jenangelcat Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I've been told it's from hard water but I just tested ours and it's not hard at all. So why can't I have white stuff? I've tried oxyclean and it doesn't work. Any other recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Bleach? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 What kind of detergent are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbkaren Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I know it's not a popular option among some, but we add a pinch of TSP (tri-sodium phosphate, sold at Home Depot, etc.) to our laundry and dish detergent. Since they took the phosphates out of detergents, they just don't work anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delaney Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 When my whites look bad I do a hot wash with vinegar first and then a hot wash with baking soda. Then I wash with regular Tide. It really helps with the brightness. You could also try sunning them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in OH Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 From the looks of your blog, I think you might have well water? (I spent years battling laundry with well water.) Yellowing in your whites is usually a sign of iron. There can still be residual iron even after running through a softener. Do your toilets also stain? If it's iron, you can wash your whites with Iron Out or Whink. Unfortunaltely, these chemicals are strong and will take color out of anything that isn't white. Gray is often a sign that your clothes aren't getting completely clean or rinsed. I have this problem with my HE front loader, and I end up pre-soaking in Oxy-Clean. Minerals in the water (even if it's softened) can also cause this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenangelcat Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 I've tried bleach, I cycle through detergents as they go on sale. We do have a well but the iron test I did last night came out fine. I had this problem at our city house in Ontario as well. We do have a HE frontloader. I'll try presoaking in oxyclean. I've been looking locally for the iron stuff but nothing. Just regular laundry soap, a couple of brands of stain remover and bleach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 In my case, it was my stupid washing machine. It literally ruined all our whites. When we got a new machine....problem solved. I also agree with the phosphate issue. I buy bootleg Cascade for my dishwasher at the local janitorial supply warehouse (the phosphate laws don't apply to institutions and restaurants, because, you know, they need CLEAN dishes and laundry). It works great. The new stuff is garbage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I have an HE front loader that I love- but now reading this, I wonder if that is why my whites are turning grey.... So - I guess I'll be trying the suggestions above, but I wonder if maybe just smaller loads are necessarily for the front loaders? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Iron Out is popular around here...but it isn't because our whites turn gray. Ours turn rust! In between the city water iron problems, our whites out of our front loader are quite white. Hope you figure out what is happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I just tested Lemi-shine (for the dishwasher) on a load of whites because we have the same problem. It worked! I used a tsp for a small load. I think a TBS for an extra large load would be plenty. It's basically super concentrated lemon juice crystals, so it will "bleach" colors. Only use it on whites. You can get it at Wal-mart, and our local grocery carries it now too. It's worth the price, because a little goes a long way. http://www.lemishine.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbkaren Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I think Lemishine is citric acid, isn't it? If so, it can be bought MUCH cheaper on ebay. I use it in the dishwasher - a half-teaspoon makes a huge difference. Never occurred to me to try it in the washer - thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I think Lemishine is citric acid, isn't it? If so, it can be bought MUCH cheaper on ebay. I use it in the dishwasher - a half-teaspoon makes a huge difference. Never occurred to me to try it in the washer - thanks! Yes, it is. I tested it on a very small load, just in case, and it worked great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenangelcat Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 I just happen to have some citric acid. I'll try that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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