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hardened washing powder + mould ?

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just moved house last week and previous owner has left 2 boxes of hardened washing powder in the basement.
any tips on how to get them back into powder form, or would it better to dilute them to make clothes washing liquid? :confused:

thanks :)

The washing mach. tumbler and freezer are all in the basement, which is a bit damp in spite of being drylined. We've got the dehumidifier running 24/7, need to get something like a lidded nappy bucket for emptying it and the condensor tumbler.

I bought fridge and freezer off old owner too, but disappointed to find the rubber seals are all mouldy , and spots of mould on backs of freezer drawers.:mad:

oh the pleasures of moving house ;)
-

Comments

  • Nile
    Nile Posts: 14,845 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Hello Blue_kat


    The formula for automatic washing powder usually includes an 'anti-caking' additive. This is to help the powder flow from the box......but even a brand new box can have lumps:rolleyes: ....depending on how damp the atmosphere is.

    I would be tempted to break up (hack at it) the solid mass and do a test wash with a small amount of the powder. Try it out on some well worn garments or old towels and see what results you get. If you're happy, continue to use up all the powder otherwise dispose of it.
    It might smell less than fresh but fragrance/perfume is added to the new formula and over time this will fade.......so don't let the smell alone put you off. You could use fabric conditioner to help your garments smell good.;)
    10 Dec 2007 - Led Zeppelin - I was there. :j [/COLOR]:cool2: I wear my 50 (gold/red/white) blood donations pin badge with pride. [/SIZE][/COLOR]Give blood, save a life. [/B]
  • kingshir
    kingshir Posts: 578 Forumite
    blue-kat wrote:
    I bought fridge and freezer off old owner too, but disappointed to find the rubber seals are all mouldy , and spots of mould on backs of freezer drawers.:mad:

    oh the pleasures of moving house ;)
    -


    I have a spare fridge/freezer (that I use for the food overflow) in an unheated garage. I get mold on the seals but I find a wash with bleachy water and a toothbrush and a good rinse afterwards brings them up like new. Will work on the insides too.
  • Ticklemouse
    Ticklemouse Posts: 5,030 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    If you have a steam wallpaper stripper you can use it to clean the fridge and freezer. The steam gets into the rubber sills really easily and flushes the grot out - although if they are that bad, I might be tempted to scrub at them with an old toothbrush too. However, if you have one of theose 'steam buggy' devices, then use that :D (I'm assuming you don't and the wall paper stripper is an excellent investment in a 'new' house - strip paper, defrost and disinfect all for the price of 1 device - altho' obviously you can't control the steam flow)
  • Bogof_Babe
    Bogof_Babe Posts: 10,803 Forumite
    I'd have no hesitation in chipping and then manually kneading the washing powder. I've had boxes go like that in the kitchen (bought on bogof and hung around for a time). Try not to get too many lumps into your washer, but the effectiveness should still be fine.
    :D I haven't bogged off yet, and I ain't no babe :D

  • squeaky
    squeaky Posts: 14,129 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Rolling pins and plastic bags spring to mind here :)
    Hi, I'm a Board Guide on the Old Style and the Consumer Rights boards which means I'm a volunteer to help the boards run smoothly and can move and merge posts there. Board guides are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an inappropriate or illegal post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. It is not part of my role to deal with reportable posts. Any views are mine and are not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
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  • If you have a steam wallpaper stripper you can use it to clean the fridge and freezer. The steam gets into the rubber sills really easily and flushes the grot out - although if they are that bad, I might be tempted to scrub at them with an old toothbrush too. However, if you have one of theose 'steam buggy' devices, then use that :D (I'm assuming you don't and the wall paper stripper is an excellent investment in a 'new' house - strip paper, defrost and disinfect all for the price of 1 device - altho' obviously you can't control the steam flow)

    What a totally brillliant idea :D :T have you ever used this to spot clean a carpet by any chance, like where a dogs had an accident :o just to deodorise?
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