I love the liquid soap because it doesn't leave that waxy soap scum and because it rinses cleaner and doesn't leave that icky feeling deposit on your skin that some bar soaps can do. I switched to using a scrubby to eliminate the stained washcloth problem.

In my house, washcloths always get a prewash with little to no detergent. This flushes out the lingering soap still on the clothes before they start their 140-160F main wash. No dinginess, but I also do not use body wash.

It's the liquid body wash. I never had the problem until I switched to that 4 or 5 years ago. I now just use dark gray cloths that coordinate with my rooms and white towels. My white towels are sparkling white with good detergent, sttp, and 140f degree temps. Dingy laundry is only an issue with the washcloths, that are used with liquid body soap.

We use bars so I don't have this problem. ...at least I didn't until a few months ago when a male member of this household decided he believes the Axe commercials and has been using it. I've noticed a change in my white washcloths, and I'm NOT pleased. Thing is it doesn't creep up slowely, it hits hard and fast, one day snow white and the next dingy..OMG I hate dingy. I suppose I will do a boil wash but sometimes there's just no hope. I've already told this old man either go back to bar soap or use a disposable wash cloth..a paper towel. LOL.

Or use a grey washcloth Mamap! I tried boil washing my washcloths but it only sorta worked. But now that I have 190f degree wash available I could, maybe, get white washcloths. You'll have to bring over your washcloths when you come over, lol. We'll see how it goes :)

Today I decided to boil wash, (stove top) some of my wash cloths, their in the washer now but I don't see a great deal of difference. Its only about a dozen that hubs has ruined with his Axe ..I'll try to post pics of the ruined ones next to the not to badly and not boiled ones. LOL. its very hard to get this kind of stuff out of terry fabric.

I know, I boiled mine with mild results. I am disapointed in the liquid washes for this reason. But I love my "Soft Soap" liquid soap. I don't get dry skin from it or skin irritations.

There is something beyond boil wash on stovetop...pressure cooker wash. At 15 lbs. pressure it'll be at 250degF. Probably wouldn't make any difference though.

Fascinating. Thanks for this post. We thought the wm had an oil leak. The stains coincide with switch to liquid soap.

Thank you for asking, this is so helpful. My college age daughter has ruined every washcloth she has touched. Same with my husband. I've not had the same issue with mine, but we all use different bath soaps and laundry detergents. I had no idea it was the soap! I've used Ivory body wash and Neutrogena Rainbath for many years without this issue.

We recently started using washcloths more heavily. Our cheap white washcloths from Target are getting these stains. I use a charcoal face wash and it stains them heavily. We also use Aveeno, Olay, and Dove body washes. Whites cycle, hot water, STPP, Tide plus Bleach powder, bleach, and extra rinse seem to be no match for these stains. It looks like I might have to bring out a large pot!

Doreycrouse, a large pot might not help much either, lol. I tried boiling them several years ago and with fair results; the time and energy was hardly worth it to me. I eventually changed back to bar soap, since the the reason I went to liquid soap was to eleminate soap scum build up some years before. It helped prevent the build up, but now with my new shower (in 2013/14), I totally dry down my shower with a large microfiber fluffy towel after the shower day. So I figured I wouldn't get buildup anyway with that routine. Went back to bar soap 2 years ago and have been happy with the gentle soap and no buildup due to the daily wipe down.

The boiling actually whitened them up quite a bit! However, residual makeup is still there.

I gave up on Aveeno a year or so ago. Eucerin Face and Body cleanser does the same; on the first wash I got a solid grey circle. And colored wash clothes discolor just as much. Very annoying. Both CVS and Walgreens will accept returns on used, unsatisfactory products like this, which surprised me.

I've been using this product for months. It's a dark gray color. Ingredients include charcoal powder. Older wash cloths that were already discolored remain so but, interestingly, newer white ones are still perfectly white.

Thank Dadoes, how do you like this product for skin care?

