cehalstead
Well-known member
lack of zip code
If it doesn't have a ZIP code, it's probably pre-1964.
If it doesn't have a ZIP code, it's probably pre-1964.
How Do You Get The "Whitest" Whites?
- Thread starter launderess
- Start date
Help Support :
My secret ingredient for whiter whites....
I use Electrosol powdered dishwasher detergent with chlorine! This is a little trick that I learned from my friends Ross and Roger.
For a large load of whites, I fill the tub to "Mini" level with hot water and one cup of Electrosol. After filling, I let it agitate for about 30 seconds, add detergent, booster, the clothes, and continue filling for a large load. The whites wash for part of the cycle, then soak for 30 minutes. After that, they continue on their merry washing way to dazzling brightness. I'll never use liquid chlorine bleach for laundry again!
I use Electrosol powdered dishwasher detergent with chlorine! This is a little trick that I learned from my friends Ross and Roger.
For a large load of whites, I fill the tub to "Mini" level with hot water and one cup of Electrosol. After filling, I let it agitate for about 30 seconds, add detergent, booster, the clothes, and continue filling for a large load. The whites wash for part of the cycle, then soak for 30 minutes. After that, they continue on their merry washing way to dazzling brightness. I'll never use liquid chlorine bleach for laundry again!
Retromom,
The real secret ingredient is the STPP in your dishwashing detergent.
The real secret ingredient is the STPP in your dishwashing detergent.
mickeyd
Well-known member
Mom, did you know that your ingredient is--sadly, WAS--the s
for keeping the nuns' headgear heavenly white. ; D
for keeping the nuns' headgear heavenly white. ; D
In my front-loader
Pre wash with DW detergent. Warm
Bleach Hot
Rinse
Followed with regular wash cycle
W-R-R-R spin.
SPOTLESS!
A good LCB-ing keeps the machine mold-free too!
Pre wash with DW detergent. Warm
Bleach Hot
Rinse
Followed with regular wash cycle
W-R-R-R spin.
SPOTLESS!
A good LCB-ing keeps the machine mold-free too!
oxydolfan1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2006
- Messages
- 1,764
No ordinary detergent in the hot wash?
oh yes, regular detergent and a hot wash in the regular cycle 
Usually a "free-and-clear" since there are plenty of scents and chemicals from the pre-wash phases.
My dispenser (in the Frid-Ge-More front-loader) adds cheap watery softener to the first rinse [because I use the bleach dispenser for softener] to kill the suds. The softener then(in theory) gets flushed out with subsequent rinses.
Usually a "free-and-clear" since there are plenty of scents and chemicals from the pre-wash phases.
My dispenser (in the Frid-Ge-More front-loader) adds cheap watery softener to the first rinse [because I use the bleach dispenser for softener] to kill the suds. The softener then(in theory) gets flushed out with subsequent rinses.
oxydolfan1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2006
- Messages
- 1,764
Ah, now that makes sense...
Is there anything contained in the dishwasher detergent that could in some way be detrimental to the seals of the washer itself? Or any other portion of the machine?
I've been using the most inexpensive private-label softener I could locate (remember the old "Key Food" pink liquid??) and its actually working better than I would have imagined...
Otherwise "Whitening Downy" for me....
Thanks! (happy Thursday morning grin!)
Is there anything contained in the dishwasher detergent that could in some way be detrimental to the seals of the washer itself? Or any other portion of the machine?
I've been using the most inexpensive private-label softener I could locate (remember the old "Key Food" pink liquid??) and its actually working better than I would have imagined...
Otherwise "Whitening Downy" for me....
Thanks! (happy Thursday morning grin!)
lederstiefel1
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 18, 2006
- Messages
- 484
whitest whites
These are all intersting news - but have to be transmitted and modified for their use in Germany as we have different products here..
But let me please give you a hint to what I found out by chance. Once I had some badly stained table-cloths and table-napkins to clean and did so in the washer with all the powders and stuff and they came out bright white and spotlessly clean. Really spotlessly? There were still some stains on them, yellow ones, pale but still to be seen, especially when holding the item against the day-light at the window...
I remembered the way people used to wash in the old days here in Germany and took a big pot out of the kitchen cupboard, filled it with luke warm water, added some washing-soda which I disolved first to soften the water and added grated bar soap. After having disolved the soap I added the napkins.
