toSort or Not to Sort......laundry Quandry

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Discussion Overview

This thread explores various approaches to laundry sorting among participants, with some sharing their personal experiences and methods. The conversation highlights differing opinions on whether sorting laundry is necessary and the potential time savings from not sorting.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, mentions that they have a family of four and are considering not sorting laundry to save time, based on an article they read.
  • Another participant shares their experience of washing all clothes together, except for delicates and dry cleaning, and has not encountered issues with this method.
  • Several users mention using separate bins for different types of laundry to streamline the process, which helps with sorting before washing.
  • One participant notes that they used to sort laundry but found it to be a waste of time and now washes clothes together, with the exception of whites.
  • Another participant expresses concern about color bleeding and shares their experience of still encountering issues even with sorting.
  • One participant highlights the use of Shout Color Catchers as a solution to prevent color bleeding when washing mixed loads.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ on the necessity of sorting laundry, with some participants advocating for it while others share successful experiences of washing clothes together without sorting. No clear consensus emerges on the best approach.

Contextual Notes

Participants' experiences vary based on family size, types of clothing, and personal preferences regarding laundry practices.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants looking for different laundry strategies or those interested in time-saving tips may find the shared experiences relevant.

  • Thread starter
  • #91
Jodi...the article that started this whole thread (never did I realize it would go this far...but it's fun!) said to put 1 c. vinegar in to each "un-sorted" load to keep the whites bright.

I've been putting it in the washer tub with the detergent. I have used it in my last 5 loads and haven't smelled it at all. One gallon of vinegar was $1.67 so I'm putting it in all my loads that have lights mixed with darks. If it softens too....wow, that's just extra :) My husband is allergic to fabric softeners so I just don't bother with them.
 
  • Thread starter
  • #92
KittyCooks said:
DEBI: once I switched from using standard laundry detergents and soaps to using Charlie's Soap (Welcome - Charlie's Soap) my problem with dingy whites ended.

I use the powdered detergent, and I promise you, one tablespoon really does wash an entire load!
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Okay, KittyCooks....I just bought some Charlie's Soap! No tax and no shipping, I figured I'd give it a try.
 
GeorgiaPeach said:
Okay, KittyCooks....I just bought some Charlie's Soap! No tax and no shipping, I figured I'd give it a try.
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did you order from the website? let me know what you think. i'm interested in it, but am scared to change because my DD and i both have very sensitive skin. she actually has excema during the winter months so i have to be careful. we dont use any fabric softeners. they are not good for your skin at all.

i'm trying out the whole vinegar idea right now on my towels... :confused:
 
  • Thread starter
  • #94
ragschef said:
did you order from the website? let me know what you think. i'm interested in it, but am scared to change because my DD and i both have very sensitive skin. she actually has excema during the winter months so i have to be careful. we dont use any fabric softeners. they are not good for your skin at all.

i'm trying out the whole vinegar idea right now on my towels... :confused:
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Yes, I went to the website. They do sell in stores but none are near me. It does cost more than the cheap stuff I usually use but now that my kids are going to be doing their own laundry :D I think they are more likely to accurately scoop one tablespoon of a powder than to pour a liquid to the proper line on the cup! I could envision them going through bottles of liquid faster than we should....thus my cost would rise anyway!

Plus it's "green" so I can do my part for the environment!
 
MY DRYER IS FIXED!!!!! Sorry for yelling but gosh darn I'm happy :)
 
JAE said:
Kitchen towels get washed separate from bathroom towels - both in hot water. I was getting hair on my dishes from the microfiber towels, so I started washing kitchen towels and dishcloths separate from bathroom towels.
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I wash my kitchen towels separately also. I know it's my OCD coming out but I just can't stand using something that will be used on the things I eat off of being with mixed with things that were used on people's bodies!My hubby built me shelves in the bathroom that hold 6 baskets. I have red towels along with other pastel colors so I have 2 loads of towels...darks & lights. I have one basket for jeans, 1 for other dark clothes, 1 for our red/purple/orange clothes (we wear those colors a lot). I keep them separate because reds seem to bleed more than others. My last basket is for whites & pastels that aren't towels & underwear. I guess technically I have 7 baskets but the 7th is in the kitchen for kitchen towels. To me it's not a big deal to sort because people just take their clothes off & put them in the correct basket. I wrote on the edges of the baskets what goes in them so people don't have any excuse on why it isn't sorted!!Has anyone ever used 20 Mule Team Borax? We've had a problem with odors on clothes regardless of what we used & I just started using it. It seems to be taking care of the odor problem! I have to be careful of what we use because scented products cause respiratory problems for me and it's not affecting that either!! Plus because it's an "old" product & isn't marketed heavily, it's pretty cheap!
 
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I will have three kids here in a few weeks. I will be using Morfia's tips! (Thanks!) I also wanted to throw out there that I use mesh bags for all the socks! I also use another one for bibs that way the velcro doesn't get stuck on other clothes and snag!
 
wadesgirl said:
I want to know if anyone irons their socks?! I've heard of people ironing sheets before! Sounds like someone has a little too much time on their hands. I just did laundry today when I thought of this thread and threw all the shirts into the washer (yes, the black ones, and the red ones and the pink ones, and the white ones and the yellow ones - all together!).
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No, but my mom claims that her first husband insisted she iron his underwear.... and she did for she was taught to not question her husband (she was taught not to question anything but still did *giggle*) but eventually... well, he's her ex for many more reasons than that but needless to say, she no longer irons anything that doesn't need it and my dad knows how to handle an iron himself now too. LOL...
 
  • Thread starter
  • #99
lkprescott said:
No, but my mom claims that her first husband insisted she iron his underwear.... and she did for she was taught to not question her husband (she was taught not to question anything but still did *giggle*) but eventually... well, he's her ex for many more reasons than that but needless to say, she no longer irons anything that doesn't need it and my dad knows how to handle an iron himself now too. LOL...
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Well, if my husband INSISTED that I iron his underwear, I would....then rub them with poison ivy or sprinkle with itching powder...but that's just me :D
 
GeorgiaPeach said:
Well, if my husband INSISTED that I iron his underwear, I would....then rub them with poison ivy or sprinkle with itching powder...but that's just me :D
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LOL... she was a young wife who wanted to please... just as she wanted to please her parents... she ended up realizing though that was going to be impossible on both points and started making different choices for herself. Oh and believe me, after what her ex pulled he'da deserved poison ivy in the shorts. LOL...
 
  • Thread starter
  • #101
lkprescott said:
LOL... she was a young wife who wanted to please... just as she wanted to please her parents... she ended up realizing though that was going to be impossible on both points and started making different choices for herself. Oh and believe me, after what her ex pulled he'da deserved poison ivy in the shorts. LOL...
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Maybe she should have done all his laundry as a going away present....and used a secret ingredient :)
 
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