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Thread Number: 78243
/ Tag: Detergents and Additives
What 2019 Brought: Complete Change In Laundry Habits |
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Post# 1022622 1/26/2019 at 23:15 (1,909 days old) by Frigilux  (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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After many years of careful sorting, 2019 brought with it a seismic in laundry procedure.
Found myself washing up to 10 mostly medium-sized loads per week in a household of one. That seems excessive, even for a washer enthusiast, LOL. Lately, I’ve been washing sheets, whites, and colors together. It’s a BobLoad, to be sure, but the load turns over, albeit slowly. I use the Heavy Duty cycle set for a warm wash and maximum agitation time. I use liquid Persil ProClean 2-in1 or liquid Tide Ultra Stain Release—which, by the way, does perform better in non-HE conditions since a reformulation shot it to the top of CR’s ratings. Full disclosure: My 2017 Series 9 toploader receives hot water directly from the water heater, which is only a few inches from the washer. Thus, incoming ‘warm’ water is about 115 degrees; cools to 110 a few minutes into agitation. The results have been surprisingly good! Many stains on kitchen whites are completely removed. Stains that combine tomato and some grease (when making Italian Sunday Gravy, for instance) get an aerosol shot of Amway classic stain remover. Bath linens are a BobLoad unto themselves; blacks, of course, are washed alone in Pewoll Intensive Black. Anyway, there it is. I’m saving a lot of water, time, and wear ‘n’ tear on the SQ. I dry the uber-load in two batches (whites + colors / sheets). Don’t know yet if this change in procedure is temporary or if it signals a long-term shift. Hi Ben! | ||
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Post# 1022623 , Reply# 1 1/26/2019 at 23:30 (1,909 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage) |
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Unless manufactures attached care label directs one to wash an item "separately" hinting there may be an issue with dye bleed, most colours can be mixed in with whites.
Restrictions come into play more concerning type of wash day products used than anything else. Obviously for some colors you aren't going to use large amounts of oxygen bleach, and or very high temperatures that would activate stronger action. Then there is the choice about using products with or without OBAs. Most TOL laundry detergents from P&G, Henkel and Unilever contain dye transfer agents. If one wants extra protection there are always those colour catcher sheets one bungs into the wash. | ||
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Post# 1022626 , Reply# 2 1/26/2019 at 23:56 (1,909 days old) by appnut (TX) |
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 eEugene, I was thinking about you earlier in the week and wondering how you are doing. Well, now I know, I was feeling the seismic earthquake all the way down to Central Texas.
Many of my care tags state to wash with similar or like colors. Having a mom who never really sorted and I had several things ruined before I started doing my own wash), I evolved into the opoosite--after observing some of her friends how they did laundry.
I don't wash darks with lights or whites. And will do fabric sorting too. All towels and sheets are done in hot water, as well as personal whites and kitchen items--whether things are dark or light colored.
The only thing I've "compromised" on is I began using last year the much maligned cycle--"normal" (normal/casual) on my Duet for my business wear and light soiled stuff. No appendage has fallen off, no flesh has been eaten, and everything is clean. I also select hot water per John L's suggestion with that energy star-designed cycle. The wash temp ends up being warm but cools down before wash pump out. And it saves water during the months my sewer rate is determined.
I use whites (for all hot temp loads) and Normal/Casual for just about everything else most of the time. Hand wash for compression stockings. Bulky Items for mats in the bathroom. This post was last edited 01/27/2019 at 00:13 | ||
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Post# 1022929 , Reply# 4 1/29/2019 at 16:03 (1,906 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!) |
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Glad you're giving the Speed Queen a good workout, it'll probably last longer doing fewer loads, but I don't blame you for economizing your time, resources, etc. There are times I like to play laundry-day and wash numerous smaller (standard 8-10 lb loads in vintage machines) and other times, I get it done with a minimum of attention and time.
Good to see you posting - hope you're staying warm this week.
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Post# 1023437 , Reply# 5 2/2/2019 at 21:45 (1,902 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Thanks, Launderess, Bob, Lakebrewsterkid and Gansky for your responses. Good to see you all, as well. Who knew my big rebel moves at AW would be using the Speed Queen’s Normal/Eco cycle and adopting a less precise sorting method, LOL.
