Posted on 05/11/2011 6:31:29 AM PDT by Free Vulcan
I'm old enough to have a vague memory of clothes so white that they were called bright. This happened despite the absence of additives — the ridiculous varieties of sprays and bottles and packets that festoon our cabinets today and that we throw into the wash to try to boost the cleaning power of our pathetic machines and increasingly useless laundry soap.
Then, the other night, I experienced an amazing blast from the past. I added a quarter cup of trisodium phosphate (TSP) and otherwise "treated" nothing. The results were nothing short of mind-boggling. Everything was clean — clean in a way that I recall from childhood.
Next came my confrontation with the local dry cleaner, which I've used for years. I explained what happened and how puzzling it is that by using TSP I was able to clean my clothes more thoroughly and perfectly than his commercial service.
He was not shocked. He completely agreed, though sheepishly.
I pointed out that TSP, which is a natural element, is amazing not because it cleans — it needs soap to do its thing — but rather because it rinses, whooshing away all dirt, oil, stains, as well as all leftover detergent. Bleach whitens but it ruins fabrics, and that's not good. What is needed is a good rinsing agent that leaves clothes not only perfectly clean but also smelling fantastic. TSP does it, and that's why it has long been an essential ingredient in laundry soap.
Once again, he agreed.
Does he use it? No. And why not?
It is not "commercially viable," he said.
How can this be? It is not expensive. It is freely available at the hardware store in the paint section. If something works, the laundry service pleases its customers more. That means more business and higher profits. Isn't the goal to clean clothes well and do a good job for customers?
Yes, true, he said, but, again, TSP is not "commercially viable." He politely deferred all further questions to the Dry Cleaning and Laundry Institute, whose website provides no information at all to nonmembers. However, the Laundry Institute did answer my email:
It is true that trisodium phosphate produces cleaner laundry.
Plain old fertilizer is the source of lake and waterway pollution; the algae blooms.
Think about it, which is more likely to add phosphates to waterways, agricultural runoff or dishwashers discharging water to treatment plants.
Again a case of a powerful lobby getting a break - the subsidized corn ethanol farm lobby in this case - while the little people are forced to fall in line.
Thanks for all the info. I did not find it at Walmart, only the “substitute,” which I did not buy. I’ll try the Home Depot if I remember.
My family wears out or outgrows clothes so fast that I usually don’t worry about getting them extra clean! Except for me: I reuse clothes, between pregnancies, year after year.
Yes, they *say* the front loaders are gentler on the clothes but I don’t find that to be the case.
They *say* the clothes come out cleaner but I don’t find that to be the case. Maybe I need to add TSP.
You cannot turn off my front loader and open the door if you forgot something. You have to drain the water out of the machine and spin the clothes before the front loader door will unlock. Even after spinning it takes more than a minute for the door to unlock. I wish I had my old top loader back.
ping
I’m printing this thread out to remind me to buy some.
I'm told that using much more can actually reverse the good effects, and turn the silverware duller.
Just be sure to get "real" TSP.
My dishes generally look pretty clean, but I’d be willing to make an extra effort to get the laundry more successfully rinsed and odor-free.
Our plumber tells us not to use powder....the residue can clog up your p-trap eventually....actually, not "can" but "will" - no more clogs since we switched several years ago.
A few months ago, we researched how much TSP to add to the dishwasher - consensus was a quarter teaspoon; more can reverse the sparkling effect.
Just a 1/4 teaspoon full with my usual dose of Cascade does wonders at cleaning dishes.
Just 1 tablespoon full with my usual dose of "Tide" makes a very noticable difference in my laundry.
Added in small doses to other cleaning solutions for house, driveway, car, lawn furniture cleaning chores always produces better results.
Been sharing the "secret" with family & friends for some time. Buy now and stock up before it's banned by the Enviro-Nazis.
You know they will when they find out we've discovered the "work around" to their destruction of effective products.
Which model do you have?
That is a lot. You should cut back bit on that.
TSP is in fruit loops and other food products.
This is supposed to be for the green movement right?
They banned phosphates because it is a food source which algae (seaweed) love the stuff. In other words they banned it to make the environment more brown. This is the green movement.
So, say 1/8 cup for the laundry, 1/4 teaspoon for the dishwasher?
At my hardware store it is $9 bucks for a small box but I live in a small town.
STPP (Sodium Tripolyphosphate) is better for laundry:
http://ths.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/laundry/2003052601018823.html
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/laundry/msg041134342569.html
http://www.chemistrystore.com/Chemicals_S_Z-Sodium_Tripolyphosphate.html
don't forget cleaning isn't the only thing you have to do. you have to remove/rinse the soap. It is so common for people to over load their machines with soap/detergents.
You don't want soap or any kind of detergent left on your skin. it is better to be under what you need then over.
Same here. Small town, BIG prices.
I'm going to try the "less is more" approach first, and use 1/8 cup in laundry...I also use the minimum detergent, so if you use more, use more, I guess!
BOOKMARKING — Mrs. F. thought there was a problem with the dishwasher! This article may have saved us a few hundred $$.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.