Dadoes - Thank you for suggesting Nivea Charcoal! After 2+ months of using it on new, white washcloths, they're still white! THANK YOU! No more ruined washcloths!

Years ago I started buying very inexpensive white washcloths (in a bundle of 18 I think) at WM due to the reason above. When they became too dingy, I would put them in the "rag" box along with old dingy white t-shirts. I've been ok with this since DH always has old rags when he needs them and I can keep decent looking white washcloths. Frankly I prefer these el cheapo washcloths from WM for another reason...they're good at exfoliating. These are for my bathroom. For my husband, I buy dark gray washcloths and towels (and the color works good in his bathroom). Now that I've discovered the power of Tide w/ bleach powder, white washcloths and t-shirts are going to last longer!

Aveeno products contain glycerin which leaves a film on your skin and washcloths.

Walmart‘s Equate Feminine Wash that i use as shower gel causes my washcloths to turn grey. Target’s Up & Up version does, too. Disappointing, as these products are gentle on skin (pH balanced).

After using Nivea Charcoal (see above post from Dadoes) for 8+ months now, white washcloths are still white. The downside is it has a very masculine scent. If someone finds a more feminine shower gel that doesn't turn washcloths grey, I'd sure appreciate a post from you!

I actually always had issues using products that are infused with Charcoal. That is odd considering it is basically dirt and that we wash in hot all the time. Not sure if there were any dyes in those products.

Doreycrouse - I was surprised that a product which is grey in color (Nivea Charcoal) turned out to be the best for keeping our white washcloths white!

Using body wash will turn white washcloths gray.

I have been using Neutrogena Rain Bath for nearly 30 yrs. Never experienced such an issue. I use colored and white JC Penney towels.

Mark,

That is actually the same body wash I use during the summer. I have no issues with it either. It is a very low 'residue' and clean rinsing body wash. Great product, especially when you get it on sale at Costco!

Things like Aveeno or Cetaphil Pro just have too many 'moisturizers' designed to coat your skin to limit moisture escaping, but of course does the same to your washcloths!

Why Do Black Spots Appear On Cloth When It Is Kept Wet For ...

https://myqacorner.blogspot.com › 2012 › 09 › why-do-black-spots-appear-on-cloth-when.html

Mould can easily grow on clothes and fabric leaving black spots if we have too much moisture in our home atmosphere. Clothes made of cotton or other organic materials make great food sources for mould and mildew to live on. Such spots may appear in an unnoticed shirt in our washer which is due to moist, humid temperatures in the washer.

Why Do Black Spots Appear On Cloth When It Is Kept Wet For ...

https://myqacorner.blogspot.com › 2012 › 09 › why-do-black-spots-appear-on-cloth-when.html

Mould can easily grow on clothes and fabric leaving black spots if we have too much moisture in our home atmosphere. Clothes made of cotton or other organic materials make great food sources for mould and mildew to live on. Such spots may appear in an unnoticed shirt in our washer which is due to moist, humid temperatures in the washer.

I believe its due to using liquid soap to bathe. When we stopped and went back to bar soap, it stopped.

well, i never use liquid soap , only use bar soap! natural ones and my white washing cloths all get these black wee stains, not only in the middle. I wonder if it's due to slow drying like in a humid bathroom or outside when it's humid?

How soon do you launder them after using? I wash all my white washcloths (using one or two per day) fairly soon after use and use hot water with a little chlorine bleach and I never get black spots, gray or mold. I use both a natural body wash and bar soap. Just don't let them sit around after use, or hang to dry if it will be a while before you wash a load. This is the brand of body wash I always buy. I love their vanilla mint, but couldn't find a pic of it easily.

thank you , however, i avoid chlorine, damaging to the environment.

I never use chlorine bleach either, but I only got gray washcloth centers when I used a liquid bodysoap. The liquid bodysoap was a creamy type. I don't know if that makes a differance, but it might, as I think the creaminess is due to lotion in the soap. @Beatrix, what temp are you washing your cloths? As Olychick reports I use hot water too. My water is 140*F I use oxygen bleach (if not in the detergent already) and a good powder detergent.

