Washing Whites & Colors Together

New 02/07/2005, UD 02/08/2005

*Ed Note - we spend a lot of time culling through emails looking for good technical information to post up. Every now and then a gem like this comes along that is just funny. Dan Carman takes it to a whole another level. You'll see when you get to his post.*
U.L.
_____________________________________________________________________

Well does it get ANY more OT than this question?

Most of us on this list are males. Therefore my question seems very deem able.

I am no longer living single, but in my bachelor days it was NOT uncommon for me to wash my whites and colors together from time to time. I wouldn't do this regularly, but if I had some things I needed to wear, in goes everything. And I never wrecked any of my whites.

My finance is dead set on NOT allowing this to happen. Even on remote occasions for fear of tainting the whites. So before you ask, yes I allow her to do all the wash in the past year. Regardless if I explain to her that the whites will ONLY get "tainted" if something dark is on a "first" or very "first few" washings. But still she just won't let it happen.

Can anyone back me up on my findings?

S Waters
______________________________________________________________________

So buff body counts for less than 0 here???:} Dude been letting the cat sleep with the dog for years and your observation is spot on *pardon the pun*
U.L.
______________________________________________________________________

ha ha ha you liked!

Thanks!!!

Scottie
______________________________________________________________________

Not sure about the whites and darks, but I know that when I wash the rags
that I clean my guns with together with whites or darks, it really pisses
off my wife. I mean, what's actually wrong with the smell of Break Free?

W. Gordon Finley
______________________________________________________________________

Just don't put the intake off the SHO in the dishwasher.
Rick Glass
______________________________________________________________________
Ohhhh Crap!!!!!!!!!!!
Larry Eck
______________________________________________________________________
I should have added cold water only bud. You use warm you gonna have immigrants you don't want. Divorced twice = know a thing or three about doing my laundry.

Larry Eck
______________________________________________________________________
Key word "fiancé".....she's right, accept it and move on, even if you don't agree, she's still gonna be right, so it really doesn't matter.

Had I learned this earlier I might still be married.....naahhh, who am kidding, I'd still be divorced.

Oh and to somewhat answer your question, I've washed my clothes all together and separately, no issues.....just don't put bleach in the wrong load.

But again, she's still gonna be right.
Rick Glass
______________________________________________________________________
Just keep the dark reds out of the whites... That is the only thing I
have seen, even after something has been washed a few times.... I
have a couple of formerly nice white T-shirts that now have a pink hue
from being washed with red stuff, and that red stuff wasn't brand new
at the time either.. But I get more clothes for working in the garage
that way...

Scott
______________________________________________________________________
Think she might be right though. I've always washed my stuff together and it never seemed to matter, but I've noticed that what few white things I have started to be a little non-white. My white shirts for office wear always got laundered so they were not a problem. I think the reason this "whites vs. everything else" got started was when women and men both wore a lot of white shirts. Nowadays I have almost no clothes that are whites.

Anyone on the list who has been married for awhile will tell you that it is not worth arguing with a loved one about something like this. If she wants to wash the whites separately then try to remember to do it and not let it bother you. If you can't do that then you need a different girl.

I don't understand the "fiancé will not let this happen" thing. You're not married to her so if you want to wash your whites with your brand new jeans then she has no right to complain. If you are married then it is different
bjshov8@comcast.net
______________________________________________________________________
It’s generally fine for situations you state….previously washed dark colors, together with white stuff that isn’t critical (like under shorts). When I do loads of laundry on my work trips, the occasional white t-shirt and underwear gets thrown in with the jeans. Wouldn’t do this with my special-order, monogrammed white Egyptian cotton dress shirts, though.

OTOH, most white stuff that women wash is stuff that is generally of nicer quality, and some dark stuff can still bleed over. She is probably worried about some nice blouse, whereas you don’t care as much about a 10-year-old Budweiser T-shirt!

Overall, a moot point. Logic never works with women. You should have learned that what you think is of no consequence whatsoever!!!

Ron Porter (doin’ my own laundry since Johnson was President!!)
______________________________________________________________________
Just shaking my head.

I never do it.. just army training for laundry..
need a shirt ironed... :o)
I do the laundry here.
wife does the toilet cleaning..
Clare
______________________________________________________________________
No politics, no religion, no ticket, no laundry ......

;-)

(Just joking)

It's OK with me to mix if you always use cold water, but I'm not THE official laundry sheriff.

It has been a while since a whole wash load of my glorious wardrobe costs >$20.

My advice is to always keep your AWA happy. If she is happy you may be happy, but if she is not happy it is certain you will be miserable.

Marriage is compromise. A wise man selects his fights. If I had a good wife and she wanted to beat the laundry on rocks by the stream, who cares?

