Question Of The Day, Sunday, May 21, 2017

[micknsnicks2mom]

Good morning!

Tonight I’ve got a load of laundry I’m doing. So with laundry on my mind, for today’s Question of the Day, let’s talk about our laundry!



How do you do your laundry? (On a particular day(s), any special time of day/night, at home or at a laundromat, cold/warm/hot water, fabric softener or not, and etc)



I’ll start!

I do my laundry at home, and have lately found that the wee hours of the morning is my preferred time. I get up to give my cats their ‘middle of the night’ snack, so I’ll start the washer running first and by the time kitties and I have had a little snack it’s time to move the washer load to the dryer. I’ll wait until I get up for the day to fold and put away the clean laundry. I really like that I wake up to having the laundry almost completed!

Washing the bedding gets done during the daytime, because that also involves stripping the bed and then making it with fresh bedding.

Since I buy my clothes specifically in colors that can be washed together, I simply put my dirty clothes in the washing machine and when it’s full I run it. I use a liquid detergent, and always use cool water. I do use white vinegar as a combination fabric softener and aid in making sure all the detergent gets well rinsed out of the laundry — it works really very well with my HE washer. It also leaves my laundry very fresh smelling.


Okay, now it’s your turn!

 

[Mystikal kitten]

I wash/dry my clothes at home. Wed and Sat are the two days I have sat aside for laundry days ( clothes on Wed and bedding on Sat).
I use bleach in with the whites and regular laundry soap in with the colors on the quick wash cycle 30-33minutes depending on the soil level with eco-warm water. I don't use liquid fabric softener but I do use fabric softener sheets.
I'm not sure about using vinegar in the wash but I will try it at some point- usually try anything once.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

I wash/dry my clothes at home. Wed and Sat are the two days I have sat aside for laundry days ( clothes on Wed and bedding on Sat).
I use bleach in with the whites and regular laundry soap in with the colors on the quick wash cycle 30-33minutes depending on the soil level with eco-warm water. I don't use liquid fabric softener but I do use fabric softener sheets.
I'm not sure about using vinegar in the wash but I will try it at some point- usually try anything once.

two set days for doing laundry!! very nice!!!

i used to have a washing machine with the agitator in it, a top load washer. with that machine, i used a downy fabric softener ball filled with the white vinegar. the ball would open during the course of running the load of laundry. now with my new washer, it has a place to pour in fabric softener (next to the place to pour in the detergent) which is where i add my white vinegar -- the machine's owner manual says not to use a fabric softener ball in the washer. i would caution against adding white vinegar, like just poured in, with the laundry and the detergent because i'd be concerned that the vinegar would prevent the detergent from sudsing.

 

[Mystikal kitten]

The washer is front load. Has a drawer that pulls out which is sectioned off into three parts (1for liquid laundry soap,1 for bleach and 1fir liquid fabric softener).

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

The washer is front load. Has a drawer that pulls out which is sectioned off into three parts (1for liquid laundry soap,1 for bleach and 1fir liquid fabric softener).

that sounds just like my front load washer!

 

[Mystikal kitten]

This one was gotten from Lowe's and it's blue with chrome around the window in the door. Sometimes I'll even catch the cats watching the clothes go round and round.

 

[artiemom]

I wash clothes whenever I either run out of underwear or have a full laundry hamper. I separate and do a ton of different loads. I rent, and have a small front loader washing machine. It just does not clean well enough when I fill it, as I used to do with a top loader.

I separate my colored (dark) clothes which I wash in cold. The towels are in hot and bleached, the white cotton are bleached, Artie's towels are hot and bleach, his quilt is hot-no bleach. I also wash my delicates, in hot water. For things I do not want to shrink, as in jerseys, shirts, scatter rugs, etc.. I wash in cold water and hang dry, inside the house.

My bed linens are a separate load ~~~ hot ...

I do not iron!!

Depending on what I am washing, I will use Downy Fabric Softener in the wash.

I do use dryer sheets..

 

[Winchester]

Speed Queen washer and a Whirlpool dryer. The washer is amazing, best washer we've ever had. Top loader with an agitator.

I do laundry on Wednesday nights and then again on Sunday mornings. I'm pretty good about getting the clothes out of the dryer promptly, it's rare that the laundry sits in the dryer for any length of time. I hate wrinkled anything and if clothes are wrinkled, then I have to spend time with the iron; I'm not fond of ironing. (My mother used to make me iron everything: tablecloths, sheets, pillowcases....I spent hours with the iron.)

