Monday, September 12, 2011

Let's Talk Dirty Laundry

Just for kicks, I thought I'd try something, it all started with me disliking the way my front load washing machine would smell... With the tight seals they need, no air gets in... YUCK, I was buying washing machine cleaner at least once a month to get that musty smell out... I did some research and read something that said if you use powder laundry detergent (I was using liquid) it would stop you washing machine from smelling, liquid laundry soap causes a residue to build up and become musty smelling... I switched to GAIN powder and guess what I didn't even buy the H.E. that my washing machine recommends
(You can use regular soap, just not as much or the suds don't rinse.)
Anyway, I dated the day I opened my box May 16, 2011.
This box says it does 180 loads...
Notice the difference in their scoop and mine? I pour my soap from the box into this cute vintage enamel pot for the cuteness factor and use a protein powder scoop per load. Now it's time for the math...

I do a minimum of 24 loads a week (we are a family of 6)
Since May 16th (that's 17 weeks worth) we are at 408 loads of laundry.
I still to date, Sept 12 have an entire bucket full,
I was able to finally pour the rest of the box in.

Now, I am no math whiz but I have well exceed the 180 loads the box says it will do...
Our clothes our totally clean (not an easy task with 4 boys) smell awesome and it is cheaper than making my own laundry soap (which I have tried, I didn't like that they didn't smell fresh and our clothes looked dingy) Let's face it when I do this much laundry our clothes better be bright, clean, and smell AWESOME...

10 comments:

Amy R. said...

This is good to know! Thanks for the info. I have the same trouble with my front loader. Fresh smelling clothes and a money saver. It's a win win!!

Brian + Cheryl B. said...

I am clicking "like" :->

Heatherly said...

This may just be the best tip ever! I am off to go buy me some powder detergent, thanks!

staci @ lizard n ladybug said...

I'm so glad I saw this! I can't stand that yucky smell from the machine. I'm going to try the powder!

Elise said...

I'll have to pass this info along to my mom as she has a smelly front loader. Great tip!!
Elise

Ruth said...

I an definitely going to have to try this. I don't have a new washer but that doesn't matter. I am not too impressed with the detergent you make yourself and lately I have not been very impressed with the liquid, brand name, detergents either.

Thanks for the tip.

Ruth

Meaghan said...

I JUST bought a new huge container of detergent on Sunday. Actually, I haven't even opened it yet. Wonder if the store will take it back and let me buy powder instead?? Also, I keep the door and the detergent drawer open when the washer isn't in use to let everything dry out. It helps with the sour smell. It doesn't look the neatest, but it works. Thanks for the tip on powdered detergent!!

Em said...

YES!!! And remember to check your machine tray where you put the detergent in, mine says NO POWDER so I put it directly in the washer with the clothes. I use less detergent, stopped using fabric softener all together and switched to powder and all my stinky washer problems are solved! I also use dryer balls instead of fabric softener sheets now too, my dryer even had a film growing in it!

Debbie said...

I have a newer washing machine (HE) but it's not a front loader...it's a top loader. I always leave the lid up when it's not in use (which is not very often ha ha). I haven't had the smelly problem YET. Good laundry scouting on the powdered detergent!!

Anonymous said...

I had my girls wash my scrubs and they came out with the worst smell ever. I was yelling at everyone thinking they had left them in overnight and held mold or something. No Mom really we didn't. We would wash and re wash and wash nothing would help. We would fabreeze nope, oxiclean nope nothing helped. We bought those cleaners for the front loaders for the $9 for 3 packs nope. Then someone told me theres a reservior of water (did anyone know that?) empty that stale water and run a bleach bath thru it helped but still my stinky stinky scrubs. Now scrubs are to expensive to just throw away so we tried the beads you put in the washer they masked pretty well for awhile. So now I have read your suggestion I going to try this before I just throw out the darn washer and dryer and got back to my top loader that never gave me an ounce of trouble and shouldn't have been just thrown in a heap for the name of something newer and better. LOL