I consider myself pretty environmentally conscious, but I do use about 1 - 2 TBLs of chlorine bleach in my towel loads. Front load machine, so it doesn't take much. If you weigh that against continually throwing away stained washcloths (that are likely made with fabric bleached with chlorine for whiteness before they market them) plus all the resources, fuel, materials, etc. in manufacturing and transporting the replacements you are buying, I think a little chlorine is the better choice.

hi Olychick & enduring, thank you for all the tips. so you both get the gray stains out of your washcloths? bravo. I only use biodegradable laundry soap and wash my laundry at 40 Celsius (=104 F) usually. My white cotton sheets and towels never get these grey stains , only my wash cloths , so i think it must be mold from sometimes taking too long to dry , hanging inside or outside in humid weather. My wash cloths are the European ones which are more like a rectangular glove so 2 layers really , taking much longer to dry. That could explain it.

I don't get the gray coming out of my cloths if I use liquid bodysoap, as I said in my post just above. I just use bar soap now. I am 99.9% certain that my cloths got gray from the creamy bocy soaps I was using. It stopped when I switched back to bar soap. I actually use 70C water on my towels and washcloths. I use 60C on all other whites. I even tried boiling the cloths on the stove and did not get all the gray out, though it improved.

I brought up the issue with water temp in case you are getting mildew on your cloths. Because I would think the hot water would take care of that.

thank you kindly , however i think i read in other peoples' messages that hot water nor boiling took away the grey, correct?

I went to Target early this morning and sitting on an endcap was a pack of 6 gray washcloths. Unexpected purchase accomplished!

It is your body wash or bath gel that is causing gray spots and gray centers on your washclothes. I have found any soap that is white, creme colored leave stains.

Try pink, blue, green etc.

I know, its it’s backward but its the lighter colors that stain.

Currently I am using an emerald green body wash with white washclothes. Still brite white. I was using a dark amber body wash and also the clothes stayed white.

Try it, you have nothing to lose except gray spots.

happy for you, i however only use a natural light brown/reddish piece of soap. i thought those gray spots are mould spots?

We don't use our white wash cloths very much, but the centers always turn gray since body wash is regularly used in our household. We always use the creme colored wash, so I think Kathleen King has provided an interesting perspective. I did a load of just our white towels, the two white wash cloths we had used and some white socks yesterday. Hot water, Gain powder, 24 Mule Team powder, Sparkle FS and Clorox bleach. Everything came out clean. I tend to do laundry a few times a week, so wondering if the cloths get completely dry between use and laundering if that makes it harder to remove those center stains.

thanks, i think so. I avoid any products that pollute!

I've been having this dark coloring appear in my washcloths for about 6-9 months now. It just dawned on me that it is probably the Dove for Sensitive Skin bodywashI use. After reading these comments I'm almost sure that's the problem. I'll switch back to the Dove soap and if it still continues I'm done with Dove!

Just get one of these and you can shower with whatever liquid body wash you like:

Good idea. Just wondering if there is any way to remove the discoloration.

Is there any way to remove the gray centers on washcloths after they appear?

You can always try boiling them in a large pot on the stove. The key here is to wash them first, then boil them with a little laundry detergent. Just be very careful while doing so. After the water cools, wash them again.

I used Dove body wash for a short time and my brand new white face cloths became gray in the middle. I Could not get stain out, so threw them out. Then I switched to Dove soap bars and the shiny finish on my new clear tub mat became dull. Clearly there is an ingredient in both products damaging customers property. If it's polymers, Dove should remove it because, customers have been reporting this issue for over 14 years.

Why dispose of a grayed face cloth before it becomes too ragged for usefulness? The grayness doesn't interfere with its function.

This 15 year conversation has been super helpful! We also use the Dove Sensitive Body Wash, and our pale green washcloths have become riddled with gray/black splotches. I was so worried I was washing with a moldy washcloth. Thanks fellow washers!