Q. We have tumbled marble tile in our newly renovated master bathroom shower. Can we use Clorox to control the mold/mildew in the shower without damaging the tile?

A. Congratulations on surviving a remodel; your bathroom sounds beautiful. Unfortunately, I can't give you a recommendation for bleach usage on tumbled marble tiles. In general, we recommend against using any of our Tilex® bathroom cleaners (both with and without bleach) on marble, so I wouldn’t advise bleach usage here. Calcium carbonate, the primary compound in marble, can be highly reactive to both acidic and alkaline cleaners; your tiles may end up etched, pitted, or discolored. Since your shower is newly remodeled, hopefully you don’t have a mildew problem yet and can take steps now to avoid one in the future. Ventilation is key. A well-ventilated room will dry out quickly; using a squeegee to remove moisture from the shower walls will also help reduce mildew growth. As far as what cleaners you can use, I would start by checking with the manufacturer/supplier of your tiles to see what they recommend. I also found one web site to be particularly helpful with information on caring for tumbled marble, http://www.countertopspecialty.com, which includes suggestions for pH neutral cleaners suitable for marble. They also suggest keeping samples of your tile so that if you do end up with a mildew problem that needs a stronger cleaner, you can experiment on the sample tiles to see if limited use would be acceptable.

Q. Is it ok to use “Regular” bleach in an HE machine?

A. Thank you for your question. Yes, not only is it OK to use Clorox® Regular Bleach in your HE clothes washer, it is really important to do so! Any water left behind inside the works of a HE machine can be a breeding ground for bacteria that may transfer to subsequent loads. We hear a lot of complaints from front-loading HE clothes washer owners trying to figure out why their machines have a bad odor, and bacteria growth is usually the culprit. Regular bleach usage prevents bacteria growth and keeps a HE machine smelling fresh. We also receive questions about how much bleach to use. That depends on your HE clothes washer's dispenser design. For best results, always fill the bleach dispenser to the "max" line. Reviewing the user's guide instructions on how to use the bleach dispenser is also a good idea--the more you know about how it works, the better!

Q. I just purchased a GE Top-Loading Infusion HE washer. I normally use Clorox bleach with my white towels, but I am confused as to how much bleach to use. With the smaller amount of water used in the wash cycle, how much bleach should I add?

A. Good for you for rethinking your wash habits with your new machine--adapting clothes washing habits to new High Efficiency technology definitely takes some thought since so many things have changed, such as the smaller amount of water and the dependence on dispensers to add laundry products being the most drastic. I would start by checking the bleach dispenser to see if it has a "max fill level" on it, and using that amount. Also, reviewing the owner’s manual for correct bleach dispenser usage (it should tell you the dispenser’s capacity), and information on when the dispenser adds the bleach to the cycle, should be helpful. Good luck with your new washer, and let me know how it goes!

Q. I have a 1 1/2 yr old Maytag Epic HE washer & dryer. I wash all whites together (socks, t-shirts, pants, shorts, etc.). The last load came out of the dryer with grayish-brownish stains on them. This has happened in the past, but only a couple of times (since I got this washer and dryer) and I was unable to get the stains out of the clothing. I use Tide and Downy. I also use the new Tide stain release packets with my whites (because the socks are so dirty, I also do an auto soak for my whites).

This load did sit in the washer for about a day and half because I became sick & forgot about them. So I re-washed them before drying because they sat in the washer so long. All t-shirts and a pair of capri pants came out with discolorations on them. The socks seem to come out fine. I just don't know what else to try, and am tired of new cloths being ruined after washing 2 times. Do you have any answers for me? I have been able to find a cure for every other satin that comes up, but I am at a total loss for this one.

A. Thanks for your question, and all the background information to go with it. It is especially helpful knowing what kind of HE washer you are using. I looked up product information and consumer reviews for your Epic washer, and found that many people report a mildewy smell when there are several days between loads, which is actually pretty common for lots of different HE washers. Your machine includes a dispenser for bleach, but you didn’t say that you use Clorox® Regular Bleach with your whites, so I am assuming you don’t. Since you don’t usually have this problem, and the stains appeared on a load that sat in the washer for at least a day and a half, they are likely mildew stains. You said you washed them a second time before drying them, so if they have been through a machine dryer cycle, the stains may be more difficult to remove, since hot dryers can set stains. At this point, since the items are white, I would first try using our Clorox® Bleach Pen® to target each stain directly. This handy dual tip pen lets you decide whether to use the fine tip or the wide tip with the soft scrubber. Just squeeze a little of the bleach gel onto each stain, rub it in, and then wash immediately in hot water. I would definitely also add Clorox® Regular Bleach to the load using the dispenser on the washer. I would also make sure that the Tide you are using is the HE version so you get the most out of your machine. I really hope you can get your stains out; please let me know how it goes!

