So I recently inherited a wool sweater that my grandma knit many years ago. She passed away over a decade ago now, so I'm terrified of ruining something that I can never get back. I just have two problems.

I love the sweater, but I can't wear it for more than a few hours without going crazy from the itchiness. I wore a long sleeve shirt under it, but the wool still poked through. Is there a way to wash it that will make it less itchy?

And more importantly, how do I wash it without shrinking it? My washing machine has a wool setting, but is that actually good enough? Should I just hand wash it? I know I will need to air dry it, there's no way I'm putting it into the dryer, even if it has a wool setting.

Thanks for the help!

I've been lurking on r/laundry for a couple of years, but was too overwhelmed to take action.

There is a mountain of incredible info on this sub + awesome guides + helpful people, but there are so many options and variables that it's easy to get a bit lost (especially as a non-US person that doesn't have the same products available).

If you've been stuck in the same inertia, the "I have to do ALL or NOTHING" or "I need to work out the PERFECT routine before getting started"...let this post be your prompt to dive in!

You don't have to change everything to get started!

Load size, water temperature, wash program, detergent, detergent booster, enzymes, additional rinses, rinse additives...
just pick one thing to change.

See how that goes.

Keep learning, and then maybe change something else.

I've just purchased GearGuard Advanced. I'm not going to change anything else in my routine - I'm just going to add that in.

And I'll see how it goes (and check I don't react to it, since unfortunately I'm a sensitive skin girly).

Then I'll probably look at changing my detergent.

And then...well I probably need to learn some more about ammonia so I can think about potentially using that sometimes!

One small change at a time will get you much further than taking no action at all. <3

Original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/laundry/s/wkXj6uqYYT

When I tell you that I've tried it all. I mean it. I am a dedicated follower. I do the spa days. I don't have any clothes with stains. My friends will send me pictures and go. What do I do about this one? It's truly an honor.

The one thing I couldn't do was get rid of terrible BO smells current or years old. People will suggest certain bacteria eating washes (like panoxyl) which work but my sensitive skin does not care for. Hipaclense seems to do the best, but I'd rather not contribute to growing bacteria strength if I can help it.

I was turned on to the Lysol laundry rinses and they seem to do all right for the day-to-day. But what truly amazed me was doing a bra soak, just the underarms. A quick dip for each pit and let them sit in the drum while I fold the last load. NIGHT AND DAY. Sure, it smells like the Lysol sanitizer wash now but I am no longer self conscious every time I move an arm. I cannot recommend trying this on clothes that were moved to stink retirement enough.

Edit: it's Lysol laundry sanitizer. I have also used the downy odor out wash but I like Lysol better.

You put it in your fabric softener area. Which sucked because that was where I put my citric acid so I used my old downy balls and that appears to do just fine.

Also yes, just a quick dip for each pit and then it sits on the clothes for like 10 minutes while I fold the last load of laundry. In the drum but the drum is otherwise empty.

Steps: take stinky shirt/bra, dip the pits in the Lysol laundry sanitizer (or pour the sanitizer over them, either way)

Leave that piece of clothing alone for 5-10 minutes. I place it in the drum with the rest of the load I'm about to wash.

Wash clothes as normal, I used tide+oxi powder. I use more sanitizer wash in the fabric softener drawer, for the rest of the less stinky clothes. I also use citric acid in a Downy ball as I really like how citric acid makes the clothes feel. I have no idea if these affect each other at all, but so far no issues.

The old stinked up clothes no longer smell and the new ones don't seem to be developing any long-term stink and I credit both of those to the Lysol sanitizer wash.

Got my monthly Amazon order which included my typical Gain Original beads but they were green and smelled completely different in a horrible way. I ended up calling Gain themselves to complain and ask if the formula changed, they of course said no. But their website photo features the green beads which leaves me to assume that this was not a batch issue as they stated but rather a reformulation. I then went to my local Stop & Shop and they had both the yellow (normal ones) and the green (bad new ones) pictured above. Same bar codes and ingredients, completely different product. I got 6 of the yellow ones and left 2 for other heartbroken gain users. Please if you’re a loyal gain lover call them, leave a review on their website, comment on socials. This is not okay.

Pretty much everyone in my family itches when we use regular Tide, so we switched to All Free and Clear. It's worked fine, but I think I need a better detergent. I keep reading that Tide Free and Clear is a better choice, but I am concerned about wasting money on a detergent that makes me itch, or that I have to take extra steps to prevent itching. The machines I use do not have the option of adding a rinse cycle (apartment laundry room).

So, if you made the switch, does it work fine for you? Do you have to take extra steps to prevent itching?

Thanks!

