Mandana

Bugger, why didn't I think of that

Jerseygirl

I've got a couple of questions, so rather than post individual threads, thought I'd combine them onto one!

Hopefully you'll be able to help me on a few points.

a) Do you recycle everything? I'm finding the recycle facilities here poor to say the least and end up putting all my plastic into bags in the garage waiting for enough to warrant a trip to the recycle yard half an hour away. What do you do with yours? Am I cancelling out one effort with another by driving so far to take it?
We put glass/plastic/metals in one bin...it is collected every other week along with paper/cardboard.

b) Which washer did you buy? I chose an economic top loader as I was told they washed better, but were friendlier to the environment than usual top loaders as they used less water. I'm finding it doesn't wash properly and now sincerely regretting not spending the extra on a front loader. Or am I using the wrong detergent?
Maytag Neptune front loader...it washers better than toploaders but no where near as good as my Hoover in the UK.

c) Which washing detergent do you use and why? See above ..
Tide, Oxy-clean and Shout for stains.

d) Do you compost your food waste? I've brought my counter crockpot with me, but we don't have a compost bin. Easy answer would be to buy one, but we're leasing, so would have to leave it, and I'm not sure how the landlords would take us having one? (will have to ask). But then again, they have this mulch stuff going on on top of their soil (to stop weeds I'd guess and keep moisture in), so what would I do with the compost??!
Couldn't be bothered with all that to be honest.

Which dishwasher tablets do you use and does your dishwasher take salt? They looked at me like I was an alien when I asked for it!
Costco's powder...as far as I know they don't use salt in the US dishwashers.

I'm sure there are more questions (sorry!) but none that spring to mind right now - although as soon as I press 'submit' I'll remember them all!

Thanks everyone

southern comfort

Why do you put salt in your dishwasher ?

penguinsix

I have the Whirlpool Duet system which I'm very pleased with. We do less wash as we can fit more into that beast than any top loader we see.

As for composting food, no, we use the disposal (the garbage disposal, aka how to lose you hand by flipping a switch or the great goldfish graveyard). We have a special one as we are on a septic. I live in a very rural area and we have so much wildlife the last thing I want to do is put anything outside. Racoons, foxes, groundhogs, deer, black snakes, vultures, a bald eagle, an osprey, a giant duck, the neighbors cats, lizards, squirrels, a turtle--and that was just what I saw YESTERDAY in my yard. No need to feed them all.

The yard waste (clippings, leaves, etc) I tried to put in a composting pile once, but found a nice family of copperhead snakes (poisonous) making a nest there after a few months so I decided I'd just use the leaf blower and send all that stuff into the woods from now on.

(I live in the boonies)

jumping doris

We can recycle glass, plastic and paper. Several times a year we have a special garden waste collections and the township composts that for the municipal flowerbeds, otherwise it just goes in with the rubbish.
Christmas trees are collected for chipping up.

I bought a front loading washing machine but it isn't as good as my UK one. Someone told me it's because the drum just goes round instead of reversing (?).

I use Tide He for front loaders but I have to say I'm disappointed in the cleaning power. (Enter Dale Winton).
Most of the Brits I know are unimpressed with the detergents here.
We are not allowed to hang washing out so it's all tumbled and that seems to make it look dull.

We have a JennAir dishwasher and I don't think it takes salt but I don't know why it doesn't. There's nowhere to put it and nothing mentioned in the book.

I use any dishwasher stuff, whatever is cheapest.

I walk round the supermarket sometimes absolutely baffled by some of the stuff. It is hard not knowing which is the better brand of something. That is the kind of thing that used to get me down, silly I know. It was the thing that really made me feel like a stranger.

We use our waste disposal, especially in the summer. If we keep it until bin day it smells and if we put it outside the racoons get it.

Jerseygirl

I remember I had to put salt in my dishwasher in the UK...or at least I was supposed to. Never could figure out why.

penguinsix

I think it is to soften the water. Many houses in the US have a water softener so adding it separately in the dishwasher is not needed. You might want to check your utility closet, or just see if you have a lot of buildup in your water to begin with.

You know those little white spots in a dry glass you pull from a dishwasher? That's the mineral residue from the water. If you have a softener, it helps rid you of those minerals. In some areas (on wells) a softener is highly recommend to prevent buildup in the pipes and water heater (aka scale). It's not harmful to drink, but it can be a pain if your pipes clog.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/question99.htm

Duncan Roberts

I think it's something to do with water softening. It has to be a special type of salt. I know my mum uses it but I never have.

Jerseygirl

The reverse action is to stop the clothes from tangling.

I think the reason why clothes don't get so clean is the temperature and the length of time the clothes are washed. My UK Hoover took 2 hrs for a normal wash...my Maytag frontloader takes about 40 mins. The clothes aren't spun as fast so come out much wetter than in the UK.

jumping doris

My machine here takes 53 mins for a cotton wash although I can extend it.
Then I spend half an hour untangling all the shirt sleeves.

Duncan Roberts

Mines grand. If I put 5 or 6 pairs of jeans or a lot of bedding it gets tangled otherwise it's fine. The clothes are very dry (depending on what I've set) when they come out and are acceptably clean. I can set a bunch of different options for spins, rinses and temperature and have a lot of timing options. I agree, not quite as good as what I've used in England but I'm really happy with it. It's also very, very quiet and economical.

southern comfort

OK got it now the word salt threw me.... "Jet Dry" rinse agent goes into the little cup next to where the detergent stuff goes. to prevent spots and film build up.

Jerseygirl

You're a man.

Jerseygirl

We put a rinse agent in UK dishwasher too...along with salt.

southern comfort

Must be the water then