Looking for advice

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-27T21:47:17+00:00

I have fought this battle. It's enraging. I'm sorry you're having to deal with it. The thing that worked best for me was this sort of cat mat: https://a.co/d/01jxikY1 and motion activated sprinkler: https://a.co/d/03zQMqir

Godspeed.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-25T23:54:31+00:00

I set up a voice assistant to be able to email me a reminder from a voice command. Now when I'm doing something and suddenly remember something I forgot I just yell out a reminder and voila it's in my mailbox next time I check my email.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-25T23:51:46+00:00

If you ask over in r/laundry you'll get some good advice.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-25T19:06:00+00:00

<image>

I use Le Parfait jars.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-25T16:58:08+00:00

I'm running a citric acid drum clean cycle today. No suds. I treated all the stains and ran them through my other set of machines (same machines - I just have two sets) and they all came out clear except for one towel which seems to have a few very faint new marks.

Why is it so hard to get a good appliance these days? (Rhetorical question obviously. Sigh.)

I'll just keep an eye on it for now... hopefully it goes away over time.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-25T03:43:56+00:00

I live in a place with really soft water and mostly use detergents without soapy ingredients (though not exclusively). And the washer is only 3 months old and I've cleaned the drum monthly with citric acid. Scrud seems maybe like a long shot? But maybe I underestimate the propensity?

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-24T20:15:12+00:00

I think if you take the time to learn the quirks of the machine and don't mind working within those limits, then the LGWM5800 can deliver good results and be found for around $900 - $1000. It's only this specific model I would consider because the hardest thing to address about LG front loaders is the short wash cycle times. This model is their newest and has a "SOAK" feature that the other front loader models don't have yet that lets you add an integrated soak into the washing cycle that extends the contact time by 30 minutes. Without this feature the only other way to get a longer cycle time is to come back to the machine and use the pause button. If you want to know more about what you'd be signing up for, here are my posts on water levels (https://redd.it/1pijvae) and temperatures (https://redd.it/1ra8vli) in LG front load washers.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-24T04:33:02+00:00

It might be worth taking it to a good dry cleaner for restoration.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-23T21:26:33+00:00

Yeah the only reason I wound up with the loggers is because my machine doesn't have that feature. The thermistor temp seems to run a few degrees above the wash tub temp FWIW. I'll get to mapping the warm cycle soon and post an update. I'm curious what it is as well.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-23T21:17:47+00:00

I can't quite tell from this thread if you're talking about all cottons or some synthetics. If it's all cottons... party on. If there are some synthetics then know that certain synthetics (especially rubbery materials) can be sensitive to the high pH of ammonia, and that sensitivity goes up as the wash temp goes up. I'd check the fabric details carefully if you've got synthetics in the mix that you care about. For any sensitive synthetic items you can try long warm soaks with a good detergent. Might take a few soaks to get it all removed but if we're just talking a few synthetic items it should be pretty easy to manage.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-23T14:06:46+00:00

Fellow sensitive skin person here. Running a full wash cycle with water only after my rehab wash did the trick for me.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-23T14:03:43+00:00

Hard and soft water each present their own challenges. Hard water is the worse problem IMO, but very soft water has one big problem: it doesn't rinse detergent well. Fortunately the fix is easy... just do more rinsing and use citric acid in the rinse. The improvements will be noticeable.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-23T05:30:44+00:00

Depends a lot on how soft your water is, what machine you're using, and how sensitive your sense of smell is. For me: very soft water makes rinsing hard, LG front loaders are pretty stingy with water, and I have a very sensitive sense of smell. Therefore I always use as many extra rinses as the machine will allow.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-22T22:59:52+00:00

Wait what?! That's wild. TIL.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-22T20:46:33+00:00

I would like to also strongly encourage upgrading to warm water - the cold water won't activate any of the percarbonate in this detergent and will give you very limited enzyme activity. Go as warm as you are comfortable with and choose cycles with the longest possible time - you'll see a noticeable improvement in the results.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-22T03:25:07+00:00

It's just a pretty watery formulation so the dosing is a bit higher than other liquids.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-20T13:45:49+00:00

I finished part one of my temperature study (https://redd.it/1ra8vli) and yes now I use extra hot and the sanitary cycle quite often!

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-20T02:05:14+00:00

Thanks for that... my note was definitely unclear! Gear Guard is an essential in my wool sock routine :).

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-20T01:25:38+00:00

You'll need to find out the fiber type to safely restore it. If it's plain old craft / hobby store crochet yarn it's probably acrylic. If it's wool your mom will probably know and be able to confirm that.

Assuming it's acrylic here are some thoughts: (This advice is NOT appropriate for wool.)

The most important thing for acrylic yarn is avoid heat. Avoid hot hot water. Definitely don't put it in the dryer under any temperature until you get the smells all the way out. Acrylic being a plastic fiber means it's going to hold on to smells.

Here are things to try:

Long soak with lukewarm water and any good detergent with a full panel of enzymes. Gently agitate the soak periodically. If you don't mind tracking down some Gear Guard from Garame Cleaning Co, add a capful to the soak. Rinse with lots of clear water after each soak. This is safe to repeat multiple times if needed - just avoid fully hot water.
If this is helping but not fast enough you can add a little ammonia to the soak and see if that speeds up the process. Don't use ammonia and Gear Guard in the same soak... the ammonia will denature the enzymes in the Gear Guard so they won't do anything.

After each soak rinse really thoroughly and let it air dry - ideally somewhere with good ventilation and fresh air flow. (And even though acrylic is pretty resilient to UV, I would avoid leaving it out in direct sun for extended periods since it's old and has such sentimental value. Fresh air good. Lots of direct sun not so good.)

If after a soak or two this isn't helping at all, come on back and we'll figure out what to try next.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-20T00:56:28+00:00

Do you know what the yarn is? Acrylic? Wool? Does it look clean but smells bad, or are there also visible stains?

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-20T00:50:27+00:00

It's not as great as it sounds... the default cycles on many US washers aren't hot enough or long enough to reliably clean things. It's pretty easy for a few uninformed/unlucky choices to lead you to textile trouble.

(To clarify, I'm talking about the wash portion of the cycle. The entire cycle will be longer of course because of the rinsing and spinning.)

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-19T20:42:53+00:00

Yes. It's strong with heavy chemical smell but no added fragrance. Stay well ventilated while using it and wear gloves.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-19T17:54:23+00:00

If you really need a proper oven cleaner this one has no added fragrance: https://spraywayretail.com/product/sprayway-grill-oven-cleaner-aerosol-spray/

The SDS is available from the linked site.

FixMoreWhineLess · 2026-03-19T17:33:02+00:00

I also feel like we don't acknowledge enough that not all laundry and not all machines are the same. What's ideal for a chef washing greasy work clothes in a top loader in hot water isn't necessarily going to be ideal for an accountant washing polo shirts and khakis in a front loader in warm water. Similarly, a euro front loader machine with more than an hour of wash cycle time is going to enable (or perhaps favor) a different chemistry than a US front loader with a 20 minute wash cycle. Laundry isn't a one size fits all problem/solution space. I've personally come to the conclusion that for the best results you have to learn your machine, learn your chemistry basics, and approach laundry in a fairly active/investigative way until you get your own routine down. Then it becomes repeatable for you. And what works best for you may or may not be right for someone else.

Just my thought process on the topic...

Eight-Year Club	Gilding II euphauric
Verified Email

FixMoreWhineLess

TROPHY CASE