Banishing tattletale gray

AKA "dingy" laundry is caused by incomplete soil removal and or soils being redeposited on laundry. Both are caused by either using too little detergent and or incomplete rinsing.

Using too little detergent or "soap" for laundry means half the battle is not won, that is soils removed from laundry cannot remain in suspension and rinsed away. This leads to soils ending up back onto textile fibers.

Remember laundry detergents and soaps perform several functions: one is to remove soils and stains from laundry, the other is to keep said materials in suspension to be flushed away during rinsing. Soaps and detergents also contain ingredients to soften hard water and deal with minerals found in all water. If these minerals including those found in soiled laundry are not kept suspeneded, they also will end up back on laundry.

Fels Naptha soap was so successful because unlike all soaps, which are merely fats, oils and alkaline substances (lye), Fels added petrol (naptha) which as a hydrocarbon, deals with oils by dissloving them very easily, in essence a solvent. This meant women didn't have to do all that rubbing, boiling, scrubbing, since the petrol did the hard work of laundry. Indeed period laundry guides advised laundresses, housewives, etc, not to boil laundry when using naptha type soaps; warm, hot and in the case of Fels and perhaps Kirkman's Borax worked very well in cold water.

Because these soaps also contained builders (washing soda, etc) they washed laundry better and eaiser than simple lye and fat based soaps. They also kept the soils away which resulted in brighter laundry.

Modern detergents use complex chemical cocktails with surfactants and enzymes, to deal with soil removal and suspension. Phosphates were the first choice, but as they are banned in many areas we have all and sundry sorts. Still the same rules apply, if not enough detergent is used, and or rinsing is incomplete, the result will be dingy laundry.

Depending upon where your friend lives, he may have hard or at least mineral laden water, thus his laundry may have a build up of detergent residue and soils.

Best remedy is to "strip" laundry by washing in the hottest water possible using a good water softener and NO detergent. White King, Calgon, or if he can find it, STPP. Add about 1/2 cup to 1 cup (depending upon load size and type of washer), and see if suds start appearing in laundry. If water is the area is very hard, add same amount of packaged water softener to the first rinse, then keep rinsing laundry until all traces of suds are gone. It helps to use warm water for at least the first and perhaps second rinses.

Soft water,especially water softened with phosphates causes detergent, soap and other residue to leave textiles and if one likes, become "detergent" again. This is why one does not add any more detergent or soap. In addition trapped minerals in textiles will also come out and be flushed away.


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Post# 292865 7/27/2008 at 12:35 (5,759 days old) by supersuds (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Checkrate/Likes In the 1940s, Fels Naptha soap advertised that it would banish tattletale gray from white laundry. What's the best modern way to do that? The reason I asked is that a friend approached me as a "laundry expert." He had been washing in cold water with regular Gain. I suggested: 1) Hot water; 2) Tide with Bleach; and 3) Mrs. Stewart's bluing. Knowing that getting STPP would be too complicated for him, I didn't bring that up. He has tied "warmer" water (the idea of hot freaks him out for some reason) and Mrs. Stewart's but reports it made no difference. I don't think he's used oxygen bleach yet either. Does anyone have any other suggestions for whiter whites? Granted, it's not that important, but I wouldn't like to lose my laundry cred in his eyes.

Post# 292874 , Reply# 1 7/27/2008 at 12:47 (5,759 days old) by danemodsandy (The Bramford, Apt. 7-E)
Checkrate/Likes *Oxygen Bleach* Would be the best way for someone who isn't too savvy and who doesn't want to get involved with hot washes. I use Sun Oxygen Cleaner, available cheaply at any Big Lots. Works like a charm, every bit as well as the more expensive brands.

Post# 292876 , Reply# 2 7/27/2008 at 12:54 (5,759 days old) by thomasortega (El Pueblo de Nuestra Se�ora de Los Angeles de Porci�ncula)
Checkrate/Likes Here in Brazil I have an easy way to get my whites absolutelly white. 1) Heavy cycle at Affinity 2) COLD water 3) 1/2 scoop of Skip Intelligent Ultra from Argentina. 4) 1/2 scoop (1 dose) of Vanish crystal White 5) 1 hour and 3 minutes waiting for the end of cycle beeps. 6) Whites perfectly whites! Obs. The Argentinian Skip is much better than Amway's SA8 or the european Skip. CLICK HERE TO GO TO thomasortega's LINK

