Yes! We dry our towels extra long to ensure they're not damp, but they still have a smell. White vinegar helps, but I don't remember our towels smelling when I was a kid.
Might have something to do with "detergents" we have these days...and "washing" machines running "eco-friendly" not-so-hot cycles in barely wet water volumes.
In my "washer" I have to run towels and washcloths on "sanitize" setting plus steam w/ extra hot rinse to get them to feel and smell fresh (not masked by disgusting toxic perfumes). This is a 2 hour and 40 minute total cycle, just to wash one load (not yet dried). Wasn't that way in the 80s. Detergents and washing machines use to be effective AND quick. Not so much, now. Same with "dishwashers," which are basically a complete waste of space. It's all mostly a detergent problem, I think.
20 Mile Team Borax for our laundry and use my Grandmother's 35 year old Maytag washer & dryer...never breaks, only had to replace a dryer belt. I would never buy any of the newer ones
This lady is spot on! I hate living in a disposable society. Things used to be made to last and repairs shops were common. Quality over cheap goods is the way.
It is a detergent problem. The EPA outlawed Tri-Sodium-Phosphate in laundry and dish detergent about 15 years ago. The EPA alleged that the phosphate was fertilizing algae in lakes and ponds and causing too much algae, which depleted oxygen in the water, which allegedly killed the poor little fishies living there.
Good news is that tri-sodium-phosphate is widely available, and cheap, and small quantities can typically be added to laundry (follow all official instructions) for better cleaning. I don't know anything about the viability for dish use however.
Yes! We dry our towels extra long to ensure they're not damp, but they still have a smell. White vinegar helps, but I don't remember our towels smelling when I was a kid.
Might have something to do with "detergents" we have these days...and "washing" machines running "eco-friendly" not-so-hot cycles in barely wet water volumes. In my "washer" I have to run towels and washcloths on "sanitize" setting plus steam w/ extra hot rinse to get them to feel and smell fresh (not masked by disgusting toxic perfumes). This is a 2 hour and 40 minute total cycle, just to wash one load (not yet dried). Wasn't that way in the 80s. Detergents and washing machines use to be effective AND quick. Not so much, now. Same with "dishwashers," which are basically a complete waste of space. It's all mostly a detergent problem, I think.
20 Mile Team Borax for our laundry and use my Grandmother's 35 year old Maytag washer & dryer...never breaks, only had to replace a dryer belt. I would never buy any of the newer ones
This lady is spot on! I hate living in a disposable society. Things used to be made to last and repairs shops were common. Quality over cheap goods is the way.
It is a detergent problem. The EPA outlawed Tri-Sodium-Phosphate in laundry and dish detergent about 15 years ago. The EPA alleged that the phosphate was fertilizing algae in lakes and ponds and causing too much algae, which depleted oxygen in the water, which allegedly killed the poor little fishies living there.
Good news is that tri-sodium-phosphate is widely available, and cheap, and small quantities can typically be added to laundry (follow all official instructions) for better cleaning. I don't know anything about the viability for dish use however.
Gotta make your own laundry detergent these days. It's easy and cheap. Give it a try.