We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash at
30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Jo

On 09/05/2010 12:52, Jo wrote:
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash at
30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Jo


What you haven't said is how you are drying the linen. Outside? Consider
pollen.

http://laundry.about.com/od/stainremoval/f/removepollen.htm

--
Rod

On 9 May, 12:52, "Jo" wrote:

Bee droppings, probably. On the first warm day after winter, they
emerge from the hives in large numbers and unload a whole winter's
worth of bee crap en-masse.
The first warm-enough day would have been some weeks ago. Probably
other insects leave similar yellow deposits as well. I believe they
may also rest on laundry to suck up moisture. Any hives nearby? Is it
under any trees (honey dew, aphid excreta)? Any flowering crops that
would place you under the bee flight-path?

"Jo" wrote in message
o.uk...
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash at
30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Jo
I'm drying inside - either in a tumble drier or on an airer so pollen and
bee droppings are out I'm afraid.

Jo wrote:
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash at
30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Jo


My bet is rust in the washing machine drum or a stray bit of iron in it.

On Sun, 9 May 2010 12:52:13 +0100, "Jo" wrote:


Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

If you can find something relatively unimportant (like a white hanky)
or something which will withstand bleach such as a teatowel or a white
towel try putting the item in a bleach solution for an hour or so -
does the stain change colour or reduce?

In article ,
"Jo" writes:

"Jo" wrote in message
o.uk...
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash at
30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Jo

I'm drying inside - either in a tumble drier or on an airer so pollen and
bee droppings are out I'm afraid.

Something melted in the tumble drier?
What detergent are you using?
Could this have started with a new box/bottle of detergent?

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

In message , The Natural Philosopher
wrote
My bet is rust in the washing machine drum or a stray bit of iron in
it.


Quashed bed bugs?
--
Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

Jo wrote:
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash at
30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Jo


Trying washing two white pieces of material without any detergent.
Dry one in the drier and one on the line.
This *might* prove the contamination is coming from inside the washing
machine or far less likely, the drier.

Andy C

"Peter Parry" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 9 May 2010 12:52:13 +0100, "Jo" wrote:


Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

If you can find something relatively unimportant (like a white hanky)
or something which will withstand bleach such as a teatowel or a white
towel try putting the item in a bleach solution for an hour or so -
does the stain change colour or reduce?


I've been noticing for some time, that flannels seem to develop yellow spots
even when bleached. Don't know why: its as if there is a phantom turmeric
source somewhere in the house!

S

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Jo" writes:

"Jo" wrote in message
o.uk...
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing
on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash
at
30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Jo

I'm drying inside - either in a tumble drier or on an airer so pollen and
bee droppings are out I'm afraid.

Something melted in the tumble drier?
What detergent are you using?
Could this have started with a new box/bottle of detergent?

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Nothing has melted in the tumble drier, that's for sure. I've been using
various detergents so I can't really put it down to that either. It's a
mystery!

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
Jo wrote:
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash
at 30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Jo
My bet is rust in the washing machine drum or a stray bit of iron in it.

Yes, that's what we thought as it looks like little rust spots, but there is
nothing rattling around in the drum and nothing obviously rusty to note in
there either.

"spamlet" wrote in message
...

"Peter Parry" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 9 May 2010 12:52:13 +0100, "Jo" wrote:


Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

If you can find something relatively unimportant (like a white hanky)
or something which will withstand bleach such as a teatowel or a white
towel try putting the item in a bleach solution for an hour or so -
does the stain change colour or reduce?


I've been noticing for some time, that flannels seem to develop yellow
spots even when bleached. Don't know why: its as if there is a phantom
turmeric source somewhere in the house!

S Oh yeah, that happens too - and on towels, but that's a different
problem entirely. Different colour yellow and different shaped 'spots'.
Almost like some sort of bleach marks, that one!

On Sun, 9 May 2010 20:20:08 +0100, "Jo" wrote:


"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
Jo wrote:
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash
at 30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Jo
My bet is rust in the washing machine drum or a stray bit of iron in it.

Yes, that's what we thought as it looks like little rust spots, but there is
nothing rattling around in the drum and nothing obviously rusty to note in
there either.

It's probably iron spots caused by your local water supply. Ask your
water company if they're aware of any iron content in the water.
In fact the Drinking Water Inspectorate (I believe) publish analyses
of water for various areas.

--
Frank Erskine

Andy Cap wrote in message
o.uk...
Jo wrote:
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash
at 30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Trying washing two white pieces of material without any detergent.
Dry one in the drier and one on the line.
This *might* prove the contamination is coming from inside the washing
machine or far less likely, the drier.

Surely better to wash one in the machine and dry naturally (line/airer) and
wash the other (same detergent) by hand and dry in the drier. If they're
both marked, it's the detergent. If only one is marked, it's the relevant
machine.

