Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



Active Topics || Favorites || Member List || Search || About Us || Help || Register || Login
Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
 4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Subject Topic: I need laundry detergent recommendations Post ReplyPost New Topic
Author
Message << Prev Topic | Next Topic >>
pumpkinmom
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: March 28 2012
Location: Missouri
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1028
Posted: Jan 26 2015 at 6:40pm | IP Logged Quote pumpkinmom

I have Boy Scouts and when they come home from a camp out everything stinks like camp fire. I have a sensitive nose and I'm greatly bothered by that smell. Laundry starts as soon as they walk in the door! But, I have yet to find a detergent that can get rid of that smell.

I normally use unscented detergents (usually Target brand and occasionally All if it is on sale for an awesome price, I like Target better but can't resist a good sale). Even though I think they do a fine job of cleaning they can't do anything about the smell.

Everything else I have used is really smelly and then I get the smelly detergent and camp fire smell all in one! So far that has been Gain and Tide Sport.

I had a few people tell me to use vinegar and that didn't work either.

Any other recommendations?

__________________
Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
Back to Top View pumpkinmom's Profile Search for other posts by pumpkinmom
 
guitarnan
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10883
Posted: Jan 26 2015 at 6:46pm | IP Logged Quote guitarnan

We use Wisk. I have an Eagle Scout (well, both father and son are Eagles) and I have done my fair share of gross campout laundry. I can't recall a single time that I washed my son's clothing/uniform/towels and noticed a campfire smell afterward.

__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
Back to Top View guitarnan's Profile Search for other posts by guitarnan Visit guitarnan's Homepage
 
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
Posted: Jan 26 2015 at 7:04pm | IP Logged Quote JodieLyn

Just remember that smoke is GREASY and so you need a good degreaser. The absolute worst is my dh's work clothes when they're doing control burning. Mix of smoke and diesel/gas mix.    I finally found that Pinesol while strong smelling itself gets out the smoke.

Most campfires don't need that much though.

__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4

All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
Back to Top View JodieLyn's Profile Search for other posts by JodieLyn
 
cathhomeschool
Board Moderator
Board Moderator
Avatar
Texas Bluebonnets

Joined: Jan 26 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7303
Posted: Jan 26 2015 at 10:28pm | IP Logged Quote cathhomeschool

We don't have smoke smells, but really awful sweat smells after intense summer soccer games. Somehow smells just stick to that "under armor" type exercise fabric. The only things that work are oxiclean or a little bit of bleach (I mix with water so that it doesn't leave spots on the clothing) along with the detergent -or- pinesol.

__________________
Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
Back to Top View cathhomeschool's Profile Search for other posts by cathhomeschool
 
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
Posted: Jan 26 2015 at 10:46pm | IP Logged Quote JodieLyn

So interesting side note.. because we do reenacting we have wool capes and coats that get worn around campfires.. they lose smoke smell just by airing on the clothesline for about 24 hrs.

__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4

All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
Back to Top View JodieLyn's Profile Search for other posts by JodieLyn
 
organiclilac
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: March 30 2006
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 640
Posted: Jan 27 2015 at 11:24am | IP Logged Quote organiclilac

I use BioKleen for the campfire smell, plus a vinegar rinse. That usually does it. Anything that still smells a little smokey afterward usually airs out pretty quickly.

__________________
Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
Back to Top View organiclilac's Profile Search for other posts by organiclilac
 
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
Posted: Jan 27 2015 at 11:40am | IP Logged Quote CrunchyMom

I use an unscented detergent, too (Charlie's Soap), but with smelly things, I usually add an oxygen bleach that takes care of the smell.

For grease stains, I use Lestoil, so if grease is an issue like Jodie says, I imagine it would help. Dh's mother used to use it on his mechanic father's work clothes.

__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony

[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
Back to Top View CrunchyMom's Profile Search for other posts by CrunchyMom
 
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
Posted: Jan 30 2015 at 6:52am | IP Logged Quote Becky Parker

Has anyone tried making your own laundry detergent? My friend swears by a recipe that calls for a
Fels-Naptha soap bar, Arm & Hammer Washing Soda, and Borax. I keep meaning to try it but I haven't yet because it seems a bit labor intensive. It would save an awful lot of money though!

