Ammonia in Laundry

[gorenje]

First of all a big "Hi" to all of you guys. I always read the posts but it's been awhile since I've posted something.

I would like to share my experiences with Ammonia in Laundry and would like to hear your thoughts about it and to know if some of you is also using it.

As far as I know ammonia rises alkalinity, deodorizes, disinfects and above all it is a very good degreaser.

In the rinse cycle (+ 1 extra rinse) I've added a bit of white vinegar to neutralize the left alcalinity.

I've noticed that my laundry came out of the dryer softer and fresher and a big surprise was that everything actually had the smell of the detergent/softener I've used. It was like ammonia has "turned on" the scent on the laundry. WOW!

It may be that I will no longer want to use it (or not on every load), however, this test has surprised me positively.

Ingemar

 

[tomturbomatic]

Ammonia is a very good detergent booster and, yes, it does wonders, even with modern detergents, for removing oils from things like pillowcases. I remember when my mother would add it to a load of bed linens which were white and washed in 160F water. I would go down and lift the lid and get hit with the ammonia cloud that had formed under the lid of the washer and be left gasping for breath. I always keep it on hand for laundry and for making my own spray window cleaner.

 

[yogitunes]

Ammonia has always been part of a laundry 'must have'....no matter what new thing comes out on the market, we always return to the basics....

Ammonia has been sort of the safe equivalent to bleach for colors..

if a load has been left in a machine too long, and smells musty, Ammonia will clear that up with another wash....

plus work one a number of stains.....

amazing too at the end of the wash, all Ammonia smell is gone as well....

it comes in non-sudsing and lemon scents too

 

[aamassther]

I'm with yogitunes on this one. We've used it in dark colour loads since childhood. I like it especially in loads where perspiration is an issue. Towels always get a dose, never had an issue with stinky towels. Great in helping with grease and oil as well. I think it's one of the unsung heroes of the laundry room.

 

[bajaespuma]

IIRC Ammonia is a strong natural solvent of wax and wax substances called "sebums" that are excreted by the human body (ear-wax, skin grime, etc.). Not entirely sure that it qualifies as a disinfectant even though it's fierce. I've wondered if Ammonia didn't dull and/or corrode some of the bakelite and other old-type plastic parts in our old washing machines.  I'm also a devotee and always have a quart or two on hand but I've become much more careful using the stuff. 15 years ago I prepared a kitchen full of old cabinets for painting by de-griming them with Ammonia and inhaled too much of the stuff. I have been told by Pulmonologists that it can do significant and long term damage to the lungs and tracheal system.

 

The people who did the laundry in our home used to use it for dark colored loads of socks to deodorize them. I remember the pungent smell coming from the bathroom when it was in use. It was also used once a month on the kitchen floor to remove old layers of wax that had yellowed over time.

 

When I have clothing or bedding that has yellowed in storage I wash it with ammonia, not chlorine bleach because I remember years ago reading that the chlorine bleach fools you by whitening all of those compounds left on the textiles; over time the chlorine volatilizes and we are still left with those sebums and compounds that are naturally yellowish in the first place. Ammonia helps actually dissolve them so they rinse away.

 

Interesting that there have been very few major brands of Ammonia. These days I seem to have no other choice than a store brand. Works for me.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Didn't there used to be a brand called Parson's? Oh my gosh, they've change the label, which used to have gold letters on a black background, and here it is for 2016!

http://https//www.google.com/#q=Parson%27s+Ammonia

 

[beekeyknee]

Ammonia in cool, lukewarm, or warm water (not too hot) is good for removing blood stains. I've heard hot water can set blood. I think a light soapy solution w/ ammonia can also be good in hot water extraction machines for removing wine or blood stains from carpet too. Something about ammonia seems to destroy the color in these substances.

 

[yogitunes]

if you can find Parson's Lemon Ammonia.....that is some great smelling stuff...

peroxide is great for blood as well.....just pour it directly on the stain, it will foam right out.....

we love helpful hints for tough stains.....

 

[gorenje]

Thanks guys, so I see that some of you truly love the performance of this stuff.

Good to know, that can be used also on dark(er) loads. I didn't know that. (I was a bit skeptical on how it behaves with colors)
For now I only used it on whites. Tomorrow I wil try it on a darker load of t-shirts stained from perspiration from these hot days.

Spray window cleaner - that's also a good idea. Thanks Tomturbomatic

 

[launderess]

Ammonia liquid is nothing more than ammonium hydroxide

Dissolved in water.

For cleaning the base/alkaline properties of ammonium hydroxide turn fats, greases and oils into a type of soap. When cleaning in say the wash or in a bucket the water carries the emulsified oils/grease away. Any trace of ammonium hydroxide left on clothing or surfaces evaporates. Liquid ammonia is quite volatile which is why it must be kept in tightly closed containers and or used quickly once mixed with water. That powerful whiff from a bottle of liquid ammonia is the ammonium hydroxide or when using for cleaning is returning to a gas.

