Laundry Soap

[Crumb]

So I am doing the laundry and my gf insists on buying this liquid laundry soap. :eek: I can't stand the stuff. Gimme back my white powder! :yup:

Which do you use?

[godfry n. glad]

Whether it's liquid or powder matters not at all to me. It must, however, be hypoallergenic. I used to use White King Laundry Soap, because it was a soap and not a detergent. But the company which made it (yes, now past tense) was either acquired or went out of business some ten years back and all I can find these days is detergent. So...I use All Free & Clear. And I buy whichever is on sale, powder or liquid.

Oh...And if you want to stop her meddling, just tell her that if she wants to select the cleaner, then she can do the laundry.

[Miss Shelby]

I use both. My SIL really pushes the liquid because 'you don't get clumps of laundry soap on your clothes that way'--and she has this annoying way of tuning me out when I tell her, 'if you put the powder in and let the powder disolve BEFORE you put your stuff in, you don't get clumps of laundry soap on your clothes that way'.

[ms_ann_thrope]

I use both liquid detergent and softener. :yup:

[Kyuss Apollo]

All Free and Clear liquid. To prevent allergic reactions to the clothing, yah.

Then this green Snuggle stuff for softener. Used to be called "Emerald Stream," but they recently changed it to "Green Burst," probably because it sounded more like leprechaun piss than laundry softener.

[curses]

I use Seventh Generation Lavender liquid. It smells a lot lighter to me than the other detergents, and doesn't contain a lot of the other stuff that the other detergents have that drive my skin crazy.

[lisarea]

Yeah, the powder really only clumps if you don't dissolve it and/or if you overload the machine. (LITTLE MUFFIN!) Maturin prefers the liquid stuff for some reason, though, and he has extra votes on laundry issues, because he does more laundry than I do. (He is all handsome about washing the linens and stuff, and I mostly just do my clothes.)

[Shelli]

Yeah, the powder really only clumps if you don't dissolve it and/or if you overload the machine.:yeahthat:

Down with powder! :order:

[roastelk]

As a single guy I dont do much laundry, couple loads a week max. whites blacks and coloureds it dosnt matter they all go in the same load. I dont segregate my laundry like some racist folks do....


But I pretty much stick with tide coldwater fresh sent...and dry it wiht unscented no name brand static softener.

[Sock Puppet]

If the powder doesn't dissolve right, you need a water softener/detergent booster. It's an extra step, but worth it not to get slimy liquid detergent all over the place.

Powder gets a bad rap because a lot of them use too much zeolite, which is added as a water softener, but is essentially a form of clay. It screws up yer clothes somethin' fierce after awhile. Just use a powder with a different softening agent, and all is well.

[chick]

Mad propz to mah homiez on the All Free and Clear liquid tip. Two of my family members have eczema and this is the only stuff we use. YEAH DAWG. Powder is nasty, messy, and clumpy. Liquid rinses off the cap easily and doesn't leave residue or granules in the clothes.

[TomJoe]

I have a side loader. I don't think I can even use powder, which obviously means I use liquid.

[lisarea]

Have any of youse guys made your own laundry soap, like with Zote and washing soda?

I keep meaning to, but then I end up paralyzed by indecision and stuff.

[LadyShea]

Mine comes with a pump dispenser, so I just keep it on a shelf above the washer and don't have to move it...just one pump and I'm done.

It's also phsophate, chlorine, dye and fragrance free to protect our river and the baby's ass.

[LadyShea]

Have any of youse guys made your own laundry soap, like with Zote and washing soda?


No I haven't, can't imagine even looking up how to do so or why I would want to do so.

Is there a particluar reason I would have made my own launndry soap that you had in mind...or just some granola hippy crap you came across?

[lisarea]

Have any of youse guys made your own laundry soap, like with Zote and washing soda?


No I haven't, can't imagine even looking up how to do so or why I would want to do so.

Is there a particluar reason I would have made my own launndry soap that you had in mind...or just some granola hippy crap you came across?

Well, it should be cheaper. Plus, sometimes I guess I start thinking that life isn't enough of a pain in the ass already, so I make up more crap I have to do.

Anyway, I just figured you or one of your comrades might have some experience with it. Isn't that commercial detergent harsh on your tie-dyed skirts and your burlap halter tops?

[LadyShea]

Well, it should be cheaper. Plus, sometimes I guess I start thinking that life isn't enough of a pain in the ass already, so I make up more crap I have to do.

Anyway, I just figured you or one of your comrades might have some experience with it. Isn't that commercial detergent harsh on your tie-dyed skirts and your burlap halter tops?


