At The Risk Of Being Stereotypical...

Desert Orchid

Desert Orchid

Senior Jockey
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Aug 2, 2005
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The daughter's maternal grand-dam is currently stabled in the hacienda and as we don't charge her for board and lodgings she feels obliged to help out around the house.

Most of what she does is passable (but certainly appreciated) but my shirts have never been the same since she started 'doing' them. Every non-white shirt I have has a dull staining around the collar.

Insufficiently high temperature when washing?
Insufficient washing powder?
??

This has never been a problem before and I don't want to have to buy new shirts after just a few washes, even if they do only cost me (in Primark) the price of a pie and a pint.

Any ideas on what advice I can diplomatically offer her to help keep the collars looking as clean as they should?
 
Originally posted by Desert Orchid@Dec 5 2006, 12:49 PM


Insufficiently high temperature when washing?
Insufficient washing powder?
??
Click to expand...
Both! We started having this problem after buying a new washing machine, the washing powder amounts on the packaging are for standard 4kg machines, the new one we bought is a 6kg cap, also is worth remember if you wash everything on a 40c wash you need to service wash the machine once per month, which invloves the following
Put one large cup washing powder into the drum
Fill all the drawers with bleach
put machine (no clothes) the hottest (90c) for the longest possible wash
Remove drawer after wash & rinse under tap

Hope that helps
 
Originally posted by Desert Orchid@Dec 5 2006, 11:49 AM
we don't charge her for board and lodgings
Click to expand...
emo_veryshock.gif
 
Originally posted by Aldaniti+Dec 5 2006, 12:14 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Aldaniti @ Dec 5 2006, 12:14 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Desert Orchid@Dec 5 2006, 12:49 PM


Insufficiently high temperature when washing?
Insufficient washing powder?
??
Click to expand...
Both! We started having this problem after buying a new washing machine, the washing powder amounts on the packaging are for standard 4kg machines, the new one we bought is a 6kg cap, also is worth remember if you wash everything on a 40c wash you need to service wash the machine once per month, which invloves the following
Put one large cup washing powder into the drum
Fill all the drawers with bleach
put machine (no clothes) the hottest (90c) for the longest possible wash
Remove drawer after wash & rinse under tap

Hope that helps [/b][/quote]
I agree, it's a combination of both. I'd use a good biological powder (none of the cheap or supermarket own brands seem to be any good) and wash on at least a 40 degree cycle. I know you don't want to upset her so if I were you I'd say you'd noticed the collars looking a bit grubby, could she suggest anything to help?
 
Originally posted by Griffin@Dec 5 2006, 02:27 PM
I know you don't want to upset her so if I were you I'd say you'd noticed the collars looking a bit grubby, could she suggest anything to help?
Click to expand...
To which the response might be: "Then do them your feckin' self!"
 
Originally posted by BrianH+Dec 5 2006, 02:34 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (BrianH @ Dec 5 2006, 02:34 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Griffin@Dec 5 2006, 02:27 PM
I know you don't want to upset her so if I were you I'd say you'd noticed the collars looking a bit grubby, could she suggest anything to help?
Click to expand...
To which the response might be: "Then do them your feckin' self!" [/b][/quote]
Which isn't such a bad thing because it might get done properly then!
 
I feel I'm in a no-win situation.

If I go and do them myself (I'd always do them on the highest recommended temperature), she might be offended.

If I go down the route of telling her there's a problem, she'll probably be offended.

I can't really kick her out - I'm the one whose idea it was for her to come and live with us!

If I asked Mrs Orchid to do them I'd need surgery to remove them from a slot not designed for washing powder.



I've never heard of the service wash. I might try that but I'm not convinced it will address this particular problem.

Maybe white shirts are the answer.
 
The service wash thing is fairly new, it has only become a problem in the last few years since washing has been done at lower temps etc as you can't kill off bacteria that causes the black gunk in the machine (you can't see it unless you take the drum out!) thats why they always recommed washing sheets etc at 60c

Try buying some Oxy clean (pink tub) they stuffs brilliant for getting allsorts out!
 
Interesting stuff Aldaniti - we just got a new washing machine so I'll be keeping that in mind.
 
Thats alright Gareth I might not know much about racing but when it comes to household stuff I'm a virtual library :lol:
 
I don't qualify to answer this as I'm not a housewife, but I find the white shirts I use at the racecourses do get a bit grubsy by the end of the day. I find a wee bar of 'Vanish' very, very effective. Wet the collar. Rub the 'Vanish' lightly over the grubby parts (and any other stains you've collected along the way) and then chuck the shirts into the normal temperature wash you use. That really should be the end of the problem, DO.

Alternatively, hold the girl's head in the loo and flush it several times to make the point she's just not getting things clean enough. She should get the idea by the fourth flush.
 
She says she's tried 'Vanish' :rolleyes:

Could she be rubbing it too hard? (She does have the touch of an elephant on anaesthetic.)

I'm thinking of the following approach...

"Mother-in-law, dear, you know how you've tried soooo hard to get those stains off my collars? Well, I was wondering if we could find any help on the internet..."
 
I hope you didn't ask if she'd 'try vanish' Dessie?

Anyway - your continuing domestic dilemnas are one of the reasons I keep logging on here. Keep 'em coming.
 
Oops - 'the daughter's maternal grand-dam' kinda left me confused, to be honest. :confused: As so much does these days. Look, just buy a bar of 'Vanish' and tell her what to do. It's fantastic for getting out any nasties left by over-exuberant tomato sauce, curry, Coke, tea, etc. Not that I know from experience, of course.
 
Originally posted by krizon@Dec 5 2006, 07:51 PM
Look, just buy a bar of 'Vanish' and tell her what to do.
Click to expand...
She'll think it's white chocolate...





...do I dare disabuse her of the notion?
 
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