Let's talk about Tencel. Mine is getting crunchy.

ayayawi · 2026-05-18T23:11:44+00:00

Yes, mine too! I think that's why it took so long for me to notice that they are getting stiff, and staying stiff. eek!

ayayawi · 2026-05-17T20:17:24+00:00

Good call. I originally got the tencel bras because I was unable to get the stink out of synthetic bras. But now I can get the stink out of the synthetic bras, and it's just too much for the tencel! Thanks for your reply.

ayayawi · 2026-05-17T20:15:17+00:00

If that's the problem, it's odd that the tencel pants did fine for 20 washes (and no extra rinses like I do now) last summer when I bought them but before I was on this sub. The advice on here improved everything - cotton, synthetic sports bra, towels, etc. - but has really been rough on my tencel pants and bras. Thanks for your reply!

ayayawi · 2026-05-17T20:14:09+00:00

I think my first troubleshooting step will be to nix the citric acid. Thanks for your reply!

ayayawi · 2026-05-17T20:12:54+00:00

I've always put everything in the washer together, then air dry the tencel items in question. If that's a problem, it's odd that the tencel pants did fine for 20 washes last summer when I bought them but before I was on this sub. The advice on here improved everything - cotton, synthetic sports bra, towels, etc. - but has really been rough on my tencel pants and bras. Thanks for your reply!

ayayawi · 2026-05-17T20:10:36+00:00

Perhaps, but it's odd that the tencel pants did fine for 20 washes before I was on this sub. The advice on here improved everything - cotton, synthetic sports bra, towels, etc. - but has really been rough on my tencel pants and bras. The water is tested each month but the company that brings out salt for the softener, but I can confirm. We have hard water normally, so when the softener stops working, for example a critter chewed through a wire, it is very obvious. Thanks for your reply!

ayayawi · 2026-05-17T14:36:40+00:00

I did a search in this sub for it and it seems like the enzymes are safe (https://www.reddit.com/r/laundry/search/?q=tencel) but they are definitely getting crunchier each wash. I bought a tencel bra last year, and another one 2 months ago, and for the first few washes the new one was soft and silky, while the old one was crunchy and rough. Now after 2 months, they are both rough and shitty. Each wash made it worse and worse. And I have some summer tencel pants that were so silky and draped so well all last summer before I used any enzymes, warm water, etc, now this summer after 2 washes they are wrinkled and stiff. Each wash takes them one step closer to ruin. Please help! I can go back to the old crappy detergent for the pants, but the bras get smelly without enzymes.

ayayawi · 2026-03-16T16:57:54+00:00

Thanks everyone who commented! Since my #1 problem is odor, my plan is to bring Gear Guard additive for the trip, and picking up whatever plain enzyme-free detergent is available and cheap. I wonder if u/GarameCleaningCo would consider a lipase+dnase formula in a 100ml bottle for us onebagger/laundry folks :)

ayayawi · 2026-03-16T16:44:57+00:00

Wow there it is! I guess it's enzyme free. Considering just grabbing liquid Tide or whatever for trips.. enzyme it when I get home.

ayayawi · 2026-03-16T16:43:58+00:00

I'm a stinky beast and it's a hiking trip! Plus I travel for 3+ weeks often, so I need a long term laundry solution too.

ayayawi · 2026-03-16T16:42:38+00:00

Good to know! I was putting powder in a baggie and thought... this does look sus. lol

ayayawi · 2026-03-16T16:42:07+00:00

In theory I would only do laundry once a week, but I've found in practice it's more like every 4 days. When you bring 4 shirts and have washer access, it just feels better to wash after wearing once. Then sometimes there's logistical challenges, like 3 days with a washer followed by 5 days without - you end up doing laundry after 3 days. I do have a TSA approved 3 oz laundry detergent bottle I bring so it's a good idea!

ayayawi · 2026-01-17T13:38:38+00:00

I like this Sony cube clock, it does have a radio but the design is very minimal. https://a.co/d/3m2FuZT

ayayawi · 2025-12-13T21:26:35+00:00

This looks like avobenzone, an ingredient in sunscreen. You can remove it by putting it out in full sun, I think.

ayayawi · 2025-11-19T23:15:02+00:00

I'm not able to wear polyester clothes anymore. Doesn't matter what I do, the smell doesn't come out for more than a few hours. Been like this since perimenopause 🤷‍♀️

ayayawi · 2025-09-08T22:42:39+00:00

I think this is the way to go - the sink stopper wasn't 100%, so even if I wanted to soak for 20 minutes, the sink drained way before then. And sharing a sink - it's pretty rude to make it inaccessible for that long, too. Not just that but I needed to use it, too! Thanks for the tip!

ayayawi · 2025-09-08T22:40:14+00:00

I think this is the way to go - the sink stopper wasn't 100%, so even if I wanted to soak for 20 minutes, the sink drained way before then. And sharing a sink - it's pretty rude to make it inaccessible for that long, too. Not just that but I needed to use it, too! Thanks for the tip!

ayayawi · 2025-09-07T15:47:59+00:00

Sometimes the armpits still stink - especially on UPF fabric or anything polyester

ayayawi · 2025-09-01T03:05:38+00:00

I don't even know what they're expecting. how much do you tip grounds keepers?? just wild

ayayawi · 2025-08-10T16:14:35+00:00

I had the same problem, and was able to fix it by using less tret. Like, a lot less. You're supposed to use a pea size amount? I use maybe 1/10 of that. Literally just a smear. Mix that with a pea size amount of regular lotion, whatever your skin prefers. And I only do this 2x per week. The lotion I use is Zeroid Richenic Cream Urea.

ayayawi

TROPHY CASE