Thread Number: 36528
Re-using water for multiple loads?
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Post# 543896   9/16/2011 at 12:23 (4,576 days old) by vintagekitchen ()        

Does anyone else have this issue? I grew up around wringer washers and twin tubs, so it seems normal to me to do 2 or 3 loads in the same water with my twin tub. My boyfriend thinks its the grossest thing on earth, and wants each and every load to have fresh water. He refuses to believe clothes are truly clean if something else was washed in the water first. Any of you guys having to deal with this?




Post# 543897 , Reply# 1   9/16/2011 at 12:38 (4,576 days old) by jaxsunst ()        

I've never really been around wringers and twins. Having said that, I have to agree with your boyfriend. But's that's just me.

Post# 543898 , Reply# 2   9/16/2011 at 12:39 (4,576 days old) by wringer (x)        
I

use a Maytag E2L as my daily driver. I wash no more than 3 loads in the same wash water unless it is rugs or dirty rags. When I empty the washer it still looks clean and smells clean. I have no problem with reusing wash water. It has been done for years and I was raised on it. I guess it is just to each his own.

Jim


Post# 543903 , Reply# 3   9/16/2011 at 12:54 (4,576 days old) by akronman (Akron/Cleveland Ohio)        
wash water

akronman's profile picture
I have twin tubs, wringer machines, and suds saver machines, I re-use wash water all the time. Start out hot and plan what you'll wash, 2-3 loads seems about enough per wash water, and add a bit more soap each time.
Just use common sense about pet-related items, rugs, rags, diaper/infant related clothing, do them last. There are times I choose fresh water, other wash loads where I gladly re-use good hot suds.
Pretty much personal taste, plenty of folks raised on automatics just don't like the idea, I do like the idea.

And around my house, if my boyfriend doesn't like how/what I cook or wash or whatever, he sure as hell gets to do it next time all by himself!


Post# 543905 , Reply# 4   9/16/2011 at 13:03 (4,576 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)        

foraloysius's profile picture
Question: Does the boyfriend object to more than one item being washed in one load?

Post# 543923 , Reply# 5   9/16/2011 at 13:31 (4,576 days old) by polkanut (Wausau, WI )        

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I grew up with 2 grandmothers that had wringer machines, and my Mom has only ever had suds-savers.  When we bought our Maytag Dependable Care set in 1998 we had to special order a suds-saver model.  We use it all the time, and think nothing of it.  We reuse the water 3x at most.  It really does save on water, detergent, and natural gas.

 

Tell the boyfriend to deal with it, or better yet, let him pay the water bill when you only use each tub of water once.


Post# 543946 , Reply# 6   9/16/2011 at 14:44 (4,576 days old) by arbilab (Ft Worth TX (Ridglea))        

arbilab's profile picture
The grossest thing on earth (laundry-wise anyway) is auto toploaders filtering suspended laundry debris through fabric while draining.

The other two grossest things on earth are sauerkraut, and carnies. Circus folk. Small hands. Smell like cabbage. (Austin Powers)

Grandma was a pretty assiduous housekeeper and she did all the sheets--about 3 loads--on one fill. Then shirts (one load) and underwear (next load) on a refill. I forgot where towels fit into the equation, maybe another fill. It was 1952 after all.


Post# 543954 , Reply# 7   9/16/2011 at 15:15 (4,576 days old) by lancethecook (Driffield England)        
Reusing the water

I notice all you guys are in the USA or Canada, water must be a lot cheaper over there.
Over here we just keep using it until it's grey.
I can and do get through a weeks washing without changing the water, having said that with few exceptions , nothing is really dirty.
Except me!


Post# 543957 , Reply# 8   9/16/2011 at 15:38 (4,576 days old) by westingman123 ()        

The whole purpose of soap (or detergent, depending upon what you use) is to suspend the dirt/oil/etc. As long as the crud is trapped, I have no problem reusing wash water. Grandma taught us to follow an order of washing, I remember that we used the same water for all except the whites, which were practically boiled the water was so hot. All in her Speed Queen wringer.

