1. Why does lemmy not have a laundry dedicated forum? How have lemmy been a thing for this long with no laundry dedicated forum?

  2. I live in an apartment where there are public washing machines available but the filter for the washing machines are DEFINITRLY not regularly cleaned (most of my laundry smells like vomit right now T-T) so should I just clean it all on my own? in the wash bin? What tyoe of wash bin should ? What else should I consider?

  3. If I do get a washbin do you have any suggestions as to what washbin I should get or sny special considerations I should consider? I plan on getting a steel one. Also I live in canada

  4. I have a lot of merino wool stuff to clean so does anyone have any advice on suirfactants that shouldnt be used on merino wool stuff other than enzymes and bleaching agents?

Thanks to anyone that helps.

Edit THIS is a similar model of machine than what we have here https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mWzJ1gw3-j8&pp=ygUobWF5dGFnIGNvbW1lcmNpYWwgd2FzaGVyIGZpbHRlciBsb2NhdGlvbg%3D%3D and I dont know how much trouble Ill get intk for takong off the back part and cleaning out the filter.

  • antianarchist@sopuli.xyz
    2·
    7 days ago

    Heat + oxidizer will clean the washing mashine. Let it run on max heat and put some oxidizing powder in there. Empty, obviously.

    Afterwards, your machine is basically sterile and the odors should be gone.

        • UnequalExchange@lemmy.worldOP
          1·
          6 days ago

          Does not removing such things lead to eventual destruction of the machine? Also those things could form a ’ barrier’ if there are enough of them and this barrier will make the oxidizer clean FAR less effective no?

          • antianarchist@sopuli.xyz
            2·
            6 days ago

            If the water is not able to pump off, you wouldn’t be able to open the door. So water flows, meaning the pump is able to work. Don’t worry about the big objects, the pump itself is protected. Odor comes mostly from bacteria, which is killed by heat. Dead bacteria still smells, which is why you use a oxidizer or tensides to get rid of those.

            The oxidizer is quite impressive at decomposing anything organic, including hair. So just go ahead and try it.

            • UnequalExchange@lemmy.worldOP
              1·
              6 days ago

              bleach isalso a deoxidizer? If you know ehat is the cheapest, buy-in-bulk deoxidizer I can get my hands on legally please?

              • antianarchist@sopuli.xyz
                1·
                6 days ago

                Bleach is not the name of a chemical, but a group of chemicals with a specific property. In this case, the oxidizer (usually hydrogen peroxide or sodium percarbonate) is also acting as bleach. The same goes for chlorine.

                Don’t use clorine in a washing mashine. It will disinfect the machine, but it does not react the same way as hydrogen peroxide or sodium percarbonate. Additionally, chlorine might attack synthetic materials that are needed for the machine to work.

                If you have a dish washer, put one of those tabs inside the washing mashine directly, then run it on max heat, full cycle. If you don’t have that, buy something with “Oxi” in the name. There should be a few cheap brands.

                • UnequalExchange@lemmy.worldOP
                  1·
                  5 days ago

                  But surely sodium hypochlorite in a washing machine can be used in place of sodium percarbonste for this same purpose right? Or are they very different for this task?

                • UnequalExchange@lemmy.worldOP
                  1·
                  6 days ago

                  Don’t use clorine in a washing mashine. It will disinfect the machine, but it does not react the same way as hydrogen peroxide or sodium percarbonate. Additionally, chlorine might attack synthetic materials that are needed for the machine to work.

                  …Then why is sodium hypochlorite recommended to clean white clothing in washing machines? …Wot?

  • CTDummy@piefed.socialEnglish
    29·
    8 days ago
    1. Probably not enough traffic or interest for one but you’re free to make one if you like. I wouldn’t mind having a comm for it.
    2. This is covered by your rent/strata fees. Put it to them in an email that multiple machines have a notable foul odour and require sanitising, filter clearing and general maintenance. If you’re renting and the property manager doesn’t action your request, email them 1-2 two more times before escalating it to the relevant government body. Here we can even get electricians/plumbing done and have the bill reimbursed by the property manager/owner if they take too long.
    3. Personally, don’t increase your labour/expenses to subsidise things other people are responsible for. If you’re getting this because of issue 2, get the property manager to sort it, it’s literally why you pay rent/strata fees. (See end).
    4. No idea here so have a lame “wool wash?”

