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clean laundry

14 years ago

Hi Everyone!

I have just a thought about doing laundry....Does anyone besides myself remember seeing old women in housecoats etc hanging their laundry on the line early in the morning? It was as clean as can be and I am sure they didn't worry about detergents, washers, dryers, etc. They probably had just one brand it lasts them for over 20 yrs. I do like everything the new washers and dryers do but really do they get clothing or anything else more clean than the very old detergents and washers did?

Just wondering...

Sharon :)

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Comments (5)

jdenyer232
14 years ago
Detergents went downhill in effectiveness when they removed phosphates from them, especially for those with hard water. Chemists are still looking for a substitute for phosphates that works as well. Soon phosphates will be gone from dishwasher detergents as well. Should prove interesting.
twebbz
14 years ago
HA! That was my mom! She had a wringer washer and used INSTANT FELS laundry detergent and liquid bleach. Also used stuff called blueing on her whites...a couple drops in the rinse water. No fabiric softener. No dryer for her, just the clothes line in the basement or outside depending on the weather.
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sharon620
Original Author
14 years ago
thank you to both of you. That information is so interesting. A friend of mine who is a very old fashioned yet young beautiful italian woman is a fanatic about her wash. Her wash was out on the line by 8 am everyday depending on the weather. Yet she continued to ask me all the time how I get my socks so white.
I would love to try and find these old detergents but I think with todays washers they wouldn't preform just the same.
Thank you for the information.
sharon620
Original Author
14 years ago
thank you to both of you. That information is so interesting. A friend of mine who is a very old fashioned yet young beautiful italian woman is a fanatic about her wash. Her wash was out on the line by 8 am everyday depending on the weather. Yet she continued to ask me all the time how I get my socks so white.
I would love to try and find these old detergents but I think with todays washers they wouldn't preform just the same.
Thank you for the information.
happymomof2kids
14 years ago
Well, I remember Grandma and mom used ammonia and bleach (not together) on anything that required it. Grandma was the era of soap flakes and bar soap. Mom swore by Tide Powder. She still does but I take care of her now and I am allergic to the Tide HE Powder and they do not make the Free Powder for HE, so I use Charlies, oxi bleach and the sun to get my whites bright. I sometimes will use lemon juice as a bleach for whites in my FL bleach dispenser. I also use Vinegar in the rinse as fab softener.

I have to agree though. Detergents were much better when they had phosphates in them. It's a shame that big companies had to do all that dumping and ruin it for the average consumer.

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