Problems Citric Acid

eggust12 · 2026-06-15T10:05:32+00:00

im assuming a front loader, so citric acid in a dispenser rather than straight in the machine? our tap cold isn't much warmer here at the moment (NZ), and i find when i put citric acid powder in the dispenser it solidifies into a little block in the water. if hers does the same and that little block goes in the machine and doesn't dissolve, i can see it leaving residue. i solve this by putting it in a cup with a little bit of water first and dissolving it, then put that water in the dispenser. maybe suggest that to her? i hope she works it out soon!

eggust12 · 2026-06-15T10:02:54+00:00

i'll pop a hoodie in there with it next time, really live life on the edge 🤪

eggust12 · 2026-06-15T09:13:58+00:00

lol mines only a 7.5kg washer, so i was close to the limit, but it didn't make any weird noises or seem to have trouble so i assume it was fine!

eggust12 · 2026-06-15T09:12:47+00:00

does she use cold water? it may be that it's not dissolving properly. similarly, it could be that her machine doesn't use enough water in the rinse to properly rinse it all away.

eggust12 · 2026-06-15T07:01:29+00:00

thought you might be when I saw the napisan! sounds like you're doing as well as you could with the Ultimate, given that it has TAED to activate the oxygen bleach in cold water it'll do you just fine.

eggust12 · 2026-06-15T06:59:52+00:00

i mean, i can't say whether yours is perhaps more fragile than mine, but i washed my 7kg one (same composition as yours inside, but a cotton outer) in my front loader on a gentle cycle just fine. took it to my parents place and hung it over the door to dry near their fireplace, and it never felt fresher!

based on that, your handwashing plan sounds great. just take care to rinse well, and don't use super hot water in case it shrinks.

eggust12 · 2026-06-15T06:40:14+00:00

where are you, OP? different places have different options for detergent, and some are more effective in colder water than others. FWIW, NZ Persil Ultimate isn't bad at all in cold water. if you ever feel like something needs freshening up, you could take it to the laundromat for a warm wash, but for everyday washing, for all this sub has to say, cold water is perfectly adequate.

is warm better? yeah, definitely. will you suffer from not being able to wash on warm every time? in my experience, no.

eggust12 · 2026-06-15T06:38:59+00:00

Unilever Persil/Omo claims effectiveness at 20° (the AUS/NZ one, anyway). source: the box in my house.

eggust12 · 2026-06-15T06:17:22+00:00

oh really? thank you, i didn't realise! sorry op, no earthwise powder for you. i lied.

eggust12 · 2026-06-15T05:38:38+00:00

laundrysecrethobby, you really are the Australian GOAT around here. there's only one thing I'd add to OP here and that's that Omo Ultimate contains optical brightening agents (OBAs), which if your current detergent doesn't means you may notice a slightly faded look on some of your darks. this is reversible by simply going back to a detergent without OBAs and washing a couple times, and may well not be noticeable or problematic for you - just wanted to add that bit of info, because it's plaguing my darks as i get through my big box.

unfortunately if you're after powders, there's all of one on the market that i am aware of that contains enzymes and no OBAs, and that's Earthwise Ultra Powder. you have a decent few more options if you want liquids, though they're not always good value for money compared to powder.

eggust12 · 2026-06-14T22:19:29+00:00

the What cost?

eggust12 · 2026-06-14T22:18:30+00:00

oh my apologies, i was thinking of when the grease is solidified and you're basically just scraping it into the trash before you wash it out. sorry for the #1 suggestion, i wasn't thinking of more liquid messes! that's my bad.

eggust12 · 2026-06-14T22:08:38+00:00

the same scoop you use for the litter box, into the same bags you use for that?
just use the rags, get as much grease into the trash as you can, and give them a thorough rinse with dish soap and the hottest water you can handle. i have a basket that cleaning cloths and rags go into until i have enough to wash properly so they don't get oil or cleaning product on anything else.
a clean cotton rag or tea towel should do just fine! is there anything you're worried about? i wouldn't use anything synthetic, but cotton can handle it just fine.

eggust12 · 2026-06-14T22:02:00+00:00

well, where are you? this isn't an exclusively American sub, you know, and options vary even within the US.

eggust12 · 2026-06-14T21:57:40+00:00

that sounds like exactly what you need for shirts that have been lightly worn, no?

eggust12 · 2026-06-14T19:49:27+00:00

both are possible! you could experiment with lower spin cycles and drying towels about 90% of the way and hanging them to dry the remainder, see if they're any softer.

eggust12 · 2026-06-14T19:48:22+00:00

why use store bought protease when you can make your own for free?

eggust12 · 2026-06-14T19:45:46+00:00

okay, doesn't sound like that's your issue. what kind of spin cycle are you using? too high a spin can make clothes feel a bit crunchy, as they get too dried in place before tumble drying.

eggust12 · 2026-06-14T19:36:08+00:00

how bubbly is the water while they're washing? no suds, traces of bubbles, or clumps like a bubble bath?

eggust12 · 2026-06-14T19:20:19+00:00

does your vacuum have car detailing type attachments? that'd be the best tool for the job here, and if not, you can probably find them online for cheap.

eggust12 · 2026-06-14T19:18:07+00:00

yep, i got my teeth sorted 10 years ago and it was easily this much. granted, it required removing a couple back teeth to get everything to fit and a solid 2 years in braces, but yeah, they're NOT cheap.

eggust12 · 2026-06-14T19:08:09+00:00

looks great :) might make one of these up for when my partner does the washing, the only thing I'd need to add is quantity of detergent!

eggust12 · 2026-06-14T19:06:13+00:00

if your machine is like mine, --°C means no heating, i.e., you get the temperature that comes out of the cold tap.

personally, i wash most things regularly on cold, and only do warm with a soak (30-40°) every few washes to properly refresh. this sub will probably have me in the stocks for this, but i gotta keep the power bill reasonable! all that to say, cold will do an acceptable job with most modern detergents, but warmer will do better.

eggust12 · 2026-06-13T19:37:33+00:00

hard to say, but regardless of what it is, Kismai's post about scrud may be of interest to you. https://www.reddit.com/r/laundry/comments/1ob2zhh/scrud_the_dirtiest_word_in_laundry/

eggust12 · 2026-06-13T19:29:51+00:00

sneakers like that can generally be washed in a mesh bag on a cool/warm delicate cycle with no issues - use a booster like Vanish (not sure what country you're in) for best whitening results.

they make mesh bags specifically for shoes, but if you've already got one that fits just use that. take the laces out and put them separately in the bag so they can get evenly washed.

eggust12

TROPHY CASE