Amazing but true laundry stories!

[malkin]

It dissolves fat and suspends particles long enough for them to get rinsed away by the water, I believe.

Yep., I believe that too.
I have also heard that friction from rubbing is important to hands clean. Sometimes with kids, I think that using soap just gets them to rub their hands a little better and longer.

Hand soap should always smell nice and feel good too!

[PamNY]

Here's an amazing laundry story from the (UK) Telegraph.

I don't know if it's true.

[OakLeaf]

Huh.

It's hard for me to believe that there would be that much buildup of oils that are only used a couple of drops at a time. But who knows?

Here's the part that got me though: "It is now common to have washes sometimes as low as 15 degrees Celsius." Oil removal aside, is it really possible to get clothes clean with water that cold? In the cooler months when the basement dehumidifier water that I start with isn't any warmer than the ground water (which is probably a couple of degrees cooler than 15, but only a couple), I stand by the washer until the tub is full, fiddling with the cycle controls to make sure that some warm water goes in. I'm sure my washer has several years in it still, but I do crave one of those new ones with a thermostat.

[OakLeaf]

Thinking about this thread doing my laundry this morning...

thinking about all the washing I've done in hotel sinks over the years, and about learning not to use too much detergent in the washer.

It's well known that most people use too much detergent in their washer. When you're hand washing it's easy to meter yourself and stop adding detergent/soap as soon as you see suds. With a machine, you just have to take it on faith. It seems like the measuring cups that come with the jugs are designed to sell more detergent. One big line at the top, and a whole bunch of little hard-to-see lines at the bottom that are the ones you're really supposed to use.

But what I've discovered more recently is that like most things, those directions and measuring cups are written for the least common denominator. Just like the yellow recommended speed limit signs on corners are engineered for poorly balanced delivery trucks and long semis - not passenger cars - the amount of detergent they recommend is for the very hardest water. Like mine, where large flakes of lime form whenever I boil water , and filling the detergent cup to #1 or #2 works just fine. If you have soft water, you can probably read the directions and cut the recommendation in half, probably a couple of tablespoons of detergent per load.

The other thing is that the fourth or fifth time I'm washing something by hand in a hotel sink, the water doesn't come out any cleaner than the first time. Yep - I am that skuzzy. We sweat, we exude oils, we shed skin cells, our clothes pick up particulates from the air, and whatever we sit on sticks to our pants or skirts, too - not just the big puddles that we can see and avoid, but microscopic particles of who knows what, too. I guess maybe washing machines are just another way that a lot of people are insulated from the glorious dirt that we all live in.

[Biciclista]

I read a biographical story about the Delany sisters (who both lived past 100 years old), a couple of New Yorkers who were the daughters of slaves. They lived together as centagenarians and hand washed all their clothes, never having owned a washing machine. I remember one of them talking about how much longer their clothing lasted. I guess it's a TV movie now.

[goldfinch]

My clothes don't wear out from washing. I bet most end up tossed because I spill food on them and they stain, or I get some other goo on the and they stain, or I rip them somehow.

[KnottedYet]

I read a biographical story about the Delany sisters (who both lived past 100 years old), a couple of New Yorkers who were the daughters of slaves. They lived together as centagenarians and hand washed all their clothes, never having owned a washing machine. I remember one of them talking about how much longer their clothing lasted. I guess it's a TV movie now.

Reminds me of this book: http://www.amazon.com/Old-Books-Rare.../dp/0385485158 Lived together for over 60 years, united by their love of books (and presumably each other).

[KnottedYet]

Today I did a load of handwash that had been handwashed last week.

Much, much different.

Wash water got dirty, but not the murky pukey grey of the first wash. It only took 2 rinses to get the water clear. (clear, not colorless; there is some dye coming out in the rinse)

Seriously, I'm going to do double rinses when I get my washing machine. What an education this has been!