Hello,

I have been working on a shirt that has Miracle-Gro Fertilizer on it (the blue stuff). Have used color-safe bleach on it and soaked it for weeks. Have not put the shirt in the dryer. Help!!!

Thank you,
Cindy

Hi Cindy,

This is a great question. It is really good you haven’t dried the shirt in a dryer yet; you have a much better chance at getting the stain out. There are a couple of issues at play here that are making the stain difficult to get out. In addition to a small amount of blue dye, Miracle-Gro includes trace metals in the formula (copper, zinc, iron, manganese, molybdenum) that help plants grow but also may interact negatively with oxidizers like bleach. So, your color safe bleach soak has likely decolorized any blue dye, but may not have removed the metals, and so you still see a stain. The good news is the metals are hopefully not permanently bound to the fibers. Try using a liquid detergent to pretreat the stain by applying the detergent directly to the stain, rubbing it in, letting it sit for 5 minutes and then rinsing it with the hottest water allowable for the shirt (check the care label). Allow the shirt to air dry and check for success. Several treatments may be necessary, and the hotter the rinse water the better. Let me know how it goes!

Several months ago I heard from my old Clorox friend and colleague, Cristina, who was wondering if I wanted to potentially take over the “Dr. Laundry” role from Harold Baker, who was retiring in July. My answer was a giant Yes!

Even though I left Clorox to be a full-time mom several years ago, the laundry questions have kept right on coming from neighbors and friends. Like, “what to do about the ink stain on the slip cover left over from when the puppy chewed up the pen“? It seems that once people learn you work for Clorox in Laundry Product Development, they ask you all kinds of stain questions from the simple (oil stains on cloth napkins) to the bizarre (a bird dropping stain on my college roommate’s wedding dress during outdoor pictures before her wedding). I have always enjoyed helping people solve their stain problems, and now, the prospect of helping others on such a large scale is very exciting, and a little daunting! Harold Baker did an incredible job creating Dr. Laundry, and he will be difficult (if not impossible) to replace. I promise I’ll do my best to answer your stain questions and it’s great to know the team at Clorox is there to assist me when I need some extra stain fighting answers.

So let’s get started--send me your questions. If you have a picture of your laundry problem, send that along as an attachment, too. As they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” especially in describing a stain.

I am looking forward to hearing from you!

All good things eventually come to an end. This is my final post as Dr. Laundry. Kinda happy, and kinda sad….

More than four years ago, I got the opportunity of a lifetime. I was approached by Clorox’s Public Relations department to do something called a blog. After lengthy discussions, they convinced me to help interpret technical information and be the interface for inquisitive people and the Clorox Company. I could use my technical experience from developing and performance testing a host of Clorox laundry products to write about a laundry subjects of interest help solve problems for consumers. While it started slowly, very soon we were receiving a wide range of questions, which were answered and then posted on the blog.

Since these humble beginnings, we have really expanded our outreach. Some of our efforts included:

• Developing a wide range of ads to support several Clorox laundry products


• Answering numerous magazine, newspaper editor and website inquiries


• Developing a Holiday Stain Hotline (1-877-STAIN411) to help solve the most frequent holiday stains, which spawned the Summer Stain Hotline (1-877-STAIN411) to help solve the summer stain problems


• Creating nine videos on a range of laundry and bleach topics for the blog


• Supporting the introduction of several new and improved Clorox laundry products


• And finally, creating myStain mobile app for those seeking on-the-go stain removal advice

All this couldn’t have happened without behind-the-scene support from these and others:

• Clorox PR – Mary O., Laura H., Aileen Z., Kathy H. and David K.


• Clorox Technical – Bill S., Greg VB., Dave DeL., Jake C., Jim W., Noe G., Cris S., and Krishna R.


• Ketchum – Rita G., Sue M., Mary S. and Mariel S.

