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mrsalvo

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Recently came off a 2 1/2 week vacation to visit friends and relatives that I hadn't seen in a number of years, stayed overnight or 2 with some and stayed in hotels the remainder of the time. It was most enjoyable visiting and catching up, and as always, on my best behavior. LOL. It was nice to get home though.

Was curious of the laundry detergents and additives that everyone was using and the make of the machines. Tide / All Free & Clear was the most popular, with Xtra a close 2nd. Detected an industrial scent in towels and wash cloths that All Free & Clear were washed in, so much for scent free. Never saw any bleach in any of the laundry areas, or kitchens for that matter. Wasn't sure what to expect, so I kept my mind open to everything. What I didn't expect was that the water temperature in a couple of households was set to cold on the machines, with build up on the agitators. Didn't see any FL machines, all TL's (Speed Queen, Kenmore, Westinghouse and Maytag, one of which was a newer HE Centennial). The Westinghouse was the biggest surprise, fairly recent machine with a large capacity, wasn't aware they still made them so my guess is that Speed Queen may not be the last traditional machine still standing. I wanted to ask "Where did you find this?" Lol.

On my trip, I learned a VALUABLE lesson. Always pack a couple of spare wash cloths and face towels as a backup when visiting. In two of the households the bath wash cloths didn't smell, or look, clean. The only time I truly breathed a sigh of relief was at the hotels. Needless to say, I was alarmed but didn't dare say anything to my family. It just goes to show, clean linen is MUCH appreciated by guests staying over.

Has anyone else ran across a similar situation? Did you dare say anything?
 
the only thing

worse is staying in a motel or hotel that has less than clean bedding or towels.
Relatives usually take extra care when having company stay. Some new towels and linens if they won't wash up nice and white.
 
I'm a totally a-typical

Gay man. At home, I expect face clothes washed in 145F water with chlorine bleach and fluff-dried.

Out in the world of relations, I live with what's on offer. In Scotland, it all was clean but I didn't like the scent, in Ireland it was beat to death and looked just like it had in my childhood visits (probably was) but clean and dusty, in Italy smelled like sun and strong detergent and in Germany, sadly, my relations are all hysterical eco-freaks and I bring my own and don't let on. There's limits, even for me.

No idea what my American relations do, they're all Trump supporters and super-duper Christians, so we don't speak.

 

As to saying something - I'd sooner cut out my tongue than offend someone who has offered me their hospitality. 
 
I assume that the households with the dirty linens were the ones with the machines set to cold and with agitator build up. Given that, my guess is that they've bought into the whole 'laws-of-physics-bow-to-emotions-&-attitudes' schtick that the EcoBabble crowd purveys. I wouldn't be surprised if they make no connection between the dirty linens/agitator build up and the use of cold water..... That's if they even notice the linens are less than clean. They might feel they are clean because that's what they've been told.

Regardless, I think it rather unlikely they would listen to you. They'd most likely take offense and think you're just weird. On a more practical level, they couldn't wave a magic wand and fix the situation, anyway. It would just make the situation awkward for all. The fact that your hosts are more strongly affected by the situation than you is rather irrelevant, sadly.

Personally, I'd follow the philosophy of "eat what's put in front of you", use the dirty linens, and bring your own the next time.

Jim
 
"There's limits, even for me."

I had to laugh at that! LOL, but I know what you mean.

I've been comparing my whites wash to my neighbours' efforts, and I have to say that me whites are dazzling. Brilliant white - right through!

Some of their whites are perhaps tactfully described as 'cream', though my mum would say 'grey'. My neighbours must be using liquids and/or those liquitab pod things, in lukewarm water. They're just not clean.
 
The situation caught me totally off guard, very much so. I hate to say this, but I didn't expect it with the older baby boomer generation, presuming they knew what hot water was for, alas it wasn't the case and so much for it being a generational thing. I didn't say a word, washed my face, got dressed and waited till we got to a hotel to bathe. It's bad when you want to sleep with your clothes on that you've worn all day, and I did. I would have NEVER offered my guests the same, I like to think I was brought up with a conscience, but even then one would think some common sense would prevail!!! Never saw any bleach.
Some of the replies are funny and truthful. Yes, "there's limits, even for me." And I did "eat what was put in front of me" though we did take much of the family out to eat several times.

Kept my mouth shut, got through it, and thanked them for their hospitality.

I just can't get over it though. Never again.
 
Barry,

I think the way you handled the situation was gracious and well done.

I used to visit a friend that lived in Florida and I learned to take my towels with me. He used a good deal of fabric softener and I could not stand the way the fibers on the towel were so non-absorbant. Kind of a slimey or odd feel.

He was a very clean person, however he did love that Downey!
 
Barry, when you think about it, most boomers were in mid 20s at most on down through teenage years when the first energy crisis hit and electric rates went through the roof.  That's when cold water washing really took off from what I've observed.  And many probably never looked backi. 
 
I only have one relative that really doesn't maintain good linen hygiene, last time I was in their house and simply dried my hands in a bath towel my hands smelled moldy afterwards - one of my biggest pet peeves.

For the most part I've never had an issue staying with someone and finding unacceptable linens, if there's something I don't like I'll sneak it in with my laundry when I go to use their machine.