At least I brought it to the boil on the kitchen stove within half an hour on medium heat, switched to low then and finally let it simmer for another half an hour with the lid ajar, stirring occasionally.
After that time I removed the lid and was totally astonished to see the change of colour of the suds. I had started with an opaque-white foamy wash-water which was now yellow-brownish-grey and the foam had totally disappeared!
I took the napkins out and rinsed them in tap-hot water first, then in warm and finally in cold water until water stayed totally clear. The stains had completely disappeared!
But what on earth had made the suds become so ugly looking? The items seemed to be clean before...
So, I got in mind it could have been a chemical reaction during the boiling process or maybe one with detergent residues in the fabrics.
I did the whole process again without adding any items to the suds. But even after let the suds boil for 3/4 of an hour and finally adding some detergent and letting boil it again for half an hour, the suds didn't change at all. They stayed opaque-white and only the foam had disappeared after having added the wash powder as these contain some additives against overfoaming in German FLs.
So, I came to the clue that all that yellow-grey stuff must have been still in the fabric although it seemed to be clean. Also I think that, if we wouldn't have all these OBAs in all the detergents nowadays, we would actually SEE how badly washed our fabrics are today, compared to those which were soaked, boiled and lawn-bleached and finally re-washed, rinsed and blued in the old days of our (great)grandfathers...
And last not least it should be mentioned that fabrics treated like that, were DEFENITELY GERMS FREE at all - without disinfectants or chlorine bleach or any silver nano technology and stuff!
Happy New Year to all of you!
Ralf
These are all intersting news - but have to be transmitted and modified for their use in Germany as we have different products here..
But let me please give you a hint to what I found out by chance. Once I had some badly stained table-cloths and table-napkins to clean and did so in the washer with all the powders and stuff and they came out bright white and spotlessly clean. Really spotlessly? There were still some stains on them, yellow ones, pale but still to be seen, especially when holding the item against the day-light at the window...
I remembered the way people used to wash in the old days here in Germany and took a big pot out of the kitchen cupboard, filled it with luke warm water, added some washing-soda which I disolved first to soften the water and added grated bar soap. After having disolved the soap I added the napkins.
At least I brought it to the boil on the kitchen stove within half an hour on medium heat, switched to low then and finally let it simmer for another half an hour with the lid ajar, stirring occasionally.
After that time I removed the lid and was totally astonished to see the change of colour of the suds. I had started with an opaque-white foamy wash-water which was now yellow-brownish-grey and the foam had totally disappeared!
I took the napkins out and rinsed them in tap-hot water first, then in warm and finally in cold water until water stayed totally clear. The stains had completely disappeared!
But what on earth had made the suds become so ugly looking? The items seemed to be clean before...
So, I got in mind it could have been a chemical reaction during the boiling process or maybe one with detergent residues in the fabrics.
I did the whole process again without adding any items to the suds. But even after let the suds boil for 3/4 of an hour and finally adding some detergent and letting boil it again for half an hour, the suds didn't change at all. They stayed opaque-white and only the foam had disappeared after having added the wash powder as these contain some additives against overfoaming in German FLs.
So, I came to the clue that all that yellow-grey stuff must have been still in the fabric although it seemed to be clean. Also I think that, if we wouldn't have all these OBAs in all the detergents nowadays, we would actually SEE how badly washed our fabrics are today, compared to those which were soaked, boiled and lawn-bleached and finally re-washed, rinsed and blued in the old days of our (great)grandfathers...
And last not least it should be mentioned that fabrics treated like that, were DEFENITELY GERMS FREE at all - without disinfectants or chlorine bleach or any silver nano technology and stuff!
Happy New Year to all of you!
Ralf
oxydolfan1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2006
- Messages
- 1,764
Speaking of Germany, I recall being directed to use a special detergent that was "fuer Gardinen"....for the white curtains that hung on every window!!
I'd go to the store and there were actually several varieties...
I remember it worked really well.
In my grandfather's time, one of his chores on Sunday night was to load the whites in a gigantic copper kettle, take a Paul Bunyan-sized paddle, and stir....and stir....
Hmmph. And I complain about going to the gym....
I'd go to the store and there were actually several varieties...
I remember it worked really well.
In my grandfather's time, one of his chores on Sunday night was to load the whites in a gigantic copper kettle, take a Paul Bunyan-sized paddle, and stir....and stir....
Hmmph. And I complain about going to the gym....
Well, I have me a kettle and I have me a paddle, and I have me some chemicals. The gas stove just needs to be lit.
