Washing soda/Borax in the laundry

[abcomatic]

Hi everyone, What are your thoughts on using washing soda or borax in the laundry along with your favorite detergent/soap? Some brands out there are: Sal Soda, Arm and Hammer washing
Soda, 20 Muleteam Borax. Thanks for answering. Gary

 

[whirlcool]

We sometimes use 20 Muleteam Borax while washing. We usually add it when we are using Fab powder for a wash load.
Not that Fab doesn't remove odors, it's quite good at that, but we feel it adds to the cleaning power of that detergent. And it also is a good deodorizer. We almost always add it when we are washing smelly dog beds.
The only thing to watch for is that after a few loads you'll see a scum ring around the top of the tub where the waterline is. It comes off quite easily with a wet towel with a little diluted bleach on it.
I believe it acts as a water softner and makes it easier for the detergent to work.

 

[seeitrun2006]

Arm & Hammer washing soda

We use it with Tide w/fabreeze. We had the hardest time getting odors out of our bath towels. The first time I used on our towels the wash water smelled terrible. The water smelled so bad I ran the towels thru a 2nd rinse. Since then our towels are fresh smelling once again. I'm sure the soda made the detergent work better. I use it each time we wash a load of whites and towels. Can't use bleach as my wife is allergic to it.

Peace!

 

[peterh770]

Borax, washing soad and baking soda are known as "precipitating" water softeners in that they bind with minerals to form insoluble molecules which remain suspended in the water, which is why the water turns milky when these are added.

 

[polkanut]

I always use 20 Mule Team Borax for towels, and undergarments. I also hang them outside to dry weather permitting, as this also helps to deodorize them as well.

 

[gmmcnair]

I find a few tablespoons of either really bucks up the wash water when I'm using cheap liquid detergent. We have soft water here in Portland, but it still seems to help with really dirty stuff.

 

[oxydolfan1]

I used to use very inexpensive products and spike the wash with a half-cup or so of borax or washing soda.

I've been trying to use better-quality detergents these days, since I wash a lot of stuff with cold water only. IMHO, these types of additives don't work well in cold, soft water, and may in fact damage my machine.

What I DO like to use is 1/4-cup powdered Snowy bleach with Wisk liquid if I have white or light-colored dress shirts to wash (but I might even stop that, since I picked up two different kinds of Persil today!)

Believe it or not, I actually think borax and washing soda are actually more useful in the bathroom, on bathtubs, faucets, and the like, then in the washer....

 

[lederstiefel1]

Soda, Borax...

Yes, I use sometimes also Soda which was still used during my childhood in the sixties to do the overnight-soaking in these big zink-tubs before wash-day in the laundry room in the basement as well as to soften the wash-water before adding soap to it, in the copper-boiler and in the tub-washer!
It makes the wash-water more "soapy" by giving a higher ph-rate to it, as it is a strong alkaline and calcium- and magnesia-killer.
It is useful when having very greasy and dirty washing or as a pre-wash detergent alone or together with wash-powder. BUT: NEVER use it neither on woollens or silks or weak fabrics nor on non-colourfast garments!
I use it as well as dish-washing agent as I hate those foam producing liquids which have no power to get really dirty or sticky things clean. Not everything can go into our dishwasher! In the old days Soda was THE dish-washing detergent! It leaves everything sparkling clean and glass does not corrode! Only very fatty items need a bit of dishwashing liquid or soft-soap or bar-soap flakes added, to imulsify fats and oils better. But always rinse under hot clear water finally!
Borax is very useful as a substitute for conditioners, also gives a soft skin when used in a bath (1 tablespoon full) and can be used to wash out blood-stains on woollens or silks or scortch-marks on cotton and linnen as well as an additive to starch, when starching table-cloths and bed-linnens to give them a smooth shining! This is known and available as "Glanz-Staerke" (gleam-starch) in Germany.
Greetings, Ralf

 

[aquarius1984]

in the UK

a few years back, Surf had a variant out called Surf with soda and not only did it clean ok. Just as good as regular Surf but it made sure everybody got a rash too. I dont believe in additives. If a top range powder or any detergent inc supermarket own labels can make claims like they do they should live up to it. Persil is the only one i know that truely does. But im testing Ariel soon so we will see. Nick

 

[sudsmaster]

Most laundry powders are primarily washing soda, some are cut with sodium sulfate as well. I guess adding more could be helpful for boosting the grease/dirt cutting action, without increasing suds level.

Borax is somewhat less precipitating than washing soda, but it is also toxic to animals and plants in large quantities (a teaspoon of the powder can kill a child). I find it's useful for cleaning toilets and shower stalls - cuts down on the mold/fungus. It also deodorizes. Sometimes I add it to the Neptune when washing work clothes that have a lot of machine tool coolant on them. Regular washing doesn't always get rid of the odor.

Where legal, STPP is the best bet for boosting laundry powders.

 

[jamiel]

I was in Phoenix last weekend and found White King Water Softener which the ingredients said were phosphates and sodium carbonate (washing soda). Anytime I can get phosphates at the store I buy them gladly! (Calgon from Canada has phosphates and works nicely)

 

[tomturbomatic]

Borax is very helpful when washing perma press clothing. It helps with odor control in underarm areas. Add borax to the wash and they remain sweet smelling while being worn. It must be some chemical in the perma press fabric that reacts with sweat to make it smell bad without the borax to stop the bacterial growth or chemical reaction.