Am impressed with the results using Tide’s reformulated liquid ‘Ultra Stain Release’. Removes a surprising number of stains from kitchen whites in 110-degree warm soft water. It also breaks down and disappears quickly during the pause before the first spin and during the spin-drain. I’ve really fallen for the SQ toploader: The entertaining spin-drain; the Surgilatoresque sounds during agitation; the 1/16th-of-a-turn tub indexing. At any rate, I’m enjoying the vintage-machine experience. This post was last edited 02/02/2019 at 22:45 | ||
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Post# 1025325 , Reply# 6 2/22/2019 at 06:20 (1,883 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Update: So, I'm currently down to washing two 4-in-1 loads per week (one on Wednesday; one on Sunday), plus a load of blacks. It's working remarkably well and I'm very impressed that--with the addition of two gallons of water from a bucket--the 2017 Speed Queen can turn this load over about two-and-a-half times during the maximum-time wash period. The water level is raised enough to touch the balance ring.
Daily Driver Detergent: Liquid Tide Ultra Stain Release (dosed at line 4 in the cap, for a very large load).
2 queen-sized sheets | ||
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Post# 1025331 , Reply# 7 2/22/2019 at 08:27 (1,882 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage) |
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Only things one really separates are bed or table linens. Wait I told a lie! If am doing a "whites/mixed" load and there are every day napkins (white cotton), they go in with rest.
Since one does not use chlorine bleach don't have that worry; so can mix colors and whites without being bothered. Why make more work for oneself? Especially as washers like the AEG Lavamat take ages to do a load. | ||
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Post# 1025405 , Reply# 8 2/23/2019 at 10:14 (1,881 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Spot on as always, Launderess. If it works, do it! I now mix whites and colors. I use a bath towel for 3-4 days; a hand towel for at least two. I no longer use liquid chlorine bleach. It's interesting to watch lifelong habits and patterns begin to change/morph.
These behemoth 4-in-1 loads would have worked perfectly in the front-loading Maytag set back at the house. I checked out the 2017 SQ stainless front-loading pair at the local dealership, but am still having too much fun with my 'vintage experience' top-loader. | ||
| Post# 1025431 , Reply# 9 2/23/2019 at 19:02 (1,881 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room) | ||
wear ‘n’ tear on the SQ. | ||
| Post# 1025432 , Reply# 10 2/23/2019 at 19:05 (1,881 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room) | ||
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pack the load down to get it all in. | ||
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Post# 1025434 , Reply# 11 2/23/2019 at 19:11 (1,881 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Greetings Lord K— I thought about what John L. pointed out a number of times: A machine suffers wear and tear every time it is run. It’s easier on the machine to wash one full load rather than three small ones, since it doesn’t have to run several complete cycles. The SQ doesn’t seem to be laboring over the super-large loads during agitation, but boy howdy the tub leans to the right/front almost to the point of touching the cabinet.
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| Post# 1025437 , Reply# 12 2/23/2019 at 19:17 (1,881 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room) | ||
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I, myself, have used lots of different approaches. At times, I've been very aggressive with sorting. At other times, I'm not so aggressive. A lot depends on circumstances of the time. For example, when I needed to use a coin operated laundry, I generally erred more on the side of fewer/fuller loads so I could save money. At other times, for some reason, it seemed like a better idea running small, carefully sorted loads.
Right now I like doing laundry, but I'm tired of some of the issues with my current laundry room. So I find myself preferring big loads/less often. It helps that I don't have some of the stuff that I once had that I felt needed to be washed in its own load. At one time, for example, I had some light colored clothing that I wanted to keep looking nice. But all that is either worn out, or so well worn that I just no longer care so much. | ||
| Post# 1025447 , Reply# 13 2/23/2019 at 19:52 (1,881 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room) | ||
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| Post# 1025520 , Reply# 14 2/24/2019 at 17:25 (1,880 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room) | ||
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Frigilux | ||
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Post# 1025543 , Reply# 15 2/24/2019 at 23:54 (1,880 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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The bath linens don't seem to be holding much detergent. No problems with skin irritation--even in our uber-dry winter. The liquid Tide Ultra Stain Release is perfect for HE rinsing. Suds break down and rinse away quickly in the SQ top- loader. | ||
| Post# 1025855 , Reply# 16 2/27/2019 at 16:46 (1,877 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room) | ||
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I'm shocked at the rinsing performance you report, Frigilux! Tide, at least in my bitter experience, can sometimes be...ah...a bit challenging when rinse time comes around.