Post# 292960 , Reply# 3 7/27/2008 at 18:48 (5,759 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes *Tattle-Tale Grey* AKA "dingy" laundry is caused by incomplete soil removal and or soils being redeposited on laundry. Both are caused by either using too little detergent and or incomplete rinsing. Using too little detergent or "soap" for laundry means half the battle is not won, that is soils removed from laundry cannot remain in suspension and rinsed away. This leads to soils ending up back onto textile fibers. Remember laundry detergents and soaps perform several functions: one is to remove soils and stains from laundry, the other is to keep said materials in suspension to be flushed away during rinsing. Soaps and detergents also contain ingredients to soften hard water and deal with minerals found in all water. If these minerals including those found in soiled laundry are not kept suspeneded, they also will end up back on laundry. Fels Naptha soap was so successful because unlike all soaps, which are merely fats, oils and alkaline substances (lye), Fels added petrol (naptha) which as a hydrocarbon, deals with oils by dissloving them very easily, in essence a solvent. This meant women didn't have to do all that rubbing, boiling, scrubbing, since the petrol did the hard work of laundry. Indeed period laundry guides advised laundresses, housewives, etc, not to boil laundry when using naptha type soaps; warm, hot and in the case of Fels and perhaps Kirkman's Borax worked very well in cold water. Because these soaps also contained builders (washing soda, etc) they washed laundry better and eaiser than simple lye and fat based soaps. They also kept the soils away which resulted in brighter laundry. Modern detergents use complex chemical cocktails with surfactants and enzymes, to deal with soil removal and suspension. Phosphates were the first choice, but as they are banned in many areas we have all and sundry sorts. Still the same rules apply, if not enough detergent is used, and or rinsing is incomplete, the result will be dingy laundry. Depending upon where your friend lives, he may have hard or at least mineral laden water, thus his laundry may have a build up of detergent residue and soils. Best remedy is to "strip" laundry by washing in the hottest water possible using a good water softener and NO detergent. White King, Calgon, or if he can find it, STPP. Add about 1/2 cup to 1 cup (depending upon load size and type of washer), and see if suds start appearing in laundry. If water is the area is very hard, add same amount of packaged water softener to the first rinse, then keep rinsing laundry until all traces of suds are gone. It helps to use warm water for at least the first and perhaps second rinses. Soft water,especially water softened with phosphates causes detergent, soap and other residue to leave textiles and if one likes, become "detergent" again. This is why one does not add any more detergent or soap. In addition trapped minerals in textiles will also come out and be flushed away.

Post# 292961 , Reply# 4 7/27/2008 at 18:50 (5,759 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes *Bluing* Will not remedy tattle-tale grey. Blue cancels out yellow, and thus bluing is used to counter the natural yellow of cottons and other natural textiles, or when the tinge develops. Over use of bluing will not only cause laundry to appear dull, but lead to just as dingy laundry as poorly laundred and rinsed laundry. L.

Post# 293014 , Reply# 5 7/27/2008 at 22:26 (5,759 days old) by supersuds (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Checkrate/Likes Thanks, laundress! And danemodsandy and Thomas. I would love to find White King somewhere -- I don't suppose it's ever sold on ebay? I don't see it right now, apart from some vintage White King "soap." Any help appreciated. I used to use Calgon before phosphates were removed from the formulation, and assumed the present version is only washing soda and there was no point in adding more of that to the wash. I'm sure Laundress wouldn't recommend it if this were the case, though!

Post# 293016 , Reply# 6 7/27/2008 at 23:10 (5,759 days old) by thomasortega (El Pueblo de Nuestra Se�ora de Los Angeles de Porci�ncula)
Checkrate/Likes You're welcome! ;)

Post# 293017 , Reply# 7 7/27/2008 at 23:12 (5,759 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes Yes, IIRC the powdered version of Calgon is nothing but washing soda and perhaps sodium citrate; the liquid version is citrate based. Totally forgot about that, sorry. Other than Calgon,and White King, the other phosphate based water softener was Amway's "Smashing White", but it has been discontinued, though you still may find dealers with NOS. You can order STPP (phosphates) directly from TheChemistryStore.com They ship via UPS.

Post# 293038 , Reply# 8 7/28/2008 at 04:48 (5,759 days old) by whitekingd ()
Checkrate/Likes Oxydol detergent, Snowy All Fabric Bleach, and Mrs. Stewart's Bluing IN THE RINSE!! Works great for me. I use a teaspoonful of bluing like they used to say in the seventies (now they say a quarter teaspoon but I still use a full teaspoonful!)