    Landlords must:

    • Maintain the tenant’s home in a good state of repair and fit for habitation and at the landlord’s expense comply with health, safety, housing and maintenance standards.

    https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/consumers/renting-a-home/i-am-renting/landlord-tenant-responsibilities

    Canada seems similar to Aus in so far as there should some decent government resources to find your rights and obligations as a tenant and how to escalate an issue should you get an arsehole property manager that doesn’t do their job.

      • CTDummy@piefed.socialEnglish
        2·
        7 days ago

        No problem. The only reason I know is from lazy/entitled property managers who expect to fleece people out of a significant portion of the money they work for and then just do nothing to earn it.

        If you pay rent, you’re either paying someone mortgage or straight into their pocket. Keeping the place in a decent or at least liveable condition is the least these people can do. It’s literally their job title, manage the property or else you’d be just paying the property owner directly.

  • TootSweet@lemmy.worldEnglish
    26·
    8 days ago

    Why does lemmy not have a laundry dedicated forum?

    Because you haven’t made one yet. ;)

    Mind you, for a topic like that, I’d expect it to take a good amount of effort to make it “active”.

  • deft@lemmy.wtf
    14·
    8 days ago

    When I lived in a place with shared laundry space I tried for a year to basically focus one machine that I tried to care about secretly so it didn’t get over used when people noticed it was better. Started off very gross, I tried a few different store bought items meant to clean your washer which helped a little and I’d empty out the dryer lint. It just sucked was very gross.

    After a year I went to a Laundromat and just used there. Much better. Look for places with an attendant or employee working. Best advice I can give you.

    As for the wool, idk man check YouTube?

  • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
    10·
    7 days ago

    Go to a laundromat and use their machines or a wash/dry/fold service.

    Alternative:

    If you’re truly desperate to get away from public machines you can get standalone mini-washing machines that take up little room, and just hang-dry clothing on a collapsible clothes dryer. The washing machine can be sold to recoup some of the costs when you move. At $5-$8 wash load and 25¢/5 min dryer a load around me 20 loads would pay for a mini-machine. You can do laundry at your convenience, at home, and for cheaper as the machine sorta pays for itself in saved $.

  • oce 🐆@jlai.lu
    6·
    8 days ago

    If you can’t wait for your landlord to fix it for now. Why not just look for a coin laundry shop in the neighborhood?

  • Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca
    4·
    8 days ago

    I have a foot powered washing machine that is good for small loads but now that I have a house and my own machines I only use it for camping.

      • Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca
        5·
        8 days ago

        It doesn’t fit a huge amount so you would still need to go to a Laundromat for sheets but it was very nice when I was in an apartment with 2 machines per floor. My 3 loads would cost me about 15 dollars or more while the foot powered one, a Drumi would take more smaller loads but I could do 1 or 2 loads a day while I watched TV instead of paying my landlord.

        The drained soapy water would have dirt in it while the rinse water was relatively clear of dirt so it could be reused as my next loads soapy water.

  • Wolf314159@startrek.website
    3·
    7 days ago

    When I need to soak some things outside of the washing machine, I just use a mop bucket. Lately that soaking has been whites in oxyclean to get them looking more white again. Oxyclean (or any similar non-brand name oxygen based agent) is great for organic stains (blood, sweat, oils, grease, food) and smells, but bad for wool. DO NOT USE OXYCLEAN ON WOOL. For my wool stuff I just use regular detergent in cold water and hang dry. If you’re trying to get smells out of wool you might try drying them in the sun. Wool also doesn’t do great in hot water, but that’s okay. Just trade heat for time, i.e. letting something soak in cold water instead of a short wash in hot water. Same principal used to make cold brew coffee.

