Author Topic: Laundry Advice  (Read 3205 times)

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
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Laundry Advice
« on: 13 October, 2021, 02:21:29 pm »
The tumble dryer died last week.  Big time. Acrid smoke etc. I'm not even going to look at it.  However,  we have plenty of space for the couple of clothes horses in the utility room, plus a Sheila Maid (no Roger) in the downstairs kitchen, so easy enough to dry stuff without it.
But Mrs B is not content with the cardboard towels that air drying produces.
I've read (in this very place, I think) that using fabric softener on towels is a bad idea as it reduces their absorbency.

Any laundering tricks to produce towels that would meet the the approval of Mrs B?

Or should I just use fabric softener anyway?
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #1 on: 13 October, 2021, 02:31:20 pm »
The tumble dryer died last week.
[...]
Any laundering tricks to produce towels that would meet the the approval of Mrs B?

Replace the tumble dryer.

Ours died at the weekend having been repaired umpty times before.
This time, the condensate tray at the bottom split, piddling all over the floor.
The condensate tray is in fact the base of the whole machine pretty much, and my enthusiasm for the necessary strip-down just wasn't there.

The replacement has just turned up.

Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #2 on: 13 October, 2021, 02:32:09 pm »
I've never managed to find the magic solution. I've tried vinegar and baking soda, neither of which worked (vinegar has the added bonus of making the towels stink).

It's one of the two things I miss about having a tumble dryer - not using it often, but just once in a while to fluff the towels a bit (with some of those spiky ball things). The other benefit of the dryer was re-proofing waterproof stuff.

I've read that fabric softener is a bad idea on anything towels as it coats them in some sort of goop which reduces absorbency.

I just embrace the cardboardiness. :-\

Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #3 on: 13 October, 2021, 03:21:44 pm »
It takes precisley one use of the air dried towel post drying to soften them. And yes, fabric softener will ruin decent towels.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #4 on: 13 October, 2021, 04:10:59 pm »
Not baking soda, soda crystals you need. Eats through the grease and soap build up nicely.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #5 on: 13 October, 2021, 04:31:21 pm »
What are these cardboard towels of which you speak?

I use exfoliation sheets1 and they do wonders for my skin tone and circulation.



1: Cardboard towels.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #6 on: 13 October, 2021, 04:37:00 pm »
The water is so hard here it takes two of us to fold our towels.
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #7 on: 13 October, 2021, 04:54:50 pm »
Not baking soda, soda crystals you need. Eats through the grease and soap build up nicely.

Oops, that's what I meant (I think I tried baking soda too, before buying the proper stuff!).

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #8 on: 13 October, 2021, 05:00:15 pm »
How about line drying out of doors on a windy day?

Tumble driers EAT towels and electricity anyway!

Softer wter might yield softer towels.

Kim

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Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #9 on: 13 October, 2021, 05:16:58 pm »
AUIU cardboard towels are caused by the fibres binding together as they dry.  The tumble drier breaks them up mechanically.  As does using them.  Line drying might help, if you're not  a) in Waleslandshire, or similar, where it always rains  or  b) within gunking range of a stickamore tree.

Coating them in stinky hydrophobic schmoo, while occasionally necessary, is a poor solution IMHO.  But then I have no sensory issues with using exfoliation sheets.

rr

Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #10 on: 13 October, 2021, 05:24:49 pm »
I hate the smell and feel of fabric softener, just air dry and give them a shake.

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rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #11 on: 13 October, 2021, 05:51:45 pm »
The water is so hard here it takes two of us to fold our towels.
Sounds like an oil rig...the only place where, if the sheets fall off the bed, they break.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #12 on: 13 October, 2021, 06:55:26 pm »
Have you tried eating outdoors while it is warm enough to do so?

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #13 on: 13 October, 2021, 08:40:51 pm »
Soft water results in sandpaper towels, the towel base is hard as too are the the little legs of towel.