Speaking of hippies, we babysat my friend's 18 month old a few weeks ago and I felt really sad for him because he had such gross hair...all stiff and coarse and no shine. I figured he was born bad-haired. So I gave him a bath and washed it with the Melaleuca baby shampoo (we also use Melaleuca laundry soap so I am still kinda on topic), and then it was all soft and shiny the rest of the weekend.

Gawd knows what homemade granola rosemary-tea-and-roadkill shampoo she uses on him.

[Dingfod]

and dry it wiht unscented no name brand static softener.Why, might I ask?

[Miss Shelby]

Mad propz to mah homiez on the [i] Two of my family members have eczema and this is the only stuff we use. my daughter has eczema big time and so we have to use hypoallergenic, I use all free and clear too. We went on vaca recently and the ocean water REALLY cleared up her skin. I figured it was ocean water so I plan on buying it here in a pet store if ever flares up really bad again. I thought perhaps salt water would be enough, like epsom salt but someone I met on vacation told me it was fish pee that actually clears up the eczema. No idea if there's truth to that or not, but whatever works, I'll go with it.

[Dingfod]

I do my own laundry, the result of complaining about how it was getting done. I use about half to 2/3rds less detergent than the instructions on the container say to use. I, being suspicious by nature, figure they're in the business of selling more detergent and are very likely exaggerating the amount required in order to get you to buy more. I haven't noticed any difference in the cleanliness of my clothes by cutting back on detergent. To further economize I use the cheap stuff I buy at Big Lots (http://www.biglots.com/).

We're lucky in that we have naturally relatively soft water, ~100 ppm Calcium hardness or reducing the detergent would probably not work. In Utah, where the water is hard hard hard, we had a water softener and used only a tiny amount of detergent per load. The softener company gave us a five year supply of laundry soap with our purchase. It was powder but the scoop was probably only a couple of tablespoons or so. That five year supply didn't quite last five years, but it nearly did.

As for dryer softener sheets, do they do anything at all other than reduce static electricity in some fabrics and/or add chemicals that emit scents? I contend that they are unnecessary and do not use them any more. Back when I did use them I used the same dryer sheet for three or four dryer loads, it worked just as well as it did the first time.

[SurfaceDog]

I use liquid laundry soap - powdered soap contains 'fillers' that are harmful to the operation of my septic field.

[Alligator38]

Liquid soap, the powder stuff ends up in clumps either on my clothes or in the dispenser.http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x139/Alligator38/gatorshrug.gif

[pescifish]

As for dryer softener sheets, do they do anything at all other than reduce static electricity in some fabrics and/or add chemicals that emit scents?I was using them specifically to get rid of the static clingy thing, which was worth the price (but I hated the smell!) I've since found that they are like car antifreeze for dogs, in that dogs like the taste and the chemicals in the dryer sheets are toxic. So I stopped using them, for fear I'd lose one stuck to some article of clothing and it would drop out undetected and my dog[s] would eat it and die while I was out working to pay for their chew toys. :cry:

So... Now I really really need something to help with static electricity since the average humidity out here is, like, < 10%. Anyone have any ideas?

[Dingfod]

A grounding strap or chain?

[livius drusus]

How about unscented dryer sheets, pesci? I got some just on principle (every laundry cleanser I have is unscented except for the bleach) and they work fine. They'd still have the chemicals, I'm sure, but maybe they'd lose the doggie allure.

[LadyShea]

Holy shit I never heard they were toxic! I found a website, www.nontoxic.com that has dryer sheets amongst it products. Also, this page (http://www.planetnatural.com/site/xdpy/kb/dryer-sheets.html) has some tips for avoiding static without using dryer sheets. I had heard about using vinegar in the final rinse to help with static and odor but hadn't started it yet though I plannned to this week.

Do you have enough room at your house Pesci for some drying racks or a clothesline?

[TomJoe]

I thought perhaps salt water would be enough, like epsom salt but someone I met on vacation told me it was fish pee that actually clears up the eczema. No idea if there's truth to that or not, but whatever works, I'll go with it.

Heh. If you're in the ocean, fish pee is going to be too dilute to make any difference. Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) isn't the same composition as sea water which is predominantly made up of sodium and chloride ions. You'll want to use sea salt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_salt) instead. Of course, if you were at the beach ... it's possible that the sun lotion you were using (if you did use any) could have played a role too. Especially if it was a moisturizing type.

