Originally Posted by Molly Malone

I can't say much about the washer, but for cleaner clothes, try adding a laundry booster like Biz or Borax to your wash, along with the detergent. My mom uses both at once. The Biz has enzymes or something that break down grease and stains better than detergent. For tough stains, soak overnight in Biz and water in a big bucket.

Oh and you can buy those pretty much anywhere detergent is sold.

Originally Posted by Mandana

a) Do you recycle everything?

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?

c) Which washing detergent do you use and why? See above ..


e) Which dishwasher tablets do you use and does your dishwasher take salt?

Originally Posted by Mandana

Ooo another quick question ...

Just having some furniture delivered. Do I tip the guys who are delivering and putting together??

And if so, how much?

Originally Posted by another bloody yank

It used to make me nervous sticking my hand in there to remove items that had fallen in! Our present house doesn't have one. The sink waste just runs out a pipe to the ditch.

Originally Posted by Mandana

Thanks guys ... very helpful

I'll persevere with the washer for a few more loads and see if there is any difference in the wash. I'd noticed marks didn't come out of shirts and towels, but perhaps I was putting too much in? Plus it doesn't have an actuator (was told this was better by the salesman, but when I rang up about it the saleswoman said actuators are actually better for cleaner washing).

Costco card on the to-do list.

Salt in dishwashers .. used to put dishwasher salt and rinsing agent in my Miele (miss that with a vengeance) but there is nowhere to put salt in this JennAir one. Is it normal for dishwashers to have the heater in the bottom rather than integrated?

Yes, you might have guessed it .. I'm washing/cleaning obsessed!

As for the compost bin idea .. after reading your posts about the wildlife I'll give it a miss. Down the sink thing it goes from now on!

Thanks again

Originally Posted by Mandana

) 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??!

Originally Posted by hatfield1

Mandana


Question for you what is the brand name of your counter top composter? The link in your post doesn’t work.

Originally Posted by 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.

Originally Posted by ironporer

Mine's (Our's) is even better. I leave all my clothes either in the dirty clothes basket, or on he bedroom floor- and the next day all the clother=s are either in the basket, or are washed and hung back up. Surprising really, as it was a garage sale buy (Maytag). They always seem very clean- though I have noticed that front load (centrifigual spin) models do seem to spin out much more water prior to drying (in our garage sale Maytag dryer).

Total investmet- $125. Life span- 5 years and counting.

Originally Posted by ironporer

Mine's (Our's) is even better. I leave all my clothes either in the dirty clothes basket, or on he bedroom floor- and the next day all the clother=s are either in the basket, or are washed and hung back up.

Originally Posted by hatfield1

Mandana

Check this place out we have two of the bins and they work great. They aren’t the cheapest thing out there bit they work, don’t look to bad, and you can take it with you if you move.
http://www.eco-gardening.com/13/composters.php

Question for you what is the brand name of your counter top composter? The link in your post doesn’t work.

Originally Posted by hatfield1

Never mind I see the link from Lakeland. Need some afternoon coffee I guess.

Originally Posted by Mandana

Thanks Hatfield

TBH, I think I'm going off the idea of composting now after reading about the wildlife. Even though we're not in the middle of nowhere, we're not in the most built up area either, and it's not long ago our landlords said they heard coyotes out the back.

Like someone else said, don't want to encourage them.

Thanks though .. exactly what I was looking for!

Originally Posted by hatfield1

No worries. Not to seem cheeky but what would coyotes want with rotting vegetables and yard clippings? You don’t put meat in there do you?