--
Regards,

"The car in front is a Toyota",
aren't you glad it's in front?

"Jo" wrote in message
o.uk...

"spamlet" wrote in message
...

"Peter Parry" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 9 May 2010 12:52:13 +0100, "Jo" wrote:


Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

If you can find something relatively unimportant (like a white hanky)
or something which will withstand bleach such as a teatowel or a white
towel try putting the item in a bleach solution for an hour or so -
does the stain change colour or reduce?


I've been noticing for some time, that flannels seem to develop yellow
spots even when bleached. Don't know why: its as if there is a phantom
turmeric source somewhere in the house!

S Oh yeah, that happens too - and on towels, but that's a different
problem entirely. Different colour yellow and different shaped 'spots'.
Almost like some sort of bleach marks, that one!


As Frank Erskin says above, it may be your water supply, but not just at the
water company's end. If you still have an iron pipe between your house and
the road it may be this that is gradually rotting. If it gets very bad you
will start to hear a hissing noise when the pipe starts to leak (That's how
they detect people defying hose pipe bans.). In our road the pipes all went
within a fairly short period - as they would all have been installed at the
same time - so ask your neighbours if they are having similar problems or if
any have had to have their supply pipes replaced recently.

S

Or a galvanized steel water storage tank? Galvanized steel hot water
pipes?

The bee poo theory was promising.

I'd be looking at the water supply and storage inside the house. Is
the cold water supply from the mains? Is the hot supply from a combi
or a storage cylinder?

I once heard of a problem with a leak from a district/council heating
system. It eventually turned out the family wearing brown clothes had
plumbed their washing machine in themselves ;-).

On Sun, 9 May 2010 06:01:16 -0700 (PDT), Onetap
wrote:

Bee droppings, probably. On the first warm day after winter, they
emerge from the hives in large numbers and unload a whole winter's
worth of bee crap en-masse.
The first warm-enough day would have been some weeks ago. Probably
other insects leave similar yellow deposits as well. I believe they
may also rest on laundry to suck up moisture. Any hives nearby? Is it
under any trees (honey dew, aphid excreta)? Any flowering crops that
would place you under the bee flight-path?

While possible, that is far less likely at this time of year, it is
more common in February or March (you try holding it all in for three
or four months!) During the rest of the year I rarely see any voiding
- having a greenhouse right next to some of my hives and with a
regularly used washing line less than 10 feet away any voiding would
be really noticeable.

Returning foraging bees (carrying nectar/and or pollen) quite often
rest for a few minutes either to clean themselves up or just to get
their breath back before a final short flight to the hive, usually
this resting place will be within a few tens of feet of a hive. A bed
sheet on a washing line is a visible target and being grippy on a bee
scale it makes a good resting place. If there has been a dry spell
you can also get water carrying bees sucking up water from damp
washing, they might have a bit of pollen debris on their bodies.

Maybe my bees are better toilet trained and use the adjacent field,
but In twenty odd years of keeping bees, marking of washing hasn't
ever been a significant problem.
--

Jo wrote:
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
Jo wrote:
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots
appearing on white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of
white bed linen and every single item has now been spotted with
yellow marks. This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be
removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly
wash at 30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or
bed linen. Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common
but
no-one seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at
all? Jo
My bet is rust in the washing machine drum or a stray bit of iron in it.
Yes, that's what we thought as it looks like little rust spots, but
there is nothing rattling around in the drum and nothing obviously
rusty to note in there either.

Have you taken the filter out & had a look?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

In article ,
The Other Mike writes:

While possible, that is far less likely at this time of year, it is
more common in February or March (you try holding it all in for three
or four months!) During the rest of the year I rarely see any voiding
- having a greenhouse right next to some of my hives and with a
regularly used washing line less than 10 feet away any voiding would
be really noticeable.

Returning foraging bees (carrying nectar/and or pollen) quite often
rest for a few minutes either to clean themselves up or just to get
their breath back before a final short flight to the hive, usually
this resting place will be within a few tens of feet of a hive. A bed
sheet on a washing line is a visible target and being grippy on a bee
scale it makes a good resting place. If there has been a dry spell
you can also get water carrying bees sucking up water from damp
washing, they might have a bit of pollen debris on their bodies.

Maybe my bees are better toilet trained and use the adjacent field,
but In twenty odd years of keeping bees, marking of washing hasn't
ever been a significant problem.

Reminds me of an interview of Michael Caine talking about making
The Swarm (which I've never seen). Aparently, the bees were boxed up
for rather a long time on set. When they were finally released, a
million bees who had been waiting patiently with their legs tightly
crossed for too long (bees are very clean and don't crap at home), all
relieved themselves at once as they took to the air. The actors were
all wearing white lab coats, which instantly all turned yellow...