[pescifish]

A grounding strap or chain?:giggle:
True. If I used these on the dogs, I could use my dryer sheets again without worry! :wink:
Holy shit I never heard they were toxic! Yeah, there's even plenty of online suggestions to use the dryer sheets to wipe a dog down to get their coats to fall correctly for dog shows and such! :eek: I found a website, www.nontoxic.com that has dryer sheets amongst it products. Also, this page (http://www.planetnatural.com/site/xdpy/kb/dryer-sheets.html) has some tips for avoiding static without using dryer sheets. I had heard about using vinegar in the final rinse to help with static and odor but hadn't started it yet though I plannned to this week.I bought a couple of those reusable anti-static dryer sheets a while back and have been using them. But they don't work. :sadcheer:

I'm definitely going to try some of those other suggestions, such as the vinegar in the rinse cycle. That's a terrific website, LS, thanks for the link!

Do you have enough room at your house Pesci for some drying racks or a clothesline?I hang dry all my shirts (and dresses if I ever wear them) and it's a great way to help with the static. But my pants (both trouser and undie types) are still quite :shocking:

How about unscented dryer sheets, pesci? I got some just on principle (every laundry cleanser I have is unscented except for the bleach) and they work fine. They'd still have the chemicals, I'm sure, but maybe they'd lose the doggie allure.Good idea, livius! I'm not as concerned [as I should be, apparently :eek:] about the long term toxicity for myself. So I think if I combined less alluring and a ruthless persistence to retrieving and disposing of the sheet after every load, I might be covered.

I've tried the reusable anti-static sheets without success. I'll try the vinegar-in-the-rinse-water thing next. If that fails, I'm goin' for the unscented puppies. I'm getting tired of plucking my pants cuff off of my knees every time I walk more than 10 yards and having someone point out the stowaway sock that's been stuck to my butt half the day!

[chick]

We use Bounce Free fabric softener sheets in the dryer, and our dog doesn't seem to notice. No dyes or perfumes, no reaction on the skin of my family members with eczema.

I can't tell you much about the ocean and eczema, we go to a small rain-fed lake most of the time. The ocean doesn't suit me, I prefer to see into the water.

[pescifish]

If that fails, I'm goin' for the unscented puppies. :woopsie: To clarify, I meant unscented dryer sheets there.
Should anyone invent an unscented variety of dog :triumph: , I'd probably be interested! :snoopy:

[JackDog]

I use about half to 2/3rds less detergent than the instructions on the container say to use. I, being suspicious by nature, figure they're in the business of selling more detergent and are very likely exaggerating the amount required in order to get you to buy more.

I do exactly the same thing with my laundry because of the same reasoning, plus because my clothes usually aren't very dirty in the first place. And for the OP, I use liquid Tide and liquid Downy in the Downy Ball (again, only using about 1/2 to 1/3 of the recommended amount).

[Miss Shelby]

it's possible that the sun lotion you were using (if you did use any) could have played a role too. Especially if it was a moisturizing type.She's allergic to moisturizing creams -- even like vani cream Eucerin, all of those that claim to be free of everything, they still cause her to break out. We use a prescription mild steroidal cream alternated with another medicated cream, and she still has problems. and it's red an inflamed now, as I speak. I'm telling you her skin never looked better those days that we were on vacation. A friend of mine who has cirriosis (sp) --said the same thing, that ocean water helped clear her skin irritation clear up and it looked better when she came home.

Another bothersome thought has been at the back of mind, though. She was away from our cat for 9 days, as well. She's the closest one to that cat in the family, I'd sure hate it if it turns out she's allergic to that cat, but it's a possibility, and a probable one I suppose. well this post had nothing about laundry detergent in it, so officially it's off topic, signing off.

[Dingfod]

Ocean water makes me itchy.

[inland wave]

I take a dryer sheet and tear it into quarters. It is enough softener to get the static out of the clothes and keep them soft. I like unscented sheets, they keep me from sneezing all day. To much detergent makes me itch because it doesn't wash out of the clothes. I use just enough to get the clothes clean and I prefer unscented detergent as well. As a matter of fact each person in the household does their own laundry. That way if anything shrinks or runs, it is their own fault.

[Dingfod]

I've got the pink undershorts to prove it.

[Listener]

I had to begin with ...

"What's a drier sheet?" (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-dryer-sheets.htm)

It's good to know that something everyone (?) else uses, that I've never seen the need of, didn't know existed and so never used would have been bad for me anyway!

:cheer:

I wonder why they don't get advertized (http://www.laundry-and-cleaning.co.uk/fabric-softener/index.shtml) much in the U.K? :chin:

[Dingfod]

Woolen and sackcloth clothing don't need dryer sheets as bad as mixed synthetic blends do.

