Ammonia in Laundry

[washerboy]

It's great for cleaning everything!!

In the past 2 years I have stopped buying a lot of different cleaning products. I used to swear by Pine-Sol but have gone back to plain ole ammonia. I buy a 1/2 gallan at Wal-Mart for 1.12 and it last a good while. Use it in the laundry when needed, scrub the potties, kitchen sink, floors, even does good on windows.. whatever. The stuff is great...only thing is when I'm cleaning I have to wear gloves...it's a little harsh on my hands.

 

[yogitunes]

yeah, no matter what comes out on the market....we always return the basic of stuff from the past......

the new stuff is just gimmicks, some does work, but at what cost?

you should always have things in your setup of cleaning products, which will clean just about any stain....

Baking Soda
Ammonia
Bleach
Hydrogen Peroxide
Club Soda
Hair Spray

and not just for laundry.....

actually, if any cares to, share some of your products and cleaning tips

 

[mark_wpduet]

I read this about cat pee

and Ammonia being very good on a forum.......but that person also stated that you will run the risk of the cat peeing because they smell the ammonia and think it's OK to pee there. Whether or not this is true, I dunno.

 

[iheartmaytag]

Just curious

Do you add the ammonia in the wash with detergent, or wait for the first rinse as you would bleach?

 

I would assume in the wash, as it doesn't appear to interfere with the enzyme action of the detergent. 

 

Just wanting clarifications.   Thanks

 

I keep Ammonia around to clean my stainless steel cookware.  Just put it in a plastic trash bag, pour in a cup of Ammonia and sit on the patio in the sun.  A few hours later take it out and the grease etc just wipes right off. 

 

 

 

[yogitunes]

Ammonia goes in with the regular detergent....sometimes I will pour it in the bleach dispenser...

 

[mark_wpduet]

but if you

pour it in the bleach dispenser, it goes into the first rinse, as bleach would. I just pour the ammonia in the drum, then put the powder in the dispenser so the ammonia and detergent are together.

 

[yogitunes]

well, it depends on when you machine dispenses the bleach.....

I have some that dispense 5 minutes into the cycle, others near the end of the wash, and some that do a separate rinse for bleach...

others items for cleaning

cream of tartar
Washing Soda
Borax

 

[iheartmaytag]

My machine dispenses bleach in the first rinse.  However, If I put it in the drum my Duet sourced Maytag would drain it immediately at the start of the cycle. 

 

[gorenje]

I've put the ammonia into the drawer of my frontloader just after the powdered detergent was flushed away.

I don't like to put nothing directly into the empty drum because (I'm afraid) it can goes into the drain hole or can be flushed down into it with the water. The only thing I put into the drum is the specially designed "dosing ball" for liquid detergents.

I would put detergent and/ or aditives directly into the drum only if I would have a washer with forced recirculation system as many of the latest machines are, but not mine.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Your Maytag

would drain it if you put it in the drum? How things have changed I guess. My Duet doesn't drain anything. It just starts filling.

I didn't realize some modern machines dispensed bleach at different times. I assumed they all went into the first rinse.

Gornje - You're probably right. It's probably best (in a FL washer) to open the dispenser after the powder has flushed down then pour in the ammonia from there. I did not think of this.

 

[imperial70]

The problem is that newer FL machine designs (mine came out in 2011 IIRC) have 2 instead of 3 rinses. So the bleach happens in the wash cycle (my GE does it a few minutes before the wash time is up). I had a 2005 Frigidaire FL that had a "bleach rinse" (because it had 3 rinses by default with an optional 4th rinse).

Personally I think that the separate bleach rinse is better (IMHO).

 

[frigilux]

Martin--- Do any of your front-loaders dispense bleach during the wash tumble, or is that your top-loaders? I thought all front-loaders dispensed during the first rinse.

Mark-- The pump on my Maytag 8100 kicks in for a few seconds upon start-up, as does Harley's. Any liquid poured into the empty drum will be ejected as soon as you press start. I suppose I could use a detergent pod and pour ammonia in the liquid detergent cup.

I'm surprised at the number of people here who use it! I can't recall ever purchasing it. My mom used it a couple of times when I was little and the scent freaked me out. Of course, I'm the one who finds the scent of liquid chlorine bleach comforting, so...to each his own.

 

[cuffs054]

I tried it for two loads. First was cotton sheets. It seems to have pulled some of the color out of them. They did come out very "fresh". Second was a mixed load of whites and kitchen towels. Did seem to make the towels "brighten" a little. Slept on the sheets last night and found them rougher than usual.

 

[dermacie]

Ammonia

It will also brighten faded fabric in your car.

 

[rpms]

How much do you add to a top load washer?

 

[mark_wpduet]

I think it actually

says on the back of the ammonia bottle how much to put for laundry, but I've always eyeballed it. I've never noticed any roughness or color change on anything using ammonia, even if poured straight up on clothing. It's not a pleasant smell, that's for sure. I hold my breath when I pour it in the washer.

@ Frigilux - I find the faint scent of Chlorine bleach comforting too....just a super clean smell, but only very diluted. I have always filled a spray bottle with distilled water and a tablespoon of chlorine bleach and that's what I wipe everything down with....but that straight up bleach smell is too strong..

 

[frigilux]

Mark-- I definitely meant the scent of diluted bleach. Sniffing it straight up would stand my hair on end, LOL.

 

[foraloysius]

And we all know what that looks like... lol

 

[yogitunes]

lets see, on the Calypso, the first rinse is the bleach dispense....granted it most likely works so well, is it recommends 1 cup of bleach, for about 4 gallons of water....cold rinse at that....

the Neptunes and Cabrio add it during the last few minutes of wash

the Maytag 806 is not timed, so it is dispensed at the moment agitation begins....same for the 1-18

Kenmore direct drive machines, with timed dispensers, added it during the last 2 minutes of wash....

the thing with bleaches now is you have to watch the concentration or percentage of sodium hypochlorite......where it used to be across the board at 4%.....now depending on the 'ultra', can be as concentrated up to 9%....only meaning you have to use less per load, and the dilution factor for a HE machine versus a typical old school top loader....

depending on the load, usual amounts for Ammonia to add is between 1/2 to 1 cup....

if you can find it, try Parsons Ammonia Lemon......probably one of the best smelling Ammonias around....fresh yet not over powering...

ammonia doesn't seem to be as damaging to clothing like bleach can......I add it to the start with detergent...

 

[foraloysius]

I always knew there was a difference between chlorine bleach on the American market and the NL. Overhere for years concentrated bleach has been the most popular especially for cleaning toilets. It has a 10 - 15% concentration. Only the cheapest brands are more diluted those are 5%.