My other Grandma had a Maytag square-tub wringer, and re-used her water, as well. We had to bring THAT water up from the well. Nothing quite encourages you to economize on water use as hauling those buckets from under the pump!

I do remember both of them had the WHITEST whites--I suppose from the bleaching effects of the sun in tandem with the chlorine bleach they both used.

Tell boyfriend to get over it.


Post# 543958 , Reply# 9   9/16/2011 at 15:40 (4,576 days old) by ozzie908 (Lincoln UK)        
Have to agree with Lance

ozzie908's profile picture
Having used a twin tub for the first time today in a long time, Its because I was repairing it ( pics to follow) I did 5 loads of washing 3 whites 2 darks it took me 2.5 hours to wash,rinse,condition,starch,and get a load in the dryer as its raining normally my Aqualtis takes 2.35 hours to do a single white cotton wash ! So sod whether its dirty water because everything looks just as clean as 4 loads in a front loader and I saved water soap time and having laundry hanging around all weekend...! Okay the only downfall I now have a huge mountain of ironing...:)

A happy washer man who had success getting his 50 year old twinny going again.

With thanks to some lovely people on here You know who you are XXXX


Austin


Post# 543992 , Reply# 10   9/16/2011 at 20:32 (4,576 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)        

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I grew up with a suds-saving 1960 Kenmore, and my mom used it all the time---usually for two loads, occasionally three if the loads were very lightly soiled. Our clothes were always spotlessly clean. I have no problems reusing wash water.

Now that I have new front-loader which uses only 17 gallons of water for an entire cycle, I don't mind having fresh water for each load.


Post# 544002 , Reply# 11   9/16/2011 at 21:29 (4,576 days old) by sudsreturn ()        

If everything is rinsed properly, whats the problem?!

In my Hoovermatic I do four or five loads in the first tub full from 85c whites, through to light coloureds, adding a bit of cold water after each sudsreturn. Always change water though to go onto deep coloureds and darks and jeans, and sometimes that can be six loads! My washing is always sparkling. And Lance is right, his towels and tea towels are immaculate!!!!


Post# 544003 , Reply# 12   9/16/2011 at 21:43 (4,576 days old) by washerlover (The Big Island, Hawai’i)        

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I agree, the rinse cycle is pivotal in cleaning.

Post# 544008 , Reply# 13   9/16/2011 at 22:00 (4,576 days old) by abcomatic (Bradford, Illinois)        

I regularly use my Easy Spindrier, Maytag wringers or ABC wringers and have no problems with laundry that is anything but spotless. I reuse the water several times. Sheets, underwear, colored shirts, wash slacks and socks are washed in the same water in that order. If I do towels, they are done in separate water so that the lint from the towels won't be deposited on anything else.
Rinsing is the key! Two rinses and on the line or dryer and the wash is done in nothing flat.
Get a wringer and see what happens. Happy washing saving water and detergent. Gary


Post# 544013 , Reply# 14   9/16/2011 at 23:28 (4,576 days old) by arbilab (Ft Worth TX (Ridglea))        

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On my Panasonic TT, I did spinner rinses then set aside for a washtub rinse later. Beauty of twintubs, you can SEE what the laundry needs and provide it.

Think I already told Gary how much I envy his Easy.


Post# 544081 , Reply# 15   9/17/2011 at 10:49 (4,576 days old) by vtmike55 ()        
I agree with Gary

I have a Easy as well. I always use the same water for two somethimes three loads of dark clothes, I add a bit more soap with each load. I rinse longer with the Easy and they come out very clean. I do use fresh new water for my whites as I use very hot water and Clorox and the whites come out perfect.

Easy Does It
Mike


Post# 544108 , Reply# 16   9/17/2011 at 12:18 (4,575 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

Before I started using my frontloaders for most of the wash, I would regularly drain water from one top loader into another, add more detergent and keep washing, but 2 or 3 loads finished up what I had to wash. I'm old enough that grandmothers and other relatives used wringers and had to reuse water. Mom had a sudsaver Kenmore as her first automatic. They showed me how to properly reuse water. The only bad part was one grandmother had to heat the water for washing on the kerosene stove in the basement and I was never allowed to watch the agitation much because the lid had to be on to keep the water hot to do everything from dish towels and linens down through thunderwear and towels, casual clothes and my grandfather's overalls from gardening in black Iowa soil. I still like to drain the rinse water out on the yard when we have not had rain.

