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The Kitchen Table

Those that use vinegar in the wash

17 years ago

I have a dumb question. Do you put it in the rinse cycle or when you start the wash in the clothes with the detergent?

I was reading on the other thread about it taking body odor smells out of clothes. Alex's clothes lately have a funky smell even after washing so I thought it would help.

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Comments (16)

pattico_gw
17 years ago
I think amonia works better. I use amonia with lemon scent, and I put it in the wash cycle.

patti
tami_ohio
17 years ago
Kath, when I use it, I put it in a Downey ball when I start the load. I can't use it in the summer, as it seems to react with DH's sweat when he wears a shirt it was used on. For funky smelling clothes, I use 20 Mule Team Borax.

Tami
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When I used a homemade laundry soap mixtures in the past (I've used it longer than the Duggers have been around - off and on since the 1980's - and in one episode of the Duggers I noticed giant bottles of TIDE in use..... I guess that episode was brought to us by TIDE - LOL). I also used vinegar in each rinse to aid in removing the soap residue. Since switching to Charlie's Soap, I only put vinegar in the rinse for kitchen towels and bath towels since they may have soap residue from use and the vinegar rinse would aid in removing any soap left. I probably don't need vinegar at all, but when we got new water hoses for our F/P, I asked if there was anything I could do to help prevent repairs and they said to use vinegar in the rinse. Then he explained what part it would help (but I don't remember now what it was). So I continue to add vinegar to those two loads. I never use fabric softeners - sheets or liquids. Even dried on a line our clothes and towels are soft. Just an FYI moment concerning using the homemade mixtures (bar soap, washing soda, borax, etc...). Soap WILL build-up on your clothes after a period of time, especially if you have hard water. This build-up will cause fabric to deteriorate. Homemade soap mixtures don't work effectively in cold water (detergent manufacturers and care labels define cold water as 80-85Â°F - our cold water from the tap is currantly 62Â°F). Whites will start to look gray. -Grainlady
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What is it with vinegar?!?! I am so tired of hearing/reading people recommend vinegar as a cleaner or part of a solution that cannot possibly work effectively (as already pointed out in this thread). Detergents are carefully formulated with a pH exactly suited to their purpose. Higher pH for stronger cleaning, more neutral in dish detergent so as to not irritate skin, etc. If you read the ingredients in a well-formulated detergent like Tide, there are several ingredients to adjust and balance pH, including citric acid. Adding vinegar will destroy that careful balance and reduce the cleaning power of a product formulated by chemists. Do people really think that something like Tide would clean better if it only contained more of some cheap, common ingredient (vinegar, borax, baking soda, you name it)? Vinegar also smells unpleasant, and strong acids can corrode many metals. Yes, vinegar (or any other acid) can dissolve mineral deposits from hard water, but anything that can dissolve the calcium is also very harsh. Think about what it could do to your plumbing or any metal parts it comes in contact with. I have tested vinegar as a rinse agent, and it doesn't help. It doesn't soften fabrics, and it doesn't rinse them more effectively. Fabric softener DOES help, because it reduces the surface tension of water.
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You are probably fine using the baking soda/vinegar at this point. Here's the thing: Bathroom sinks get nasty glopps of soap, hair, shaving stuff, tooth paste, etc. + probably some growing stuff. Nasty, to be sure. A big part of the problem is that there often isn't enough water to wash it all the way down the drain. Remove the stopper if you can. Block the drain and fill the sink full with warm, soapy water. Open the drain and plunge it with a sink plunger while keeping the overflow blocked with a damp rag. That should remove most of the nasty stuff that's clogging the pipes. Repeat until you have a fast running drain again.
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Heinz doesn't make anything called "Pickling Vinegar" and neither do any of the other reputable brands. Allen's Brand isn't quite so clear about what its ingredients are, its distilling process is, or its % of stabilization so is on the 'iffy' to use list. Some sources list its acidity as 5% and some as 7% and some sites list it as having a petroleum-based distilling process (not recommended). Vinegar comes in 2 forms - white or cider (the brown) and are labeled as such. Both are distilled, are interchangeable in recipes, and both are stabilized at 5% acidity (which is the important point). The only difference in white and cider is the taste and the color. But there are some off-brands of vinegar out there and Allen's is one of them with the label "pickling" on them. If they are labeled as 5% acidity, fine. If unlabeled as such or show a lower level of % acidity then you shouldn't use them. If labeled as 7% you can use it but must keep the same measurements called for in the recipe and the taste will be changed substantially. If you reduce it it is a do at your own risk issue because its stabilization method is questionable. Personally I would return it and exchange it for Heinz. Dave
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susan_on
17 years ago
I put it in the rinse cycle.
dilly_dally
17 years ago
I stopped buying 100â synthetics because of the problem with it holding underarm odor. Of course sometimes I see a top I just love and buy it anyway because I can't resist. I pour the vinegar straight onto the fabric in the "problem area". Vinegar won't harm fabrics like bleach.
glenda_al
17 years ago
I like ammonia in the wash cycle.
orie
17 years ago
I've never used vinegar in the laundry... wouldn't it eventually (even a small amt.), kinda 'eat' away at your fabrics??
scottymam
17 years ago
orie,
vinegar would be less harmful to your clothing than bleach or ammonia (which to me smells like urine, as its the same stuff). DD has a uriostomy which sometimes leaks, I put the vinegar in at the start of the load with the soap. Cuts any lingering odor from what may have soaked into the clothes.

Ellie
orie
17 years ago
Yes, you are right about the bleach/ammonia smell and urine. Sorry about your DD, Ellie. I actually hardly ever use bleach. I do soak my clothes, though, sometimes for 2 hrs., and then wash. Depends on how dirty they are. Usually not very dirty unless it's my DD's soccer stuff.
hayjud_mn
17 years ago
Kath,
I would put it in the rinse cycle, because one of it's benefits is removing detergent residue. In that case I think it would work against the cleaning agent.

I have used it for years and always put it in the softener despenser of my machine.

When I have BO left in those synthetics I spray the affected area with a bottle I keep for that purpose. It is a small portion of Odo-Ban (from Sam's) mixed with water. It takes care of it.
linda_in_iowa
17 years ago
I put the white vinegar in the softener dispenser. It removes the detergent residue. I never use bleach in my washer and never use fabric softener.
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
17 years ago
Ok, thanks, going to try some in the next load of towels I have to do, will throw in a couple of Alex's clothes too.
iowagirl2006
17 years ago
I worry so about someone combining bleach and ammonia. That is deadly. I never keep ammonia near my wash room any more. My kids do some of the laundry, and I don't want that kind of accident. Wouldn't be a problem if it was just me in the house though.

I do use borax - it does a great on stinky clothes. Under Armour - whew! Now that stuff gets stinky!! 20 Mule Team does a great job. It helps my detergent do a better job also. I use about half the amount of detergent as they say to use.
Terri_PacNW
17 years ago
I use Borax and vinegar.

And yes Amonia and Bleach are deadly, we lost a classmate about 1 month before our 20 yr reunion..she was cleaning her bathroom...and didn't get one of the products rinsed well before using the other.. was feeling bad..went out of the bathroom..called her mom to tell her she suddenly wasn't feeling well...removing herself from the bathroom helped..she began to feel fine..went back in to finish..never putting it together..by the time her mom came over to check on her..she was gone...in like 30 minutes!!
Linda Wayman
17 years ago
I put vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser at the beginning of the wash. It will go into the water at the right time.

Linda
Pieonear
17 years ago
I use vinegar in the softner dispenser too.
JennaVaNowSC
17 years ago
I use white vinegar in the softener dispenser also

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