Laundry help for Front Loader...

[FlowerDogsMom]

Hi all... I've been reading through zillions of old posts to get ideas on how to handle treatment, cleaning, etc. I have just received my DSP and Eco-Vie. Menthol crystals and Soverign Silver are the next things to come.

Meanwhile, I still have major laundry issues. I cannot seem to find a way to get anything to come out of the washer/dryer with still living hair from my head and/or from my pets, and/or fibers from my couch or bedding or something. I have to find some way to handle this, or it won't matter how many times I use the topical treatments on myself or my pets... we'll just keep getting reinfected.

I have read through the various steps and alternatives about filling your machine with hot water and citric acid and stop the machine and soak, etc. or warm water and Eco-Vie and soak, or detergent with citric acid. I have a front load machine and it does not have an option to fill and soak. The whole deal with a front loader is that the water pours through the clothes. I've been using 1 cup of Borax with each load. I've tried Tide that has citric acid, 7th generation, Ecover (I think it's called), I've added the Safe 2 use peppermint enzyme cleaner. I have presprayed with Orange guard and then washed. Today I filled a little plastic tub with hot water, Borax and soap, and tried a test of soaking for an hour and a half (and added grapefruit seed as well) and still I had moving hairs that I pulled from the wet fabric. I just heard the washer stop, so, I'll check again ... after the soaking, I threw them in the machine with soap and peppermint enzyme stuff I think - now I can't remember.

Can anyone please make a suggestion? I'm sorry but I'm feeling at the end of my rope at the moment. This morning I had the first feelings of hopefulness in a long time... but it's been a long frustrating day.... I guess it's the saying "2 steps forward and 3 steps back..."

Thanks for your support and advice.

Katherine, aka, FlowerDogsMom

[tcmgpt13]

Here's Marc Neuman's take on doing wash. From the picture on this page it appears to be a front loader he is using so I believe the directions he gives apply to a front loading machine. If you don't have a laundry sink to soak wash overnight before washing perhaps you can buy a wash tub at a hardware store (or they could tell you where to look for one). There may even be some made of plastic and not metal these days. I expect even a smaller new plastic garbage can could be a wash tub substitute (might be easier to carry as there are handles) and there is always the bathroom tub too (if you have one):

http://www.s-m-g.org/dsp/us/morgellons-wash.htm

[Cindi]

Hi Flowerdogsmom,

I can relate I have struggled with the same thing. I too have a front loader which I did not learn until after purchasing the second one that they are not particularly good if you have pet hair. My friend actually takes a hose and adds more water I have the feature to add more water but it does not really make that much a difference. I found using baking soda,borax and some antibacterial liquid hand soap seemed to help with my moving hair issues. Some have suggested using double the amount of softener. Others say to sticky tape everything before putting in the washer. Honestly I do not have time for that .

I have been tempted to buy a top loader and hook it up in the garage. The reason they work better for pet hair issues is that as they agitate the hair rises to the top of the water and then floats off first when draining. at least that is my understanding. I wish I would have researched this more before spending as much as I did

I thought it would be so nice to be able to put a counter above them now I am going to need it more then ever to lint roll everything as it comes out.


Cindi

[FlowerDogsMom]

Cindi - Thanks for your response. I agree - I can't lint roll (or use tape) on everything I own for multiple loads of laundry each day. I am still trying to get my mind around all of this ...

The hair on my head looks like Medusa and has a life all of it's own. It twists and curls at odd angles and some stands straight up or out no matter what I do to it... so, I pull those out - or they fall out. And, when they do, they are still somehow alive. I put some in a jar with some of the Safe 2 Use enzyme cleaner as an experiment to see if it'd die.... 2 things happened. One, even after days of soaking, when the hairs were picked out, they immediately started wiggling again. (Bad). And, two, I noticed on the side of the jar were some inch long thin clear worms (nematodes I presume). (This is not just bad but also freaky.)

I notice my husband's hair has started to take on a life of it's own despite hair spray (he uses it, I never do). My dog has new whiskers and hairs growing as well as fibers out of her feet. My cats have even more issues with their hair. Plus when they all lick at themselves, I'm afraid they are eating fibers. That can't be good. In any case, in my house, the animals are part of the family and also sleep in bed with us.... I realize now that this was an error to ever start but it's not going to easily change.

So, we all have to be treated and I have to keep up with washing sheets and blankets and so on.... But since live hairs are making it back into bed or closets or whatever, it feels like wasted effort. And, I'm exhausted and frustrated, like so many other people here. Especially since it's all up to me in my home. My husband thinks I've lost my mind. He REALLY thought that in Sept/Oct when this first started and I was really freaked out and sleep deprived and hallucinating due to brain toxicity - which I now think is die off or something - but the specialists thought it was something else. Anyway, after that rough several months, I just stopped talking with my husband about any of this because there was no point. I only just recently brought Morgellons up with him because I'd like to go see a doctor in Ohio. And, still he thinks I'm out of my mind....

Anyway, thanks again for your message. I appreciate the advice.

