Clothes washing help

[ginjin]

I'm having a problem with my washing and I can't work out why.

DP's clothes get very dirty from work (diesel, oil, mud, grain dust etc) and I find when I'm washing them, they come out smelling damp. (The same smell you would get if you left a wet towel on the floor for a while). The smell then stays on the clothes after they've dried/been worn.

All other washing smells fine, but if I even put a few of his tshirts in with my clothes, they all come out smelling damp.

I'm getting the washing out of the machine as soon as the load is finished, so it's not that. I'm washing at 30 or 40 degrees generally. Is that the problem? I'm wondering if I should wash his work clothes at 60.

Any ideas? Help!

Try soaking his work wear in a solution of distilled vinegar and water for half an hour before washing and put a cup of bicarb in the wash when you put them in the machine. Use less detergent and a higher temperature if you can. Don't use liquid detergents as they don't contain any bleaching agents which help remove smells and dirt. Don't use fabric conditioner and try line drying outside.

Wash workwear seperately to everything else with a biological powder detergent (not liquid). Try adding soda crystals to the wash for an extra boost.

Thanks both. I don't use liquid detergent and don't use fabric softener on his clothes, but I tried washing them on 60 today and it does seem better. I will just have to be vigilant about keeping our clothes separate.

I will make a note of the other tips in the event his clothes are extra dirty!

Try putting a dishwasher tablet through on a really hot empty wash- if there's anything lurking in the machine/ pipes this seems to get rid of it.

Dame is that with the tablet in the drawer or direct in the machine?

In the drum!

My DH and DS's work clothes always go in a separate load to everything else, at 40oC on the deep wash cycle with a pre-wash (approx. 2.5 hours) and with bio Persil powder. I have found that washing at 40oC is only effective with a pre-wash. If I want to do a shorter cycle without a pre-wash it has to be at 60oC. I have tried various branded and own brand washing powders and always go back to Persil as no other powder cleans as effectively IME....

HTH

Hello fellow farmers wife!

I have exactly the same problem - keeping all clothes separate and only washing his at 60 is the only thinly that works for me

at Silver! I don't think it helps that he doesn't put his trousers in for wash until they can stand in the corner by themselves