Thread Number: 27991
Please help me achieve whiter whites |
[Down to Last] |
|
Post# 428467 , Reply# 1   4/13/2010 at 15:50 (5,098 days old) by Somonica ()   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
60C cotton wash + level 3 rinses + Persil megaperls white... anything else are compromise! ;) |
Post# 428625 , Reply# 4   4/14/2010 at 02:23 (5,098 days old) by Irishwashguy (Salem,Oregon.............A Capital City)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
My first suggestion is not to use Tide anything for a boil wash. Tide is really hard on your washer and all of its components.Plus most American detergents are really not low sudsing enough for a Miele. If you use detergents of anykind, with a Miele, LESS IS MORE!
Second, What I use is A scoop, One/eighth of a cup of SA-8 Amway or Persil, Faks is a good inexpensive one. I have even done this with the Ecover, this is a European detergent made in Belgum made for Boil washing in a European washer. Take this with Calgon water softener one/eighth, and finally, 20 mule Team Borax one eighth. I would then set it at 190 soak, with sensative setting just for good measure. Sometimes when you have had clothes that have been washed mutiple times and then dryed, it is natural that it is going to take a few Boil washes for them to look perfect. I usually will start a soak like this before bed.When I get up, I put it in the dryer, and Whitest Whites. Remember, what you need more than anything, is time, temp, and mechanical action. If you set it on Sanitize/Soak/Extended/Sensative/, you will have a program that will say a little over four hours, this is what I would do for your setting. try it, and let me know how it goes. |
Post# 428648 , Reply# 6   4/14/2010 at 07:41 (5,098 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Always pre-wash whites first in coolish to warm water (100*F /38*C or below) to avoid setting the protein stains and to get rid of the bulk of the dirt.
THEN continue with a boil wash. For whites you MUST rinse the heck out of them or the detergents and chemicals will make them dingy. And for TRULY clean cothes you will stop using waxy softener. Period. That stuff is just a coating of wax/grease/oil and stink that has to be removed in the next wash. I do use some cheap watery softener (supermarket brand pink or yellow stuff in the gallon jug / i.e. 3.78L) in the FIRST rinse such that it will de-suds and get rinsed out by the end of the wash cycle/programme! Vinegar after this is not a bad idea IF your machine does NOT have a porcelain tub/basket! The last rinse (or last few) rinses should always be WATER ONLY, IMHO! For a REAL clean add phosphates to the wash and pre-wash! (NOTE: I believe this stuff fades bolds and brights; use on whites and pastels,IMHO) CLICK HERE TO GO TO Toggleswitch's LINK |
Post# 428649 , Reply# 7   4/14/2010 at 07:43 (5,098 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 428689 , Reply# 9   4/14/2010 at 10:39 (5,097 days old) by Irishwashguy (Salem,Oregon.............A Capital City)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 428840 , Reply# 11   4/14/2010 at 19:31 (5,097 days old) by eddy1210 (Burnaby BC Canada)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 428848 , Reply# 13   4/14/2010 at 20:14 (5,097 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
IMHO one must always pre-wash BEFORE a soak!
Remember (American?) detergents can only hold soils in suspension for a about half an hour. One wants to flush as much dirt as possible down the drain BEFORE soaking, or the yuck/muck from the armpits and the crotch areas will end up on the clenaer parts of the clothes if not properly/ sufficiently suspended in the water/degergent mix. |
Post# 428910 , Reply# 15   4/15/2010 at 01:08 (5,097 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 428942 , Reply# 17   4/15/2010 at 08:09 (5,097 days old) by Bernina (Chicago)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Has enzymes and activated oxygen bleach. It does have optical brighteners so you shouldn't really use it on dark colors. CLICK HERE TO GO TO Bernina's LINK |
Post# 429006 , Reply# 18   4/15/2010 at 12:55 (5,096 days old) by PeterH770 (Marietta, GA)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
When I first got my Miele, I too was unimpressed. But one day I was in a rush and didn't want to wait 1:47 for the cotton program, so I used the 55 min fine/delicates program (high water level, regular speed tumbling). The results were noticeably brighter! Best I can figure is that my clothes needed the high water level wash to flush everything embedded out. Once everything went through this, it has been fine.
