Making your own anti/b laundry cleanser?

[headinhands]

A while ago I noticed that while my sheets/duvet covers etc smelt lovely after they'd been washed and dried, that they'd smell a bit whifffy when I got them out of the cupboard a week later.

I thought it might be bacteria that was surviving the wash so started buying Dettols laundry cleanser which you put in the fabric conditioner drawer of the machine. I assume it goes in with the last rinse so there's some residue of the product left in. Now this Dettol product is £4 a bottle and I do a lot of laundry!

Recently I've been experimenting with cheaper solutions. I bought a big pack or zoflora last week and have been making up the weakest solution and spraying it on the bedding before washing. It comes out smelling great but not sure if it will still smell great after a week of sitting in the cupboard.

I'm wondering if I couldn't use the weak zoflora solution in the same way the Dettol product works, by adding it to the last rinse? Anyone done this? Or have other more cost effective solutions?

And thank you if you've read this mind numbingly boring thread to the end! I applaud you.

You'd be better just washing at a hotter temperature. I use a 60 wash for towels once in a while.

You could try adding two spoonfuls of bicarb of soda to your wash. Large quantities are cheap on Amazon.

The zoflora website says you can add 1-2 capfuls to the fabric softener compartment and that's what I do for smelly gym/football kit

From the website:

Can I use Zoflora disinfectant in the washing machine?

Many people have used Zoflora in their washing machines for many years to freshen laundry and kill bacteria, especially with pet bedding, sports clothing etc. Just add 2 capfuls to the fabric softener compartment to use in the final rinse cycle.

Just put a cap of Zoflora in the fab softener compartment. And wash at 60.

Iv been using the dettol laundry cleanser for years now. I only use for bedding, towels and anything yucky and I agree it's very expensive. Anyway Iv just started shopping at tesco and the do their own one and it's about half the price.

Interested to see you can use zoflora though. Smells lovely too

Mcchicken, what's the one from Tesco called? Tried looking for it online but it's not in the same section as the Dettol laundry cleanser. Do you know what fragrance it is? Thanks.

m.tesco.com/h5/groceries/r/www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=291253071

I add a capful of Zoflora to the fabric conditioner (I use that too) when I wash gym/sports kit. It gets rid of all the sweaty smells and kills the bacteria. DS1 has fancy stuff for sport that can't be washed over 40 degrees.

Bedding I do at 60 so there's no need for the Zoflora.

have you cleaned the sludge out of your washer with a hot hot hot cycle and a cup of washing soda crystals?

If the water goes grey and foams up, that's the old soap and fabsoft deposits dissolving (and the grime they hold). Do it again until the water stays clean.

Cut down on the soap powder and the grease fabsoft. The more you use the more resident sludge you will get, which feeds bacterial slime.

Unlike cotton, synthetic fibres absorb grease from the skin and fabsoft, which a different, rather smelly, bacteria lives on. It is not the same as sweat or b.o. smell.

p.s.

as the smell is developing in the cupboard I wonder if the stuff is a bit damp? How do you dry it?

Moonwatching~ sorry just saw post and someone was able to answer tbh I don't think it has a particular strong fragrance I think it's main aim is to be an anti bac. However just used zoflora as recommended on here and smells lovely. Might be doing that in future and that's after years of using the other one

At the mo it's either line dry, airer under cover or tumble.