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-   -   Question for Florida People (Laundry related) (https://britishexpats.com/forum/usa-57/question-florida-people-laundry-related-845247/)

CoolHandLuc Oct 16th 2014 4:39 pm

Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
Hi everyone,

I just wanted to ask a quick question and see if any others have noticed this since moving to the US.

I moved over here last December... I regularly go to the gym... but I noticed when washing my gym laundry that it always smells after washing?! Have other people noticed this? :o

I never had this problem in UK, my gym clothes were always fresh after one wash... is it something to do with the water here in Florida? I'd like to hear if anybody else has experienced this and if you have any tips besides washing the same clothes 3 or 4 times! :unsure:

Luke

sir_eccles Oct 16th 2014 4:47 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
Front loading or top loading?

CoolHandLuc Oct 16th 2014 4:57 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
top loading :)

sir_eccles Oct 16th 2014 5:03 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
philistine!

Nutek Oct 16th 2014 5:10 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by CoolHandLuc (Post 11440439)
top loading :)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Gr3uCNxPTu...y-snatcher.jpg


Now you've done it. ;)

robin1234 Oct 16th 2014 5:23 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by CoolHandLuc (Post 11440403)
Hi everyone,

I just wanted to ask a quick question and see if any others have noticed this since moving to the US.

I moved over here last December... I regularly go to the gym... but I noticed when washing my gym laundry that it always smells after washing?! Have other people noticed this? :o

I never had this problem in UK, my gym clothes were always fresh after one wash... is it something to do with the water here in Florida? I'd like to hear if anybody else has experienced this and if you have any tips besides washing the same clothes 3 or 4 times! :unsure:

Luke

My general impression is that standard US washing machines (top loaders anyway) are remarkably ineffective despite using massive quantities of water. My wife and I always joke that when we go to England on holiday, we should take different clothes on each trip, in rotation, so that each thing at least gets a thorough wash every couple of years. Lots of other variables, of course, the water, the detergent, but I always notice my stuff gets a proper wash and smells clean when washed in a standard British (well, European) machine.

Hotscot Oct 16th 2014 5:34 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
It's the bacteria that pervades the air...

rpjs Oct 16th 2014 5:50 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by robin1234 (Post 11440471)
Lots of other variables, of course, the water, the detergent, but I always notice my stuff gets a proper wash and smells clean when washed in a standard British (well, European) machine.

Not had a problem with a standard American top-loader, except that I think it gives the clothes a bit more of a pummelling. T-shirts from the UK seem to last not as long here as ones bought here.

And on the other hand American tumble dryers actually dry things!

cranston Oct 16th 2014 5:52 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by sir_eccles (Post 11440418)
Front loading or top loading?

IMO you can't beat a front loader!

indigogirl1976 Oct 16th 2014 6:48 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
I've noticed it too! I'm in tampa and 4 yrs ago we bought a brand new he front loader and the clothes still come out smelling just as they went in. I think it's the detergent here....you know the way at home we have biological and non biological? It seems they don't really have biological here...they just add bleach during the wash cycle to help the cleaning but even if you do that the clothes ( in my opinion ) still come out smelling weird. I wash my husbands work t shirts with tide and bleach and they still come out smelling like his deodorant lol. I think you need a good biological with lots of enzymes to break down the dirt and get the clothes clean.

Marc_ely Oct 16th 2014 7:26 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
How long does your washer cycle last?

We were really surprised that our USA front loader does an average load in 20mins. Our UK washer was more like 1hr 10mins.

We've not noticed that it's any worse in performance though and ours is on every day.

Yorkieabroad Oct 16th 2014 8:45 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
I'm not in Florida, but have the same problem in Texas. I find a lot of my older polo type shirts, the 100% cotton ones at least, start to smell sweaty after wearing for only a short while...at first I thought it was just deodorant/antiperspirant failure, but then I realized that it was a problem that developed with age (of shirt) and that new shirts didn't have the same issue. It also isn't so much a problem with the 'airflow', ployester sports type material. I find I rotate the cotton ones out 'garden duty' much faster than I ever have before.


Ps - nice thread - working in types of washing machines and longevity of t-shirts on the first page! If we can only somehow work in how much to tip at the laundry we'll have the trifecta! Add in a bit about how HOA's are the spawn of the devil for not allowing washing lines and we'll be over in TIO before you can say "fatty in a wheelchair"!

FinnDiego Oct 16th 2014 8:53 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
I haven't had issues with bike and running kit, but I do religiously wash them immediately the same day after use. Otherwise I find synthetic sports clothing starts to smell everywhere and once the smell is in I can't seem to get it out.

I just moved and got myself a new (front loading!) washing machine, let's see how it does against the old top-loader. It even has a 15-20 minute quick wash and plays lovely little melodies every time you push a button! It's in the garage though, so my previous strategy of throwing the kit straight into the washer and then heading to the shower may not go down so well with the neighbors... :lol:

Jerseygirl Oct 16th 2014 9:24 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by CoolHandLuc (Post 11440439)
top loading :)

Arghhhhhhhh. :thumbdown:

Try putting baking soda in the wash.

Michael Oct 16th 2014 9:34 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by indigogirl1976 (Post 11440595)
I've noticed it too! I'm in tampa and 4 yrs ago we bought a brand new he front loader and the clothes still come out smelling just as they went in. I think it's the detergent here....you know the way at home we have biological and non biological? It seems they don't really have biological here...they just add bleach during the wash cycle to help the cleaning but even if you do that the clothes ( in my opinion ) still come out smelling weird. I wash my husbands work t shirts with tide and bleach and they still come out smelling like his deodorant lol. I think you need a good biological with lots of enzymes to break down the dirt and get the clothes clean.

Surprisingly, the EU is behind the US in banning phosphates. In the US, phosphates have been banned since 1994 in laundry detergents and 2010 in dishwasher detergents. The EU didn't even propose reducing phosphates until late 2011. It may be possible that UK laundry detergents may still have phosphates since a total ban doesn't take effect until 2017.

EU comes clean on phosphates ban in detergents | EurActiv

Western European Phosphate Ban to Reward Innovative Formulations - Analyst Insight from Euromonitor International

There was another thread where we discussed how poorly dishwashers clean since the US consumer dishwasher phosphate ban. That year there were a lot of dishwashers replaced with new expensive dishwashers but the results were the same. Currently I have stainless steel pans that I had for 20 years but over the last 4 years, they have all developed a film and like many others, I replaced my dishwasher since I thought it quit cleaning.

RICH Oct 16th 2014 9:56 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by indigogirl1976 (Post 11440595)
I've noticed it too! I'm in tampa and 4 yrs ago we bought a brand new he front loader and the clothes still come out smelling just as they went in. I think it's the detergent here....you know the way at home we have biological and non biological? It seems they don't really have biological here...they just add bleach during the wash cycle to help the cleaning but even if you do that the clothes ( in my opinion ) still come out smelling weird. I wash my husbands work t shirts with tide and bleach and they still come out smelling like his deodorant lol. I think you need a good biological with lots of enzymes to break down the dirt and get the clothes clean.

Dunno what to tell you. I don't have a washer or drier, have used a laundrette a lot, but mostly I wash stuff in the bath. A good soak, some agitation/scrubbing, rinse with conditioner, and dry on the line. No smells here (at least I've had no complaints). Cheapo detergent - Purex atm -and downy conditioner.

Sally Redux Oct 16th 2014 9:59 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by rpjs (Post 11440503)
And on the other hand American tumble dryers actually dry things!

:confused: my one just turned them into a big knot. Awful.

Jerseygirl Oct 16th 2014 10:09 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by Sally Redux (Post 11440794)
:confused: my one just turned them into a big knot. Awful.

Mine too. :(

Yorkieabroad Oct 16th 2014 10:42 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
I'm with rpjs on this - our US tumble dryer is phenomenally effective - better than even the big industrial things in the launderettes back home. The only thing that sometimes gets knotted up is if I try to do too much kingsize bedding at the same time. A full load gets dried in no-time, whereas back in the UK it took forever, and you could only fit a few things in the tiny drum. Mind you, in the UK I rarely needed to use it as I put everything on the clothes line and I can't do that here:(

BubbleChog Oct 16th 2014 10:51 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
I hated the toploaders he had in the rented apartments we had before we bought our house. Like OP I never felt stuff was getting properly clean.