I suppose, though, they are forced to move with the times... More and more people are using front loaders that have parsimonious water usage. | ||
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Post# 1025895 , Reply# 17 2/28/2019 at 08:56 (1,876 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Frankly, I'm surprised as well. There's no way the Normal/Eco cycle's spray rinses could have fully penetrated the giant spinning loads. However, there was no problem with skin irritation nor did the items feel sticky with or reek of detergent at the end of the cycle. Maybe I should have continued the experiment for a couple of months to see if fabric graying or skin irritation developed...but the ick factor was just too strong; I went right back to using deep rinses once the Culligan issue was resolved.
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Post# 1025899 , Reply# 18 2/28/2019 at 10:38 (1,876 days old) by marky_mark (From Liverpool. Now living in Palm Springs and Dublin) |
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I have used a SQ TL that was locked to the Normal Eco cycle. Spray rinse only.
I have also used a SQ TL that allowed the use of the Heavy Duty cycle with the deep rinse and also allowed the selection of a second deep rinse. I have to say that I absolutely couldn't tell the difference whatsoever in how well the laundry had been rinsed. Of course, even though I couldn't tell, the spray rinse must have left more residue. So like you, I would never normally opt for the spray rinse only. You make a good point regarding how the difference might show up over time. I guess using a spray rinse only could even potentially have a positive long-term effect on the laundry and the machine as they would be exposed to less wear during the cycle (with no deep rinse or second rinse) and the presence of detergent residue may actually help to protect the laundry from wear during drying and wearing (perhaps). On the other hand, the increased residue could be detrimental to both the laundry and your skin/health. Who knows?! I'll be erring on the side of a thorough rinse whenever possible! Another thing I found interesting is that CR rated your machine's gentleness as "very good" (top score) when tested on the Normal Eco cycle. I wonder if it would have lost a point if they had tested with a deep rinse. | ||
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Post# 1025902 , Reply# 19 2/28/2019 at 12:43 (1,876 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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I use the Normal Eco cycle all the time for small to medium-sized loads with no rinsing issues. I always fill the washer with true warm or hot water using the Heavy Duty cycle, then reset it to Normal Eco after the wash fill.
Haven't found the machine to be too hard on fabrics even when overloaded with my 4-in-1 loads. | ||
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Post# 1025907 , Reply# 20 2/28/2019 at 14:20 (1,876 days old) by Marky_mark (From Liverpool. Now living in Palm Springs and Dublin) |
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Post# 1025930 , Reply# 21 2/28/2019 at 23:16 (1,876 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Mark-- I started to use Normal Eco after moving to an apartment in the summer of 2017. Culligan changes a water-softening tank once a week for my apartment. I'm not a fan of the local hard water. A tank softens approximately 750-800 gallons of water. Using the Normal Eco cycle helps ensure I don't use more water than that each week. I often shower twice a day and run the dishwasher at least once a day, too.
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Post# 1025947 , Reply# 22 3/1/2019 at 06:58 (1,876 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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New Laundry Habits Hi Eugene, everything you write and are doing makes perfect sense, doing larger loads works very well and saves energy and your time as well.
The machines will differently last longer and have fewer service calls if slight overloading causes you to do fewer loads every month, these are commercial machines after all, when they have coin-boxes on them people pack them full constantly.
Of the hundreds of SQ TL washers we sold to our customers I would guess that at least 1/2 of the users are using the Normal-Eco cycle almost all the time and we have never had a complaint about about rinsing performance.
I have always washed very large loads myself, I generally go a month before doing laundry and wash 7-9 loads all in about 2 hours using 4 or 5 washers and three gas dryers. I wash around 10 pairs of my jeans in a load, 20 or more tee shirts etc to a load.
By waiting this long I can sort better and reuse the wash water from the lighter clothes to wash the jeans and just plain have the fun of watching all the machines at the same time. [ My first partner always wondered why I stayed in the basement almost the whole time the machines were running, LOL. ]
John | ||
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