Post# 294181 , Reply# 10 8/2/2008 at 10:50 (5,753 days old) by supersuds (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Checkrate/Likes Thanks again everyone for their advice. I've taken the plunge and a 12 lb. tub of STPP is on its way from the Chemistry Store. The shipping almost doubles the price, but it's a small indulgence. I can share some of it with friends and family, and use it in all of my loads from now on!

Post# 296533 , Reply# 11 8/13/2008 at 19:40 (5,742 days old) by toggleswitch2 ()
Checkrate/Likes I must say STPP has whitened T-shirts I was ready to throw out due to the yellow. DAZZLING results. I have a certain pusher in Tucson, AZ who mailed me some as a gift and I'm !@#$%^& hooked! Bless you my child! I use it sparingly (if at all) on darker clothes because I coudl swear it fades them, but on whites...BRAVISSIMO!

Post# 296733 , Reply# 13 8/14/2008 at 19:01 (5,741 days old) by supersuds (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Checkrate/Likes *Tucson* Yep, Ross was one of the people whose posts motivated me to get some STPP. You know he'd always tell the truth!

Post# 297979 , Reply# 14 8/19/2008 at 17:18 (5,736 days old) by ptcruiser51 (Boynton Beach, FL)
Checkrate/Likes *Thank you Launderess and Jeff G!* I ordered the STPP from the Chemistry Store. Worth every last cent! Followed the directions with no detergent - I was appalled the amount of suds that came out of my white load. I have to usually do laundry in the apartment coin-ops (Maytag TL)and usually do a hot fill (white cycle) and change to perm-press cycle so it will get some semblance of a second rinse. For the experiment I did two loads in my sister's Maytag Performa TL, one regular and one as above. Hanging both on the line, the difference was remarkable. Now, for future loads, do I use the same amount of detergent (Oxydol liquid) or decrease it? I'm a convert...

Post# 293042 , Reply# 9 7/28/2008 at 05:20 (5,758 days old) by jeffg ()
Checkrate/Likes As Launderess pointed out, all bluing does is dye existing layers of chemical crud on your clothes. My suggestion is similar to Launderess's, with a few added steps: 1. Fill washer with hot water, as hot as possible. 2. Add 1-2 T. of washing soda or no sudsing laundry powder (e.g. Charlie's is good), and 1/2 - 3/4 c. of STPP. 3. Let the washer agitate for a minute or two. This will raise the water's pH. You should not have any suds at this point. 4. Add your whites. If the water suds like crazy then you had lots of accumulated detergent on your clothes. Let the wash cycle run its course (at least 12-14 minutes) and then rinse several times in warm water.

Post# 296537 , Reply# 12 8/13/2008 at 19:59 (5,742 days old) by mihi ()
Checkrate/Likes for just regular detergent, Persil Megapearls for lighter colors and whites is pretty good. But I don't think it will be the strength of some of the suggestions earlier in this thread, they looked really effective.

Post# 297982 , Reply# 15 8/19/2008 at 17:31 (5,736 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes Told You So! LOL General rule is one decreases detergent in porportion to amount of STPP added. Remember part of the work of any laundry detergent or soap is to soften water and keep soils in suspension. If that job is taken over by STPP, one only requires enough detergent for cleaning purposes. If one is adding oxygen bleach, especially products that contain enzymes, one can reduce detergent use a bit furhter if both products (detergent and bleach), contain enzymes. While STPP can work wonders, one shouldn't be overly lavish with dosage. Too soft water is just as bad as too hard. Water that has been made too soft will impair rinsing, especially if too much detergent has been added. You will have to play around with ratio of detergent to STPP to suit ones load size and soil levels. L.

Post# 297995 , Reply# 16 8/19/2008 at 18:39 (5,736 days old) by jeffg ()
Checkrate/Likes > Now, for future loads, do I use the same amount of detergent (Oxydol liquid) or decrease it? IMO liquid detergents are the primary cause for dingy whites. Most contain waxes which don't rinse off completely, and build up on clothing fibers with repeated use. To keep your whites white I'd recommend switching to a powdered detergent. Launderess gave good advice about dosage. For a medium load with moderate soil, in a top loading machine, I'd start with 3/8 - 1/2 c. laundry powder and 1/4 c. STPP. Use less detergent for light soil, more for heavy, but keep the STPP at 1/4 c. unless you have very hard water.

Post# 298042 , Reply# 17 8/19/2008 at 21:37 (5,736 days old) by supersuds (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Checkrate/Likes Quarter cup in a newish DD Whirlpool seems to be about right. I am going to experiment with using a bit less. I've reduced the amount of detergent (Oxydol powder) by about a third. In addition to their being whiter, I'm pleased that cottons come out much softer, too.