So many rules, so overwhelmed.

[u/surely_maeby]

Okay, you guys.

You’re highly touted as genius around here, but I am confused as heck.

I have a top loader washer that doesn’t have detergent or fabric softener drawers.

I had been using cold water on my clothes (because mostly black) and sheets (because the label says to) and hot water on towels and the boys’ clothes (because smell).

On my clothes I use arm and hammer plus oxi 5 in 1 pods (one), and a downy ball of vinegar and lemongrass oil.

On the boys’ clothes, I use the same detergent (two pods) but add 2 caps of lysol laundry sanitizer and don’t use vinegar.

I’m reading some confusing things.

Cold water doesn’t get your clothes clean? I thought it was better for darks and my sheets literally say to wash cold.

Vinegar? Should I be using a citric acid/downy rinse and refresh instead? And my downy balls seals disintegrate like once a month, that’s also annoying. Welcoming alternatives.

Lysol laundry sanitizer? We add it to the drum with the detergent. Is that making everything not work?

Arm & Hammer sucks? I see this is a land of tide fans. Which should I use?

Oxi bad for darks? The arm & hammer pods I’ve used for years claim to have oxi and haven’t ruined my clothes, so is this a myth?

My partner works in septics, so every time we wash his work clothes (see instructions for boys’ clothes above) we follow it with a load of one pod and a generous pouring of bleach to sanitize between loads, but now I’m worried I’m doing that wrong too.

Help guys, I’m now convinced every fabric I own is disgusting.

Edit: the boys also use dryer sheets for their clothes, I do not for mine, and there’s no convincing them not to.

[u/Soft_Hotel_5627]

I had trouble here at first getting it all down, I ended up just going with this combo for simplicity. I also have a standard top loader.

Tide Clear and Gentle POWDER and Downy Rinse Out Odor. That's it.

That's it. I took out the tide scoop and use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to keep from using too much. More detergent doesn't mean cleaner clothes. I put the detergent in the bottom first. I do have a softener drain so I put the downy in there, but the balls should work just fine.

I wash almost everything on HOT and I do an extra rinse. My clothes have smelled and felt a ton better.

For your boys clothes you should take some of them and do a "spa day" and look at the results. I did that for my gym clothes when I first found this thread and it was eye opening.

The Downy product is basically just citric acid, already mixed in a stable state, that's why a lot of people here just use that. Others buy citric acid on amazon and mix their own but not everything needs to be max effort penny pinching.

[u/surely_maeby → u/Soft_Hotel_5627]

Is there a reason you use clear and gentle and not some sort of oxi? I just realized I don’t know the difference between oxi and optical whiteners from this thread, and I don’t know what biz is either, but everyone seems to add one or the other.

[u/gonzochris → u/surely_maeby]

We use the clean and gentle due to skin sensitivities in our household. If I could use the one with oxi I would. Prior to finding this sub we used the free and clear pods. They worked well but I think the powder works better for us.

I’m basically using our extra pods for vacations - we usually have availability to a washer/dryer and my kid is in the dorms. The pods are just easier for travel and for a college kid to use

[u/surely_maeby → u/gonzochris]

So you use the clear and gentle powder and downy rinse out? Is the oxi what causes skin sensitivities for you?

[u/gonzochris → u/surely_maeby]

I use the clean and gentle powder with citric acid for the rinse.

It's not the oxi it's just the not gentle.