facthailand Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 We had to get rid of our 25-year old Italian front-loader so I've been researching laundry ever since our new one. Use Liquid detergent 1) Pour a little on stains, rub in with an old toothbrush I think overnight works best but a few hours at least DON'T wet the whole garment, just the stains, or it will mildew. 2) Run your first wash cycle with Liquid detergent and pure Borax ratio: 1 measure Liquid / 1/2 measure borax Before the washer spins the water out, turn it off Leave clothes to soak for an hour or so, then run it again (Overnight soaking will result in stinky, mildewed clothes!) 3) If clothes are grey and/or stained, add powdered Hydrogen peroxide bleach 1/2 measure (OxyClean or other) to the wash cycle. (Don't buy liquid hydrogen peroxide bleach--it will be degraded even before your first use.) 4) If these are whites, you want to add Sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) 1/2 measure to the wash cycle. STPP actually makes colours way bright, too, after a few cycles. 5) Last cycle should have 1/2 measure Borax. (This will also prevent mould in your washer.) 5) If clothes are damp-smell, in addition to the above: add Baking soda (Sodium bicarbonate) 1/2 measure and half a cup of white vinegar to the rinse. Hot or warm water is optional. Boil a kettle, fer Chrissakes! Bet you're wondering where to get all this stuff! We called a chemical manufacturer called Chemipan. They'll post to you by the kilo. Postage is more than the products themselves. Good idea to dry out the washer with a towel, especially any rubber seals. Also dry out the soap drawer. ALWAYS leave washer lid and soap drawer OPEN to dry out and prevent mould. Keepin' it clean! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recycler Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) Bring your clothes to a local laundry, many do a good job and iron too for not that much Indeed the front-loaders do a much better job but they are not cheap, we got a mid range Electrolux 3 years ago at 35K Baht and it's doing good, running 1 - 3 times a day (family of 5) Edited January 2, 2015 by recycler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pdavies99 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 So you want clean fresh smelling clothes without stains? No problem...start by soaking your clothes for an hour with some white vinegar (Big C large plastic container 60 baht)...about a cup full, this will break down stains and remove old build up of powder in clothes. Then when you wash them (still using vinegar mixed water) add a cup measure of Big C stain remover (orange and blue container) this removes most stains easily and does not damage I think your clothes. Finally in rinse cycle use a reasonable conditioner (not the cheapest) and everything comes up with no greying etc! This way everything is clean! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surasak Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Most of the ings have been said but clod water is not necasserlly the problem. Most top loaders state the dry weight of the linen load. Do NOT exceed this. Stains should be treated before washing, preferably with Vanish. Make sure the amount of soap powder is correct. To do this add your usual amount and after a minute of the machine starting the wash cycle, take a sample of the liquer in a small sealable container and shake the contents until well mixed and you can see bubbles. Stand the container to one side for five minutes then check. If the bubbles are still the same then the soap mix is fine. If it has gone flat then more soap is needed. If the machine is of comunal use then clean the filters before loading. If it is possible to adjust the water level ,set to mid way. Too much water is as bad as too little. If the machine has a pre-wash setting then use it for bed linen as a soak prior to the main was can work wonders. Hope this is useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surasak Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Sorry for the typo's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxYakov Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) I recently moved into a small apartment building that did not have washing machines and public machines were quite a distance. So I decided, for reasons of laziness and logistics to wash all my laundry by hand. My bathroom has a bathtub and it provides a good wash/rinse facility. My water is relatively high pressure and I pay a flat rate, regardless of my usage, so my rinses are very thorough - more so than any washing machine can perform IMHO. 1) Washing: I use a toilet plunger for vertical agitation of clothes in suitable poly buckets/containers. For larger items, such as bed sheets, I use the entire bath tub. I use a combination of powder and liquid detergent. For focus areas, I use a stiff poly brush that I picked up by chance one day without knowing how I would eventually use it. The cleaning is specific and dirt/sport areas can be addressed specifically. The agitation with the plunger forces water through the fabric and for that reason is probably more effective than a washing machine which simply rotates the clothes. I've watched Thai servants and others wash clothes in shallow tubs even though machines were available. They rub the fabric together with both hands. I avoid that and prefer the toilet plunger and poly brush. 