Need Laundry Help - Tremonton,UT

When I get those greasy looking spots on clothes I can sometimes save them by spraying them with the Oxyclean spray ( Blue bottle yellow nozzle) and rewashing them.
There are some new color catcher sheets that work well, but seem kind of pricey to me so I usually just use them when I am washing something that I know fades.
Washing like colored clothes together helps.
Not over loading the washing machine so that the clothes have room to agitate.
If you are washing with cold water switch to a cold water detergent.
Also from time to time I throw in a couple teaspoons of baking soda, seems to freshen the washer and clothes at the same time.

I second the vinegar idea -- and I'd add baking soda to that.

Have you tried running some rags in a hot water / cold rinse wash? I do that with my usual detergent and some bleach. That might help get rid of any greasy residue that's somehow built up in your washer.

Years ago, something in my washer went and started leaving oil spots on my clothes. The answer was (unfortunately) a new washer. Could it be that your washer is on the way out? For your sake, I hope it's something simpler -- and less expensive.

I have also had those greasy looking stains on my clothes and it turned out to be the fabric softner , if you put too much it can cause the stains. For the fading , is it any colors in particular? Maybe use a color booster detergent instead?

Not sure about the other problem though , maybe someone else can help with that one

run vinegar water through it

edit another thing i thought of do you live where the land is sandy instead of dirt??? if the answer is yes buy a screen for your washer to keep the sand out. i had to do this at one house I lived at. just a thought

You have already gotten some great answers. The one other thing I would ask is are you using too much detergent? They concentrate stuff so much more now that if you use more than what the label says you might take the color out of some clothes. The concentrated soap is harder for your machine to rinse out too, so it can leave a dirty residue.
Good luck!

Yeah, you could have a funky leak in the washer that is allowing the washer to ooze gunk into the tub - but most likely it is something in the washing/detergent process. Washer tubs are pretty self contained and from prior gasket breakage I know that they are outside the wash tub.

Try switching laundry detergent, don't use any softening additives for a cycle or two. Oh, and check pockets? My son leaves all kinds of things in his pants pockets - from pens to candy to money.

So in our house for laundry - I separate by color and clothing purpose. My work clothing gets laundered separately from my jeans and sweats, and whites get their own load, etc. Oh, and my son does his own laundry now so I don't check pockets as often.

I use only the gentle cycle and cold wash/rinse, and honestly, whatever detergent is on sale - this week's purchase was Target's store brand. I did just buy Purell softening crystals - they are new and I had a coupon - that just add to the wash water with the detergent - they smell fantastic!!!

For towels, dog blankets, and unusually funky stuff, I use about a 1/4 cup bleach, detergent, and hot wash/cold rinse. Still only the gentle cycle.

Try some of the ideas of "washing" the wash tub - I occasionally just run a cycle on hot without clothing to "flush" it out.

Good Luck and God Bless

I just need laundry help period! :-)

Actually, I have no idea what you are doing wrong. Weird things happen to my clothes and my kids clothes on the rare occasion my husband washes them. They either develop new stains or they fade. I think the fading is because he washes on hot or warm. I always wash on cold.

Sounds like your water quality has changed. Sounds like your water got hard(er). With hard water detergent has a harder time to get stains out. Add some Calgon water softner to your wash load, it can be found in the detergent aisle. Good luck.

I've had stains not come out and detergent or stain remover residue left after one wash. This mostly happens if the load was too big and there wasn't enough room for the clothes to move around. Try washing the same clothes again, doing smaller loads and maybe using less detergent.

I'm not sure what the problem is with the fading. Maybe too hot water or not a gentle enough detergent? Perhaps check the care labels and see if you can find a pattern to what is getting damaged. Maybe a different brand of detergent may help.

I did have an older washer leave stains on clothes (it needed to be replaced). In that case the motor that moved the washer basket had broken completely and it wasn't agitating at all.

I don't know about some of those things---but I found grease spots on my clothes after I pulled them out of my dryer. I did find out that the dryer sheets can leave the grease spots if left in there too long. I don't know about the rest of those things. Good luck!!

Updated

I don't know about some of those things---but I found grease spots on my clothes after I pulled them out of my dryer. I did find out that the dryer sheets can leave the grease spots if left in there too long. I don't know about the rest of those things. Good luck!!