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Sometimes you just gotta drop names. Y’all remember, I only recently got my Whirlpool washing machine and I love it. I really ought to name it, because I have a very fond affection for my Whirlpool washer.
Well, before getting the lovely Whirlpool, I was doing our considerable (11-17 loads per week) laundry at the Kwik-Wash. I was really starting to become a disgruntled laundry-mat customer, because our clothes and linens were not arriving back at home much cleaner than they left. I promise, we were not overloading the machines. We were using plenty of laundry detergent and the recommended amount of oxyclean, but stuff just wasn’t looking all that good. Thankfully it smelled clean-ish, mostly. Probably due to the oxyclean.
But I had my work cut out for me when I brought the Whirlpool home. So, I did what any self-respecting internet-aholic would do. I googled “clean laundry” and read every bit of advice I could get my hands on. Boy was I shocked at what I learned.
Are you ready for this? Use Tide. There, I said it. This stuff is good, I know it’s horribly expensive, but, stop whining for a minute and check this out. You only need about 2 or 3 tablespoons of this liquid gold and that does a better job of getting the ick and muck out of Pirate clothes than a full dose of …….. well, I never found any detergent that worked anywhere near this well. None. This is it, I’ll never buy any other brand. And when you just use a tiny bit for each load, it lasts a really long time. So, in the end, Tide is more economical than all the rest, just don’t waste it by using more than you need. I use the liquid, no dye, no scent variety.
The oxyclean that I use, I buy at the Dollar Tree, it’s the same as the name brand, only a whole lot cheaper. This is the only thing I have found to take the musty stink out of Pirate towels. I put a scoopful in every load of laundry. For towels I usually use two scoops. I hate that sour towel stink, and this makes it GO AWAY.
And, if you have read what I wrote about acquiring my $10 Whirlpool, then you will remember that the washing machines with the strongest transmissions are Maytag and Whirlpool.
So, there you have it. Whirlpool, Oxyclean and Tide. Did you know I felt that strongly about laundry? When you spend as much time doing laundry as I do, you want your efforts to be rewarded with great results. I love taking a writhing, squirming mountain of Pirate laundry and turning it into nice tidy stacks of fresh, clean apparel.
Please leave a comment and tell what laundry products/methods work for you.
I think next week I’ll tell you about my new dish-washer and our new GET-’EM-CLEAN-DISHWASHING-ROUTINE.
By the way, I have a giveaway going on until June 30th. You should enter.
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Tide makes my skin itch too, but All and Gain do not.
Tide always makes our skin itch. Do they make a free and clear?
We use the Arm and Hammer Essentials Laundry Detergent. We have a washer, but not a dryer, so we hang up our laundry on clothes racks (which we stack on our dining table!). The Arm and Hammer helped with odors. Before that, we used unscented detergent (not Tide, because it made us itch, even the unscented/dye-free kind).
I think that I’ll look into the Oxy-Clean (dollar store version) to help with smelly clothing items. Thanks!
Allie
Learningtobefrugal.wordpress.com
Ooooh, I love Charlie’s Soap (www.charliesoap.com). I use that and Oxi-Clean for stinky loads, and the Spray-n-Wash stick for any stains I happen to catch before they hit the wash.
Charlie’s Soap (it only takes a tablespoon, even for top-loaders) is also great for septic and people with allergies. And you don’t need any fabric softener!
Ok. End of commercial
Thanks! I’ll be trying this & I cannot wait to check out next week’s post. By then I’ll have my 1st dishwasher.
That’s good to know about Tide and septic systems. I use All but I’ll have to boost it with the Oxyclean. I have the Oxyclean stain treater, but I’ll have to get the other stuff from my dollar store.
My WFMW is up, too, if anyone would like to stop by.
Tide really does work well – we use cloth diapers on our girlie, and just plain Tide does an amazing job!
* Hi Karen, I’ve never (read, not as an adult) lived in the country, so I don’t know about septic stuff. We’re on the grid w/the city water and sewer. But, I wonder, if it’s bad for the septic, is it bad for the sewer, only to a lesser degree?
*Hi Kristin, we are also allergic, have eczema, fragrance sensitive(can’t stand the overpowering scent). So I always use the free and clear sorts, and always the liquid. The dermatologist told me that it dissolves better (duh) and therefore rinses away better, leaving less for my skin to object to.
*Hi Briggie, glad to have you aboard! I’ve never heard of Folex, but that may be due to the fact that we have all tile, no carpet. I love the tile, it’s so much cleaner, but if I were still baby-havin’ age, I might buy some area rugs. ;D
I am a slave to Oxyclean and I worship at the altar of Tide!
A good overnight soak in hot water and oxy will get red mud out of baseball pants (but not all of it — wearing SPARKLEY baseball pants is NOT cool!)
less is better when using any detergent because too much causes oversudsing which leaves residue on the clothes. not overloading the washer helps too. i used to be a strict tide user but nowadays with prices the way they are i look for sales and when there’s no sale i get the store brand and boost it with oxyclean – i too use the dollar tree version or family dollar brand. it works great and for really tough stains i use Folex which is a carpet stain remover but i found it works great on tons of stains and just a lil’ dab’l do ya.
I do enjoy good clean laundry
I have front loaders and I love them. I love them. I love them. I do not love going to the laundromat. I’ve done it before. I’ve come home without a whole load of clothes, I’ve gotten lipstick or motor oil or something all over stuff. I’ve been welcomed with a stray bounce sheet in my dryer.
I’m allergic to so many things and dye free, fragrance free works for me, too.
I use an eco friendly teeny scoop of white powder something or other — I used Amway’s SA8 for 20 years and have just recently changed – this stuff is good, too.
I’m happy for your washer purchase – Live is SOOOOO good with a washer.
Have a great day!
Kristin
I used to love using Tide (I love the way it makes my clothes smell, too), but Septic Man told us that Tide (in any form) and Costco-brand detergents are MURDER on one’s septic, so it had to go. So sad.
Now I use All, which doesn’t seem to come close…
Instead of Oxyclean, I use borax. Is that the same thing, or something different?