The things I clean smell halfway between fresh and dirty. Like both at the same time. And my underwear stop feeling fresh real fast.

Wat.

Has no one demonstrated the laundry-doing technique to you?

What technique are you currently utilizing?

Put things in laundry.

Hit warm then cold wash.

Add soap.

Back away...



Maybe I should wash my socks and underwear separately from the shirts and stuff, to ensure a thorough cleanse. I used to do this, then WhenUFap told me I was doing it wrong.

moar soap? wash you stuff twice? let it soak? different washer? moar dryer sheets?

I'm afraid to use too much soap. I get skin irritations. I have very sensitive skin.

Like one time my bed sheets were real soapy and I had very itchy rashes all over my left side. I sleep on either my back or my left side.

What i do:

1. Set the wash size to how much you are washing. This determines how much water is being used, which determines how the soap-to-water ratio works out, and also influences in how well the washer is able to rinse the soap and dirt out during the rinse cycle.

2. Start the water going, then add the soap. I do this, as it gives some time for the soap to mix with the water and get spread throughout the load easier.

3. Quickly add the clothes in an even distribution, close it up and let it go.

Now, a few things.

A. Generally, you do not need much soap. If using liquid soap, just put enough into the cap to reach the line inside the cap. Too much and it won't rinse out correctly.
B. Do not try to fit too much shit into the washer. A weeks worth of clothes is generally okay for most capacity washers.
C. My washer is an oldschool, inefficient, non-green style one, uses lots of water and a decent ammount of soap to work. Newer machines will use less of both. Prolly the thing has instructions on the door/lid.
D. If you have some clothes that are really crazy filthy/stinky, you can separate them into their own wash, it can help to concentrate the soap and rinsing on just filthy bits. This is what i have to do when i do any work on cars or painting. I try to keep the greatest filths away from the lesser filths.

Lastly, if you have soap residue skin issues, you can probably utilize the "Second Rinse" mode. My machine has that. Alternately, you can just manually advance the dial to just do the rinse and spin cycle, and run it a second time, to make sure that as much of the soap leaves the clothes as possible.

Chris has the right of it. Also, Mr. Geoff, there are lawndry sopes for persons with sensitive hides, you know. Miz Jen and I have been using the Arm & Hammer no-scent no-dye one because we can acquire it at the regular grocery store on the cheap as opposed to going to the hippie store and paying an assload. Which I've been known to do anyhow; I never had a problem with Seventh Generation, again, the unscented/undyed one.

The next time I do laundry, I will have to print out this thread, or bring it into the laundry room somehow. Thank you guise.

I too agree with the adding detergent before the clothes. You don't want the detergent mixing with the clothes until water is added, as that is how detergent works.

Also, makes sure you is using enough water, and if clothes are not feeling fresh consider using a liquid fabric softener, or getting one of those gradual release detergent/fabric softener balls to toss in with the wash.

Your washing machine is being a pussy.

I third the turn it on, wait for some water, add detergent notion. Even if your washing machine instructs you otherwise. Then add your cloves.

I am not a fan of the fabric softener, but that's back to the skin thing (and Buffalo has superhard water, too, which doesn't help that matter either) and... to me it makes things feel funny, like they haven't been washed. I also hang-dry everything except household items (bedding, towels) that goes into the washing machine as well, so what do I know? If it's stiff as a board, I know it's clean.