What Are Those Mystery Greasy Spots Left With Laundry Detergent?
Laundry detergent itself does not produce greasy spots and stains on freshly-laundered clothes. Rather, additives, such as liquid fabric softeners, and grease from clothing may churn around in the washing machine, staining the rest of the clothing with residue. Grease is difficult to remove from clothing, but with some preventative practices and cleaning tips, greasy spots in the wash load will soon be a problem of the past. Does this Spark an idea?
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Common Causes
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Grease can build up in the washing machine. Oil-soaked clothing from a car repair job or deep-frying fiasco can coat the tub of the washing machine or collect at the bottom of the tub when these clothes are laundered. When a new wash load is started, the grease becomes dislodged and contaminates the clothing. In addition, overuse or improper rinsing of liquid fabric softener can create translucent or light-blue greasy spots on clothing.
Uncommon Causes
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In other cases, grease spots may suddenly appear on clothing which is the result of a buildup of soil from improper laundering or very dirty laundry. This is a common problem in polyester clothing. Grease spots may also appear if the washing machine transmission is experiencing leakage from a faulty or worn seal. In this case, small traces of transmission oil can enter the wash load. The oil, less dense than the water that fills the tub, floats to the surface of the wash load. After the tub has drained, the oil settles on the clothing at the top of the tub, staining the clothes with grease.
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Cold Water Problems
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency encourages homeowners to use cold water for laundry as much as possible as the use of cold water can reduce 90 percent of the energy used for washing clothes in hot water. Cold water, however, is less effective than hot water for reducing grease stains and cleaning badly soiled laundry. Cold water is also incapable of dissolving grease buildup in the washing machine tub. Only laundry detergent labeled for cold water should be used for cold water wash loads.
Tips
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Manufacturers label their laundry detergents and fabric softeners with instructions for proper use. Following these guidelines will ensure that clothing is properly treated with minimal damage. Heavily-soiled or greasy clothing should be rinsed in hot water and pretreated in a separate sink or tub. Fabric softener may need to be diluted to prevent oily stains. Add 1 cup of distilled white vinegar to a load's final rinse cycle to dissolve built-up grease in the tub. Never use vinegar and chlorine bleach together. A defective transmission seal needs immediate attention and replacement.
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References
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