For two people, we sure do have a lot of laundry. Throw in the towels, sheets, and kitty blankets and we probably do 7-8 loads of laundry a week. I sort through the laundry and wash according to whites and colors (my MIL gave me a zippered bag to wash underwear in; makes it nice because the bras don't get wrapped around anything). Then a load of sheets once a week (although I wash pillowcases on Wednesdays and Sundays) and a load of kitty blankets (once every two weeks or so). One load of towels, washcloths and such every week. It adds up.

I would prefer to hang sheets and towels outside, if I could.

 

[denice]

I also have a front load machine and usually do laundry sometime on the weekend. I separate lights and darks. I use Tide liquid detergent, Downy liquid and Downy dryer sheets. I do a separate load of sheets every week. I have enough towels to last two weeks so I do a separate load of towels every other week. I use cold water for everything.

 

[muffy]

I have a Sears top loading washer and dryer. I use All and Downy fabric softener. I wash my clothes all together since I don't have any white (except for my underwear) in cold water and my towels and sheets in hot water. I wash 2 or 3 loads a week, whenever I run out of underwear. I try to wash my clothes the same day as that means I can make less trips up and down those hateful old stairs. It is kind of hard to use a cane and carry laundry up and down stairs.

Muffy

 

[Norachan]

I used to have a washing machine, but I got rid of it. The water pressure just wasn't enough for it to run properly and there are very few good drying days in this part of the world.

I do all my laundry at the coin laundry now. Usually on a Friday or Saturday night, when we're doing the supermarket run. We can just stick it all in one of those huge washer-driers and it's all done by the time we've finished shopping. All we have to do is fold it when we get back home.

 

[sivyaleah]

I never do the laundry.
Wait, let me explain!
My fiance does it. The machines are in the (unfinished) basement and it's difficult for me to carry all that clothing down the (old) stairs, let alone getting them back up again due to osteoarthritis in my knees.
This alone could be a reason to keep him
He does several loads, usually it's 3, on weekends. I've learned not to complain about anything laundry related because that would be completely ungrateful. Tide HE and Downy Unstopables in the wash. Bounce sheets in the dryer.

 

[neely]

No particular day to do laundry but usually one or two loads on Sunday and another one or two on a weekday. Rainy days are especially good for doing laundry. Still using the same top loader, Maytag, I have used for many years, (takes a licking and keeps on ticking). I wash all the delicates in cold water on a gentle cycle, everything else on medium warm with the exception of sheets/towels. I use All laundry detergent and Bounce dryer sheets - both are free & clear of scents. In the summer I love hanging my delicate tops out to dry, they smell so fresh and no need to iron.

 

[Freedom]

I used to be quite organized as to when I did laundry, vacuuming and so on. The past 2 years, needing and having the 2 knee replacements and now waiting on hip replacement on June 12, I do laundry when I must; going down the cellar stairs, and up again, is a challenge. I hope to get to my routine again in about August. Fingers crossed this left hip is my last joint replacement; right hip is not an issue at least not yet.

My washer is a top loading HE washer. I don't bother sorting colors, haven't done that in many years. Periodically I will pull out all the whites and wash them with bleach. I use either the quick wash cycle setting, or the cotton / normal. I use 7th generation unscented detergent. I was a Tide user for many years; as was my Mum. Then I got my first HE washer, a front loading one. I switched to Tide HE. One of my dogs starting itching to the point her hair was thinning, she had spots bleeding. I thought maybe food issues, tried changing foods. Over a 4 month period I changed out so many things! Finally one day a bichon breeder on Facebook asked if I had changed my laundry detergent? Bingo! The timing was perfect! I got the 7th generation soap, and did over 60 loads in a week. See, bichons are always UP, on a sofa, a chair, a lap, in the bed. So I had to do all the clothes, all the bedding from the mattress pads on up, pillows as well as pillow cases. And by this time it was October so I had 2 seasons of clothes to do. Plus I had to do all the pet bedding, pet chair covers. And that solved her problem, no more itching, her hair grew back, and never another issue. Whew!

In researching online, I learned many people and pets have issues with Tide. Who knew?!

I do use the dryer though I also have lines in the cellar and will often put things over there to dry - mostly bedding, sheets, quilts, comforters etc. No clothespins used. And I don't use dryer sheets, especially after that horrible time with a pet reacting to something in the laundry cycle!

 

[Freedom]

Mystikal kitten micknsnicks2mom please advice, where you put in the vinegar? White vinegar? I have the slide drawer and the 3 places as you mentioned. Thanks!

