On 1/3/21 10:55 PM, micky wrote:
In alt.home.repair, on Sun, 3 Jan 2021 14:08:50 -0500, Witherspoon
wrote:

Ok, pretty new to washing blankets in general, but finally got a dryer a
while back that can dry on low heat, which seems to be a requirement for
many blankets, especially down. Today, I'm trying to wash and dry an
older blanket I found in a storage bin. It's a comforter, but not down
and I suspect either poly or cotton filling. I've washed it twice in
the washer so far and still the wash water is brown. Could it be that

When I have clothes that are really dirty, I put it through the wash
part, then the next step drains it half way, then I advance the timer to
where it drains it all the way, and then I start frrom the beginning
again.

Even before then I pre-soak in the washing machine, for up to 12 hours
if something is really dirty. Soaking doesn't wear fabric out like
washing might (does it?) 50 years ago I think pre-soaking stops working
after an hour but new detergents have enzymes and I think they take time
to work, or maybe better put, they keep working, if something is really
dirty. Enzymes are catalysts so they should be able to keep working,
but soap and plain detergent, idont' think does. Might elp to agitate
for a minute every few hours, but I don't do that.


dirty, should I yet wash it again, or is something coming out of the
blanket? It is blue in color.

Yet the draining water is brown. No trace of blue?

No trace of blue!


Has it never been washed before? If it's old, it should have but maybe
not. Maybe that's why it's so dirty.

It was in a storage bin in an enclosed outdoor space alongside of my
house. I wasn't able to find some lightweight down blankets and turned
out they were in the bin too. However, I washed them both a week ago
and they turned out fine with a single wash.


Did it look dirty everywhere before you started washing? If it was
evenly dirty and didn't show it, it might well not show it if you quit
now.

Yes, it was visibly dirty just about everywhere!

I've been using gentle cycle and a
gentle detergent, no fabric softener. Thanks!

I would finish up this cycle, dry it, and use it for a while, and decide
then if it's still dirty. If it's still dirty, the previous owner (your
grandparents?) must have used it a lot when it was dirty. Do you think
you're better than they are? If they can use it when it's dirty so can
you.


Well, I ran it through a wash/rinse cycle four times today. By the time
I reached the fourth cycle, just mild brown water after I did a second
rinse. Hard to believe it could have been that dirty and why the down
throw in the same bin did not show nearly this much dirt.

If you use a top sheet, you don't even touch it, so it's not like the
dirt will come off on you. So use it half or 3/4 the time you normally
would and then wash it again.

You don't want to wash it to death today.


I've washed and am now in the process of drying it. That's as far as
I'm going to go. If there are still any issues when I try using it over
the next few days, I'm just going to buy another. The down throws
turned out great and are quite warm, but being throw and not twin size,
they are a little small for the bed. This comforter is twin and should
be dry soon. Not sure if it has cotton or poly filling, but will see
how well it keeps warmth tonight. Of course, I couldn't find any
washing instructions on it, so used the same process I used with the
down a week ago.

My only guess, aside from it really being that dirty, is that dye or
something else was dissolving with every wash. Just a guess.