Miele Front Loader Removes Deodorant Stains on Dress Shirts

[iheartmaytag]

I want not to detract from your machine and it's results nor to brag. But my
Whirlpool sourced Maytag 5000 Series W/steam took the same stains out of my undershirts with one steam cycle and Tide HE.

Though the steam cycle doesn't get as hot as the sani cycle does, it does offer a "stepped" cleaning where it fills with warm and gradually heats up to hot. This cycle takes approx 1:32 on the heavy duty cycle. Me thinks the heat is the magic ingredient.

 

[jerrod6]

So what is this stain?  Is it from antiperspirant or deodorant?   I only use deodorant and there are never any stains.

 

[sudsmaster]

As I understand it, the alkalinity of various detergent components if mainly useful in that it helps to saponify fats and oil (and fatty acids) present on the skin or outside sources that might be transferred as soil to fabrics. By saponification, the oil is turned into a soap that is more easily lifted off the fabric.

I have looked into the deodorant properties of borax, and as best I can determine, it's due to the anti-microbial action of the borate ion, which interferes with metabolic processes of odor causing bacteria. These bacteria are also responsible for the potentially offensive odor of sweat. The borate ion also can form complexes with organic substances and therefore may absorb odor causing compounds through this complexing action.

As an aside, apparently borate itself does not do much to soften water without forming a precipitate, as it does not have a particular affinity for minerals. However, it may combine with organic substances to form a complex that does have some non precipitating affinity for hard water minerals.

 

[passatdoc]

continuing on Launderess' comments about water temp

I wonder how much of the miracle was due to the shirts' first hot wash in a front loader, vs. the fact that it was a Miele, vs. the fact that HE detergent was used.

I have a modest Frigidaire 2140. I remember, the first week I owned it, doing a load of white underwear and white shop towels (hand towel sized, I have a stack of them from Costco for cleaning jobs) on hot/heavy soil cycle (with heavy soil and extra rinse options selected). The machine does not have an integrated heater, but it sits right next to the water heater which is set to about 140 F (60 C). When the wash was done, I was astonished at how white everything was. It looked as if I'd used bleach, when in fact I used only All HE liquid, no bleach, and no other additives. I realized then that these articles were very yellowed from the old top loader, and that they needed only one wash in the new machine---however "entry level" that washer may be---and suddenly they were as white as if bleach had been used.

Normally, I wash my dress shirts and khaki trousers (my work clothing)---all of which are 100% cotton from LL Bean, with the no-wrinkle finish---on Perm Press cycle, which spins at a lower speed to avoid setting wrinkles. I normally use Warm temperature. What I have noticed is that perspiration/deodorant stains eventually appear on white or light blue shirts, and that I can eliminate these by washing in hot water with heavy soil (longer agitation) option on the Perm Press.

I wonder if the Perm Press cycle is really only needed for more delicate blends and synthetics, as everything I am washing that is "perm press" is really all-cotton and probably can tolerate a more vigorous "Normal" cycle. I probably should experiment by using "Normal" cycle to check if wrinkles are an issue after drying---the clothes would be drier if I used Normal, and I could de-select "extra spin" time.

My washer doesn't gradually heat the water from cold to 60 C as Launderess described for Mieles, but even my humble Frigidaire got amazing results when I switched from a POS GE TL to a Frigidaire BOL FL 2140 in 2006. I know someday the spider will break, but I am happy to report six years of trouble-free operation, no service calls at all.

 

[tomturbomatic]

tick, tick, tick

Your washer heard that boast and is working on the spider's destruction.

 

[westingman123]

OY!

Knock wood! QUICK!!

 

[passatdoc]

I did a load this morning of "work clothes" and used Normal cycle with extra rinse, heavy soil option, and extended spin. Clothes were more wrinkled coming out of the washer than when I use Perm Press cycle, but also noticeably drier. Drying time was cut from about 35 minutes down to 20-25 minutes on Perm Press/Warm dryer setting, and shirts came out just as wrinkle free as when washed on Perm Press cycle.

So for this sort of load, I'm moving to Normal cycle to cut drying times. Yay. At least for 100% cottons with wrinkle free finish from LL Bean, the higher spin speeds and longer spin times do not create wrinkles that won't release in the dryer, and it will speed drying time. If you had synthetic blends that will be line dried, then I think there would be an advantage to using Perm Press cycle.