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Hana Haatainen Caye
Anonymous writes: HELP! Our laundry
stinks so bad! It’s a sour smell that is
spreading on to more and more of the
clothes. None of the natural detergents
are working, and I’ve tried them all. I’m
tempted to buy the most fragranced
version of Tide available to mask the
stench! Any other options before I break
our 8-year streak of safe laundry soap?
GG: Yikes! Don’t reach for the Tide! There
is hope. Have you tried vinegar? I recommend not only adding it to every load of
laundry, but also to clean your washer and
your dryer. Also, I’m guessing you have a
front loader, since this is a common problem with them. What happens is leftover
soap scum starts to breed mold, mildew,
and bacteria. Yuck!
It’s time to reach for the baking soda and
distilled white vinegar.
To clean your washing machine, dissolve
¼ cup baking soda in ¼ cup water and
pour into the detergent container in your
machine. If you have a top loader, just
pour it into the drum.
Next, dump 2 cups of vinegar into the
drum (in a front loader) or the fabric
softener dispenser (in a top loader). Run
it through a hot cycle. This should do the
trick to eliminate odors in your washer
that are transferring to your clothing, towels, and sheets. Repeat the process if odor
remains and, for maintenance purposes,
do once every month or so, especially if
you have a front loader. Also, it is advisable to leave the door open on the washer
so that it can dry out between loads.
Now, you’ll want to take care of the dryer,
too. Using a 50/50 blend of distilled white
vinegar and water, wipe down the entire
inside of your dryer and then dry it with
a clean towel. If you’re using wool dryer
balls, you can lightly scent them by adding a few drops of essential oils to each
ball, although the purpose is to add some
fragrance to your laundry and not mask
telltale odors of mildew and mold.
Good luck!
Hana Haatainen Caye, is a wife, mother, grandmother, and author of the book Vinegar Fridays, who
shares her passion for common sense greener and healthier living.
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