Take care, Katherine aka, FlowerDogsMom

[Cindi]

Hi Katherine,

I am so sorry you are going through this. I to see the same thing in the hair of everyone in my family. In fact not long ago I joked about having madusa hair. My husband to at times has thought I was going crazy. He has come a long way though. That is interesting what you say about the long clear worms like things growing in the enzyme. I have opened my washer and seen these when I get a load that seems to be an issue. The things that wrap around my hair look like small worm shaped things but they also resemble fungus or some type of cynobacteria . Do you know what is in the enzyme cleaner? I have often wondered if Bacillius Subtilis is in those. We used a ton of enzyme stuff when we got are dog now I am a little unsure of them. It almost seems to me that what is wrapped around the hair is very strong and able to cause are hair to move. Have you ever thrown a piece in the toilet and the water starts to sway by its self? That is the weirdest thing I have witnessed yet. What I have seen under the microscope resembles malassizia fungus. I was thinking of added a pure filter to the washer inlet and seeing what happens but I dont think you can use those on the hot water side. My cat also is very affected I believe. She has very long strange guard looking hairs but I am not sure they are guard hairs if you know what I mean.

Well hang in there and I feel you on everyone thinking you are crazy it has been by far the hardest year of my marriage out of the 25 years I have been married. If my husband did not see the things under the scope that I see he would probably still think I am crazy.

I would really try hard not to let the animals sleep with you. I keep them out of our room now as much as possible. The kids will not listen to me on this one so there is not much I can do. I do not want them looking back thinking there mom was crazy.

Do you live in Ohio? I was born there.


Cindi

[Jo]

Hi Katherine

A big hello from me. Good to have you with us and sorry to hear you're going through it.

My washing machine is a front loader too. I've tried lots of things including soaking my clothes in the bath over night in lots of dishwasher salt. This helped but I couldnt physically keep it up - also every store in town was running out of salt

I use the borax, oxy degergent and a couple of cups of salt but I think the two things helping clean clothes the most are ammonia solution in the wash and getting a dryer. Environmentally rubbish I know

From what Mark D says its looking like its the goo inside the fibres that's making them move. Shouldnt be long until we find out what the 'goo' is - then we'll know what works to it.

Hope all works out good with the doc

Jo xxx

[FlowerDogsMom]

Jo - Thanks for your response... I have a couple questions. Sorry if they are dumb. You mentioned using Borax, Oxy and salt. Is there a specific Oxy that you use and what kind of salt? Sea salt or iodized or non iodized... has any type made any difference? And, regarding ammonia... what are you referring to? I do use a dryer. I read some else's suggestion about putting tin foil in the dryer and that helps somehow. I've also read people say to use Bounce fabric sheets... I am going to pick some of those up. I have to shop today or tomorrow, so I'm getting together a list of things... Thanks again for your help and the info. Take care, Katherine

[FlowerDogsMom]

Hi there - I didn't see this message yesterday for some reason...

"Here's Marc Neuman's take on doing wash. From the picture on this page it appears to be a front loader he is using so I believe the directions he gives apply to a front loading machine. If you don't have a laundry sink to soak wash overnight before washing perhaps you can buy a wash tub at a hardware store (or they could tell you where to look for one). There may even be some made of plastic and not metal these days. I expect even a smaller new plastic garbage can could be a wash tub substitute (might be easier to carry as there are handles) and there is always the bathroom tub too (if you have one):"

Thank you so much for the link and info. I tried using a plastic tub yesterday. I don't have any way to soak my things in a tub (that's upstairs - we only have one in the house, and nothing in the laundry room).

I took a look at the link and I'll try this out, too! Thanks again! Katherine

[Jo]

Hi ya Katherine,

Theres no such thing as a dumb question in this game

The washing detergent I use is an oxygen based, coloursafe, stain removing one, called Vanish (in UK). Think its similar to Oxy clean, or Oxy fresh??!

I use dishwashing salt as its over 90% sodium chloride, instead of normal salt.

The household ammonia is 9% ammonia solution - not sure of the brand name over there. Two tips if you do use it. Make sure you do not mix it with any product with chlorine in it (eg household bleach), the gas produced is highly toxic. Also try not to inhale ammonia fumes, as it can cause depression in some people.

Harsh, but does seem to work. An alternative maybe to spray your clothes with ecovie or salt and shove them straight in the washing machine until you've got a full load.

(Is this what you do Kritts??)

I think a softener helps too. I've used bounce in the dryer, it stops any static on your clothes which I think is a good thing. Not sure I noticed it collecting fibres... I do use a couple of plastic dryer balls in the drum, which I think helps.

cheers

Jo xx

[tcmgpt13]

Hi Jo,

There's something else I have never heard of before, dishwasher salt. I found some for sale on Amazon, though still not sure why it is used in a dishwasher--is it the same thing as salt to soften water or does it have some other purpose? Not on the shelves in US.

Re the bounce sheets, hope that if available you use the ones with no added fragrance. Even with no fragrance my allergist is against all laundry softeners, but if it makes life easier I guess one has to compromise sometimes. We are exposed to so many chemicals whether we want to be or not.

Hello Katherine, I hope something from Marc's suggestions works out for you. He is so smart about morgellons, so hopefully his ideas for wash help too. At least he gives directions to interrupt the front loading machine to allow some soaking. I have that type of machine but it is a top loader from Sears. Never thought about it before, but I guess that it does make it easier to do this type of soaking if the machine top loads, even though as yours mine does not have a lot of water in the tub itself.
tcmxxx