Detergent choices

[mark_wpduet]

do any of you use baking soda with your laundry detergent? I only ask because I found a huge bag of Arm & Hammer baking soda from costco unopened... I've been adding about 1/2 cup in the drum and then my regular detergent in the dispenser... and then vinegar in the rinse dispenser.. I really just wanted to get through the big bag of baking soda and I'm kind of surprised but I think it makes a difference...

I'm also almost out of laundry detergent. I'd say I have a month's worth left and I have NO clue what I'm going to try next.

 

[launderess]

"A touch of Downy"

P&G formulates "Tide + Downy Free, liquid detergents with cellulase enzyme and bit of castor oil and or soap.

https://smartlabel.pg.com/en-us/00037000874737.html

Former chews away at bobbles and helps soften fabrics among other things.

https://biosolutions.novozymes.com/... by gently,brightness of worn cotton surfaces.

Latter adds extra softness to wash same as back when soaps were queen of wash day.

Remember? Ivory Snow gets clothes softer than detergent. Well that "softness" came from oils and fats used to make soap which leave a residue on fabrics. Early fabric softeners were merely emulsions of tallow (beef fat) and other oils that pretty much did same thing. Nowadays many TOL softeners use surfactant technology instead of or mainly instead of relying upon fats/oils to less affect absorbency of textiles due to aforementioned residue. Over time that soap residue could build up leaving things with "tattle-tale" grey hue.



Local discount shop had Tide F&G with ToD in those huge bottles. As one still had one and one/half jugs of normal Tide F&G still in stash wondered if there was any real difference between two. Comparing MSDS told tale, so that was that.

https://smartlabel.pg.com/en-us/00037000885825.html

Have huge amounts of soaps of all sorts in my laundry stash, so that's me sorted.

Cellulase is already present in other detergents in one's stash so there you are. [this post was last edited: 11/3/2024-01:07]

 

[DADoES]

 
Can't say how much of this is legitimate and how much may be P&G product promotion.

Washing Clothes with Baking Soda and Vinegar

 

[mark_wpduet]

I'm talking about baking soda as a booster.. not by itself...

everything in that article suggested that it's bad to use baking soda and/or vinegar by themselves.

 

[appnut]

Mark, I do bekueve the concept is similar to using washing soda. Look that up and see what its uses are and how to use it.

 

[launderess]

Baking Soda In The Wash

Whirlpool says...

https://www.whirlpool.com/blog/washers-and-dryers/how-to-use-baking-soda-in-laundry.html

P&G however is not really a fan of either baking soda or vinegar in the wash.

Washing Clothes with Baking Soda and Vinegar | Tide

What are the watch-outs of washing your clothes with vinegar and baking soda, and how do household products compare to detergent? Find out now!

tide.com

 

[launderess]

Quite honestly one finds when using top shelf laundry detergents one doesn't really need to add any such "booster" product.

For stain removal on whites or colours when one is using liquid or other products that do not contain bleach (oxygen), then will add, otherwise find really isn't necessary messing about with a pinch of this or bit of that.

Miele Ultra White, Persil, and so forth do very well on their own. [this post was last edited: 11/3/2024-18:20]

 

[angus]

Consumer Reports (I know, many feel they have no credibility anymore), also cautions against using vinegar in a washing machine. I never bothered with it myself as I never felt it did anything productive, but that's just me.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

baking soda and vinegar

I don't use baking soda or vinegar in my wash. I use laundry detergent and fabric softener. I also use that and bleach with my whites and hot water. I'm old school when it comes to doing laundry.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Over the years I've read this vinegar debate over and over... and some will swear it's not bad for the washer while others say it will destroy it... Me? I've used it for 20 years in my washer and it hasn't harmed it.. I mean, Imagine if you put the max amount in... Say, you fill the bleach dispenser and the FS dispenser to max fill with vinegar...that vinegar is going to be so diluted to the point it probably won't even phase the washer... To be honest, I don't even know if the vingear is even doing anything...but I like using it better than FS...so I use it..... In my mind I'm not using it to necessarily "soften" the clothes... but more like a rinse agent

 

[launderess]

Acetic acid attacks rubber and some other polymers. Over time O-rings, seals and other components of washing machines (or dishwashers) made from same can be harmed or compromised.

https://mykin.com/rubber-chemical-resistance-chart

You don't often if at all see acetic acid used for laundry sours, descaling or other uses for acidic substances, and there are good reasons for this. Citric and other acids OTOH are chosen for good reasons.

No, 1/4 cup of 5% acetic acid (white vinegar) diluted into ten or more gallons of rinse water may or may not cause harm to washing machine. However that same amount sitting in dispenser drawer exposes seals and other bits made from polymers to full affect of said acid.