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.
The TSP has been removed for decades now. The problem is phosphates that destroy the water supply.
Phosphates were an early envirowacko victory.
I think they were recently removed from the major dishwasher detergents also. The result is a film on glass stuff
I went to Lowe’s yesterday and they had a 4.5 lb. box of TSP for $10.48. Went home and put 1 1/2 tablespoons in and ran hot water.
I’ll forward a caveat: we use Melaleuca detergent with their Melabrite booster, and those two together do an excellent job as you can expect from non-phos soap and get the clothes pretty darn clean.
Even so, I still took out some of the dingy that was in the clothes and got some of the stubborn dirt and oil. I think over successive uses it will keep improving on that. Well worth the money, and in such small amounts I can see that lasting a year.
On to the dishwasher.
This same box is available at GFS stores in Florida, also. I recently paid $6.79 for a box. Now my new dishwasher actually does a good job,.
Right. Just for kicks, people should run their clothes through another wash cycle without adding any detergent and observe the suds in the water during the wash portion. They'd be amazed ... even with a washer that has a second rinse.
The first time someone told me to do this, I ended up running all our washables through three more wash cycles sans detergent before the water ran clean. Yuck.
yeap just like low flow toilets you have to flush like 3 times in order to remove the wastes. Water saving washing machines I am sure are able to save your dirt, oils and soaps for your skin. kind of disgusting if you think about it.
Glad to see this on FR. Will be getting some TSP and trying it.
Question for all: does it cause lots of suds? Should I double rinse clothes and dishes?
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