Laundry detergent

[Melissa]

What brand of laundry detergent can you guys suggest for me to use to wash my ratty laundry in (fleece)? All of my rats hav very sensitive noses and I want to switch to a different, less perfumed brand.

Is there anything special you use to take out that ratty smell? I tried vinegar in the rinse cycle the other day and it worked pretty well.

 

[Fidget]

I don't have an answer but I'm kind of worried now if the ratty smell remains even after washing. I have only certain times I can do my laundry in my apartment so I do mine in the same load as the rattie's stuff (doing it a the moment actually).

Could somebody smell me please? :?

 

[Melissa]

Well, it's actually my guinea pigs that are to blame.. their smell mixes in with the rat smell... I feel bad for whoever uses the washer after me, lol. But I do wipe it out!

 

[Bati]

I use sope - ordinary soap, and then no softener (have no idea which is detergent 8) ) afterwards it's tumble-dryed so it doesn't have any smell or only a very small smell of rat

 

[ratamataz]

I use Seventh Generation Free and Clear liquid laundry detergent. There is no scent or chemicals, but my rat laundry doesn't smell at all when it comes out of the dryer. My fiance doesn't even mind if his things are washed with the rat laundry... I had to wash my things once with the rat laundry too because we ran out of laundry money, and honestly, none of my things smelled even a little bit like rat afterwards.

 

[mamarat2]

I use Arm and Hammer laundry detergen for Sensitive Skin, its one of the ones that is free of perfumes and other additives. Or I opt for Wisk Free, Tide Free & Clear. I have also found that the generic "free & clear" laundry detergent in our grocery store is the same quality as the brand names and its cheap.

For smell and to better clean the load of laundry I will sometimes add vinegar (smell) or baking soda (helps detergent wash better) to the begining of the load. Not too much vinegar otherwise it will be a strong vinegar odor when the load is finished :shock:

 

[Bati]

Only once did I mix the washings, and I'll never do that again, my washer leaves a bit of smell, so I'll try the vineager!

 

[Melissa]

Thanks foe the tips everyone. I'm going to try the baking soda thing.

 

[lilspaz68]

i handwash my rat laundry (that little chore awaits me tonight after my vet visit ). We only have 1 washer and 1 dryer in my tiny building and its always in use. There is also no venting so that rat smell (even with vinegar) comes up from the basement. :roll:
I switched to the scent/dye free stuff but it ended up smelling ucky. So I use less of the regular stuff and have no problems.

 

[ratamataz]

i handwash my rat laundry (that little chore awaits me tonight after my vet visit ). We only have 1 washer and 1 dryer in my tiny building and its always in use. There is also no venting so that rat smell (even with vinegar) comes up from the basement. :roll:
I switched to the scent/dye free stuff but it ended up smelling ucky. So I use less of the regular stuff and have no problems.

Do you hand wash your own laundry too? :yikes:

 

[lilspaz68]

i handwash my rat laundry (that little chore awaits me tonight after my vet visit ). We only have 1 washer and 1 dryer in my tiny building and its always in use. There is also no venting so that rat smell (even with vinegar) comes up from the basement. :roll:
I switched to the scent/dye free stuff but it ended up smelling ucky. So I use less of the regular stuff and have no problems.

Do you hand wash your own laundry too? :yikes:

No. the rats aren't as picky as I am

 

[Lise]

I use regular detergent, but set the machine to a double rinse and it seems to help. Do that if your machine will support it.

 

[anita1216]

I use Gain.. that will get the smell out of darn near anything. I also use vinegar in the rinse and double rinse the rat linens. I dont use dryer sheets, because they make material less able to soak up liquids.

Seems to work out pretty well

 

[mamarat2]

I use regular detergent, but set the machine to a double rinse and it seems to help. Do that if your machine will support it.

I usually do a double wash for the rat rags, but then I also do not pay for water where we are :shock:

 

[Bronwyn]

When handwashing, is regular detergent not safe?

They need a new FN owner support thread :lol:

 

[jorats]

I think it depends if you see any changes in your rats. If they sneeze or seem itchy. I use the "free of fragrance and dyes" not only for the rats but for my family too, some detergent really bothers my husband and older son.
If your ratties are fine with your detergent, then I don't think there's reason to worry.

 

[lilspaz68]

When handwashing, is regular detergent not safe?

They need a new FN owner support thread :lol:

I use regular detergent. I used the dye/scent, etc free stuff but the smell of it was yucky. So I use less regular stuff,than I would for myself, when I handwash in the tub, and I have had no issues with sneezing. My rats are quick to tell me if there's something bothering their noses.

 

[Godmother]

I use unscented detergent. Because I have a front-load washer, which uses a lot less water, I use the sanitary cycle and a pre-wash. That takes a while, but it works well and still uses very little water.

Some things, like the Octoplay, need very frequent washing or else they can benefit from a pre-soak in detergent and baking soda.

My biggest worry is pre-shaking all the laundry to get rid of wood slivers, bits of cardboard, or whatever else they've been chewing on. I am pretty careful, but once my husband found a huge fragment of chicken bone in the washer's lint trap!!

He's pickier than I am, so I have become a bit obsessive about making sure there is no smell.

 

[mamarat2]

My biggest worry is pre-shaking all the laundry to get rid of wood slivers, bits of cardboard, or whatever else they've been chewing on. I am pretty careful, but once my husband found a huge fragment of chicken bone in the washer's lint trap!!

He's pickier than I am, so I have become a bit obsessive about making sure there is no smell.

Yah my husband is not overly fond of finding rat turds in the washer so I shake stuff out really well before it gets washed.

 

[Bronwyn]

LOL!!

This is a public washing machine so I think there would be hell to pay if I left turds in there. handwashing is likely how I'll do it, but man, what a pain. I hate hand washing my own stuff! (with the few pieces I have that require it) :lol: