Washing Greens--Do you add anything to water?
brad9
15 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (15)
boulderbelt
15 years agogardener1908
14 years agoRelated Discussions
Is there anything that cannot be HOT water washed?
Comments (11)Clementine, I also responded to your post in the cleaning tips forum. To clarify, your allergies aren't to the dust or even the mites, rather, your allergy is triggered by the shed skin and fecal matter of the dust mite. With that said, washing with soap should remove the allergens. I don't know that it's necessary to wash everything in hot. Personally, I wash only my whites in hot. Your dryer is going to run hotter than the water temps, so with regard to your allergies and water temps, I think the sole purpose of washing in hot is to help dislodge any of the dust mite's shed skin or fecal matter from your bedding and clothing. By that logic, warm water and soap would probably suffice. I still wash all my darks in cold, and my allergies are under control. The most important thing to keep in mind is that skin cells are food for dust mites, so the more you clean, the less chances they have to survive. They also need a relative humidity of about 70% in order to live. See the link below for more info regarding dust mites and allergies. In the winter months when the air is typically less humid, when I change the bedding and vacume the mattress, I also open my bedroom windows while I am cleaning and I close the room off for a few hours. Leaving the windows open is also going to lessen their chances of survival as the relative humidity will drop. Use a dehumidifier in the summer months, or run an air conditioner. Additionally, I use a good quality filter in my furnace, I run air conditioning in the summer, I have a dehumidifier in my basement, and all of my "throw" pillows have removable, washable covers. Fortunately, I don't have carpeting in my home - all hardwood with throw rugs, but I hand wash the floors including behind furniture and underneath the beds. If the average mattress were tested, you'd be surprised how many dust mites are harboring there. It pays to vacume your mattress regularly. Good luck. Hope this helps. Here is a link that might be useful: Dust Mite info...See MoreWhat washing machines will actually give you a hot wash?
Comments (95)"Miele W1, Miele Little Giants or Miele Professional will all provide proper heating of the water to the temp selected. No need to set house common water heater to an unsafe temperature." Miele has temp options Cold tap, 85, 105, 120, 140, and sanitary 170. Very customizable, and heater wastes no time going to work. Most machines you have no idea what the temps are at all period. If a huge drum which most do not even utilize is not important to you, Miele is the bomb. It will hold as much as a full size top loader....See MoreDo you use hot water to wash sheets?
Comments (24)@Helena2013- our cotton matelassé bedspread did not shrink with HOT water, but my sister's shrank a very small amount with VERY WARM water. Both are machine dried. Hers was a different brand. If a quilt has never been washed, a number of factors come into play. The cotton fabric itself might or might not shrink. That depends on whether the fabric was preshrunk/washed by the quilter prior to construction. If the batting has cotton in it, it will shrink. Overall, average shrinkage is 5%. Whenever I've made a quilt that is being given away, I wash it upon completion so the recipient doesn't see the change, after washing and drying, and think they've ruined it. Any quilt that was purchased at a store most likely has not been washed or preshrunk. . Some shrinkage can be avoided if you lay it flay to dry but in our house that isn't a practical solution. I dry all my quilts in the dryer on Low...See MoreDo you know exactly how much water your Washing Machine uses?
Comments (27)Here are the rest of the loads that I measured. Light Blue load: 1 flannel shirt, 9 athletic shirts, 1 dress shirt, 5 pairs underwear, 1 pair of pants, 1 pair of shorts Wash 2 rinses Wash .793 gallons, spun out 2.1 gals total 2.9 gallons Rinse 1 2.1 gallons, spun out 2.3 gallons total 4.4 gallons Rinse 2 2.1 gallons, spun out 2.6 gallons total 4.7 gallons TOTAL 12 gallons Red load: 6 athletic shirts, 1 flannel shirt, 2 pairs underwear, 2 bath towels, 1 hand towel, 2 washcloths, 1 table cloth, 2 place mats Wash, 2 rinses Wash 2.6 gallons, spun out 0.793 gallons total 3.3 gallons Rinse 1 3.1 gallons, spun out 1.3 gallons total 4.4 gallons Rinse 2 3.1 gallons, spun out 2.6 gallons total 5.7 gallons TOTAL 13.4 gallons Light Grey load: 6 pairs underwear, 4 shirts, 12 pairs grey socks Wash, 3 rinses, water+ Wash 1.8 gallons, spun out 1.5 gallons total 3.3 gallons. Rinse 1 2.9 gallons, spun out 1.8 gallons total 4.7 gallons Rinse 2 3.1 gallons, spun out 1.8 gallons total 4.9 gallons Rinse 3 2.9 gallons, spun out 1.8 gallons total 4.7 gallons TOTAL 17.6 gallons White Load: 2 dress shirts, 3 athletic shirts, 7 undershirts, 9 pairs of socks, 9 pairs tighty whities. Prewash, wash, 3 rinses, water + Prewash 1.3 gallons, spun out 1.05 gallons total 2.3 gallons Wash 2.1 gallons, spun out 1.8 gallons total 3.9 gallons Rinse 1 2.6 gallons, spun out 2.3 gallons total 4.9 gallons Rinse 2 2.6 gallons, spun out 2.6. gallons spun total 5.2 gallons Rinse 3 2.6 gallons, spun out 3.4 gallons total of 6 gallons TOTAL 22.3 gallons...See Moreveggierosalie
14 years agoboulderbelt
14 years agospogarden
14 years agogardener1908
14 years agoboulderbelt
14 years agoanoid1
14 years agothinman
14 years agogardendawgie
14 years agotshutch
14 years agogardendawgie
14 years agothinman
14 years agoiochroma
4 years ago
Related Stories
GREEN BUILDINGJust Add Water: Rain Barrel Magic
Take your rainwater storage from practical to beautiful with a new breed of design-friendly rain barrels
Full StoryGREEN DECORATINGEasy Green: Big and Small Ways to Be More Water-Wise at Home
These 20 tips can help us all make the best use of a precious resource. How do you save water in summer?
Full StoryGREAT HOME PROJECTSHow to Add a Radiant Heat System
Enjoy comfy, consistent temperatures and maybe even energy savings with hydronic heating and cooling
Full StoryBEFORE AND AFTERSLiving Area Lightened Up and Ready for Anything
Porcelain tile and outdoor fabrics prepare this lakeside home for the challenge of pets and kids
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDESBulletproof Decorating: Upholstery That Stands Up to Anything
Kids and pets are no match for fabrics as durable as these, which meet higher style standards than ever
Full StorySAVING WATERGreat Plants for Lush, Low-Water Gardens
Water restrictions making your garden look washed out? Give it living color with unthirsty grasses, flowers and succulents
Full StoryYELLOWCitrus Hues Add Zest to Rooms
You almost don't need to clean when you wash your spaces with the refreshing colors of lemons, limes and oranges
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNGreen and Clean: Sleek Water-Wise Bathroom Fixtures
By choosing ecofriendly faucets, showerheads and even toilets, you can save loads of water and money without sacrificing style
Full StoryHOUSEPLANTSHow to Add a Living Wall
Learn how to choose systems and plants, and what it will cost to bring a bit of the outdoors in or green up a garden wall
Full StoryDECORATING STYLES7 Ways to Add Mediterranean Elegance to Your Home
Embrace the easy style and romance of the Mediterranean through color, texture, classic accents, and light
Full StorySponsored
gardendawgie