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That would be like taking a shower/bath and not using soap! I love the smell of my clothes when they come out of the washer. Laundry detergent is not expensive. They have some really cheap brands too!
I've done that. For people with some skin issues, not using soap or using an oil is healthier. The Romans used oil and a strigil https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strigil Baths were simply heated water.
As for the smell, for people with chemical sensitivities that smell can make them sick. NASTY stuff.
I use a tiny bit of Woolite and some washing soda. My clothes are cleaner than when I used detergent
degreasing, brightening and cleaning tough messes. That's what washing soda does. You can buy it just about anywhere and it's odorless and seems to do the trick.
Last edited by in_newengland; 06-05-2016 at 08:30 PM..
sometimes i will just throw my clothes in the washing machine and then take them out an hour later. ill do that if they arent super dirty and im not going any place too fancy in them.
Let me echo what most have said...don't skip soap! Look into an alternative that works better for you.
I've been transitioning away from using brand goods for laundry after reading up about it. (Homemade laundry detergent | MNN - Mother Nature Network is the recipe I'm going to try.) I just need to find an old pot to cook it inside when I can spare the time to go to our local Salvation Army.
One thing I started using a lot is distilled white vinegar. You can buy it in gallon jugs at pretty much any grocery store. I use whatever store's brand.
If a load is particularly stinky, toss in a dollop of white vinegar. I also have a spray bottle of 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts water I used to spray on my spouses' work clothes when he did food preparation/cooking at a grocery store for a spell. It gets those minor grease stains out like nobody's business. (Can't speak to the majors others have used the dish soap on, though one time he got splashed from a fryer and wetting it with water before vinegar direct on top worked.) I still use the spray for spot cleaning sometimes (also inside neck area, underarm.)
If something is moldy or just smells like it, put in a half cup + (depending on load size) of white vinegar and let it soak in that before running the wash as normal (use at least warm in such cases--hot is better unless you're worried about shrinkage/color bleeds). We had a basement in one place we lived where we didn't realize there was black mold in spring/summer so all the winter clothes we stored down there...whoooo what a nightmare! Everything I washed using the soak with vinegar came out just fine, even some vintage pieces I have.
I've started using white vinegar as the softening agent for rinse after I read about it, and it works well enough for me. Even if you use a softener ball--I was worried maybe the weight difference might not work as well since it's not as thick as regular softener, but it does. If you're used to super soft towels, they won't be quite that soft, but they won't be bristly either. The only thing I've noticed is the vinegar doesn't prevent static. Still, totally worth it for the price difference and one less thing to bulk up on just because that brand softener is on sale.
I just asked about not using detergent because -- any be I'm dirtier and greaser than I think I am…but:
1) I really don't think my clothes need more than a good, hard rinse most of the time (they're not "dirty"
2) I was curious about a "natural cleaner" like basking soda (but I'm not going to start making or mixing my own "non-detergent cleaner. I'm just not going to do that work. And don't care enough about it to make my own laundry cleaner.
4) I think I WILL start using less detergent, and maybe only using detergent every other wash.
I just asked about not using detergent because -- any be I'm dirtier and greaser than I think I am…but:
1) I really don't think my clothes need more than a good, hard rinse most of the time (they're not "dirty"
2) I was curious about a "natural cleaner" like basking soda (but I'm not going to start making or mixing my own "non-detergent cleaner. I'm just not going to do that work. And don't care enough about it to make my own laundry cleaner.
4) I think I WILL start using less detergent, and maybe only using detergent every other wash.
That brings up an important point. Excess washing shortens the life of clothing, can cause fading, tears, shrinkage, and changes in fabric feel. That lint on your dryer screen was once your clothing.
Guys especially are taught (as active teens with active hormones and lots of sweat and dirt on summer days) to wear something once and throw it in the hamper or wash. That might be perfectly appropriate at that age or in some situations, but more often washing after a single wearing of a garment serves no purpose other than satisfy an obsession.
In some cases a lint brush or lint roller may be all that is needed. Recent manufacturer recommendations for jeans suggest washing them only when absolutely necessary. About the only things I use that get an automatic chuck in the basket are underwear, socks, and washcloths. That equates to less work and lower laundry costs. A while back, I figured my actual cost of doing a full load of laundry at home was around $2.50 between water, heating the water, detergent, bleach, fabric softeners, power for the wash cycle and drying.
Sorry folks - I am part raccoon. Clothes get washed when they have been worn. This is like the "how often do you wash your bra" string. 2.50 for a load which is a hamper full of clothes but I feel clean. There is nothing like crisp starched cotton be it jeans or sheets. BTW - they get changed every other day and ironed. Those with no bodily functions, scent, sweat, skin cells, environmental smells from tobacco smoke to the perfume your desk neighbor is wearing - have at it. Why wash it at all? Shake it
Sorry folks - I am part raccoon. Clothes get washed when they have been worn. This is like the "how often do you wash your bra" string. 2.50 for a load which is a hamper full of clothes but I feel clean. There is nothing like crisp starched cotton be it jeans or sheets. BTW - they get changed every other day and ironed. Those with no bodily functions, scent, sweat, skin cells, environmental smells from tobacco smoke to the perfume your desk neighbor is wearing - have at it. Why wash it at all? Shake it
Racoons might not be what you want to emulate. I used to watch as they would simultaneously wash their food in our swimming pool and defecate in it...
Do you wash the cover on your steering wheel? Do you wash door handles and sink handles?
As for me, I recognize that my skin is not toxic, my body smells are faint and normal, and I steer clear of smoke. Just choice. A co-worker in Florida used to shower at LEAST twice a day. As long as it ain't my water bill or electric bill, have fun. I just find my system less costly and slightly more ecologically sound.
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