vinegar instead of Downey?

[Chickysmom]

ok, so a recap.....

add vinegar to wash cycle with soap (1-2 cups)
you can also use liquid fabric softner during rinse cycle
if machine drying you can also use a softner sheet

whew! i need a dayplanner now just for the laundry! lol

 

[hlane]

I think this is the first time, ever, that I wished I wasn't done with all my laundry! Can't wait to try it! Thanks for all the info!

 

[englishteacha]

I use white vinegar in my fabric softener dispenser. The clothes smell a little vinegary when wet but once dry, no scent at all. I hang a lot of our clothes and it helps so they don't get so stiff, too. It also works great to get the musty smell out of clothes that your husband forgot in the washer for 24 hours. Just add vinegar and do a second rinse.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

I use white vinegar in my fabric softener dispenser. The clothes smell a little vinegary when wet but once dry, no scent at all. I hang a lot of our clothes and it helps so they don't get so stiff, too. It also works great to get the musty smell out of clothes that your husband forgot in the washer for 24 hours. Just add vinegar and do a second rinse.

I also add vinegar in my fabric softener dispenser for every load. If you have hard water it works great. It also helps keep mineral deposits away from your washer. I really don't mind the scent of vinegar. To me it smells clean. Growing up my grandmother taught me 100's of ways to use vinegar around the house. I told her she should write a book.

 

[marthachick]

I have a high efficiency front load machine. Do I add the vinegar with the laundry detergent in the detergent dispenser or in the fabric softener dispenser? I don't want to do an extra rinse. That kind of defeats the purpose of using less water.

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

wow, I had no idea you could add vinegar to the washer or dishwasher...I can't believe the things I learn from the Disboards!!! Will the vinegar break down clothes faster or lighten colors?

 

[Wickedmom75]

I have a high efficiency front load machine. Do I add the vinegar with the laundry detergent in the detergent dispenser or in the fabric softener dispenser? I don't want to do an extra rinse. That kind of defeats the purpose of using less water.

Me too, I have an HE has anyone done the vinegar in one yet? I have done the dishwasher and vinegar and we use it with baking soda to clean out the garbage disposal.

 

[CF'er]

OK, HE washer here too. I also want a matching dryer for it but that's another thread.

Got the vinegar for the dishwasher idea..... check.

Tang??? How do you use that? Is it worth it if you don't normally but Tang?

Thanks.

Kalen

 

[Nicolepa]

OK, HE washer here too. I also want a matching dryer for it but that's another thread.

Got the vinegar for the dishwasher idea..... check.

Tang??? How do you use that? Is it worth it if you don't normally but Tang?

Thanks.

Kalen

I also saw on the news that you can use lemonade Kool aid. That might be an option if you don't normally drink tang. You put the Kool aid/tang in the soap dispenser. It supposidly cleans the inside of the dishwasher of all the build up. I personally haven't tried it, so I'm just passing on what I've heard.

 

[MEM]

Me too, I have an HE has anyone done the vinegar in one yet? I have done the dishwasher and vinegar and we use it with baking soda to clean out the garbage disposal.

We have an HE - we put the white vinegar in the fabric softener compartment. As reported, the clothes may smell a little vinegary when wet, but once line-dried or machine-dried, the smell is gone.

I used white vinegar as a last resort for a fabulous shirt for DH that I bought at a yard sale for 50 cents - it reeked of a cheap men's cologne but I bought it anyway, washed in Tide and white vinegar and the cologne smell was gone - never to return!!

 

[Chickysmom]

Actually added vinegar to the wash cycle o my load this a.m......and then added liquid fabric softner to the rinse cycle.....hoping to freshen up a few shirts of DH.....will hang dry what I can...can't waitto see how they turn out! Thanks for the tips DISers!

How do you use the vinegar in the garbage disposal with baking soda? just pur one in and then the next?

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

Actually added vinegar to the wash cycle o my load this a.m......and then added liquid fabric softner to the rinse cycle.....hoping to freshen up a few shirts of DH.....will hang dry what I can...can't waitto see how they turn out! Thanks for the tips DISers!

How do you use the vinegar in the garbage disposal with baking soda? just pur one in and then the next?

As far as pouring the two down the drain you put the baking soda in then the vinegar. I do this every other evening to freshen my sink. I also do this in my bathroon sinks as we have hard water and vinegar helps with mineral deposits. Also it just freshens everything up.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

Also to be more budget friendly compare prices of the vinegar. Alberson's sells it for 3.00 a gallon. Sam's club sells a 2 gallon pack for 2.36. I use about 2 gallons per week just on household cleaning so it pays off. Just to answer any questions my house smells clean and not salad-y at all.

 

[Imzadi]

I have a high efficiency front load machine. Do I add the vinegar with the laundry detergent in the detergent dispenser or in the fabric softener dispenser? I don't want to do an extra rinse. That kind of defeats the purpose of using less water.

I use the front load machines in the laundry room in my apartment building. Don't know if they are high efficiency, but a sticker says to only put in 1/4 cup of detergent. As stated, I pour in 2 cups of vinegar into the detergent dispenser. Works fine for me.

 

[gottaluvdis]

Also, to clean out the dishwasher, use 1-2 scoops of Tang. It will look brand new.

Lemon Crystal Light also works - basically anything with citric acid works to clean the dishwasher.

 

[minnie1928]

I use vinegar mixed with water to clean my shower tile and bathroom floor tile.

I was doing this with my Scrubbing Bubbles automatic shower cleaner. The original stuff was just too expensive (and I couldn't tell if it worked anyway) so I started refilling the bottle w/ water and vinegar. I need to find a really tiny funnel, the one I was trying to use made a mess and that's the reason I haven't done it in a while. But when I was doing it, it did appear to work pretty well.

 

[Chickysmom]

I was doing this with my Scrubbing Bubbles automatic shower cleaner. The original stuff was just too expensive (and I couldn't tell if it worked anyway) so I started refilling the bottle w/ water and vinegar. I need to find a really tiny funnel, the one I was trying to use made a mess and that's the reason I haven't done it in a while. But when I was doing it, it did appear to work pretty well.

OOOOOOH....I need a refill now! Can you tell me did you mix it half and half? I had no idea I could refill those buggers! What about adding a little ammonia to it too?

 

[Ariel Wanna-be]

OOOOOOH....I need a refill now! Can you tell me did you mix it half and half? I had no idea I could refill those buggers! What about adding a little ammonia to it too?

If you have ceramic tile in your shower, you shouldn't add amonia...I read somewhere that amonia eats away at ceramic and leaves microscopic holes that destroy the finish and collect dirt.

 

[Chickysmom]

nope - we have an old fiberglass tub/shower all-in-one unit....any suggestions?

 

[minnie1928]

OOOOOOH....I need a refill now! Can you tell me did you mix it half and half? I had no idea I could refill those buggers! What about adding a little ammonia to it too?

I probably did something like half and half. Like I said, it created quite the mess...definately do it in you sink! I didn't add ammonia. The "lid" on the bottle doesn't actually come off, so you have to work the stuff in by pouring into the little hole in the lid. I have a funnel that's just slightly too big, so I could usually get it about half to 2/3rds full before giving up. I do believe it worked to help keep the shower clean though.