Also most of my relatives don't do cold water washing either, some I've specifically advised not to and others just have common sense.
We've had house guests that weren't related that turned my machine to cold and I was ready to slap them with a ruler, but nevertheless I was too polite of a host. I just promptly threw in a load of towels on HOT afterwards hahahaha.
 
What is a wash cloth ?

I`m just kidding, but it is amazing to see how Americans still have an affection for wash cloths.
I wonder why there is this cultuarl difference between Europeans and Americans when it comes to those.
I think in the old world they largely disappeared with the advent of indoor bathrooms and running hot water.
Of course there is still a minority who dosen`t take a shower every day and those seem to use them for in between touch up jobs or think of pedriadric care and so on.
Can`t remember a single hotel in Italy, France, Spain or Germany offering their guests a wash cloth. Seems like the whole continent just lathers up with their bare hands.
Interestingly in the US even in the lowest level motel a wash cloth is a minimum standard.

Apart from my observations it was a wise decision not to say a word to your hosts. I would have done the same unless if it would have been very close family who know how I am when it comes to laundry.
 
True Story

My mom used wash cloths as hand towels for guests from the beginning. They're just the right size, fold beautifully and look great in an open basket, with a lower basket to place them in after one use.

A bit more upscale than the roll of paper towels I keep in 'my' bathroom.

But we do have an equivalent in Germany - Waschlappen, which are always sewn together to be too small for my hands and always seem to shrink seven sizes when they come out of the washing machine.

panthera-2017050910385309289_1.jpg
 
"I only have one relative that really doesn't maintain good linen hygiene, last time I was in their house and simply dried my hands in a bath towel my hands smelled moldy afterwards - one of my biggest pet peeves." Jonathon that is exactly what I'm talking about AND it didn't look clean at all. And it was the bath towels also.

I'm wondering if some day there will be disposable towels of some sort for sale that could be offered guests. Kind of like a very strong paper towel but biologically safe, for use only one time. I think it would sell well, but who knows.

Honestly, I felt worse coming out of the shower than I did before I went in on a couple of occasions. It was the smell. Now that is bad!!!

Do you all offer guests new soap bars or body wash? I do, have saved up hotel soaps for just that occasion. When you go into someones house to use the shower and the soap bar has public hair on it........well, you get the idea.
I'm bringing my own next time.

Mind you, I'm not blowing this out of proportion....but crying out loud!!!
 
"still a minority who doesn't take a shower every da

so things must have changed some since I was in Bayern West Germany (at the time), mid-70, staying a week with German relatives, a couple in their late 50s, and 3 of their children: boys aged 15, 17, and a young lady, 20. Nobody took a shower more than 2 or maybe 3 x week, despite being quite upper-middle class folks who own their own "fabrik" (machine shop) that makes parts for Krups: the Dad drove a brand new 5 series Bay Em Vay, the hausfrau a new-ish Opel wagon, so reasonably well-off. My vague recollection of the laundry was that it was German branded but can't recall what exactly.

All extremely well groomed, I'm sure they "touched up" regularly, but it was (at least then) a different culture, and I think they thought that we Yanks were some kind of fanatical germophobes or something with our long showers and washed hair every morning. I recall the bathroom being huge, probably 12 x 12, and completely tiled: floor, walls and ceiling. I DON'T recall the linens looking or smelling unclean; their 3 story house was immaculate... they were(are) Germans (as is my wife) after all. The wife's grandmother used to clean the oil tank in her basement weekly!
 
O! Mein Gott! Der „Säureschutzmantel“ der Haut

Oh, yes, indeed - the horrors of damaging the acid-rain-coat of the delicate skin.

Of all the nonsense of my German relations, this one outranks even the 'Kreislaufkolaps' nonsense (feel free to add my usual adjectives, there - can't use them in this forum).

My mom made me shower twice a day as a kid, I still have to, at least twice a day as an adult - dirt likes me.

And, despite being a ginger, my skin is in damn good condition for a guy half my age, never mind my chronological age.

Each culture has their own myths and this one about too frequent bathing being bad for you is one of the most stupid of all in Germany.

It's fading fast, thank goodness. Especially silly because every good German washes 'down there' more frequently than Americans do. But, that doesn't count....the acid rain-coat of the skin must be protected......

 

 

 
 
Roger, my Grandmother born in 1910 used to take a bath and wash her hair only once a week on Saturday evenings. Of course there were daily "touch ups" too with a wash cloth. Nothing unusual in post war Germany. So your observations in the mid 70s don`t surprise me at all.
Thank God times have changed a long time ago and a daily shower is the norm now not the exception.

What I don`t get is why Americans see the need to scrub themselves clean with a wash cloth when taking a daily shower anyway.
I get my grimiest hands clean with just my bare hands and soap.
In contrast to the US Anti itch cream seems to be an unknown product here and of course there is a link between some forms of eczema and harsh personal hygiene habits.

Keven, the acid rain and resulting Waldsterben was a serious problem we finally solved with exhaust catalyzers not by taking less showers.
 
I don't have any relations that live more than 20 minutes from me.
Only time I experience being a house guest is when good friends of mine have a party, and they are far enough away that it's not good to drive home after.
These gentlemen have an immaculate home as one of them is rather OCD, so all the linens offered are properly cleaned and scent free as he doesn't like scents. So it is always a very pleasant experience.
 

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