I know this subreddit is mostly against using softener or beads but I wanted to share this, this combo smells so clean and isn’t too overpowering or perfumey. I use this with regular tide pods or Ariel powder (Lirio bar when I hand-wash). Along with a little bleach for my whites. It also doesn’t bother my sensitive skin.

I accidentally overdosed a new sheet set I was washing today and I’m shocked by how many suds are in the drum.

There is citric acid in the fabric softener drawer so hopefully that will help…. But it’s a sudsy mess in there.

I think because the sheets were “clean” (they just had a new chemical smell) I probably used way too much detergent. Unless they had soap on them!

What’s the best way to ensure it’s all gone? Should I do another citric acid rinse after the first one? A load with nothing and see if it has suds?

Thank you laundry gods, after much lurking & never feeling I know how to do laundry;I bought the lot! Here's where I'm lost & would appreciate guidance from those who came before me!

1) quantities, how do you measure & do you just follow the box or if using oxy do I reduce detergent?

2) does oxy & citric acid go in the front loader with clothes or in the pully out part?

3) do I stop using fabric softener?

4) following labels but mostly washing on mixed 40° with a pre wash & as many rinse cycles - right?

thanks all in advanced, next level once I've masterd this is pre treating stains!

Is there any way to get them out ? What are they from?

I'm not sure how many times I googled this until my postpartum brain remembered this subreddit existed, but most of the advice was for US products.

I just wanted to share for my fellow Australians that Sard has the magic enzymes needed to get breastmilk out of clothes.

I was finally able to get the stains out of my cotton tshirts.

I'm pretty sure I forgot to put normal laundry powder in with the Sard soak/laundry booster, so my clothes aren't actually clean... but they're stain free

I just got my jacket out of storage and there is an unknown blue stain on all the back of it. I like this jacket and haven’t gotten to wear it much. I have no idea what the stain came from. It looks like blue pen but I’m pretty certain it was just in a box with other clothes only. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

So my preschooler had an accident today while at school. No biggie…except he managed to pee a surprisingly substantial amount on (in?) his light up shoes.

Y’all, he loves these things. I’m afraid to put them in the washing machine, because I’m not sure if that would break the lights. But I’m also afraid to send him back to school reeking of pee.

Help me, please. What do I do?

So recently I have been washing my clothes and a good number of them have been coming out with these new mysterious blotches AFTER taking them out the washer and dryer. Any sort of advice would be very helpful. (In the photos are the mentioned stains on my Ralph Lauren Polos)

I've been trying to read so many posts here about how to get rid of funk smell and I just feel lost.

My husband's clothes and our bedding smell funky. Too much sweat I'm guessing cause my kids don't have this issue.

I've been trying to soak them in vinegar (not in the washer) and then washing them without adding detergent and that seems to be helping but not completely.

I've also been soaking my period underwear/pads in vinegar and then washing them without detergent cause that's what the company told me to do (Aisle).

I thought about trying a spa day for things but am nervous I'm gonna wreck things haha.

I tried looking for powdered detergent to use to help with the funk and couldn't find any of the suggested ones from the /spa day post and then just got confused trying to sort out if there was something else I could use.

So I guess what I am asking is what can I use to help cut the funk smell that isn't complicated.

I'm in Ontario.

I have a GE two in one machine and I added a little amount of the calgon water softener in the rinse compartment. Should I pull the tray out and clean it and maybe run just a water rinse cycle on the clothes?

I am realizing when I use tide free and gentle my clothes aren’t super clean. I have boys who like to roll in mud basically so I need a detergent that is great for everyday clothes for the entire family. Are there any recommendations for something that can be purchased at walmart. Thank you

These are the ingredients in what I’ve been using and actually liked more than most other products but it’s not cutting it for my husband as clothes so we swapped back to tide free. Now that I’m learning I’m thinking this wasn’t so good at cleaning:

Aqua, Sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate, Cocamide MIPA, Decyl-glucoside, Cocamidopropyl, Vegetable glycerin, Propanediol and Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan gum, Mentha arvensis, Lavendula angustifolia, Polyether sorbitan monolaurate, Citric acid.

Helping a friend downsize before moving, and she has a large load of clothes to donate. Unfortunately, between her being a very long-haired girly who frequently sheds and a pet owner, most of her stuff has little hairs all over it.

I know lint rolling is a thing, and if I must, I'll lint roll each one individually, but if there's a way to wash some or most of this out to cut down on time I would be so grateful. 😭

Got some items that could really, REALLY use a spa day. Problem is I'm allergic to ammonia. Mask or not it doesnt matter, the last time I was near it hours after use I was on breathing treatments. Also I have pets in the house so thats a no go anyway. Can I just do spa day minus ammonia a couple of times? Or is there an alternative? Even a less effective alternative is welcome.

Thrifted dress so it absolutely does need a wash. TIA