Hi Pat,

I'm very sorry to hear about your husband. ((hugs))

I understand your question and while don't have issues like that here, I used to with elder family members.

During the summer I was using Tide F&G powder a lot more than usual for regular laundry. Others in the household had been using a lot of liquid detergent whereas they usually use regular Tide powder or Ariel. An odor developed. Musty. Not so fresh. I almost want to say similar to mildew and a mix of BO. I think this was because Tide F&G powder reportedly has less SP in it than regular Tide Powder or Tide with Bleach Powder.

Littlegreeny suggested I use regular Tide powder for loads that I normally would use the F&G powder on to clear up whatever was causing the odor. It worked. I prefer unscented on my own laundry, like you do, but I am willing to do what it takes to get back on track. Perhaps if I used chlorine bleach more often than I do, this would not have developed. ?

If I was in your situation, I might try using half a dose of Tide F&G powder with half a dose Tide with Bleach powder. See if that keeps the laundry fresh but spares your nose at the same time.

Hopefully littlegreeny will see this soon and add his thoughts.

Hi Pat!

I’m also very sorry to hear about your husband.

Tide with bleach has more sodium percarbonate than the F&G powder. It also contains a bleach activator which improves performance, especially at lower temps.

Are you getting unsatisfactory results with the F&G powder? If so, I like Sea Sea’s suggestion to mix the two if you need a little extra boost.

Does Tide Original powder have more sod. percarb. than

With Bleach?

I, too, am caring for a family member in the same circumstances that you’re experiencing. I’m very sorry, I commend you for your labour of love.

I’ve developed a system that works for us. Mine are front load washers but I’m sure it would apply to top load. I start with a pre-wash, if things aren’t too soiled, at 30C and some ammonia and/or a bit of detergent. The prewash helps to loosen soil and not cook it into the wash. Now, I can wash at very hot temps with activated bleach detergent (usually Miele UltraWhite) and some extra pure sodium percarbonate- usually about 2 tbl., this helps to remove the pigment that organic stains can leave behind. The ammonia in the prewash and the percarbonate also help to deodorise. If the load is quite heavily soiled I will start with a quick wash programme at 30C to start the process then proceed to the very hot main wash. As you’re trying to keep to scent free, I would try just adding a little pure percarbonate to your detergent, you will continue to have bright whites. I’ve been a caregiver for almost ten years, using the same white towels and they’re still white as when purchased.

I hope this helps, I wish you the best in this difficult time.

Thank you for that! I think your name is Todd.

Which Tide powder has how much sodium percarbonate:

_______________________

Tide w/Bleach powder: Most

Tide Powder: More

Tide F&G powder: Least

_______________________

I'm so glad aamassther brought up ammonia.

If you were to purchase an additive with SP to use up your powder mentioned above, which one would it be? Biz?

Hi Pat. Hugs to you and your husband. God bless and give you strength.

I use Clorox2 pods with SP and TAED. Target has them. They have a very mild scent. I have to use unscented detergent.

Borax helps too. Oxiclean makes a sanitizer that's added to the wash cycle. Haven't tried it so I can't really comment on the scent. But it has an EPA(?) label so it should do the trick.

Pat - I am so sorry about your husband going into Hospice. (((hugs)))

I use the Tide Free Clear powder and add oxygen bleach to the load when washing sheets & pillowcases. I can't use the perfumed Tide with bleach, so this is my workaround.

If you have a WalMart near you, they might have the "Free" version of OxyClean. Ours does. Our WalMart even has curbside pickup in case you want to order it online without going into the store. (I used that service when hubby and I both had COVID19 and ran out of throat lozenges, Nyquil, and Dayquil....it was so convenient!)

Pat-blessings to you for taking care of your husband. Godspeed.

I am glad SEA SEA posted the chart. I am having a terrible time-I quit using FS about two months ago, still use Mule Team or Arm & Hammer additive, and I can not get our towels to not smell sour. My next step is to go back to Tide powder from the Gain powder I have used the last few years.

I love all of you so much for your help and kind words of encouragement. I will be fine when this is all over.

I now know what I'm going to do. I like the Clorox 2 Pods idea. I just think using sod. percarb. helps a little with a possible bacteria issue more than not.

Just FYI, to keep life as simple as possible, I ordered sodium percarbonate in bulk from Amazon.

Kisses.

Glad you have a plan you feel good about Pat.

armjim, have you done a cleaning cycle on your washing machine? I think I remember your water heater is set high. Maybe 140F or above? What I used to do a few times a year was use powdered Cascade in a hot empty wash--about two cups worth. Let it agitate halfway through the heavy cycle then turn it off and let it sit for a couple hours. Finish up the cycle, then run another hot empty cycle with 1-2 cups of chlorine bleach with no added time for soaking. I fell out of the habit for some unknown reason. Then I was out of town for 11 days. Folks were here at the house, but less wash cycles happening and this was when they were on their liquid detergent kick; without me around to run 140F wash cycles with Tide w/Bleach powder or regular Tide powder after they used the washer. I suspect that's how we got some unpleasant somethings in the washer.

Citric acid (I bought some in bulk on a-zon) is useful too for a cleaning cycle or even adding to a hot wash of towels with powdered Tide. I sometimes use Glisten washing machine cleaner solution. I really can't say if it helps or not, but every now and then I run that through the washer, with a good long soak. The directions are vague at best, the ingredients, heck, I can't find what they might be. Might just be liquid citric acid for all I know. But we were ok in this dept when I kept up with Glisten in the cleaning cycle regime.

I feel for you though...I had that smelly towel problem with my crummy front loaders for all those years before I got the Speed Queen. It was so embarassing and unpleasant. Nothing helped with those washing machines though.

I don't use liquid fabric softener so I don't have to battle my way through any build up from that. But it's sounding like a cleaning cycle or two might help out your situation. I'm sorry you are dealing with this. :-(

Keep us posted if you find a solution.

Hi Pat, yes, you’re correct I’m Todd. Just haven’t posted in awhile. Glad to help and that you’ve found a solution. One of the reasons I’ve chosen to use pure percarbonate is that I don’t need the sodium carbonate present in the majority of additives, as we have naturally very soft water.

Thanks SEA SEA. I have always used powder and routinely warm/hot washes. I washed all the towels and linens in vinegar and then rinsed in baking soda; it worked for a while. The interior of the washer smells very fresh and clean. Still, I will follow your lead and do a cleaning cycle of hot water and add a cup of bleach to the water. The towels are all 5 years and older, so it may be years of FS that has clung to the fibers. Later in the fall we will splurge on new towels, and I will resist the temptation to use FS again.

My experience with sour smelling towels was they weren’t properly rinsed. Try using less detergent and any other additives and add an extra rinse.

Pat, just know I am praying for you.

Recently I have been using OxiClean Home and Laundry Sanitizer powder to boost my cleaning. It contains SP and activator. The scent isn’t hateful and I can control dosage.

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband, Pat. I had an immediate family member go through this very recently and....it's tough... {{hugs}}

I forgot about an SB activator. Back to the drawing board.

Pat, the Clorox2 liquid has the activator but it also has a scent and i have no idea how strong or mild that is.