So as the Sugarland song says, “… There’s got to be something more, something more than this,” and I think that I have found it in Arizona. Finally, one of my all-time favorites, what I call the “Second National Anthem,” is from Brooks & Dunn: “only in America. Everybody gets a chance, everybody gets to dance.” What you do with that opportunity determines your happiness and fortune.

Obviously, I’ve been extremely lucky, fortunate and very happy with my choices. Now, me, my wife and Chevy SSR are beginning the process of adapting to life in Arizona. If you are in the Tucson area and see my silver and black SSR with DRLNDRY plates, give me a honk.

While I’m moving on, I leave you in very capable hands. I’d like to introduce you to Mary Gagliardi, a former Clorox compatriot with lots of technical and practical experience. She will continue the fine traditions that we started and provide her unique approach to keep the Dr. Laundry experience meaningful to all our loyal fans.

As I pass the bleach bottle again, I say goodbye, thanks and here’s Mary…

Q. I purchased Clorox2 when I meant to buy laundry detergent. I've used it two or three times to wash clothes. First - can I use Clorox 2 as a detergent, and if not, have I done any damage to my clothes?

A. You didn't say if it was the liquid or powder version of Clorox2® Stain Fighter & Color Booster. Let's go backward in answering your questions. No, using Clorox2® Stain Fighter & Color Booster will not harm your clothes. We made the product to be a color-safe laundry additive to enhance the stain removal, cleaning and brightening power of the detergent. It is meant to be added with the detergent to provide these benefits. It is not a full detergent formula; rather it adds ingredients like the oxygen bleach that the detergent does not contain. So I would recommend trying it as an additive with your regular detergent and see if you don't see better results. If you bought the powder, it probably functioned more like a detergent since it contains a large amount of builders to help soften the water and remove dirt/mud.

Q. My sons' and husband's dress shirts are coming out of the washer/dryer with brownish smudges on the tip of one lapel. Sometimes the same mark is elsewhere on the shirt. Do you know why this is happening? Do you know how to get it out?

A. A little more description would have been helpful. It would help to know the appearance of the smudges (e.g., like stains or surface grease), does it wash out in the next wash, is it permanent mark and what is the pattern (every time or every other time I wash), etc.

Here are some ideas on what might be causing the problem:

• If it is an older washer, the seal might be leaking a small amount of grease/oil. Usually this is seen on more than a single area. It would require replacing the pump/seal. Try pretreating with liquid dishwasher (Dawn) or laundry detergent (apply; rub in; wait ~5 minutes), then wash in warmest water recommended on care label.


• If it’s a new He washer, it might be biofilm that builds up in the washer (it generates an off-odor also) that can "break" loose and deposit. Usually rewashing in warm/hot water will remove it. For this situation, make sure you are doing at least 1 white load a week using detergent and Clorox® Regular-Bleach to kill the biofilm or run the liquid bleach through the Cleanout cycle.


• It could be a case of dye transfer from a darker item being washed in the same load. Usually this is more wide-spread. Removal will depend on whether the items can be bleached with Clorox® Regular-Bleach; you could also use our Clorox® Bleach Pen on the area before washing.

Q. I have an HE Washer and I have all white towels that get really nasty throughout the week. I pour bleach into the dispenser and put my detergent into the other dispenser, but my towels still do not look clean. I have only had the towels about 4 ½ months. I have even poured bleach into the machine only and put it on soak, but the machine will not soak up the bleach and it just soaks it in water, which is pointless. Please tell me how I can use bleach with my machine or presoak my towels in a way for them to look nice again.

A. A few more details might be helpful to provide you a better answer (brand of HE washer; source of nasty stains; brand of bleach, etc.).

A couple of things are working against you with the new HE machines. The bleach dispenser is smaller than on regular washers so you can't add as much bleach or more when you have extra dirty items. The dispenser is programmed to add the bleach at a different time/cycle than in toploaders, and presoaking is not as easy or flexible as in the old toploaders.

Some things for you to try:

• Make sure you are using either Clorox® Regular-Bleach or CloroxPlus® HE Bleach. You need the maximum strength of sodium hypochlorite active.


• Fill the bleach dispenser to the top to get the most bleach into the load.


• Use hot water to get the maximum cleaning power.


• Consider a short presoak in a sink or bucket(1/4 cup Clorox bleach per gallon of warm water for 5-10 minutes), then wash in hot water using detergent and a full dispenser of Clorox® Regular-Bleach.