# boring laundry question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 3, 2002, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boring-laundry-question/107006 "2002-05-03T04:18:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aurelian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@aurelian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurelian)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boring-laundry-question/107006/1 "2002-05-03T04:18:28Z")
I do my washing at a laundromat, and lately I’ve noticed my bedsheets come out looking odd…they are covered in slightly-darker-than-the-normal-color blotches. Re-washing them does not remove this stuff…the only thing I’ve found that helps is scrubbing with a pre-treater, but obviously that takes quite a while for a sheet. So…does anyone know what I’m trying to describe, and/or have any ideas? thanks ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boring-laundry-question/107006/2 "2002-05-03T04:24:26Z")
No clue as to what’s causing it, but for heaven’s sakes, throw them away and buy some new ones–life’s too short to spend it screwing around with Spray ‘N’ Wash (on an entire bedsheet? sheesh…) Masochist… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dragongirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@dragongirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragongirl)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boring-laundry-question/107006/3 "2002-05-03T12:31:58Z")
We used to have the same problem at laundromats. I don’t know how to get rid of the stains, but I remember that if I ran the maching empty first, I got cleaned out and no more stains. I always thought the stains came from residue from the last persons clothes. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boring-laundry-question/107006/4 "2002-05-03T12:38:51Z")
I got these blothces once when I poured the detergent directly on the clothes. It doesn’t make any sense, you’d think that anything that got a direct shot of detergent would be cleaner/brighter rather than splotchy, but there it was. If you’re doing this, try putting the detergent into the machine and let the water fill to a few inches before putting in any clothes. ---
**Author:** ![Morgainelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Morgainelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgainelf)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boring-laundry-question/107006/5 "2002-05-03T12:40:03Z")
What color are the blotches? The machines or water might be rusty, which would cause that to happen. Also, sometimes insensitive crazy people dye clothes in machines with RIT dye, which will leave a residue. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boring-laundry-question/107006/6 "2002-05-03T12:40:38Z")
Oh, and as for your boring laundry, try tossing in some g-strings or some crotchless panties. That oughtta liven things up a little. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boring-laundry-question/107006/7 "2002-05-03T13:02:37Z")
I had a similar problem doing my laundry at home, the problem was something with the dryer (which was also making a really awful noise). Almost as it if were leaking something onto the laundry. I got a new dryer and it doesn’t happen anymore. ---
**Author:** ![aurelian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@aurelian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurelian)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boring-laundry-question/107006/8 "2002-05-03T14:51:38Z")
**Morgainelf** , the blotches are just a few tones darker than the original color…most of my sheets are a dark sage, so they come out with with splotchy darker green spots…the spots look random, as if I was trying to go for a really subtle tie-die. **Duck Duck** 🙂 Ha! I’m just a lowly graduate student, and the sheets I have are pretty nice, therefore, I must scrub them. I am more than willing to accept contributions should you be willing to fund my overeducation. And **Attrayant** …you can also buy beer at said laundromat, so the addition of lingerie would certainly liven things up… Ah, such, such are the joys of Wisconsin…