typically all about doing chores you couldn't get to during the week so you don't even get to do what you enjoy because you've got these piles and piles of laundry to get to. When I time it, it actually takes me a couple of hours to sort and fold laundry. I've tried listening to music to make it more enjoyable but overall I feel repelled from doing it. Anyone have any advice?

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!

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!

The ammout of pink/yellow/orange stains skyrocketed in last month,

So I repost my science based post on what causes and how to remove sunscreen stains

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!

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.

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?

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)?

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?

Okay let me explain better!! I’m 21, so I buy a lot of clothes from various ranges of quality and price. I love clothes so much and love being able to keep them nice. I’m small, so a lot of my stuff is just smaller and seems to fall apart even easier. I have some things with terrible quality materials and then items that are nicer materials.

How do I keep up with the washing instructions of things?! Different brands say different things and it’s just a lot to keep up with when doing laundry. I hate having to do multiple loads with few things in each just to wash things differently. It’s just too much! Any tips? Sorry if this is a silly post!

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?

Are we all just a bunch of anxious people here?

Let's face it 😭 we are all waiting for Febu restock because either we are close to running out or we have run out.

I'm am addict and I cannot lie. Just a little whiff of FEBU...please...

I'm preparing to overhaul (and hopefully simplify) my laundry routine. I got citric acid, and I have a box each of borax and washing soda that I would like to use up. Can either/both be used to create sodium citrate for the wash cycle? I know our water is hard but don't have numbers yet (but getting a test kit today!).

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

begging for help at this point because i'm completely at my wits' end. please save me from my utter misery as i've been non-stop breaking out in rashes!

my normal laundry routine is to do three washes for each load: (1) first wash with detergent + hot water + 3 rinse cycles, (2) one cold water rinse on normal with vinegar, and then (3) a last quick wash rinse with cold water. the machine is an LG front load washer and i make sure to do a tub clean before each wash to get rid of any possible residue.

the problem is that i've become allergic to not only the usual "fragrance-free" suspects (e.g. tide), but also all of the recommendations below that are often suggested as alternatives. i basically break out immediately in eczema and huge patches after using any of these detergents:

• nellie's laundry soda (regular & baby)
• attitude fragrance-free liquid detergent (both regular & baby)
• eco max hypoallergenic laundry wash (no sulfates)
• any major "free/clean/hypoallergic brands) e.g arm & hammer, purex, downy, etc.

i'm constantly itchy and bleeding all of the time, and we suspect it's the laundry because the locations of the rashes (e.g. in a ring around the neck, exactly in the same area as the edges of underwear, absolutely no rashes in the arms because i only wear t-shirts that cut off right above the elbows). willing to try anything at this point as i'm completely desperate!

I have a dug well, so very hard water. The water is filtered at various stages, and goes through a UV light treatment as well. I use a front loading washer.

I’ve noticed my clothes come out smelling funky. I’ve cleaned my washer, the black rubber icky seal, and the trap. I also use a laundry disinfectant in the rinse (which helped quite a bit). I stopped using fabric softener because I heard it can compound the issue (no change and I miss the fresh smell). Adding various combinations of vinegar or baking soda in the washer or dispenser has not been successful. However, even with hot water, oxyclean and HE detergent, on the heavy load setting, my towels are funky smelling.

I’ve read using washing soda for hard water enhances the enzyme cleaning capacity of laundry detergents. Is this true or woo woo from the “make your own detergent” folks.

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 :)

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

Thank you!