Front load laundry advice please!

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Feanaro_s_Wife

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We recently bought a front load washer (LG) for the energy efficiency and water saving features (as well as it was too hard for me to get heavy wet clothes out of the top loader). So far it’s great. There is a bit of a learning curve regarding how much soap to use etc but we’re getting used to it.

My question is about adding things to the laundry. We have very hard water here so I’d like to add some baking soda or washing soda with my liquid detergent. I’d also like to try borax. But I don’t know where to put it!

(I already add some vinegar into the fabric softener dispenser…)

The instructions on the washing soda say to add it to the water in the machine, but that won’t work with a front load. It also says to disolve it in hot water if doing a cold water wash and, again, add it to the water. What do I do? My dispensers aren’t big enough to add the dissolved washing soda in with my liquid detergent…

I hope someone here is very experienced with their front loader and can help me out!

Malia
 
Vinegar? Never heard of that one! What does vinegar do for laundry?
 
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Marilena:
Vinegar? Never heard of that one! What does vinegar do for laundry?
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housekeeping.about.com/cs/laundry/qt/vinegarlaundry.htm

frugalliving.about.com/cs/tips/a/blvinlaundry.htm

As you can see from these links, vinegar in the laundry is a great fabric softener, static cling reducer, stain remover, ph balancer… and so many more things!

**Vinegar and baking soda are the two main cleaners used all over our home! I have many sensitivities to chemicals and fragrances/dyes so I have been looking for natural alternatives. **
Just put “laundry vinegar” into Google and see for yourself!
Malia
 
what kind of vinager do you use? do you get white vinager? cider viniger?

sorry thi sis not a response to your post. this just fasconated me.
 
Could you switch to dry detergent and add the baking soda or borax with the dry? Other than that, maybe you could dissolve it in some hot water, add it in the front with the laundry itself and then run as usual. I really don’t know because when I do use these additives I try to use powdered detergent. You also have to remember that you will probably need half the amount of borax or baking soda because your new machine uses about half the amount of water!

Oh, and I found liquid oxy-clean so I can use it with my liquid detergent.

As for vinegar, if you don’t want your clothes stained red, don’t use cider vinegar :D.

When I wash my hair I sometimes rinse with vinegar and depending on whether I want my hair to get redder I will use cider vinegar or white vinegar.

Brenda V.
 
I would recommend a water softener to buy or lease, if you can afford it, your appliances will last a lot longer. Barring that adding calgon in the powdered soap dispenser, and liquid detergent in the liquid bleach dispenser. (or put the calgon in the bottom of the machine before you add the clothes). that way the calgon will go in first, soften the water, and the detergent a bit later. if your machine has an option for an extra rinse, choose it. experiment with the right amount of detergent, you need less than half the normal amount in a front loader, but hard water requires a bit more. choose a detergent especially for hard water, amway has one. borax is kind of harsh especially for baby clothes. also try woolite liquid for dark clothes, really helps eliminate that chalky hard water residue on jeans etc. I would not use chlorine bleach because hard water often has a lot of iron, which precipitates as rust stains if you use bleach.
 
I would call the manufacturer of your machine before using any products not made for a front loader. FLs have the gasket/seal along the door of the washer and something besides products made for these machines might damage these parts of your washer. I agree with Puzzleannie, a water softener would be the best option for your situation, if you can swing it. And congratulations. I hear that LG make outstanding front loading washing machines.
 
I can’t help you with your hard water problem but I just wanted to post b/c I, too, own an LG front load washer and dryer. I also own an LG fridge. I am very unhappy with the fridge’s ice maker and freezer and I am even more unhappy with LG’s custormer service. So if you ever have to contact them for anything, be firm and don’t give up until you are satisfied…

I am, however, happy with the washer and dryer. No trouble ther except the spin cycle is loud when the salesman assured me it would not be.

Aside from that, I love they way they sing to you when you turn them on!!! 😃 OH, and my clothes do get clean. My machines rrecommend powder detergents over liquids. … 🙂
 
I just dump the powder in the pre-wash bin, and everything is good.
(I also have the LG topload).
We were told to avoid harsh chemicals with our asthmatic son, Iso I started to order soap from a company called Melaleuca (tea tree oil, a natural antiseptic). It’s just simpler.

Lukelion
 
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Cupofkindness:
I would call the manufacturer of your machine before using any products not made for a front loader. FLs have the gasket/seal along the door of the washer and something besides products made for these machines might damage these parts of your washer.
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I would echo this. I was talking with a washer repair guy when our last top loader died and I was asking him about top loaders vs front loaders. I liked some of the advantages you mentioned. He felt that top loaders were more reliable and cheaper to fix when they do go. That is a matter of opinion, I suppose.

One thing he was certain about was that you should only use detergent designed for front loaders. He said that regular detergents suds too much for front loaders and that can foul the boot that seals the door. He seemed to know what he was talking about.

By the way, I bought another front loader. But I still look longingly at the front loaders in the stores… Maybe some day.
 
My front loader is a Kenmore.

You can use regular detergent in a front loader, at about half the measure.

The directions for my machine indicate that you should put anything like borax or washing soda on about half of the dry clothes, and then put in the rest of the clothes. I have found it is easier to just toss it in the detergent cup after I pour in the liquid detergent. I put the vinegar in the softener dispenser when i use it. I NEVER use liquid softener, we have some sensitive skin here, and I don’t like the greasy feel on the clothes. When I use oxyclean liquid, I put it in the bleach dispenser.

What I love most about the front loader is you can fit so many more clothes in. And they come out drier. I am down to three loads a day, and with my giant dryer, they wash and dry time are about the same, unless it’s something heavy.
 
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DVina:
I have found it is easier to just toss it in the detergent cup after I pour in the liquid detergent.
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Do you mean in with the liquid detergent? My dispenser isn’t big enough for both.
I think I may try going back to a powdered detergent, if I can find one that is “free”.
Malia
 
Feanaro’s Wife said:
Do you mean in with the liquid detergent? My dispenser isn’t big enough for both.
I think I may try going back to a powdered detergent, if I can find one that is “free”.
Malia
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Tide makes a “free” powdered detergent. Doesn’t much matter what I use though as I still end up being all itchy but the “free” detergents at least don’t give me a rash! I think All also makes a “free” powdered detergent.

I will have to try the vinegar in my softener dispenser as vinegar is supposed to help get all the soap residue out of things.

Brenda V.
 
I guess I should have mentioned earlier that with one income and a baby on the way we cannot afford a water softener right now, or anytime in the forseeable future. But thanks for the link!

Malia
 
Feanaro’s Wife said:
Do you mean in with the liquid detergent?
Malia
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Our machines must work differently. When I use liquid detergent, it pours down into the machine from the dispenser. Water goes up into the dispenser to get anything left in there, be it powdered detergent or remnants of liquid, after the wash starts. So after the liquid detergent goes down, I just add the washing soda in the detergent cup. You could still toss a handful of borax on top of your load of clothes.
 
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