Post# 544120 , Reply# 17   9/17/2011 at 14:01 (4,575 days old) by nrones ()        
My mother

Well, my mother had a complain to our front load european washers that spray load during the wash..

When she saw a Gorenje doing that, it was like "oh my god, it is horrible, returning dirty water back into the drum" - that was her's comment... she gave the same one when months after a Gorenje comment saw CandyEVO advert, no matter that I spent like half hour explaining her everything, but I guess she is stubborn xD

Just for fun, when I read this thread, I asked her what does she thinks, and she said it's like washing clothes in mud xD - that's from my mom.
But personally, I think there's no problem with it, as on todays modern machines with large capacity (10-12kg) people do the same thing actually, they wash amount in once, that they had to do 2 times in their old machine, obviously in the same water, and detergent :)

Dex


Post# 544182 , Reply# 18   9/17/2011 at 20:49 (4,575 days old) by ronhic (Canberra, Australia)        

ronhic's profile picture

Firstly, I should state that I don't have a problem using the wash water at least twice, possibly 3 times on a twin tub....or sudsaver machine...

 

HOWEVER.....

 

If you compare the volume of water in a twin tub or wringer or sudsaver machine and use it properly for washing and rinsing...that is, you wash and spin/wring and then rinse and spin/wring changing the rinse water as it starts to cloud, then it isn't as efficient as a half-reasonable front load machine when it comes to water....time certainly. Detergent maybe....but not water.

 

A modern front load machine here typically uses about 16-17 US gallons to wash 14 lb of dry weight laundry (65litres for 6.5kg...often less water and more washing now). That's 12 single bed sheets by the way....A modern top loader using a traditional, deep rinse cycle (that most of us would use) will consume at least double that. Not to mention that many people underload their machine regardless of type. All front loaders sold here will sense it and adjust accordingly...not all top loaders do.

 

So, whilst I like the thought that I would be more frugal using a twin-tub, wringer or suds-saver, the reality is that I already am...

 

- I get to tailor my wash depending on soil and/or fabric

- I get to be frugal with resources if I only need to do a single load

- My machine will sense exactly how much water to use if I underload it

- If I choose a decent detergent (OMO), I can use half without changing washing performance - and that's been independantly  proven.

- I can do something else while the machine is doing its' thing - the whole advantage of automatic washing

 

...but I'd still like a twin-tub....


Post# 544192 , Reply# 19   9/17/2011 at 21:35 (4,575 days old) by kenmore700bill (Lodi NJ)        

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I grew up with my mother's Square Tub Maytag.(which I still have and is operational) She would also use the water for a few loads of clothes. The first load was always the Whites, Underwear, Socks, Towels. Hot water and Bleach were in the wash water. The second load was the white linnen sheets and pillow cases. Once the Whites were wrung out they landed in the deep tub of the kitchen double sink which is where the first rinse took place then was wrung out and the sheets went inthe same rinse water. She then emptied out the washer and filled with cold water and a few drops of BULLDOG Bluing to do the final rinse of the white clothes and White linnen sheets then they went to the line, she would save this rinse water and throw in detergent and proceed to to the light color wash. This load was then wrung out and rinsed in the laundry tub 2 times and hung on the line. Once this load was done my fathers work clothes then got the hot wash with detergent and lestoil(my father was a car mechanic with greasy clothes) and this load got the double rinse also. I will say that she did let the work clothes wash for about a half hour or so then rinsed them twice. My mother was not a Fabric Softner user although there was always that bottle of Final Touch on the shelf. Once I got into high school and started making money I then took her to Sears and we purchased the Kenmore 700 washer this was in 1969.

Post# 544212 , Reply# 20   9/17/2011 at 23:49 (4,575 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

Bill, you are a good son.