 

[Mother Dragon]

When I was growing up, we had a solar clothes dryer - a clothesline out in the sun. Clotheslines were either in long rows or a square whirligig. Either way, there was a prescribed order for hanging the washing. Sheets always went on the outside; unmentionables were on the inside where they couldn't be seen. Pants went on those awful pants stretchers and were then hung. Everything smelled wonderful that way. If it started to rain, we not only took in our own laundry, but if our neighbors weren't home, we brought theirs in, too.

Now our homeowners' association forbids clotheslines, even if they're hidden in the back yard, so we hang a lot of our stuff in the garage. It doesn't get the same wonderful smell. Sheets, blankets, underwear, and towels go into the dryer.

We have an HE front loader washer. It does an incredible job. I've even left a tissue in clothes and had it come out clean and intact. The clothes come out cleaner and with less wear. The machine also uses less detergent and water. You get no odor if you leave the door ajar after use. What's not to like?

 

[LTS3]

Apparently I'm only allowed to do laundry weekdays between like 9am and 5pm. The person upstairs complained to management about how my washer and dryer were too noisy and disruptive... 8 months after I had moved in with a brand new washer and dryer The person never said anything to me, just went straight to management. Oh, and this person is also on the condo board and does his laundry and vacuums at 11pm while I'm trying to sleep I even paid a plumber quite a bit of money to have a water hammer device thing installed to keep the pipes from rattling if that was the problem. No idea if it helps or not. For awhile I used to look out the window Mondays (my day off then) at 8am and once I saw the person getting into his car, I would start laundry. Lately he's been home all the time (works from home now maybe?) so I try to wait until at least 9am or until I hear his heavy footsteps clomping around. Good thing the person is upstairs and can't hear Leroy zooming around like a nut case

On laundry days, I sort my laundry. I usually have 2 or 3 loads a week, sometimes 4. I use cold water for everything. For darks I use Woolite's detergent for darks. For everything else I use Wegman's own brand. I had been using Woolite Everyday but when the scent changed to the current Sparkling Falls scent, I had to find a new detergent. Sparking Falls is heavily perfumed and almost bathroom cleaner-like I don't use fabric softener or vinegar. I use dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. Some things just get hung up to dry or placed flat on a drying rack.

For those who want to use vinegar in a front loading machine, you pour the vinegar into the compartment labeled for Fabric Softener. If you have a regular top loading machine, you pour the vinegar in at the last rinse cycle. I'm not sure if you can just put the vinegar into one of those fabric softener balls and toss it in at the beginning of the wash. White vinegar is typically used but I found a few web sites that says apple cider vinegar can also be used.

 

[Freedom]

Thanks for that, so I guess I put it in the fabric softener spot for my top loading HE washer.

Mother Dragon I grew up with that solar dryer as well! We have huge white pines in our back yard, so always had to shake the clothes to get the ants out! And I agree they always smelled great - the clothes, I mean!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

This one was gotten from Lowe's and it's blue with chrome around the window in the door. Sometimes I'll even catch the cats watching the clothes go round and round.

blue with chrome around the window and door!!! ahhh, very nice! my new front loader washer and dryer set are in basic white, and they're stacked -- what lowe's refers to as 'stackable', as opposed to 'stacked' which seems to mean the little 2 cu ft capacity one-unit type washer and dryers. they're full sized machines, 3. something cu ft capacity.

haha!!! our Punky was totally fascinated with watching through the washer window when it was first installed, would run to the machine and just sit and watch it. now, not so interesting to her. but...two of mine love laying on top of the dryer, which i laid a thick towel on for them.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

I wash clothes whenever I either run out of underwear or have a full laundry hamper. I separate and do a ton of different loads. I rent, and have a small front loader washing machine. It just does not clean well enough when I fill it, as I used to do with a top loader.

I separate my colored (dark) clothes which I wash in cold. The towels are in hot and bleached, the white cotton are bleached, Artie's towels are hot and bleach, his quilt is hot-no bleach. I also wash my delicates, in hot water. For things I do not want to shrink, as in jerseys, shirts, scatter rugs, etc.. I wash in cold water and hang dry, inside the house.

My bed linens are a separate load ~~~ hot ...

I do not iron!!

Depending on what I am washing, I will use Downy Fabric Softener in the wash.

I do use dryer sheets..

'a ton of different loads'!!! i don't iron either! i use dryer sheets too -- otherwise, the static electricity would be hellish.