2) Rinse: Two phases of rinse - a high-pressure rinse using the toilet personal sprayer and each item lying flat in the bathtub. An optional secondary rinse agitating the items in a bucket with a toilet plunger, similar to the method use to wash, except water is continuously fed into the container. Not exactly the typical "Thai" approach, an improvement on their hand-washing methods, I'd say. Also, I don't have to feed 10-bath coins into washing machines, haul the clothes around (other than to the balcony for drying), I can customize/address issues by item, can select hot or cold water by item and I get some exercise in the process. Edited January 2, 2015 by MaxYakov 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fey Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) if you not doing clothes by hand your a nasty stinky farang. like my neighbor, he did not know how to do his own laundry, and he did not like it when i hung my drawers out to dry. i told him that a man knows how to do his own laundry, and that is not a problem. but he insisted on sipping on his fine wine and living in air con 24/7. last i heard he moved back to the states, probably because he could not 'do his own laundry'. Edited January 2, 2015 by fey 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudcrab Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Can't answer the question...ask the missus...and while you're at it ask if I take milk in my tea...and how many sugars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacky54 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 For stubborn stains there are stain removing agents available in Supermarkets. Took me a while to get used to top loaders again but one trick is not to overload them as most items will come out as dirty as they went in. Stain removers here are useless, unless you use bleach undiluted from the bottle. Front loaders are far better, use much less water, do not wear clothes as much and spin far faster. Top loaders with cold water belong in another age, just OK if things are not really dirty. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanhull Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I give mine to an old lady up the road, 150 bhat for two huge bags full... fresh, ironed, starched... cant go wrong! Might be an idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickirs Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Already mentioned, use a fabric softner - water is hard and doesn't clean well. Also might consider a stain remover like Oxyclean - very effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smotherb Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Why don't you use a laundry/washer woman? You can even get pick-up and delivery--even test their abilities on your stained clothes. I am 70 and I have never done my own laundry. There is always a better way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metisdead Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 A post containing an overly derogatory slur has been removed as well as the replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mango66 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I dont worry here ! you wash every day !! water them, put them on the rope, wear them next day, water them when you back home on evening ! hot water needs expensive electicity detergent is not good for inviroment hot ironing ? put them on a hot wire in the sun, blanching included ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balo Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) Nothing to do with only cold water. I worked in the Aussie mining industry for many years & camp washers were all top loaders & cold water. Also home, here & Aussie, are top loaders with only cold water... always clean as. Put your powder detergent in first as machine is filling with water & then put the clothes in. As said above don't overload it. If top loaders are all shit, as someone above suggested, why are they so popular & being produced & sold worldwide by the million. For stubborn stains, forget the commercial soaker stuff. Mix a small amount of detergent with water to make a paste & smear over the stain. Wash as normal. Works for me. Cheers..... Mal. Then why is hot water machines so popular in EU and the US , if it's not necessary? I use a front load machine here in Thailand with hot water programs , normally I wash at 30 to 40 degrees and alway a nice, clean result. . Linen are washed at 90 degrees. Why do you think it's not important? Hot water kills bacteria , or am I wrong . Edited January 2, 2015 by balo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMCMANGOMAN Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Got heavy stains? Two words... AUTOMATIC DISHWASHER. Mix your stemware with your underwear. Your shirts with your sauce pans. The plates with your pants and finally your socks with your pots. Oh, and I don't mind the lint on the glasses because it comes off easily when I shower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tchooptip Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Soak them first, rubbing any stains with wash powder. I agree, top-loaders are shiite, the wash procedure is incorrect, needs to be done with gravity not just movement of water and twist. Have an HE front loader here, 95 degrees, and it's the dog's doodahs even on a low temp setting. Towels and bedding come out absolutely crisp. With the top loader, they are still cruddy. Thanks for the tip, although I'm too lazy to do that, and probably I'll get used to the stains. Or maybe look for a special stain remover or something. You're right, those top loaders are really shiite. I can't understand why they are the norm here. Just as I can't understand why they are not using hot water in Thailand. They have sun all the time, they can install solar panels instead of using those stupid electric heaters at bathrooms. They are much more economical. With these top loader WM. I think you wash the clothes first then put in the drying drum. ?, do you put the water on while its spinning to get rid of the soap. My thai mates said NO.the soap will go by the spinning action. Well, the machines are coin operated and everything is automated. I insert coins, put the clothes and the detergant and then come back 50 minutes later, that's it really. ''I can't understand why they are the norm here.'' Who told you ''they are the norm'' ? The only ''norm'' is those top loader are much cheaper that's all ! I personally bought an Electrolux front loader, but 26,000 Baht, its understandably too expensive for many Thais, but again nothing to do with a norm, I am convince the so called Hi So Thais, that is to say with more money, know very well what model to buy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wow64 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 If you live in a condo then just use the washing service if they have it. Ours was 100b per bag when we used it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oztaurus Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 When using public machines, I also add a generous dollop (Yes, that is a technical term) of Dettol. You never know what grubby person used it before you - and I always check the lint filters and clean them too - I think I am probably the only person at my little laundrette who does that. First time there one of the machines' filters was chock-a-block full of slimy old lint. