Detergent

i use soapnuts

BTW, I've been meaning to post this -- I have found that sunscreen is turning my white tops yellow. This includes the cool wings as well as a white Shebeest tank top and a pink tank top with white trim. I think a big part of the problem is that it takes up to a week before I have enough clothes piled up to fill the washer, so they sit for days before getting washed out. I've started soaking them in soapy water immediately after wearing. The cool wings are so small I can soak them in a tupperware container -- I put the top on and shake it around for agitation, then let it soak a bit.

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Originally Posted by ny biker

BTW, I've been meaning to post this -- I have found that sunscreen is turning my white tops yellow. This includes the cool wings as well as a white Shebeest tank top and a pink tank top with white trim. I think a big part of the problem is that it takes up to a week before I have enough clothes piled up to fill the washer, so they sit for days before getting washed out. I've started soaking them in soapy water immediately after wearing. The cool wings are so small I can soak them in a tupperware container -- I put the top on and shake it around for agitation, then let it soak a bit.

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Does this help? Even when I wash things immediately the yellow seems permanent. Bummer, since I have a couple of things that I don't want to wear, now, since they look NASTY!!

Maybe it's the water? I know water hardness influences how dyes set, so it wouldn't surprise me if it influences how stains set.

For those of you who hand-wash things, what do you use? Laundry's expensive at my complex, and unless I've worn every pair of shorts and every short-sleeve jersey I possess (or washing a few days' worth of mine and BF's stuff), it's not worth the $1.50 to use the washer.

I use a spot of dish soap or hand soap (depends what's on hand) to get the isolated grease spots out of my jerseys.

I use Tide - the one that's free of dyes & perfumes. It doesn't get the armpit smell out. I'm not sure - maybe it would if I rubbed some on the areas in question. If they come out still smelling, sometimes I put my jerseys & running tops in with another load afterward, for a second go-around. I do find that if I spray Nature's Miracle (the stuff for neutralizing pet odors & stains) on the underarms first, it does work. I did that yesterday with 2 jerseys that really stank, and they came out great. Sometimes I add baking soda to the load - I think it helps.

My Mom gave me a bottle of Penguin Sportwash a couple of years ago. I couldn't see that it was much better than regular detergent. Definitely not worth the cost (to me).

I think that my armpits are especially problematic. Maybe it's my diet? Age related? I don't know. I hate it. DH's workout clothes NEVER smell. Mine smell 5 minutes after I put them on (the synthetic ones, anyway). :mad:

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Originally Posted by Owlie

Maybe it's the water? I know water hardness influences how dyes set, so it wouldn't surprise me if it influences how stains set.

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It's possible, though our hard water doesn't have this effect on non-synthetic whites. Perhaps if we wore the sport sunblock it would, though. We don't get pit-stains on our jerseys, just the sunblock stains. Shame, since SO many jerseys have white trim around the neck, which is the first place that yellows from sunblock.

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Originally Posted by zoom-zoom

It's possible, though our hard water doesn't have this effect on non-synthetic whites. Perhaps if we wore the sport sunblock it would, though. We don't get pit-stains on our jerseys, just the sunblock stains. Shame, since SO many jerseys have white trim around the neck, which is the first place that yellows from sunblock.

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It does depend on fiber type (e.g., wool and other animal fibers will take acid-based dyes, but cotton won't), so maybe?

I wish they wouldn't do that with jerseys. It looks cool when new, but after a while....ick. I don't have a problem with sunblock (don't use it... :o ), but it still gets a bit nasty. Luckily I only have two with white collars and I don't wear either of them much.

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Originally Posted by Owlie

For those of you who hand-wash things, what do you use? Laundry's expensive at my complex, and unless I've worn

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baby shampoo.

Irulan, since you're an expert in this area, I have a question. My bf's a chef, so we have lots of white jackets, some of which have technical fabric panels down the sides, but they are also embroidered. He has to look "impeccable". Should I put vinegar in the rinse? What about borax or baking soda? What about bleach, which I don't currently use? I appeciate any help.

You can't use bleach on synthetics. I have yet to find a good way to keep synthetics bright. Oxy/biz is about the only way I know how. I would more wonder whos bright idea it was to put synthetic panels on a chef coat.

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Originally Posted by Irulan

You can't use bleach on synthetics. I have yet to find a good way to keep synthetics bright. Oxy/biz is about the only way I know how. I would more wonder whos bright idea it was to put synthetic panels on a chef coat.

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Yeah, they bill them as "breathable panels" which he does say is good in the kitchen, but also with the embroidery, I'm at a loss. I'll try Oxy/biz. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by Aquila

I get whatever is for he with no dyes or perfumes, and cold water formulated.

And then I add some baking soda for biking clothes. I don't know if that actually helps, but I try to convince myself it does. :)

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It does. I didn't always use it.

I do the same as you. I use All Free & Clear, which doesn't come from P&G, is fairly inexpensive, and works just fine. My water is so hard that it doesn't much matter if I use the HE detergent in my front loader or not. :rolleyes:

Thanks for the awesome tips, everyone! Especially about the dry and the fabric softener...which I was doing to my cycling clothes. I am going to immediately discontinue that...and hopefully convince my husband to do the same!

if you ever have noticed what happens to your nice bras if you put them in the dryer... same thing to anything with a lycra component.

I use ECOS or Ecover brands for soap, throw in a scoop of oxy clean (scent free version) and I use white vinegar in the fabric softener cup. My whites are white and my bike clothes don't stink. This is for ALL of our laundry too, not just bike stuff.