Mom-ninja. Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 For awhile now I see what looks like grease stains on all our clothes after washing/drying. I don't see the stains after just washing because the clothes are wet. It is not until they are dry that I see the stains. I'm going nuts trying to figure out how to get rid of them. I've switched detergents. I started washing everything in warm or hot water (hello higher electric bill) I do not use fabric softner or dryer sheets. Do I need to use more detergent? I use less than 1/4 c for liquid or about 1 TB for powder. My clothes are getting ruined from these annoying "grease" stains! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 I just did a load of laundry and I am pretty sure I used more than 1/4 cup. Is that what is recommended by the bottle? My laundry detergent has "bleach alternative" and I have also poured in some Clorox 2 on occassion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 For awhile now I see what looks like grease stains on all our clothes after washing/drying. I don't see the stains after just washing because the clothes are wet. It is not until they are dry that I see the stains. I'm going nuts trying to figure out how to get rid of them. I've switched detergents. I started washing everything in warm or hot water (hello higher electric bill) I do not use fabric softner or dryer sheets. Do I need to use more detergent? I use less than 1/4 c for liquid or about 1 TB for powder. My clothes are getting ruined from these annoying "grease" stains! :bigear: I have the same problem but no solution! I'm hoping someone out there knows how to get rid of them. I have a front loader washer, and only use a little bit of detergent but it's what it recommended for the washer. I thought it might be the yucky buildup that gets in a front loader that was causing these but I have cleaned the washer multiple times and still see them. For us it's kind of random...not necessarily every load and not every piece of clothing in the load but often enough that it's annoying and also ruining a lot of clothes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawana Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 For awhile now I see what looks like grease stains on all our clothes after washing/drying. I don't see the stains after just washing because the clothes are wet. It is not until they are dry that I see the stains. I'm going nuts trying to figure out how to get rid of them. I've switched detergents. I started washing everything in warm or hot water (hello higher electric bill) I do not use fabric softner or dryer sheets. Do I need to use more detergent? I use less than 1/4 c for liquid or about 1 TB for powder. My clothes are getting ruined from these annoying "grease" stains! If you have a front loader the stains are most likely caused from mold buildup. There is a product called Affresh that helps with this. It comes as a package of 3 "pucks" that are, as I understand it, strong oxidizers. You run the washer on hot with just the puck. If your washer already has significant buildup, you can run 3 pucks consecutively. The first one loosens the buildup behind the seal, and you can more easily wipe it out. Then run the other 2. Then once a month after that will keep the buildup away. I have been really pleased with the results. Lawana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted July 24, 2009 Author Share Posted July 24, 2009 :bigear: I have the same problem but no solution! I'm hoping someone out there knows how to get rid of them. I have a front loader washer, and only use a little bit of detergent but it's what it recommended for the washer. I thought it might be the yucky buildup that gets in a front loader that was causing these but I have cleaned the washer multiple times and still see them. For us it's kind of random...not necessarily every load and not every piece of clothing in the load but often enough that it's annoying and also ruining a lot of clothes. Exactly. If you have a front loader the stains are most likely caused from mold buildup. There is a product called Affresh that helps with this. It comes as a package of 3 "pucks" that are, as I understand it, strong oxidizers. You run the washer on hot with just the puck. If your washer already has significant buildup, you can run 3 pucks consecutively. The first one loosens the buildup behind the seal, and you can more easily wipe it out. Then run the other 2. Then once a month after that will keep the buildup away. I have been really pleased with the results. Lawana Really? I hadn't heard that. So how do I know if I have mold buildup? I leave the door open at all times when not in use. I also to the "clean washer" cycle with hot water and bleach once a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawana Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Really? I hadn't heard that. So how do I know if I have mold buildup? Pull back the rubber seal and look on the drum area concealed by the seal. Not just at the bottom where you check for socks, etc., but all the way around. If there is a layer of "gunk," that is mold buildup. I leave the door open at all times when not in use. I also to the "clean washer" cycle with hot water and bleach once a month. I also left the door open every time and used bleach, but still got the mold. Mold buildup is the weak spot of front loaders. I wish the manufacturers would either change the design, or give better info on how to deal with it. Lawana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted July 24, 2009 Author Share Posted July 24, 2009 Mold buildup is the weak spot of front loaders. I wish the manufacturers would either change the design, or give better info on how to deal with it. Lawana Ok, I see some gunk. Not a lot, but it's there. I'll have to look for Affresh. I wonder what's in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Would there be something similar on a top loading machine? I get greasy stains, too, sometimes. Of course that could be from the booKshelf that catches food... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Could that be from mold buildup? I have a front loader. TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 If you have a front loader the stains are most likely caused from mold buildup. There is a product called Affresh that helps with this. It comes as a package of 3 "pucks" that are, as I understand it, strong oxidizers. You run the washer on hot with just the puck. If your washer already has significant buildup, you can run 3 pucks consecutively. The first one loosens the buildup behind the seal, and you can more easily wipe it out. Then run the other 2. Then once a month after that will keep the buildup away. I have been really pleased with the results. Lawana I use the Affresh. I did the 3 pucks first and then have done one puck a month for the past 6-7 months. It helped a lot with the buildup but not the stains. Although, it's possible that there is buildup it's not getting or I can't see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Mold buildup is the weak spot of front loaders. I wish the manufacturers would either change the design, or give better info on how to deal with it. Lawana You leave the door open. By design, the door has to seal water-tight, otherwise it would dribble on the floor (which mine has done with a single hair hanging out through the seal). I get "gunk" (dog hair, lint, etc) in the seal, but not mold. I just wipe it out periodically and always leave the door open between loads. For the OP, I am sorry to say I have no solution for you. But I can say that I have extremely hot tap water (about 180F) and that doesn't seem to have any impact on whether we get those annoying spots (which seem completely random and happened with the top loader, too) so I wouldn't recommend jacking up your electric bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted July 24, 2009 Author Share Posted July 24, 2009 I've been told to try dish soap on the stains to get them out. I think I'll try that too. Rub the stains with dish soap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovin Learnin Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 I get grease stains on occasion also. I'm not sure what they're from but if I rub Ivory soap and water into the stain it pulls the "grease" right out. I can then rewash the item and it's good as new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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