Powder better than liquid?

[ElephantsNeverForgive]

Is bio washing powder better than liquid.

DDs insist on doing everything (including trampolining) in Jack Willis, Super dry and geek T shirts. They still stink after washing at 40 but being printed and dark colours I don't want to go up to 60.

Bright ideas please.

yes use powder and make sure the dosage is correct.

also, they shouldn't still smell. is your washing machine clean? do you do regularly maintenance washes to clear any build up? and have you cleaned the filter and drawer and seals?

yes bio powder washes much better. but do buy a colour version for dark clothes.

if you usually wash with liquids and low temperatures it could well be the mashine that makes clothes smell. do an empty boil wash and empty the filter.

also, are the clothes drying properly? if they take too long it makes clothes smell musty.

See I wouldn't use bio powder on dark or bright colours as it has bleaching agents in it that will make it fade.

I would give the machine a good clean and maybe try pre-treating the smell areas such as underarms.

I find liquid can clog up the machine, so I use powder for any light colours. I also wash anything that can be (towels) on a hotter wash.

Liquid for colours, powder for whites as powder has bleaching agents. And I agree the clothes shouldn't smell washing at 40. I wash most clothes (not those with grass stains / muddy) at 30 and they only smell of washing powder.

I had to have the man with the spanner out earlier this year, and after unblocking my tubes, he chuntered about "all these 30degree detergents, especially liquids and gels" being the bane of his existence.

I can't remember the technicalities, but it went along the lines of: "no washing machine, no matter how ££££££s is yet capable of truly getting things clean at low temperatures, so detergent manufacturers produce super high power cleaning agents to compensate for that. The liquids and gels, being formulated with such lovely stuff as melted pigs hooves etc just basically do to your washer what pouring melted lard into it.

It's kind of a vicious circle. He told me he always uses bog standard powder and that's what he advises everyone.

He also said if you saw the bacteria that stays on stuff like underwear after a 40 degree wash you would literally throw up.

He said to do an empty 90 degree cycle with a bit of bicarb chucked in every so often.

It was all very interesting really!

You could try that Dettol laundry cleanser? Just got some yesterday, apparently it kills any bacteria (including nursery bugs, fingers crossed) at lower temperatures so should tackle whiffy clothes at 30. Gets good reviews on here. Agree with above about doing a maintenance was though, hot as your machine will go with sofa crystals then white vinegar. Always leave door open to air machine. Liquids tend to clog up the pipes more than powder so do this regularly (once a month?) if you always use liquids

Soda crystals

And yuk to the previous post about underwear washed at 40!

"Unblocking my tubes" . Sorry, I will behave.

Does anyone else find that clothes washed in liquid tabs become sweatier and smell more so than powder.

I always use powder after being told similar to DrankSangria when I had a machine repair man out about 8 years ago.

I do a maintenance wash with white vinegar once a month to clean it out and keep the limescale down. I quite often use soda crystals in the wash anyway if the clothes are really dirty.

Instead of that Dettol Laundry cleanser, which is v.expensive, I put a capful of Zoflora in with the fabric softener. It kills the bugs and the smells and is about £1!

You can get powders without the bleaching agent. It is packaged "Persil for colours" od something like that. IIRC there is an Aldi equivalent and doubtless other brands.

Although the liquids say they work at low temps, you can still use them in a hot wash. Like all cycles, the machine starts out cold, and heats up over time (unless you are lucky enough to have a hot-fill machine). If you have cotton towels and flannels or sweaty tees I am sure it is more hygenic to hot-wash.

I get laundry stuff dead cheap as my oh works where they make it. I get whatever they have in. Powder, liquid, tabs, gel etc and I'm no laundry Queen but am beginning to see a difference in what I wash things in lately. Powder definitely smells better than liquids and gets stains out better and non bio and cooler washes make the machine stink. I just hate the mess powder makes in the drawer and my funny skin can't cope with most makes Either. Currently using ariel colour liquitabs and half the load in today is stuff I'm rewashing from yesterday as it was still stained! Think I'll definitely go back to powders after reading this

Put the powder in through the door, it will avoid a sludgy drawer.

Also, op, I find washing in soda crystals strips smells out of clothes. Old sweat, built up detergents etc so id try a warm wash with just soda crystals. They will come out smelling of nothing and stiff as a board but ironing will soften them and next wash will take in the fragrance of the detergents

I did that once piglet john and something ended up discolored in a patch which I assume was from the bleach in the powder resting on it?
I just need to clean the drawer out more often or tip a warm glass of water down as it fills

I have been converted to cheap non bio powder after someone on here said they came top in which product tests for cleaning clothes.
I buy mine from Aldi.

I have also been told to use powder too.
I chuck mine straight in the drum, cant stand a clagy powder drawer!

Sadly, Dettol stuff didn't help.

Load of towels at 60 and powder it is. (Don't think I dare run the machine at 90, it's surrounded by computers. No it's not sensible having your washer in DHs study/DH having his study in the extension that must once have been a utility room. However, it's that or have no dishwasher.)

Or have no holiday for two years to afford to rip out, re plumb and totally rebuild the kitchen.

You could also think of trying a bit of tea tree oil in the softener drawer? It's great on nappies, so if it can get rid of those smells and germs...

But I agree that the problem is probably the machine and not the clothes. Since we bought our posh, second mortgage miele I am alarmed how often it shows me its angry light to demand a hot wash for hygiene reasons.

Use bio powder for almost everything, except delicates. I use half the dosage stated and make up the volume with soda crystals. Rarely wash anything above 40C.

No smelly clothes and no gunky machine. No need for fabric conditioner either, despite living in v hard water area.

Oh, and I put the powder and crystals directly into the drum and twirl it a bit so it drops through the holes.

Thank you soda crystals and powder. It's worth a try.

¿Where do you get tea tree oil?

I get cheap vinegar and tea tree oil from here and use them with every wash (I'm very generous with the tea tree oil) and I've never had stinky issues at low temps except for things like sheets which have to go on at a high temp to get them clean. I also dry everything outside in the sun whenever I can, it seems to help.