    If there is a filter to be cleaned on a public machine, you can probably check it before running your own through. At the very least give the machine a sniff first. Sometimes a quick rinse cycle with an empty machine is all that’s needed to clear out the lingering funk from the last load. If not, the machine needs maintenance.

    Laundry advice is weird in that it can be very broadly applied and general (the actual chemistry and fabrics are pretty similar everywhere), but also hyper local. What works in one region might not it another because the water is different, chemicals have different and confusing names, etc. The best advice is really to read the clothing tags (and learn to interpret those laundry hyroglyphs), read/research the detergent ingredients and instructions, group like items together, and test new tips and tricks on less critical pieces of wardrobe before doing an entire load.

  • blackbrook@mander.xyz
    2·
    8 days ago

    Definitely get a detergent made for wool. I use Heritage Park Silk & Wool laundry detergent (for any animal sourced fibers).

    • UnequalExchange@lemmy.worldOP
      1·
      8 days ago

      ya but do you know if the surfactsnts in that brand of detergentt is REALLY good for your wool?

      Like the brand woolites has enzymes in some of their products despite the fact that we know that enzymes completely fuck up wool… how do you know that heritage park silk and wool doesnt have these same ingredients?

      Also surfactants. Like we know that enzymes fuck up wool as I just said…do surfactants ALSO do that? And in what ways? Also what surfactants destroy which fabrics?

      • blackbrook@mander.xyz
        3·
        7 days ago

        Well they claim no enzymes and list their ingredients. I’ve used it on merino for a few years without problems.

      • doc@fedia.io
        2·
        8 days ago

        Where you at? Continent is close enough.

        Wool clothing really does need a special detergent. Surficants are one part, of course, but the pH shouldn’t get too high, and a lot of detergents tend to have high pH since that helps clean. The high pH is not good for the wool and will make the scales on the hairs open and become brittle, which is the opposite of what you want.

        You also want to avoid the enzyme protase/substilin. They both are effective against proteins, which is great for a lot of soils, but bad for hair, which is made out of protein. Other enzymes like lipase, cellulase, amylase, and mannanase are all perfectly fine and won’t damage the fibers.

        It’s just next to impossible to find a detergent with enzymes but without protase. There are a couple manufacturers in Europe, but none in the US. There is one US company reselling an EU detergent (The Steamery) but it’s pricy and is scented.

        • UnequalExchange@lemmy.worldOP
          1·
          8 days ago

          im in canada . toronto specifically.

          And when you say pH shouldnt get too high what type of pH we talking about here? 12 ? 13? 18? Also where did you learn that pH shouldnt get too hiigh please? (I just need something to cite and loook back to cause I have awful memory and cognition)

          Also how do we know FOR SURE the specific surfactants dont affecr wool? As youve just said lipase, amylase, cellulase, etc… dont have much of an effect on wool BUT protease does…how do we know how this specifically works for surfactants used in wool washes?

          • doc@fedia.io
            1·
            7 days ago

            Surfactants and enzymes are different things that perform different but complementary jobs in your laundry. Think of enzymes as chemical scissors that can only cut very specific things. They’re very much like puzzle pieces, with lipase only cleving triglycerides (dietary fats) and not mineral oils, for example. Mix a variety together and they break down certain stubborn, sticky chemicals into smaller parts. That helps release them from fibers and makes it easier for surfactants to grab them to be washed away. Surfactants are chemicals that cling to soils so they can be suspended in water and rinsed down the drain.

            Wool is hair, so think of it like your shampoo. Shampoos are usually made to be pH neutral because we know high pH makes hair dry and tangle horribly. However, most everything in the wash has no problem with high pH, and surfactants work better with high pH, thus we generally do laundry at high pH’s around 10 or so. Higher if you add bleach (please don’t), oxygen bleach (“oxy” aka hydrogen peroxide), or even ammonia.

            Since you’re in Canada look for Eucalan or Miele WoolCare.

  • garbagebagel@lemmy.world
    2·
    8 days ago

    Take them to a laundromat? I know that sucks but probably a good way to make sure everything is treated appropriately