I think that might be why washing scent boosters are so big here. to hide the not entirely clean smell
Lx

Pulaski Oct 16th 2014 11:05 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
We have the "sweaty odour" problem too, though Mrs P was the first to notice it, and she's a born USC, so it's not just us Brits that notice the problem. It is worst in my gardening t-shirts (knit fabric), but affects other garments to varying degrees. Anyhow we greatly reduced the problem, though didn't eliminate it entirely, by washing everything on the hot cycle. Naturally, our machine is a front loader.

And I agree with others, US driers rock! :thumbsup:

Ash UK/US Oct 17th 2014 12:58 am

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
I have numerous detergents since being here and found the best for leaving in a scent and doing a decent cleaning job is the Gain. Air dried also keep a stronger scent even though I tumble dry with scented sheets.

Sally Redux Oct 17th 2014 5:59 am

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad (Post 11440833)
I'm with rpjs on this - our US tumble dryer is phenomenally effective - better than even the big industrial things in the launderettes back home. The only thing that sometimes gets knotted up is if I try to do too much kingsize bedding at the same time. A full load gets dried in no-time, whereas back in the UK it took forever, and you could only fit a few things in the tiny drum. Mind you, in the UK I rarely needed to use it as I put everything on the clothes line and I can't do that here:(

My tumble drier in England went one way and then the other ('reversomatic') the US one only went in one direction and therefore seemed to just keep twisting the clothes into a tighter and tighter knot. Maybe just a bad buy.

Nutek Oct 17th 2014 10:41 am

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by Sally Redux (Post 11441047)
'reversomatic'

Everything should come with this! it's like one of those K-TEL words.

Dorothy Oct 17th 2014 10:50 am

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
Stop going to the gym and you won't have stinky gym clothes to wash. Problem solved.

You're welcome. ;)

Pollyana Oct 17th 2014 10:52 am

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by Ash UK/US (Post 11440943)
I have numerous detergents since being here and found the best for leaving in a scent and doing a decent cleaning job is the Gain. Air dried also keep a stronger scent even though I tumble dry with scented sheets.

Australia has some stuff you can add to the wash which is anti- bacterial, the one I use is called something like Canestan. You add it at the start, bit like if you are adding bleach. Seems to deal with any lingering odours as it kills off the bacteria, which most washing liquids don't do :)

(thats ruined my street cred as a totally undomestic person!)

Nutek Oct 17th 2014 10:58 am

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by Pollyana (Post 11441221)
Australia has some stuff you can add to the wash which is anti- bacterial, the one I use is called something like Canestan. You add it at the start, bit like if you are adding bleach. Seems to deal with any lingering odours as it kills off the bacteria, which most washing liquids don't do :)

(thats ruined my street cred as a totally undomestic person!)

http://jl10ll.files.wordpress.com/20...-housewife.jpg


:scarper:

Jerseygirl Oct 17th 2014 11:35 am

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by Sally Redux (Post 11441047)
My tumble drier in England went one way and then the other ('reversomatic') the US one only went in one direction and therefore seemed to just keep twisting the clothes into a tighter and tighter knot. Maybe just a bad buy.

Exactly. Maybe the new models tumble each way now.

I do like the large washer and dryer drums here. :thumbsup:

Yorkieabroad Oct 17th 2014 12:51 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl (Post 11441245)
Exactly. Maybe the new models tumble each way now.

I do like the large washer and dryer drums here. :thumbsup:

I dont know whether we have a reversomatic or not....the only one that watches it closely enough is the dog, and she aint telling!

robin1234 Oct 17th 2014 1:00 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by RICH (Post 11440792)
No smells here (at least I've had no complaints).

Oh dear. This means nothing, as Americans are so polite & courteous. If you were in England, they'd constantly be making sarcastic, class-ridden or ironic remarks about your pervasive smelly clothes.

