Want softer MFs? Like much softer?

Grouse said:
you should only use as much vinager as it takes to reduce the PH of your detergent/water load to 7.



find this out by filling your wash load, with towels, fill it with water, insert detergent, run agitation for 2 min.



then stop, check with ph test kit, 3 bucks at pool supply. Add 1/2 cup of vinager and run for 2 min. test with kit again.



when Ph hits 7, take note and stop.
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Very interesting test. I will look into this as I was looking to test the pH of all my cleaners.
 
MDRX8 said:
Also check out the dryer balls. Your wife will love them.
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When I mentioned these about a year ago I got "less than positive" replies. So I just kept my mouth shut. Now.....no more static :2thumbs:
 
DFTowel said:
Obviously nobody is listening here... let me put it a little differently... 35+ years in the textile business and I'm telling you THAT MUCH WILL CAUSE DAMAGE. We use vinegar solutuions to break down fibers in some fabrics in order to make the brushing process easier and more uniform. Whatever research anyone has done is not being read correctly. Keep in mind that while small quantities will work extreme large amounts like this will eventually do damage. Too much of a good thing is still too much!
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White distilled vinegar from the store is 5% acidity. How many gallons of water is in the average load of wash? Just to pick a number, lets say 7.5 gallons of water, 0.5 gallon of vinegar for a total of 8 gallons . . . Final acidity is what, 0.31%? I'll bow to your experience when you say that this will eventually do damage, but surely the occasional use of higher concentrations of vinegar can't be that bad? I mean, I make salad dressings with a higher acid content . . .



Tort
 
I use about 1/4 cup per 4 gallon wash in the final rinse. It always makes my towels much softer. BTW, I use medium-hot water.



Sean, have you tried using less detergent and only adding vinegar to the final rinse? That seems like a lot of detergent which will cause your towels to stiffen. I find that when I overdose with detergent my towels are never soft. I normally use 1/2 - 1 cap (not cup :D ) of liquid detergent in hot water. Less is more with MF and use hot water. It boosts the cleaning effect of the detergent without additional chemicals, and aids in the complete release of product in the fibres.
 
This is a silly question, but how do you guys know when the final rinse phase has started? Does your washing machine have an alarm to let you know or something?
 
3Dog said:
Listen to the sound or follow the dial.
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Ok, thanks. I know I didn't buy a top of the line washer, so I thought maybe there was a way that the washing machine would tell me so I didn't have to keep going back to check.
 
hooked said:
This is a silly question, but how do you guys know when the final rinse phase has started? Does your washing machine have an alarm to let you know or something?
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This is a great reason to use "The Downy Ball"...Actually, fill 2 with white distilled vinegar. They release during the final rinse cycle, pretty much automatically.
 
Don't most/all washers have that middle hole for liquid softner, I just put white vinegar in there and it releases automatically...I think! It's the only tiem I use a washer, as my fiancee quickly put a stop to me washing anything when I wanted to get some bath towels really clean with bleach! The light blue ones now look like they have nice pretty white clouds on them!
 
Has anyone used vinegar with Charlie's and/or Micropak? Is there a noticeable difference when using it with either of these soaps?



I like the dryer ball idea. (I also heard that adding tennis balls to your washing machine is a good way to wash pillows. I've never tried it, though.)
 
Tennis balls are good for down filled stuff. These little balls have cleats that actully fluff the fabric. Women swear by them!
 
just a note to those using front loading wash machines- use *much* less than the recommended amount of detergents, fabric softeners, and other additives (like vinegar, oxy, etc). For my boys very soiled laundry I use no more than 1/4 to 1/5 of the recommended powder doses. I still get very clean laundry w/ no residues.



Typically I add maybe 3Tbs vinegar to a load of towels but a little more wouldn't hurt- 64 ounces though, not something I would try in a front loading washer.



PS, I also use diluted (1:10 to 1:15) vinegar to clean hardwood floors, laminate counter tops, glass, etc. To get rid of cooking odors I boil some vinegar in a pot w/ some essential oil like lavendar or whatever kind you like, just let it simmer with no lid on.
 
DavidB says never to wash MF towels in hot water. I use warm water and add a few oz of vinegar and or Purple Power APC.



Also remember what Adam says: to revitalize MF towels, boil them for 10 minutes. They come out like new.
 
So don't wash them in hot water, but to revitalize, boil them? Boy, microfiber care is confusing to me! Granted, it doesn't take much to get me confused. :)
 
TortoiseAWD said:
White distilled vinegar from the store is 5% acidity. How many gallons of water is in the average load of wash? Just to pick a number, lets say 7.5 gallons of water, 0.5 gallon of vinegar for a total of 8 gallons . . . Final acidity is what, 0.31%? I'll bow to your experience when you say that this will eventually do damage, but surely the occasional use of higher concentrations of vinegar can't be that bad? I mean, I make salad dressings with a higher acid content . . .



Tort
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i think what your getting at is, will the towels be destoryed by use, or by over vineager first.





I think most of you will find the fiber will be the softest at 7 ph. Simple 3 dollar test kit. will make life easier.



test all your products, know what they are. That way if you get something where it should not be you know how to deal with it.



IE the guy you cut the ABF with water and put a hole in his windshield.
 
Pennypacker said:
Has anyone used vinegar with Charlie's and/or Micropak? Is there a noticeable difference when using it with either of these soaps?
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Yeah, I do it. Very slight difference with the MicroPak-type detergents, a bit more of an improvement with the Charlies. For the nominal cost of the vinegar I go ahead and do it, running an additional rinse when it'd otherwise be finished.



As for the hot water/boiling thing, yeah... :think: I've had MFs that came with instructions to boil them before the first use (no, I didn't bother doing it).



I *always* wash my MFs in hot water and I've never had a problem. Note that people who sell them might want to err on the side of caution when advising what to do/not; if you tell customers it's OK to use hot water, somebody might turn up their water heater to something unexpected and then say "hey, your MF towels don't hold up".
 
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