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naboo Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Make sure you purchase biological washing powder for the top loader. Biological contains enzymes that digest the fat and protein from the curry you spilt down your shirt. The enzymes work best at 40C, but don't work above 55C so don't use them in your heated front loaders. Get a Thai to do you washing, they know how to get stuff clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post jacky54 Posted January 2, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted January 2, 2015 Get a Thai to do you washing, they know how to get stuff clean. My experience is that they do not, they are more interested in adding 'softener' just so it smells nice. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacChang Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Washing machines? I wear disposable clothings.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chonburiram Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 if you not doing clothes by hand your a nasty stinky... That's a nice one,My granny used to say this (of course in a polite way) till the late 70s in the last century. She finally gave in, convinced from the results modern washing machines were producing. In all fairness, she had seen the whole development of household washing machines including all the non-starters that made her skeptical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balo Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) Soak them first, rubbing any stains with wash powder. I agree, top-loaders are shiite, the wash procedure is incorrect, needs to be done with gravity not just movement of water and twist. Have an HE front loader here, 95 degrees, and it's the dog's doodahs even on a low temp setting. Towels and bedding come out absolutely crisp. With the top loader, they are still cruddy. Thanks for the tip, although I'm too lazy to do that, and probably I'll get used to the stains. Or maybe look for a special stain remover or something. You're right, those top loaders are really shiite. I can't understand why they are the norm here. Just as I can't understand why they are not using hot water in Thailand. They have sun all the time, they can install solar panels instead of using those stupid electric heaters at bathrooms. They are much more economical. With these top loader WM. I think you wash the clothes first then put in the drying drum. ?, do you put the water on while its spinning to get rid of the soap. My thai mates said NO.the soap will go by the spinning action. Well, the machines are coin operated and everything is automated. I insert coins, put the clothes and the detergant and then come back 50 minutes later, that's it really. ''I can't understand why they are the norm here.'' Who told you ''they are the norm'' ? The only ''norm'' is those top loader are much cheaper that's all ! I personally bought an Electrolux front loader, but 26,000 Baht, its understandably too expensive for many Thais, but again nothing to do with a norm, I am convince the so called Hi So Thais, that is to say with more money, know very well what model to buy Actually you are wrong. I paid 10000 baht for my LG front loader and it does a very good job. I t was a sale and if you know where to look it's easy to find front loaders from Samsung or LG for 10-12000 baht . I know its about 4000 baht more than a top loader but I am sure a Thai family can afford to spend that extra on it if they really find it necessary. But I think that one of the reasons top loaders are the norm here is the hot climate , the laundry dries in the sun and probably will kill most of the bacteria. Edited January 2, 2015 by balo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chonburiram Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Washing machines? I wear disposable clothings....Washing machines? Clothing? Become a hardcore Jain monk... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post NeilSA1 Posted January 2, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted January 2, 2015 easy ... get my GF do do the laundry ... problem solved Well, thanks .... but won't she mind? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggg88 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 We have a Samsung cold water top loader and it washes the life out of all the clothes. The colours all fade and new clothes look old after a couple of washes, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gezginrocker Posted January 2, 2015 Author Share Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) Wow, I haven't checked this topic all day and there are already 3 pages. I wasn't expecting that much debate over this issue. Edited January 2, 2015 by gezginrocker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wooloomooloo Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 When my wife and I holiday in LOS we are fortunate enough to have access to the most technologically advanced twin-tub in Thailand - the wife scrubs and MIL rinses. I've not had reason to complain in five years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko45k Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I had to get a front loader with a heater and throw that piece of junk top loader away. Much improved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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