Maybe I will get me some IVORY soap, then I can say.......
Excuse me while I boil-wash...
Maybe I will get me some IVORY soap, then I can say.......
Excuse me while I boil-wash...
oh Great Miss L, what did I do wrong?
Hmmm
Prewashed whites in DW detergent.
Bleaced with Clorox brand chlorine bleach.
Spun things out.
in a vat of boiling water, added
washing soda (sodium carbonate)
grated Ivory bar soap.
laundry.
Water bacame brown, nearly instantly. But I think it was some sort of chemical reaction. Water stained the clothes. Had to re-wash the "regular way"
end result not bad, however.
Hmmm
Prewashed whites in DW detergent.
Bleaced with Clorox brand chlorine bleach.
Spun things out.
in a vat of boiling water, added
washing soda (sodium carbonate)
grated Ivory bar soap.
laundry.
Water bacame brown, nearly instantly. But I think it was some sort of chemical reaction. Water stained the clothes. Had to re-wash the "regular way"
end result not bad, however.
ME? an aluminum kettle *FAINTS DEAD AWAY* LOL
The one I used is, in theory, stainless-steel.
The one I used is, in theory, stainless-steel.
Paging Launderess... you hoo come in UES Manhattan..
Well, I see two possibilitities from where I sit.
Either residual bleach [or some other chemical] does not like washing soda and/or soap (hence a chemical reaction) or that swill is just plain MUCK!
BTW I used washing soda in a load of darks and the water came out black. Fading? (which I strongly suspect) or yet more muck?
Well, I see two possibilitities from where I sit.
Either residual bleach [or some other chemical] does not like washing soda and/or soap (hence a chemical reaction) or that swill is just plain MUCK!
BTW I used washing soda in a load of darks and the water came out black. Fading? (which I strongly suspect) or yet more muck?
rolltideroll
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2006
- Messages
- 92
Whiter clothes? The European laundry ball of course. haha, no really, I have two ways, Electrosol, which I used out of desperation one late night when I ran out of regular detergent and the second way which I found out of sheer curiosity is Clorox's toilet bowl tablets. The ones that you drop in your tank that last for several months before they eventually dissolve. I will soak my whites in the washer over night with a tablet dropped in the wash water. Saves alot on liquid bleach if you like soaking your clothes all night.
lederstiefel1
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 18, 2006
- Messages
- 484
boiling clothes
Have to add that I used a stainless-steel pot for the boiling!
And no, I think the yellow-brown grey colour in the water were old residues in the fibres from years of use and washing!
Yes, my gandmother did that kind of stiring - but only occasionally during the boiling - too and put the washing afterwards into the woodden wringer-washer for 15-20 minutes before she rinsed it in the double-sink in the laundry room in the basement. I loved those days!
To the Gardinenwaschmittel: yes there are special curtain detergents here in Germany available. This is because synthetic fibres do not need enzymes in the wash-water. But they need more tensides for the greater amount of dust to remove and they need more bleach to clean dull looking fibres plus a stronger OBA as normal OBAs do not stick very well on synthetic fibres!
Germans like bright white curtains at their windows very much!
The use of soda with dark coloured fabics: a no-go!!! Strong alkalines are very bad for the colours and make them fade out!
Ralf
Have to add that I used a stainless-steel pot for the boiling!
And no, I think the yellow-brown grey colour in the water were old residues in the fibres from years of use and washing!
Yes, my gandmother did that kind of stiring - but only occasionally during the boiling - too and put the washing afterwards into the woodden wringer-washer for 15-20 minutes before she rinsed it in the double-sink in the laundry room in the basement. I loved those days!
To the Gardinenwaschmittel: yes there are special curtain detergents here in Germany available. This is because synthetic fibres do not need enzymes in the wash-water. But they need more tensides for the greater amount of dust to remove and they need more bleach to clean dull looking fibres plus a stronger OBA as normal OBAs do not stick very well on synthetic fibres!
Germans like bright white curtains at their windows very much!
The use of soda with dark coloured fabics: a no-go!!! Strong alkalines are very bad for the colours and make them fade out!
Ralf
Dankeshen
add water & flaming heat & chemicals
(Notice doubled-up grates to raise cauldron and allow heat to escape rather than lick stove-top and damage it!
(Notice doubled-up grates to raise cauldron and allow heat to escape rather than lick stove-top and damage it!
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