|
Post# 429019 , Reply# 19   4/15/2010 at 13:20 (5,096 days old) by suburbanmd (Maryland, USA)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Do you know this from experience, or did someone tell you, or did you read it somewhere (where?). |
Post# 429057 , Reply# 21   4/15/2010 at 16:42 (5,096 days old) by favorit ()   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
otherwise the heat will set them in |
Post# 429061 , Reply# 22   4/15/2010 at 17:08 (5,096 days old) by hcj1440 ()   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
They've been through the dryer so many times, I think it's pretty much permanent at this point! So much the better challenge for the Persil??? ;) |
Post# 429396 , Reply# 24   4/17/2010 at 10:08 (5,094 days old) by dogboy44 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Find some TSP - there are a few places that still sell it. Strips the grey out. Use a cup (more or less depending on your machine) on a hot wash and any extra soak setting you have. I have had great success with this. |
Post# 429411 , Reply# 25   4/17/2010 at 10:58 (5,094 days old) by surgilator_68 (Maryland)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
The general rule of thumb is that it will take as many washes with proper detergent and water temp to get the gray stains/oils/residue out of the clothing, etc as it did to get them there in the first place.
Use hot water, good detergent(I've always used Tide)and add some phosphate to the wash. They will get white again but it will take time. |
Post# 429466 , Reply# 26   4/17/2010 at 15:16 (5,094 days old) by Irishwashguy (Salem,Oregon.............A Capital City)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
That has been my expierience. Even at the lower temps, which I as well as everyone has tried. Trial and error. Even at 140(hot) it worked.Sometimes, even with a good detergent, you should pre-treat. I washed a load on sanitize,granted it was a big load of white sheets and towels, and one of my favorate shirts. When the stain did not come out of my shirt, I put pre treater on it, and presto! My favorate 12 year old shirt is totally white again. I have found that some things get whiter everytime it is washed. It nay take a few times; depending on how many times it is washed and dried. When I first bought my Miele, it was time to see what it could do.
|
Post# 429504 , Reply# 27   4/17/2010 at 18:07 (5,094 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 429527 , Reply# 28   4/17/2010 at 20:27 (5,094 days old) by Irishwashguy (Salem,Oregon.............A Capital City)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I guess I aproach it with soaking. My machine has only one setting for a soak.This is two hours. I will admit, I will look in on the load to give it my best guess. Before I had a soak, I would put it in a bucket overnight. So some expierience, however,I am open to learn myself if something works better. I Love to do laundry, I want to keep getting better at it. :)
|
Post# 429532 , Reply# 29   4/17/2010 at 21:51 (5,094 days old) by aldspinboy (Philadelphia, Pa)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 429573 , Reply# 30   4/18/2010 at 03:50 (5,094 days old) by mielerod69 (Australia)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I have been using Dixan Multicolor liquid in my Miele W 3985 and I must say its one of my favorite detergents at the moment for coloureds. There is an italian supermarket in Melbourne which sell lots of italian washing detergents. I have Perlana (Perwoll) and its great on my wollen jumpers and the smell is great. I have also used Dash powder for the whites. They don't have Dixan powder yet. It reminds me when I was in Italy and my grandma would swear by Dixan. I have also Miele CareCollection detergents as well, they all work great also and rinse out very easily as they contain no zeolites and the smell is not very strong.
|
Post# 429608 , Reply# 31   4/18/2010 at 08:47 (5,094 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 429643 , Reply# 32   4/18/2010 at 12:42 (5,093 days old) by Irishwashguy (Salem,Oregon.............A Capital City)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 429906 , Reply# 38   4/19/2010 at 12:23 (5,092 days old) by Iheartmaytag (Wichita, Kansas)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 430280 , Reply# 40   4/20/2010 at 21:38 (5,091 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
~Turn on washer with HOT water. As it is filling, add bluing and chlorine bleach.