[Listener]

So it's a case of "two wrongs make an even wronger"?

:shaggy:

I remember static sparks from clothing. :bolt:

'Not seen one in years! :oldman:

[roastelk]

whites blacks and coloureds it dosnt matter they all go in the same load. I dont segregate my laundry like some racist folks do....


what...not even one haha or a giggle? Dang, must be too old of a bad joke or some thing... oh well :badidea:

[LadyShea]

whites blacks and coloureds it dosnt matter they all go in the same load. I dont segregate my laundry like some racist folks do....



what...not even one haha or a giggle? Dang, must be too old of a bad joke or some thing... oh well :badidea:


I giggled, I just didn't post about it.

[TomJoe]

Another bothersome thought has been at the back of mind, though. She was away from our cat for 9 days, as well. She's the closest one to that cat in the family, I'd sure hate it if it turns out she's allergic to that cat, but it's a possibility, and a probable one I suppose. well this post had nothing about laundry detergent in it, so officially it's off topic, signing off.Have you taken her to an allergist? They'd be able to tell if she was allergic to cats (and other animals). They could also start her on tolerance shots, which would help her immensely with her allergies. I took them when I was a kid and they saw me right through until adulthood.

[livius drusus]

I had to begin with ...

"What's a drier sheet?" (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-dryer-sheets.htm)

It's good to know that something everyone (?) else uses, that I've never seen the need of, didn't know existed and so never used would have been bad for me anyway!

:cheer:

I wonder why they don't get advertized (http://www.laundry-and-cleaning.co.uk/fabric-softener/index.shtml) much in the U.K? :chin:

I think dryers aren't anywhere near as popular in the UK as they are in the States. The de rigeur washer-dryer combo hasn't quite set in there, it seems to me. Also, y'all's homeowner associations probably don't have bans on hanging washing out of doors.

Mind you, I'm going by an impression made a decade ago, plus many recent viewings of "How Clean is Your House" on BBC America, so I could most certainly be wrong.

[JackDog]

Drier sheets are also good mosquito repellents. You just take one and rub it on your exposed skin (it kinda hurts, but it works) and if you're wearing a backpack while hiking you can attach them to your shoulder straps to keep mosquitos and other bugs away from your face.
:mosquitobite:

[fragment]

Uh, homeowners associations in the States ban outdoor washing hanging? WTF? I thought y'all were all "It's my damn property and I'll do on it what I damn well like, now piss off or I'll shoot ya!!!"

[livius drusus]

You'd think so, wouldn't ya? But no. Homeowners associations can be downright Nazirific, even to the point where they can (and do) evict people for not paying dues or violating whatever picayune regulations, many of which are less than eco-friendly.

Behold the horra (http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/51001/).

[Pinecone]

Uh, homeowners associations in the States ban outdoor washing hanging? WTF? I thought y'all were all "It's my damn property and I'll do on it what I damn well like, now piss off or I'll shoot ya!!!"

Oh no no...:unnope:

Capitalistic greed trumps freedom. I can do on my property anything I damn well like, EXCEPT bring down your property value. If I do you have every right to get pissed off and shoot me! Well, in this case, you usually hire a sleezy lawyer and take away my money which is the same as shooting me because I will have to go move to somewhere I can hang my wash out without any greif, but it might get full of bullet holes from the actual random shootings...so as you can see...we NEED our 'outdoor fresh' dryer sheets just to STAY ALIVE!!!

[livius drusus]

:lol:

[fragment]

I don't even get what the problem with outdoor drying is. Lowers property values? Huh? I'd be less likely to buy a house without a clothes line... or any of those other restrictions in that article. No vege garden? Why do people buy into these places?

Edit - and WTF? Mandatory 2-car garages? Minimum living area size? Next they'll be mandating the style of lounge suites, clocks, cutlery, bed linen, towel rails, kids' toys, light fittings... I'm guessing the term home "owner" is intended to be ironic.

[Dingfod]

2-car garages are old and musty, it's 3-car garages now. Only poor people dry their clothes on a clothesline.

[livius drusus]

I don't even get what the problem with outdoor drying is. Lowers property values? Huh? I'd be less likely to buy a house without a clothes line... or any of those other restrictions in that article. No vege garden? Why do people buy into these places?
Because vast useless lawns and no evidence of human occupation look rich. Or something. Clotheslines connote housewives in dirty aprons hollering Sicilian obscenities to the tenement across the alley, so can't have that, even in Arizona where the whole freaking state is a solar-powered dryer.

One of the good things about living intown is that you don't get a lot of HOA's bossing you around unless you buy a condo. Condo associations are even worse.

