Suds saver question

[spiraclean]

A year or so ago I had a twin tub, and found suds saving to be an absolute must. Draining and refilling the washtub for each load would negate all the speed and economy benefits these machines were designed for; you're involved in the process quite enough enough as it is, and the last thing you want to be doing is needlessly turning the whole thing into an all-day event.

The method that worked best for me was as follows:

1. Fill washtub with hot water, heat to boiling, wash sturdy whites.

2. Spin back the suds, top up with cold water, wash regular whites.

3. Spin back the suds, top up with cold water, wash denim jeans.

4. Drain washtub and refill with hot water, heat to 60°C, wash sturdy colours.

5. Spin back the suds, top up with cold water, wash regular colours.

6. Spin back the suds, top up with cold water, wash delicates.

By carrying out the wash in this order, each fill was heated only once. Topping up with a little cold water each time, to make up the 1/2" or so shortfall in the water level after spinning back the suds, resulted in exactly the right temperature for the next load.

Of course, a little extra detergent was added for each load, and you could use your own judgement to determine whether the wash water was OK to use again or needed to be dumped. Generally I could do three loads per fill; this varied depending on what was being washed, and whether it was lightly or heavily soiled. Either way, everything came out perfectly clean, nothing ever discoloured or turned dingy, and clothes smelled fresh after drying with no funkiness.

 

[lordkenmore]

>this guy has a cool idea.....and can give you some ideas, yet stay on this same principle....

It is an interesting system that guy has. I don't think I'd want to copy it exactly. I don't think I'd want the tank standing on the washer like he has. But the idea of having the tank higher like that so no pump is needed is not a bad idea. I remember considering the idea of getting creative to create my one suds saver device once, using an existing laundry tub, and the sticking point was the pump. I talked with someone at my local Ace Hardware, and he said he thought a pump would be expensive, and--predictably--then told me about the wonders of his new front load washer, which uses hardly any water...

 

[lordkenmore]

I also like the idea of various grey water type systems, with rinse water being used in the yard. It's something I'd consider doing if I were ever in a situation where I had stuff that needed watering in the yard. Although it's my profound hope to avoid any yard that needs maintenance. I am very intrigued by an approach of having a yard of hardy, native type plants that basically can be left alone, and survive.

 

[circlew]

At one time, suds saver washers were very popular in the area I live. The reason for this was that many homes were (and some still are) on wells and/or cisterns. In some cases, the well water wasn't suitable for washing with, or tended to run low in Summer or Fall, so they had to use the cistern water, which many times had to be trucked in, therefore expensive.

One of my neighbors (a lady about 50 who I don't know well) has a Maytag wringer washer. I don't know if she uses it or not; I've just seen it through her doorway.

 

[lordkenmore]

I've used one water saving tactic sometimes. I'll mention it, but first the disclaimer: if trying this, do this with intelligence and care, and at your own risk, etc, etc.

Protect my rear disclaimers aside--isn't our litigous society so wonderful?--here's the system:

-Start washing a load as normal. One keep in mind that water will be saved, so light colors first, less dirty first, etc is good practice.
-Pause the washer before drain.
-Unload the load. Be careful to store it someplace clean (I have a clean big bucket I use for all sorts of laundry tasks.) Be careful not to drip on anything important (electrical stuff, the Oriental rug in your laundry room, etc.)
-Reload the machine. Make sure that the load is appropriately sized for the water level, of course.
-Reset the timer dial for another wash cycle

When rinse time comes:
-Last load washed is just left in the machine, and the machine is allowed to go through the cycle as normally (i.e. no pausing right before drain).
-Then previous load(s) are reloaded (one at at time if more than one) for 1st spin/rinse/final spin.

This is not as easy as suds saver, plus there are obvious risks.

That said, while this is possibly more of a pain than is worth bothering with, there are times I find this helpful, particularly now that I'm back to a Shredmore. I don't like running lower water levels in it, and yet some loads are too small for a full tub of water. Thus, this way, I can get that small load washed, with a full tub of water, but no real waste of hot water. (There is a waste of water for the rinse, but since that is cold water by default, the only thing really being wasted is water.)

 

[polkanut]

<span style="font-family: terminal, monaco;">Having been raised in a household that started out with a 1967 GE Filter-Flo washer with suds-saver & matching dryer, then a 1983 GE Filter Flo w/ suds-saver, and now a 1997 Maytag Dependable Care w/ suds-saver I can honestly say that in all of my nearly 46 years I've never given the "Ick" factor much thought. When my wife & I got married in 1998 we received our Maytag Dependable Care washer & dryer set as a gift from my parents. We had decided that we also wanted a suds-saver machine.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: terminal, monaco;">With both of us growing up in households where saving the wash water was the norm it was a bit of a no-brainer for us. We also line dry alot of our laundry in summer, and have received numerous compliments on how white and bright everything looks. While we are on city water & sewer we don't want a bill that's sky high either. So for us, it's just a part of everyday life.</span>