Amazing but true laundry stories!

[OakLeaf]

What's the difference? Using soap instead of detergent? The temptation to put too much detergent in a machine? The method you use to agitate the clothes can't make that much difference, can it??? How long do you have to agitate them to get them clean? Honestly, the few things I have that really can't go into a front-loader, I get bored agitating them after about two minutes.

[KnottedYet]

It appears to be (from my experience, which is quite limited) the way you rinse the critters.

Doing the laundry in a white kitty litter bucket, I can SEE when the water runs clear and then I know the clothes are clean. In the machine, it runs its rinse cycle without a witness to holler "Whoa! Wait, do it again and smoosh the clothes around some more!"

I'm using the same laundry detergent I always use, so it's not the detergent. I really think it's the rinse.

And the gunk coming off my clothes the first time I handwash them is really impressive. I swear, I'm not Pig Pen! That dirt was *IN* the clothes already!

I'm not agitating the clothes much. Dab of detergent in kitty litter bucket, fill with water. Toss laundry in (small load, cuz the bucket I'm using is very small). Smoosh up and down with plunger for about 15-30 seconds. (this is when the grody stuff is appearing in my water) Leave to sit for a while (I'm making coffee, reading, playing on the internet). When you remember, go back and plunge it another 15-30 seconds, pour off the cruddy water, refill with clean water. Repeat the plunging and soaking and pouring off until the water runs clear.

I'm diggin' the neglectful approach. "Ah, just let that soak some more. I'm in an exciting part of my book."

[KnottedYet]

I also read somewhere (long ago) that running an item of clothing through the washer and the dryer puts it through the equivalent wear-and-tear of 60 wearings.

Dunno if that is true, but the plunge and soak handwashing routine is bound to be gentler on the clothes.

It's an amusing curmudgeonly way to get an arm workout. Like most red-blooded Americans, I'd rather "work out" than do actual physical work. Drive my SUV right up to the door of the gym and commandeer the handicap parking spot, so I can go inside to walk on the treadmill; you betcha! Throw my laundry into the washing machine and then pick up my handweights and wave my arms around while the machine chugs away; oh yeah!

If I had to do more than just a smidgen of laundry for a couple weeks, I'd probably not find this plunger-and-bucket experience nearly as amusing...

[Slowspoke]

ha ha i could see me trying it. My BF is BIG 6'7", I would only fit in one pair or jeans and maybe a tee shirt per load! I made the homemade laudry soap. I liked it, BF didn't care for it. Now i mix it in to Tide to stretch the buck!

[Sardine]

I love this forum. Learn something new everyday!

By some strange coincidence, the electronics on my machine have just packed up. The pre-set programmes have had it but the rinse and spin cycles still work, so I'm being creative. This will probably give the people on the laundry forums nightmares.

Knotted, even though I see you as the bikefit guru, I'm not buying handwashing. Too old and lazy for that.

May your grey water run clear..

[Trek420]

May your grey water run clear..

Is this the laundry forum version of wishing a fellow cyclist "tailwinds"

I'm looking at my washer to see if it has a double rinse/spin option ... and sniffing my clothes. I have drier but often use an LL Bean indoors clothes drying rack/shelf thingie instead.

Since my dishes often sit and wait days I know I'd do the same with laundry.

[Sardine]

Is this the laundry forum version of wishing a fellow cyclist "tailwinds"

Something like that

Trek420, I'm going to ask because I've been curious and can't work it out due to size - what is the dog doing in your picture/avatar? Sniffing a bag of laundry? Apologies for going off topic momentarily.

[Trek420]

Something like that

Trek420, I'm going to ask because I've been curious and can't work it out due to size - what is the dog doing in your picture/avatar? Sniffing a bag of laundry?

That's our mutt, Mae sniffing a gopher hole right before diving in to dig at it.

Now back to our sponsor; laundry by hand.

And thanks Knott, I do have a double rinse setting on the machine. Who knew?

[lph]

I grew up without a washing machine, in a cool, wet climate, and am definitely no fan of handwashing clothes... but I guess I should read the tips on handwashing larger amounts. Scrubbing jeans on an oldfashioned scrubbing board just got me sore knuckles and determination to own a washing machine when all grown up.

But we don't have a drier and don't miss it, except very occasionally when we have lots to wash and have to stagger it so that the livingroom slash drying room doesn't feel like a sauna.