Bluing and chlorine in the wash will counteract each-other! Both will hinder detergents. A quick warm to cool prewash of no longer than 5 minutes does WONDERS for cleaning perfomance! Dont forget to drain and spin, THEN go to a soak or main wash! Yes Jason less detergent as you go. Add phospates to LONG soaks and to the main wash. May not be so crucial on a QUICK prewash unless the stuff is mega-dirty! And remember bluing just counteracts the yellow (yellow+ blue = white). FAR better to get the yellow out due to its true, root cause....improper laundering and/or insufficient ineffective detergent without phospates,lack of sufficient rinsing. Bleach simply removes color, disinfects and takes the ultra-violet specturm of light and makes it visible. So it does makes whites LOOK whiter in light that contains an ultra-violet component. Here is what I do to wash my whites in a front-loader. (The normal cycle is a wash and 4 rinses). Prewash in warm with POWDERED detergent and phophates. Drain. Spin. POWDERED DETERGENS ARE FAR SUPERIOR TO LIQUIDS. {Try SEars brand powder. Cheap and unbeatable! Rinses clean!) Begin normal wash cycle with HOT water and detergent and phosphates. Add bleach to first rinse (this is done automatically in Frigidaire brand front-loaders via their disensers). Add cheap supermaket-brand watery pink or yellow softener(in the gallon jug /3.78L) to the scond rinse. Add white vinegar (ONLY TO MACHINES WITH PLASTIC OR STAINLESS-STEEL TUBS-- NOT PORCELAIN-- to the third rinse. This is a sour rinse with an acid that will neutralize all prior chemmicals to form salt + water. (Acid + base/alkaline => salt + water). This prevents the bleach residues from eating your clothes during and after the washing process. Leave 4th rinse clear of chemicals. Reset machihne to "SHORT WASH" [or equivalent] (My Frigidaire fornt-loader). NO CHEMCIALS for three pure water rinses and a fast spin. A word to the wise NEVER EVER EVER buy cheap/inexpensive bleach; it will eat your clothes. NAME-BRAND ONLY NOT BRAND "X" |
Post# 430281 , Reply# 41   4/20/2010 at 21:44 (5,091 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
In a top-loader:
Prewash with warm, 5 minutes Add detergent and phophates. drain. spin. Wash with hot water, detergent,phosphates. Add bleach in last 5 minutes. First rinse. Use Bluing OR cheap watery softener OR white cinegar(IF YOU DON'T HAVE PORECELAIN). 2nd rinse: MANDATORY to flush away chemicals and bleach. and to prevent graying /yellowing residues. NO ADDITIVES AT ALL. And remember LONG soaks with bleach accomplish nothing but getting you clothes EATEN. |
Post# 430282 , Reply# 42   4/20/2010 at 21:48 (5,091 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
If you have both a front-loader and a top loader.
Wash as directed in the panel I wrote (that novel in) for front-loaders. Pre wash cycle main wash cycle Instead of three more clear rinses in a front-loader, transfer clothes to a top-loader and do spray-rinses and a deep-rinse, followed by a spin. You cant beat these results IMHO without a boil-wash. |
Post# 430283 , Reply# 43   4/20/2010 at 21:53 (5,091 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
~What is TSP? (My inexpert googling is yielding a lot of non-laundry related terms...) A form of less-chemcially stable phoshpates for cleaning your driveway. The laundry form of phosphates is STPP Sodium tri-polyphosphate. CLICK HERE TO GO TO Toggleswitch's LINK |
Post# 430286 , Reply# 45   4/20/2010 at 22:06 (5,091 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Trust me darlings.
The maternal unit is a germ-freak where dirt is her personal enemy. The father is a OCD case with Aspergers. Believe me, I know dirt and how to get rid of it! There was no such thing as "too much work" for a desired reult,and no such thing as "the easy way out". Here, BTW is my boil-washer, a large pot dedicated to my underwear! Did wonders to get rid of tons of yellow before I was informed of a source of phosphates. YEAS |
Post# 430335 , Reply# 46   4/21/2010 at 07:46 (5,091 days old) by favorit ()   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Toggles, don't you damage them ? Usually elastics can't survive temps higher than 140 - 160 °F |
Post# 430336 , Reply# 47   4/21/2010 at 08:07 (5,091 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 430346 , Reply# 48   4/21/2010 at 10:10 (5,090 days old) by favorit ()   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
... mystery solved ! :) |
Post# 430392 , Reply# 49   4/21/2010 at 14:54 (5,090 days old) by Toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 430622 , Reply# 50   4/22/2010 at 22:43 (5,089 days old) by gmmcnair (Portland, OR)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 430652 , Reply# 52   4/23/2010 at 07:23 (5,089 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 430653 , Reply# 53   4/23/2010 at 07:24 (5,089 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 431163 , Reply# 56   4/25/2010 at 21:50 (5,086 days old) by aldspinboy (Philadelphia, Pa)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 431478 , Reply# 57   4/27/2010 at 00:15 (5,085 days old) by surgilator_68 (Maryland)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|