Lean to say "Yes Dear, anything you say Dear." Put her in charge of all the unimportant dribble.

Do you really care as long as the laundry is done. Tell her 10,000 times a day you love her and need her.

Love your wife,

Pith on the laundry.

The more I think about it, it is her household. Just do it her way.
Buford
______________________________________________________________________
Here's the "technical" answer:

Cellulosic fibers are typically dyed with one of the following types of dyes:
Direct dyes (most common in apparel)
Vat dyes (indigo used in denim, for example)
Sulfur dyes
Reactive dyes
Azoic/di-azo dyes
Pigments (not technically a dye at all, since the color is not
absorbed into the fiber)

Azoic dyes and Sulfur dyes have the best washfastness, but may bleed
during the initial laundering. Pigments are notorious for bleeding in
the wash and pigmented garments should be washed completely separate
from all others. Vat dyes, Direct dyes, and Reactive dyes will
usually bleed slightly under warm or hot wash temperatures, especially
if the dye fixation process was not carried out optimally by the
fabric or garment producer (very common in low-end goods).

Therefore you should assume that cotton, rayon, linen/flax, and other
cellulosics will bleed in the wash, unless you know from experience
that a certain garment never bleeds or fades when you wash it.

Most synthetic fibers are dyed with Disperse dyes and will have good
washfastness after the initial laundering. Nylon, silk, and wool are
typically dyed with Acid dyes, and will also have pretty good
washfastness after the initial wash cycle.

If you aren't a textile chemist, you probably won't know which class
of dye was used anyway, so just stick to these generalizations to be
safe:

-Clothes made of cotton, rayon, linen, or other cellulose fibers are
likely to bleed if they are brightly or deeply colored
-Clothes made of synthetic fibers (nylon, polyester, acrylic,
modacrylic, etc.) are less likely to bleed after the first couple of
washes
-The HOT wash cycle is only for really dirty whites (I only use it for
rags and washcloths) and it will shorten the lifespan of elastics
-The WARM cycle is for whites or light colors that aren't prone to fading
-The COLD cycle is always your best bet unless the clothes are really dirty
-Don't even think about washing lingerie--it's very easy to screw up

When in doubt, separate the colors and wash in cold water. Or like
John said, screw it up really badly once, suffer the consequences, but
relax knowing that you won't be asked to do laundry anymore. :-)

It sounds like your fiancé plays it safe. Women's clothes are usually
more varied in their materials and in the types of dyes that they
contain. Guys usually wear lots of cotton clothes, and they get their
clothes dirtier, so chances are your average man's outfit has been
through the wash 50 times already and won't bleed onto the whites
anymore.

Dan
Bachelor of Science in Textile Technology
______________________________________________________________________
Way to much information!!

Sounds like the safest method is to beat it on a rock down by the
river.....NOT!!!!!! ;-)

Ron Porter
______________________________________________________________________
Dan I am Glad you put that signature
for a moment I was really worried as to where your man card was..
Clare
______________________________________________________________________
Should we put this thread on FAQ for yucks?

Tim
______________________________________________________________________
Just did!
U.L.
____________________________________________________________________

> Sounds like the safest method is to beat it on a rock down by the > river.....NOT!!!!!! ;-)

Has the advantage (at least on the upper Nile) that the youngest wives are more alert and nimble.

That saves on paper work, and you never loose the house by divorce. You just keep marrying a younger one each time the local croc-a-gator eats the senior wife.

It not fair however to put chicken thighs among the laundry if you get tired of the old battle axe.

I divorce thee, I divorce thee, Chomp, chomp, chomp .... I divorce thee,

Buford

02/08/2005

And now another perspective:

I think you should reconsider.
1. Never, never trust a spouse with a rock, or at
least never turn your back.

2. Based on my experience, you can have 3 legally
licensed and state-inspected Fords for less expense,
lower maintenance, less laundry (even considering all
that washable stuff used to detail and one is a V8
SHO), and same or lower insurance cost than 1 spouse.
If you manage to lose one spouse, count your
blessings, then just buy 2 more cars and live happier
ever after.

3. Should the cars displease you at any time or a
better deal comes along, you can sell them on ebay
without having to pay an attorney or apologise to
anybody. The cars have no say in the matter. You
have the power.

4. Cars do not burden you with obnoxious inlaws with
whom you are obligated to endure every major holiday
for an entire lifetime. (I spent a month there one
day...)

5. You do not have to cook, clean, take out garbage,
or do any laundry for cars. They will even live in an
unheated shack under a leaking roof with no kitchen or
indoor plumbing and never complain. They aren't
jealous or competitive. I put a $4K ATX in the SHO
and the Vic and T-Bird never asked for a thing much
less demanded equal gifts.

ducking and running, but shooting back, LOL...

Amy Patterson
'98 black

Contact Information