__________________
Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
Back to Top View Becky Parker's Profile Search for other posts by Becky Parker
 
cathhomeschool
Board Moderator
Board Moderator
Avatar
Texas Bluebonnets

Joined: Jan 26 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7303
Posted: Jan 30 2015 at 9:30am | IP Logged Quote cathhomeschool

I haven't, but I do sometimes add borax to my laundry to act as a stain and smell remover.

__________________
Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
Back to Top View cathhomeschool's Profile Search for other posts by cathhomeschool
 
organiclilac
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: March 30 2006
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 640
Posted: Jan 30 2015 at 11:59am | IP Logged Quote organiclilac

I did the homemade recipe for several years. It was ok. I didn't think it was noticeably better or worse than anything else. I didn't find it too labor-intensive, as I was able to fairly quickly mix up a huge batch in a big bucket that would last for a long time. I switched to BioKleen when I had a baby and needed something better for diapers. I think that the BioKleen works better, but not by a huge margin. It probably depends on your water.

__________________
Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
Back to Top View organiclilac's Profile Search for other posts by organiclilac
 
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
Posted: Jan 30 2015 at 12:01pm | IP Logged Quote JodieLyn

I'm not convinced that the homemade recipes would save that much money. By the time I get the borax and washing soda and fels naptha (though I have a friend that uses homemade soap).. and I buy the generic on sale.

Plus I'm almost sure what makes the best laundry soap will depend as much on the water where you are as the soap.

When we were in Tucson AZ, mixing laundry soap half and half with borax worked amazingly, here in Oregon, I don't really see a difference by doing so.

__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4

All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
Back to Top View JodieLyn's Profile Search for other posts by JodieLyn
 
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
Posted: Jan 30 2015 at 4:55pm | IP Logged Quote Becky Parker

JodieLyn wrote:

Plus I'm almost sure what makes the best laundry soap will depend as much on the water where you are as the soap.

When we were in Tucson AZ, mixing laundry soap half and half with borax worked amazingly, here in Oregon, I don't really see a difference by doing so.


This is interesting. We have very hard water.

__________________
Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
Back to Top View Becky Parker's Profile Search for other posts by Becky Parker
 
Kristie 4
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: June 20 2006
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1508
Posted: Jan 30 2015 at 5:22pm | IP Logged Quote Kristie 4

I found the homemade stuff built up in my front loader and made it smell horrible (and I am an adamant door leaver opener!). I don't think it ever dissolved well enough in our very chilly winter water (even on warm!)>

__________________
Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!

A Walk in the Woods

Back to Top View Kristie 4's Profile Search for other posts by Kristie 4 Visit Kristie 4's Homepage
 
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
Posted: Jan 30 2015 at 5:31pm | IP Logged Quote JodieLyn

I feel your pain Kristie.. here in the winter my warm water setting on the washer really only means.. warmer than liquid icicles.. it doesn't mean actually being warm water.

__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4

All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
Back to Top View JodieLyn's Profile Search for other posts by JodieLyn
 
pumpkinmom
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: March 28 2012
Location: Missouri
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1028
Posted: Jan 30 2015 at 10:01pm | IP Logged Quote pumpkinmom

Thanks everyone! I think I will purchase Wisk next time to give it a try. I may get some Borax too. If I get desperate I will go for some Pinesol but that's highly unlikely as the smell makes me gag (I'll take the smoke smell).

My mom makes her own laundry detergent and she buys detergent to use on my dad's laundry (he works in construction) as it doesn't get out the stains and smells. I don't make my own as I don't see it as a money saver but I might think differently if I had a larger family. Target brand does just as good as Tide and it cost $7 and last me 6 weeks.

__________________
Cassie
Homeschooling my little patch of Ds-14 and Ds-10
Tending the Pumpkin Patch
Back to Top View pumpkinmom's Profile Search for other posts by pumpkinmom
 

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login
If you are not already registered you must first register

  [Add this topic to My Favorites] Post ReplyPost New Topic
Printable version Printable version

Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Hosting and Support provided by theNetSmith.com