Post# 544242 , Reply# 21   9/18/2011 at 06:25 (4,575 days old) by ricky5050 (Durham Britain)        
No problem

ricky5050's profile picture
I can see what your bf means but it was the norm here, water was precious and hot water even more so so by the time the tub was filled and heated by fire gas or electric it was used again and again. Starting with the cleanest clothes through to the dirtiest and darkest as the water cooled. As long as a good detergent and good rinsing I don't see a problem. My mam when using twin tubs would,say that water was " poisoned" and new would filled after a few loads. Ask him to think about this tho a load in a twin or single tub washer would be small so doing 2,3,4, loads in the same water would be no different to stuffing all of the laundry into a modern large capacity machine and have it rumble around in a smaller dirtier amount of water. The advantage of your method assuming you start with whites is water is saved and no Color transfer occurs.

Richard.


Post# 544448 , Reply# 22   9/19/2011 at 03:23 (4,574 days old) by Virabhadrasana (France / Italy)        
re using water

During the 60s there were in Europe some washers with a separate tub which allowed useres to save the suds and using them again for the next wash (Indesit K5 for example). My english is too poor to try to describe how the system worked, but some users described it very well in some old threads:).10 years ago I had a Miele top loader and I used to keep the water of the last rinse (without softener added)and put it back into the drum for the next wash, but the Miele didn't drain at the very beginning of the cycle, like lots of modern washers do nowadays.

Post# 544709 , Reply# 23   9/20/2011 at 13:10 (4,572 days old) by suds14 (Pittsburgh)        

I have always reused the wash water for many loads, as long as the water is not very dirty. I always soak socks and underwear before washing as well as any other heavy soiled items. My mom and grandmother always has suds savers and I followed in thier foot steps. Now I save the water and put it back in the washer by bucket since Kenmore I am using does not have the suds saver feature.

David


Post# 544710 , Reply# 24   9/20/2011 at 13:14 (4,572 days old) by ingliscanada ()        
Limited Sewage

When I was young, most of the homes in our neighbourhood (including ours) were on septic tanks. So many of us had suds-saver washers to lessen the waste going out.

Gary


Post# 544737 , Reply# 25   9/20/2011 at 14:52 (4,572 days old) by whirlpolf ()        
no problem with "gray water" at all

Indeed, I even re-use bathwater.

You all probably know that soothing feeling of a very hot bath that almost gets you this "sauna feeling" of being totally cleansed and soft as a marshmellow (the one that makes you want to go to bed right on).

Well, before the temperature drops too low I use a PE tank of 30 litres to carry it down to my washer and I will run a load or two in the prewash cycle. Shampoo and shower gel have a substantial capability of getting rid of superficial dust and dirt and they have a first run on oily substances. Great for heavily soiled items or workshop clothes, garden clothes and similar. If it was my own house I would have installed a gravity drain pipe to go down to the basement, into some tank for this.

Secondly, I run the hot wash in frontloader one, pumping it up and out to frontloader 2.
Stop on machine 1, waiting for machine 2 to get done (reheating it up again just a tiny bit)
Repeating the same with all rinse cycles and their respective intermediate spins, apart for the last rinse.
This is done with fresh water always (and some softener or laundry scent, just as needed).

Result: Utility back payment of almost 500,- Euros for last year. 486,- that is.

Of course: This will work only for similarily lightly soiled loads of if you just want to do a quick "freshen up" cycle. You get 2x full prewash, hot wash, 4x rinse and spin for the cost of one.

I admit: On heavily soiled items, it won't work: The first wash water is dark gray and smelly (and I want to get rid of it). Same thing with infected clothes (my brother was in the clinic for some severe surgery, all his wash got a new and fresh fill of water for each single load.) Imagine the blood and what have you.

Yet, for regular stuff, re-using is a standard here. (You won't believe our utility bill rates).





Post# 544752 , Reply# 26   9/20/2011 at 16:04 (4,572 days old) by maytagmike (Burlington, Vt)        
reuseing water

maytagmike's profile picture
I grew up on a farm, I still have mom's maytag square tub maytag. she would wash 4 loads of clothes in the same water. they came out spotless. then she would drain the wash water and rinse all 4 loads again in the machine. she would just add a little bit more soap powders to each load.


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