9 truths about bedding from Today.com

[polkanut]

#7 really made me laugh.  The bedsheets on our bed right now are at least 10 years old.  Yes, we do have seasonal bedding, but hot water & repeated washing do not cause that much wear & tear IMO.

http://www.today.com/health/9-truths-about-bedding-how-use-your-sheets-get-good-1D80281769

 

[panthera]

#7 is the clue it's advertising

Well done advertising, but advertising.

And total nonsense at that. I've got comfortable Egyptian cotton sheets on our bed which I bought new in the 1980s at Macy's when I was student teaching in the 'States.

OK, we rotate our sheets, but still - washed in 145F water with good detergent, never fabric softener (I still am not convinced it's useful) and rinsed thoroughly then either line dried or tumble-dried (for years in Germany after a 2800rpm spin) and still comfortable and not the least bit religious*.

Hmm - I don't do fitted sheets. Never could stand them. To this day I can't figure out how to fold them for storage properly and it bugs me.

 

 

 

[rolls_rapide]

Fabric Conditioners

Here is something I discovered. In the October 1967 edition of "Family Circle" Magazine, there is an article on 'washing the modern way'.

The article states that fabric conditioners kill certain germs.

 

[panthera]

That's interesting -

There are some fabric softeners which advertise themselves as being anti-microbial.

I highly doubt (OK, I am certain) that baby clothes which have either been dryed at the high heat of a tumbler dryer completely or been hung in the sunlight* for longer than 20 minutes have fewer microbes than after being dosed with 1970's fabric softeners.

 

Weren't fabric softeners mainly to make up for lousy rinsing and itchy-scratchy, nasty synthetics?

 

*Having enjoyed many holidays with my Aunt on Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, I am not quite sure you have personal familiarity with the star we orbit./snark

 

[rolls_rapide]

"personal familiarity with the star we orbit"

Oh, I wouldn't say that. As far as I know, I am composed of stardust! ;-)

 

[panthera]

I remember

going to the schoolhouse (it was literally the back of someone's house) on a wee little island with my aunt one visit and all the children were marching naked around a sunlamp.

OK - the Scot in me gave me my more-stubborn-than-a-block-of-granite-never-give-in-never-give-up Calcedonian nature. To the great annoyance of some of the Imperial Queens. But my carrot-top mother blamed the red hair, green eyes and freckles on the one Irish grandmother right up until I actually got to Scotland...where my entire clan is as rusted and speckled as am I...and the entire Irish wing are Black Irish.

Oh, well, I do go out into the open without sunscreen in November, December, January and sometimes, even into late February.

 

[mattl]

Fabric softeners...

There might be some validity to the anti microbial effects of softeners.  Anecdotal at best, but a number of years ago as a long time user of Downy, I decided to try Snuggle, it was relatively new at the time. I know it will put off some here, but being busy I forgot to toss the laundry in the dryer and it sat in the washer for 3, 4 or 5 days - damp.  That had happened before with no issue, but using Snuggle I found a terrible musty odor, had to rewash everything.  Downy had some additive that prevented that.  I still use a small amount of Downy in most loads, I do find it helpful as many things I do not dry in the dryer and it helps with wrinkle control for me.

 

[rolls_rapide]

" marching naked around a sunlamp"

Ah - in order to get a dose of vitamin D.

Natural sunlight can be in short supply in Scotland, especially during the winter months. These days, there seems to be vitamins added to virtually every other food.

 

[panthera]

Natural sunlight can be in short supply in Scotland...

No, really?!

And that's the only bad thing I can say about the 1/4 of my family genetic homeland.

The sole bad thing.

 

[gusherb]

I have no issue with hot water and washing frequently wearing the sheets out. It's the actual use that wears them out....and maybe the fabric if they're cheap sheets (mine usually are) My last cheap set from Sams actually wore out and shredded at the end where my feet usually rest. I have dry sandpapery heels but never have they worn through fabric like that before.

 

My longest lasting set came from Linens N Things when that was just closing, that set lasted me 4 years before I replaced it because I wanted a different color. 

 

[launderess]

Vitaman D

Once it was discovered and what it did, question remained how to get the health benefits. Where or when sunlight was plentiful mothers were constantly admonishing their children to "go out and play in the sunshine". Infants were taken out for airings in their prams to get the same benefit. In fact it often was a very common thing to leave one's infant parked in his/her pram outside to get air and sun.

The latter is still common enough in European countries apparently as several years a go a couple from across the pond left their infant outdoors pram while they were inside a restaurant. Local NYC police were called about the "abandoned" baby, the couple were charged and infant put into care.

http://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/15/nyregion/danish-mother-is-reunited-with-her-baby.html

Where sunlight wasn't enough, and or to pile on, there was the dreaded cod liver oil! *LOL*
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cod_liver_oil

If you read vintage laundry guides from say 1950 or before "cod liver oil" stain removal appears frequently, especially were it concerns baby or child laundry.

 

[launderess]

Antibacterial properties of fabric softeners

Are likely related to their containing quaternary ammonium compounds.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaternary_ammonium_cation#As_antimicrobials

Though one wonders at the strength of such properties if the product is not clearly marketed and tested as being "antibacterial".

That is we know hygiene rinses like those offered by Persil and others are "antibacterial" if used as directed. That is because they are tested, developed, marketed and approved as such. Have never seen Downy or any other fabric softener even mention any claims of antibacterial properties. Am sure of P&G, Unilever and the others could get away with such claims they would not waste time including in marketing.

 

[launderess]

Washing The Modern Way

Thanks for such a great article!

Nice to see a recommendation for soap flakes and or powder even late as the 1960's.

 

[petek]

Bring back the UV lighted dryers like moms old Kenmore. 

 

[foraloysius]

In Germany there are softeners and hygiene rinses in one available like this Impresan "Hygiene Weichspüler".