What do you use to clean your clothes?

[Spuck]

I will hold my hands up and say that I am bloody awful at washing clothes.

I’m forever having to re wash things as stains don’t lift, clothes sometimes still smell (mainly DP’s underarm area on his tops) and generally just do not look or smell clean.

1. What would you recommend (pods, powder, liquid?)
2. How do I get DP’s sweaty underarm area on his tops smelling fresh?!
3. I always do a quick wash, should I be selecting a different option?
4. Should I be washing certain items of clothing together/separately?

I think they smelt best when I powder along with fabric conditioner but I switched back to pods as I felt the fabric conditioner ran out so bloody fast…

I use pods, normally Fairy or Bold and sometimes get Unstoppables or whatever fabric conditioner is on offer. I also like the Aldi laundry liquid.

@Yozzer87 If you don’t use the fabric conditioner and only the pods, are you getting the fresh smell I’m not getting? Pods seem to be popular but my clothes smell like nothing/still smell of body odour! Or are you meant to always use fabric conditioner alongside them?

I think you need to do a longer wash. How long is the quick wash on your machine?

I separate colours, whites, lights and delicates.

I've been using the new Persil wonder wash and it smells amazing (green liquid one) I generally use Lenor outdoorables dab softener or the scent boosters. If something is badly stained the I'll use vanish or spray white vinegar on the stain.

@IamSmarticus 30 mins for a quick wash, mixed load is 40 minutes I think, what do you select?

I use a bio washing powder. Can't beat it for getting out stains like blood and sweat.

I use Lidl own bio powder for white/light and their liquid for other stuff. Never pods as they are ££££ and no fabric conditioner either.

Always on a 40 degree cotton or more often the economy setting. Longer cycles give time for the stains to lift.

For underarm grimness try soaking in vanish or spray with elbow grease.

I use bio powder. I only use the quick wash for things that aren't particularly dirty/ swimsuits etc. I stick dh's sweaty shirts on a hygiene steam setting (with antibacterial liquid if particularly rancid).

Non bio powder, tesco or Persil (only ones that don't irritate my eczema). Pods make my machine smell. No issues with smells or stains.

Quick wash is 15 minutes at 30, otherwise standard wash is 1 hr 50 at 40. Towels and bedding go in at 50.

I saw the other day liquid is better.

Use a longer wash at 40*

Use a white vinegar rinse instead of fabric conditioner

I do delicate (mainly my work and going out clothes) regular (joggers/ t shirts / work polo tops) and towels and pants (tumble dry)

Try a steamer on the under arm areas to remove sweat or borax past

If you scrub stains first with fairy dish liquid this can helps

Also drying in sunlight can bleach back to white

I'd wash the sweaty stuff separately on a longer hotter wash.

Try using a max protection decoderant like sure
.

Bio powder

Fabric conditioner (if you want to, not actually necessary?

Daily wash cycle at 40, takes an hour

Use stain remover beforehand on stains

For smelly pits use vinegar

Sounds like you need a longer cycle and maybe you need to wash clothes more often?

You need a longer and hotter wash.
Don't over stuff the machine.
Table spoon of soda crystals in addition to normal detergent for extra cleaning power.

If the material is impregnated with BO you'll most likely need to bin them. Unfortunately cheaper synthetics do retain smells more than natural fabrics. Doesn't he wash much, use deodorant and does he wear tops/shirts more than once?
I only use non-Bio pods and no fabric conditioner. My short wash is 65 minutes and always at 40 with bedding/towels/whites at 60.
I wash frequently on a half load if necessary especially with sweaty sports clothing. Nothing smells.

It depends on your water, when we lived near London that water was SO hard that it seemed stuff was never clean. Now we live in Scotland and I use the cheap Aldi pods, 30c wash. If something is particularly stained a quick squirt with stain remover before it goes in the machine.

Bio washing powder/ pods, on a 40 long wash for mucky things , towels and bedding 60, plus scent booster. Neat vodka sprayed on underarm sweat. My washing always smells 🌼🌼🌼plus I clean my machine with Dettol machine wash at 90 every so often. You could try the Dettol anti bac liquid if you only do a short wash as I think they don't get rid of the bacteria which causes the nasty niffs.

I use Persil Bio Professional and always use 40C cotton wash. You could try soaking the pits of his clothes in Vanish Oxy before washing.

I am in Scotland so water is very soft. I use powder or liquids depending on fabric.
So for shirts, bedding and towels I use bio- powder - I think it’s Sainsburys. I tried Aldi coconut but I think it left a greasy smell.

I also use a scoop of Vanish powder and do them on a full wash. Which in my machine is just short of two hours, although less time for a smaller load.

I use liquids for dark items - Halo Sports Wash is a favourite

I recently find that short / speed washes just are not cutting it for some items.

I turn everything inside out before washing except underwear.
I think you need longer washes
I use Persil colour liquid and a splash of fairy outdoorables conditioner( incredibly hard water) on a mixed wash 40 degrees
If stubborn stains I will use a smear of fairy liquid( muddy dog!)
You could use double spin.

We used to have a problem with washing not coming out smelling fresh even when we added fabric conditioner and in the end the only thing that worked was putting everything on a hotter, longer wash. A cycle on the one that works for us takes 1h20m

Non bio powder and fabric conditioner. Never have smelly clothes.

Edited to add: I never do a quick wash everything (bar bedding and towels) on a 40 degree wash which takes about 2 hours.

Also clothes which are not drenched in fab con or "scent boosters" don't smell unclean. They just don't smell of scent boosters and fabric conditioner, which is preferable. Who wants to walk around smelling of oriental lotus blossom, or summer garden mornings?

How does your DP wash his stinky things?

Powder is supposed to be better than liquid
Everything in at least an hour wash
Only use the 40 minute quick on delicates
Sheets and towels on 60
The rest on 40

I use Persil bio liquid for underwear, bedding, towels and anything sweaty like DH's sport tops, DD's school shirts.

Everything else goes in with Dr. Beckmann's wash sheets.

No fabric conditioner at all.

I only use a quick wash for new items, or things which were really just worn for an hour or two and need freshing up. Everything else is either 60 minutes or around 2 hours (the machine has a setting where it checks load weight and calculates the actual time needed).
A short wash does not clean clothes, especially sweaty ones, properly.

Ideally I dry outside but if it needs drying inside then it has to be absolutely bone dry before putting it away otherwise it will start smelling of damp.

Powder. Pods and liquid make my washer smell.