[wildernesse]

Just today I saw some thing that looks like little foam balls or whatever that go in your dryer to get rid of static--and I might have seen them in the grocery/big box store near the laundry aisle. I saw them today in the catalog for old people that my parents get as a leftover from my grandmother--it sells waterproof bed pads and timers you can wear around your neck and housedresses. Stuff like that. Since they appear in that catalog, I'm not sure how well they work.

Why, lookee here, as seen on tv (http://www.asseenontvguys.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=192).

I don't usually use dryer sheets, myself. And I like powder. Because.

[pescifish]

Hey, those foam dryer balls sound reasonable. Maybe I'll give them a go.

This 'related product' dryer ball looks like my dogs would like it, too!
http://www.asseenontvguys.com/ProductImages/dryerballs-thumb.jpg

[viscousmemories]

I recently noticed those balls too. I'm also curious whether they work. I have sensitive skin too but I hate getting shocked - like when pulling clothes out of the dryer - so I ended up buying some Safeway brand "no perfumes, no dyes" fabric softener sheets. They work great.

[lisarea]

The only bad things I've heard about the dryer balls is that they're noisy and they can sometimes tear up your clothes, especially if the dryer's too full and they get lodged in one spot.

[sawdusty]

I do my own laundry, the result of complaining about how it was getting done. I use about half to 2/3rds less detergent than the instructions on the container say to use. I, being suspicious by nature, figure they're in the business of selling more detergent and are very likely exaggerating the amount required in order to get you to buy more. I haven't noticed any difference in the cleanliness of my clothes by cutting back on detergent.

I do the same thing. Years ago I worked as a maintenance guy at an apartment complex. The overuse of detergents literally tore the machines up. And subsequently it tore up folks clothes too. More is not always better.

[Dingfod]

The only bad things I've heard about the dryer balls is that they're noisy and they can sometimes tear up your clothes, especially if the dryer's too full and they get lodged in one spot.I hate it when my dryer gets lodged in one spot. I think it needs to be free to vibrate all over the room.

[ms_ann_thrope]

This 'related product' dryer ball looks like my dogs would like it, too!
http://www.asseenontvguys.com/ProductImages/dryerballs-thumb.jpgI have those (probably ordered from the same "old people" catalog mentioned by wildernesse), and my first thought upon receiving them was, "Jeez, this looks like a dog toy. I shoulda just gone to Petco!"

Aside from the ability to do double duty as a canine entertainment device, they do make the laundry fluffier and cut a few minutes off drying time. Static isn't really a huge problem here, though, so I can't speak to any anti-static properties.

[lisarea]

You'd think so, wouldn't ya? But no. Homeowners associations can be downright Nazirific, even to the point where they can (and do) evict people for not paying dues or violating whatever picayune regulations, many of which are less than eco-friendly.

Behold the horra (http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/51001/).

I just wanted to bump this to announce that reading that made me so mad that I have sworn off the dryer at least through the summer. I have been pretty lazy about hanging my laundry for a few years, but anger is always my best motivator.

(I don't even have an HOA, but if I did, I WOULD BE SO MAD I WOULD BE LIKE THE WORLD'S AWESOMEST VIPER.)

[livius drusus]

W00t! Engendering that level of rage was my plan all along. So do you have a line or one of those rack thingies my mum used to have?

[lisarea]

I have one of those retractable ones attached to the side of the house, with a pole to anchor it on the other side of the yard. It's pretty badass.

I'm pretty much a dick for not using it for so long, but I forgot or something.

[livius drusus]

Retractable?! I've never heard of such a wonder. I can't believe you were sitting on treasure of the Sierra Madre all this time, just whitling soap and talking shit.

[lisarea]

Yeah, it's really cool.

This is basically the design:

http://www.hardwarestore.com/media/product/104772_front500.jpg

So that part is attached to the side of the house, and you pull it out by the handle, then attach it to a freestanding metal pole on the other side of the yard.

It's pretty glamorous. Zsa Zsa probably has the same kind, I figure.

[livius drusus]

No. Way. You undeserving whore.

[LadyShea]

That kicks ass. Not so bufugly sitting out there rotting in the yard alla time because it retracts like that. I want one!

[livius drusus]

Also less likely to decapitate unwary flyerbys. And it's four lines in one. Oh! And so much cleaner, of course.

I covet it mightily.

[Sock Puppet]

Also less likely to decapitate unwary flyerbys.Well, no design is perfect. Still, this flaw is a deal-breaker for me.

[livius drusus]

Orniphobia is often an externalized fear of one's own latent ornisexuality.