I had to use the laundromat tonight... my house STINKS!

[Jstpssng]

I've got my washing machine unhooked and needed some clean clothes. It's been a while, so I'd forgotten that they (presumably) recycle their water. Talk about a stench!!!! I don't know how people can put up with that perfumed crap they use for their clothes. I'm not big on artificial smells so always buy unscented detergent. It's storming out so I have the clothes hung inside to dry... I may have to move them outside just so that I can sleep tonight.
Tomorrow's supposed to be a crappy day so I should have time to get my plumbing squared away. Then I will probably do today's laundry all over again.

 

[oosik]

I know, for sure, that car wash facilities recycle their water. But - Man - I certainly hope you are mistaken on laundry facilities and recycling. I know the laundry here in our little town does not recycle.

Many do not realize this - The highest bacterial/pathogenic source from any normal household comes from the clothes washing machine. Bar NONE.

 

[RSKY]

Many do not realize this - The highest bacterial/pathogenic source from any normal household comes from the clothes washing machine. Bar NONE.

THAT is why we use laundry sanitizer in every load.

RSKY

 

[Alan W.]

Add me to the group that hates perfumed laundry products. We only buy unscented.
Have been using an unscented laundry sanitizer made by Lysol.
Clean clothes have no smell nor do they need it.

 

[K5lwq]

I would be surprised if a laundromat would use recycled water. Most of these systems are in much larger industrial type laundries. I have seen the option on 50 pound UniMac machine but never seen them used on that small of a machine. Usually It will be on like 600 pound machines and up.

Likely what the smell is from would be mildew in the machine.

 

[stuckmotor]

When the septic tank was acting up a couple of years back I went to the laundromat and noticed that the clothes didn't smell clean. Had no idea about them using recycled water.

 

[dodge man]

Years ago, when I was a kid growing up, we had a machine that reused water, I think it was just the wash water. It took a pretty good sized wash tub to hold the water. I doubt a normal machine or laundermat does that any more.

 

[MossRoad]

Years ago, when I was a kid growing up, we had a machine that reused water, I think it was just the wash water. It took a pretty good sized wash tub to hold the water. I doubt a normal machine or laundermat does that any more.

I remember seeing that in my in-laws' basement. They ran the discharge into a laundry sink, and it sucked it back out and used it again. The mother in-law's parents had the same thing. I'd never seen it before and thought it was disgusting. Like sharing the bath water on a Saturday night! Yuck!

I really think it was another one of those carry-overs from the depression era.

I recall my mother in-law's disappointment when they built their new house and got new appliances and she found the new washing machine wouldn't do that. She was pretty upset about it.

Today, she doesn't miss it.

 

[dougtrr2]

For years my mom would only buy washers with the "suds saver" feature. Not sure why, but I think it may have to do with not wanting to overload the septic tank field.

Yes, I know that a properly installed septic field can handle the output of a an automatic washer. But, the house I grew up in did not have indoor plumbing until 1954. Who knows what the standards were for septic fields back then and if it was installed correctly.

Doug in SW IA

 

[Oaktree]

For years my mom would only buy washers with the "suds saver" feature. Not sure why, but I think it may have to do with not wanting to overload the septic tank field.

Yes, I know that a properly installed septic field can handle the output of a an automatic washer. But, the house I grew up in did not have indoor plumbing until 1954. Who knows what the standards were for septic fields back then and if it was installed correctly.

My parents were the same. I don't know if it was not wanting to overload the septic system (which was kind of old and sketchy), or just not overdraw the well. There was a big cement sink next to the washer that would store the wash water between loads (rinse water went down the drain). They used this at least into the mid-60s. As Moss noted, looking back it does sound kind of yuck (we also shared bathwater when we were pre-teen age...my sisters would go first since they were less likely to be dirty).

I've never had a dryer, preferring to line-dry my clothes. The few times I've had to use one (long rainy spell), the clothes smell like lint to me.