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On 10/05/2010 09:02, Him & Her wrote:
Andy Cap wrote in message
o.uk...
Jo wrote:
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash
at 30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Trying washing two white pieces of material without any detergent.
Dry one in the drier and one on the line.
This *might* prove the contamination is coming from inside the washing
machine or far less likely, the drier.

Surely better to wash one in the machine and dry naturally (line/airer) and
wash the other (same detergent) by hand and dry in the drier. If they're
both marked, it's the detergent. If only one is marked, it's the relevant
machine.



I have only ever experienced this with the drier overheating.
John Gifford

On Sun, 9 May 2010 12:52:13 +0100, "Jo" wrote:

We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash at
30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

We had a similar problem. It was solved when we replaced the washing
machine.
--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) Due to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups and
(")_(") their inaction to the problem. I am blocking most articles
posted from there. If you wish your postings to be seen by
everyone you will need use a different method of posting.

On Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 7:52:13 AM UTC-4, Jo wrote:
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash at
30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Jo

We have same problem at hotel. Brand new towels out of plastic come out with yellow stains. I read that it was the hardness of the water making the bleach leave yellow stains. It said to use Oxiclean or water softener tabs. Some also say use vinegar. Another place i read it could be fabric softener reacting with bleach. I'm not sure but its 100% annoying. I'm going to experiment all of them myself soon. I do believe its caused from the hardness because water dries out skin and hair.

Well if its been going on for a decade or so, it cannot be harmful. grin.
Brian

--
----- --
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
wrote in message
...
On Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 7:52:13 AM UTC-4, Jo wrote:
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash at
30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Jo

We have same problem at hotel. Brand new towels out of plastic come out with
yellow stains. I read that it was the hardness of the water making the
bleach leave yellow stains. It said to use Oxiclean or water softener tabs.
Some also say use vinegar. Another place i read it could be fabric softener
reacting with bleach. I'm not sure but its 100% annoying. I'm going to
experiment all of them myself soon. I do believe its caused from the
hardness because water dries out skin and hair.

On 09/04/2020 22:51, wrote:
On Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 7:52:13 AM UTC-4, Jo wrote:
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots
appearing on white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of
white bed linen and every single item has now been spotted with
yellow marks. This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot
be removed.

How large are these yellow marks?

At this time of year bee dung puts tiny waxy yellow marks ~3mm diameter
on things as can some tree pollen if you are really unlucky.

We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly
wash at 30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or
bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but
no-one seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at
all?

Jo

We have same problem at hotel. Brand new towels out of plastic come
out with yellow stains. I read that it was the hardness of the water
making the bleach leave yellow stains. It said to use Oxiclean or
water softener tabs. Some also say use vinegar. Another place i read
it could be fabric softener reacting with bleach. I'm not sure but
its 100% annoying. I'm going to experiment all of them myself soon. I
do believe its caused from the hardness because water dries out skin
and hair.

I can't think of any way that hard water can produce yellow stains. High
iron content might but it is usually more on the orange side of yellow.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On Thu, 9 Apr 2020 14:51:43 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

On Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 7:52:13 AM UTC-4, Jo wrote:
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash at
30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Jo

We have same problem at hotel. Brand new towels out of plastic come out with yellow stains. I read that it was the hardness of the water making the bleach leave yellow stains. It said to use Oxiclean or water softener tabs. Some also say use vinegar. Another place i read it could be fabric softener reacting with bleach. I'm not sure but its 100% annoying. I'm going to experiment all of them myself soon. I do believe its caused from the hardness because water dries out skin and hair.

I would blame it on poor standard of the dyeing process but I have no
evidence for this :-)

I have seen blue towels developing pink patches.

On 10/04/2020 10:23, Scott wrote:
On Thu, 9 Apr 2020 14:51:43 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

On Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 7:52:13 AM UTC-4, Jo wrote:
We have, for some time now, been noticing small yellow spots appearing on
white washing. We recently bought a few new sets of white bed linen and
every single item has now been spotted with yellow marks.
This is becoming very frustrating as the marks cannot be removed.
We run a hot wash through our washing machine regularly and mostly wash at
30 degs, with the occasional 40 deg wash for some towels or bed linen.

Having googled this problem, it seems that it's quite common but no-one
seems to know the answer. Can anyone here enlighten me at all?

Jo

We have same problem at hotel. Brand new towels out of plastic come out with yellow stains. I read that it was the hardness of the water making the bleach leave yellow stains. It said to use Oxiclean or water softener tabs. Some also say use vinegar. Another place i read it could be fabric softener reacting with bleach. I'm not sure but its 100% annoying. I'm going to experiment all of them myself soon. I do believe its caused from the hardness because water dries out skin and hair.

I would blame it on poor standard of the dyeing process but I have no
evidence for this :-)

I have seen blue towels developing pink patches.


Over 10 years since the OP, I have seen blue towels fade away
to almost DIY rags.