Bob Oct 17th 2014 1:24 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 11440847)

And I agree with others, US driers rock! :thumbsup:

Newer ones, definitely.

We've got a bog standard white box jobby and have had a variety of them in the various rentals and they've all been a bag of spanners.

They get the stuff dried, eventually, but having numerous times to go around. Last one had a damp sensor that would automatically keep going till it dried, but would still go for hours.

Have noticed that the standard white boxes compared to the fancy ones have a much larger difference in price compared to the UK, well you can get a pretty decent Hotpoint for under £200 at the mo but still be a few hundred for a bog standard box around where I am.

Sally Redux Oct 17th 2014 1:44 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
British driers.

Let's ROCK!!!


Lion in Winter Oct 17th 2014 2:01 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
I can't believe I'm contributing to a laundry thread, but anyway:

a) I now have a front loader and life is good

b) I have noticed here in humid places (ie the midwest, and presumably Florida) that machines can grow mould on the inside, under rubber seals and in hard/impossible to reach places, leaving the smell on the clothes. Give it a couple of wash cycles with bleach instead of detergent, then a couple washes with just plain water to rinse the bleach out, and wipe inside any rubber seals you can reach. And then leave the door open after washing so the machine air dries.

Sally Redux Oct 17th 2014 2:03 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by Lion in Winter (Post 11441422)
I can't believe I'm contributing to a laundry thread, but anyway:

a) I now have a front loader and life is good

b) I have noticed here in humid places (ie the midwest, and presumably Florida) that machines can grow mould on the inside, under rubber seals and in hard/impossible to reach places, leaving the smell on the clothes. Give it a couple of wash cycles with bleach instead of detergent, then a couple washes with just plain water to rinse the bleach out, and wipe inside any rubber seals you can reach. And then leave the door open after washing so the machine air dries.

What would Germaine say?

Lion in Winter Oct 17th 2014 2:06 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by Sally Redux (Post 11441425)
What would Germaine say?

I shudder to think.

I typed it with a brown paper bag over my head.

Sally Redux Oct 17th 2014 2:20 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by Lion in Winter (Post 11441428)
I shudder to think.

I typed it with a brown paper bag over my head.

:lol:

Jerseygirl Oct 17th 2014 2:32 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by Lion in Winter (Post 11441422)
I can't believe I'm contributing to a laundry thread, but anyway:

a) I now have a front loader and life is good

b) I have noticed here in humid places (ie the midwest, and presumably Florida) that machines can grow mould on the inside, under rubber seals and in hard/impossible to reach places, leaving the smell on the clothes. Give it a couple of wash cycles with bleach instead of detergent, then a couple washes with just plain water to rinse the bleach out, and wipe inside any rubber seals you can reach. And then leave the door open after washing so the machine air dries.

That's the reason people here leave the washing machine doors open. I've never left my washer door open whilst living here...but I remove the black stuff on the rubber seal with bleach Jiff. Never had a problem with smells, mould etc.

mamasue Oct 17th 2014 2:58 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
My gym and golf clothes never seem smelly after a wash...
I've got the cheapest top-load washer and dryer on the market, the cheapest washing liquid stuff on the market, and the cheapest dryer sheets and pre-wash squirty stuff (Dollar tree, good stuff!!)

My theory has always been....If it goes through some kind of wash cycle and gets dried, it's clean.:o

Lion in Winter Oct 17th 2014 3:11 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl (Post 11441460)
That's the reason people here leave the washing machine doors open. I've never left my washer door open whilst living here...but I remove the black stuff on the rubber seal with bleach Jiff. Never had a problem with smells, mould etc.

Only thing about leaving the washer door open - you have to make sure the cat isn't in it before turning it on.

Yorkieabroad Oct 17th 2014 3:18 pm

Re: Question for Florida People (Laundry related)
 
2 Attachment(s)

Originally Posted by Lion in Winter (Post 11441492)
Only thing about leaving the washer door open - you have to make sure the cat isn't in it before turning it on.

:confused:"cat people" always bang on about how cats are more conscious of their cleanliness than dogs - give 'em a spin, I say!:lol:

Pre- wash Attachment 119378


Post-wash Attachment 119379


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