Ammonia is great for cleaning glass, mirrors and other surfaces because after the saponification process is complete via ammonium hydroxide the water it is dissolved in allows you to wipe/mop away the filth with a sponge, paper towel, or whatever. Again the remaining ammonium hydroxide will evaporate back into a gas leaving the surface dry.

You use ammonia in laundry same as other base/alkaline substances; that is as a cleaning/performance booster and precipitating water softener.

Because it is a base substance ammonia will act as an intensifier to oxygen (hydrogen peroxide) bleaches. For removal of blood stains professionals will apply liquid hydrogen peroxide to the stain, then add some ammonia. The addition of the latter speeds up what otherwise might be a slow process.

 

[tomturbomatic]

The window cleaner recipe

Decades ago, Consumer Reports tested window cleaners and in the article, they gave this formula for a cheaper window cleaner which, by the way, fell out of favor by the next time they tested but it still works great. Here are the ingredients:

1 pint of isopropyl alcohol (I use 91%)

1 cup non-sudsing ammonia

1 scant teaspoon liquid dishwashing detergent

 

You can use a few drops of food color to make it your favorite blue or green color.

 

Add these to a jug and slowly add water to make a gallon of cleaner. It works great on just about anything, just spray on and wipe off.

 

[beekeyknee]

Tom,

That's the same recipe my mother gave me for all-purpose cleaner except she uses a Tbsp of dish liquid instead of a Tsp. You're right and it works great. Better that the stuff one buys in the store and cheaper too. The color in the dish liquid usually supplies the color. Put it in a good spray bottle and you're ready to go.

Brian

 

[mark_wpduet]

Lemon Ammonia

is my fav. I started a thread about this on gardenweb forum a LONG time ago, and I've used ammonia in my laundry ever since.

I usually use ammonia/detergent/hot water on lights and colors (I just pour it in the drum of my FL) and then I use a tad bit of chlorine bleach on whites. Of course you must NEVER mix BLEACH or AMMONIA

Ammonia is great stuff and is definitely a detergent booster. I always felt something was missing when washing lights and colors (like detergent itself wasn't enough)

I've never used a particular brand and it's usually generic.

 

[gorenje]

As Launderess said "ammonia will act as an intensifier to oxygen" therefore it makes sense that the whites come out even whiter.

Thanks Tom for th window cleaner recipe. I will do it.

I made my own "scale remover" putting to soak the lemon peel for a month (or 20 days) in a big jug of white vinegar. After a month I filtered the solution through a cotton cloth. It came out a bit jelly but it works. I use it as a scale remover for my shower. It can be used also as a Rinse Aid in the dishwasher.

Back to Ammonia. I can find here two tipes of ammonia. The regular one (just ammonia) and the one with a bit of detergent in it which is also a bit perfumed.

Sadly we don't have ammonia with lemon scent. I would love it.

 

[polkanut]

Before my wife retired in 2013 she wore perfume to work quite often and ammonia was/is the only laundry additive that could neutralize any residual scent left in her clothing.  She's been a dedicated user of the stuff in the laundry for years, and now I'm a loyal convert too.  We use it so much that we buy 3-4 gallons at a time from Fleet Farm at $1.79/gallon.

http://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/mills-fleet-farm-ammonia-gal-/0000000216598

 

[tomturbomatic]

CU explained that using less of the liquid dishwashing detergent in the formula reduced the chances of streaking when using it on glass where the washing is not followed by rinsing. More detergent is great for cleaning other surfaces, especially if the washing of heavy soil is followed by rinsing.

 

[mrsalvo]

Yes, I'm a firm believer in ammonia. I buy whatever store brand is offered. My god mother taught me her homemade recipe for stain remover. It works wonders, as good or better than store bought ones, and a whole lot cheaper too.
In a spray bottle: combine
1 part dish soap
1 part sudsing ammonia
1 part water
Spray stain and wash immediately.
It works so well I never use anything else.

 

[askolover]

Ammonia works wonders for something a cat has peed on!!!  One of mine (she's old) sometimes gets on my rag throw rug in front of the kitchen door....ammonia neutralizes it away.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Speaking of accidents, I was watching a W&G Binge-a-Thon and there was an episode where everyone had gathered at Grace's Brooklyn apartment for a meal. Karen has this tiny teacup poodle. When someone suggested that she take the dog for a walk, she put it down on Grace's rug. Grace immediately said, "Outside" so Karen and Jack scoop up the dog and take it around the corner on the kitchen floor, out of sight, then a second or two later Jack said, "Oops, you almost made it," followed by Karen saying, "That's almost as big as he is."

I'm sorry. I know it's totally tasteless, just like me, but it was so damn funny, I had to lean on the counter because I was laughing so hard. Maybe I need to get one of those Hurrycane things.