Best way I've found to reduce leccy use with towels is to hang them up until they're close to feeling rough and then shove them in the dryer, which is obviously of no use to the op.

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Basil

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Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #14 on: 13 October, 2021, 08:46:37 pm »
The problem is that Mrs B visits the pool 3 times minimum a week. Each visit produces 2 large towels and one smaller one (For standing on apparently). She insists we wash all towels every time.  I'm struggling to keep up.
There will be a new tumble dryer asap.

I only wash my shower towel once a week.  It's fine. I'm very clean when I use it.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #15 on: 13 October, 2021, 09:23:19 pm »
Basil, A tip I saw on the Moneysavingexpert email this evening on their energy saving topic.
One person said her husband insisted his jeans should be washed after only 1 wear. So she shakes them out, folds them up nicely and then hides them for a couple of days before putting them back in the wardrobe.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #16 on: 13 October, 2021, 09:25:02 pm »
Alternatively she's in charge of the towel washing,
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Kim

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Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #17 on: 13 October, 2021, 09:29:05 pm »
The problem is that Mrs B visits the pool 3 times minimum a week. Each visit produces 2 large towels and one smaller one (For standing on apparently). She insists we wash all towels every time.  I'm struggling to keep up.

Having similar issues here, as barakta is currently visiting the university sports centre for accessible shower facilities, in addition to hydroterrorism at the hospital.  She requires a minimum of two towels, because she's unavoidably slow to dry off and get changed (she can't just dry her hair, rub the rest of her body down with the same towel and get dressed before the cold sets in).

Microfibre towels help a *lot* because they're dry by morning.

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
  • Help me!
Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #18 on: 13 October, 2021, 09:34:09 pm »
Alternatively she's in charge of the towel washing,

Well, it's no one's particular job. We're both in charge. But as Mrs B is still working, and I'm not, I tend to be more involved with household chores.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #19 on: 13 October, 2021, 09:37:34 pm »
You can get neoprene mats for standing on to get changed, maybe easier to wash and dry?

And a dehumidifier helps for drying stuff off indoors. Probably less electricity use than a tumble drier, and less damage to clothes.

Kim

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Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #20 on: 13 October, 2021, 09:38:44 pm »
A simple fan is surprisingly effective for drying things indoors.

rr

Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #21 on: 13 October, 2021, 10:29:01 pm »
This weekend micro appeared back from uni with a big bag of washing. The weather was still, dull and damp so outside drying was too slow. I molished a drying system using our portable air conditioner on its dehumidifying setting and directing the warm air output up and on to the cloths on the airer in our utility airer.
Dried a full load in a couple of hours, using 1 or 2 kWh


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Kim

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Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #22 on: 13 October, 2021, 10:44:34 pm »
That should definitely have a cheese/petril switch.

Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #23 on: 14 October, 2021, 12:30:39 am »
This weekend micro appeared back from uni with a big bag of washing. The weather was still, dull and damp so outside drying was too slow. I molished a drying system using our portable air conditioner on its dehumidifying setting and directing the warm air output up and on to the cloths on the airer in our utility airer.
Dried a full load in a couple of hours, using 1 or 2 kWh


Sent from my motorola edge 20 using Tapatalk
The clever folks at Beko, Hoover, Samsung etc have put together a dehumidifier and a drum to keep the clothes moving and made "Heat Pump Tumble Dryers".

We've had one for around 10 years now and I wouldn't have any other type of tumble dryer.
Quote from: Kim
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Re: Laundry Advice
« Reply #24 on: 14 October, 2021, 04:55:30 pm »
The problem is that Mrs B visits the pool 3 times minimum a week. Each visit produces 2 large towels and one smaller one (For standing on apparently). She insists we wash all towels every time. I'm struggling to keep up.
There will be a new tumble dryer asap.

I only wash my shower towel once a week.  It's fine. I'm very clean when I use it.

Why not just air them out instead? That seems overkill... ???