Water and Laundry Questions

[Turquesa]

This thread could go a lot of different directions, but I figured that it was better than a lot of different threads.

Here goes:

1. Today at the grocery store, I noticed two bottles of laundry detergent. They were both 150 oz. and cost $9.97. One of them claimed to have enough for 96 loads, and the other 84 loads. The latter (the 84-load one) was labeled HE-compatible.

I have a front-loader and should technically get the HE-compatible one. What's the difference between these two bottles of detergent? Is the HE-compatible just less concentrated? And if so, could I get away with using half the amount of the regular, top-loader kind?

2. My spendthrift, disposable-diapering friend is spending $44.00 per month on her water, trash, and sewage. We are being charged $73. Here are some factors to consider:

* My friend and I live in the same city and spend the same on the trash portion.
* Our families are the same size.
* Water and sewage are linked; when the water usage goes up, so does the sewage usage fee.
* Our family cloth diapers, and I run a load every 2-3 days. I also run one cold-water load of laundry every day.
* We water our yard with irrigation water and have found no leaks in the crawlspace or garage.
* My friend eats out AT LEAST once per day. We only eat out one cheapy meal (under $10 for the whole family) per week. Obviously, this means that we will cook more, eat in more, and run the dishwasher more.
* We take short showers and no baths. I'm in the shower under 10 minutes and turn off the water while lathering, shaving, etc. I bathe both children together in shallow water every other day.

I called the City for ideas on why this discrepancy existed, and the lady on the phone was no help. . Any ideas as to why I'm paying $19.00 per month more than my friend?

[neetling]

no idea on the water. Our bill is less than our neighbor's because our landlord paid to have our house inside the city limits. It's easily half of what the neighbors pay.

I use regular detergent in my front loader. I just use less. That thing saves me a TON of water usage.

Maybe your friend just does a lot less laundry?

[A&A]

I just use a lot less of the regular detergent in my HE washer (and I mean a LOT less--like sometimes just a few drops of detergent.)

[yeahwhat]

I would guess that the biggest differences are the cloth diapers and making food at home. Both of these use more water.

If you want to spend less: Do you have a low flow head for your shower? A low flush toilet?

Console yourself with the thought that you're saving far more than $19/month with cloth diapers and eating at home.

I have come to accept that my someone always at home, make almost all food from scratch, family of six is just going to use more electricity than a smaller family who are out of the house a signficant portion of the day.

[ChetMC]

About Soap and Water

I use HE soap, but I only need a fraction of what the box says to use. I get way over a hundred loads out of the fifty four load box (which is good because a box costs $42). I don't know if it's true, but I'd always heard that using regular soap in your HE machine could give you warranty problems.

As for the water, you should check and see if anything is leaking (not just the irrigation system). Dripping faucets can add up to a lot of water over time.

For a typical household, the toilets are the biggest use of water. If you have old 5 gallon per flush toilets and your neighbour has new 1.6 gallon per flush toilets that would make a huge difference.

Also if you're home a lot and they're not that makes a big difference too. Not just from cooking meals and running the dishwasher, but also flushing the toilet at lot more, washing hands, maybe they shower at the gym, our kids are bathed more like once a week in the winter, etc.

[CarrieMF]

1. if the bottles are made by different manufacturers they probably have different amounts they suggest to put into the washer.

Me personally, I use way less, approx 1-2 tbsp depending on the load I'm doing.

2. it could be alot of things.

[GuildJenn]

I use regular detergent in my front loader but waaaaay less than it says to - sometimes about a teaspoon. I've heard this is a huge mistake and will ruin the washer, but 5 years so far so good - however, do your research and what you're comfortable with.

Utilities are funny things but I agree the toilets are probably the first culprit, followed by your dishwasher and washer (not all models use the same amount; also if they do bigger loads that's less often). There's also how 'gushy' your taps and showers are.

I don't think billing can help you with your neighbour's bill being higher, but they should show you how many units you're using right? You could see how many units she uses and tour her house to check out the major areas. I personally wouldn't; I don't think it's that useful to compare households that way.

[A&A]

Originally Posted by GuildJenn

I've heard this is a huge mistake and will ruin the washer,

It only ruins the washer if you continually use too much.

[OkiMom]

1) my Inlaws have a front loader and use reg detergent. They use about a teaspoon or two per load and have for years. No problems with their machine and their clothes smell fine/clean.
2) Could be anything. Washing more clothes/cleaning more dishes is a biggie though. Could also be that they don't shower as often (some people shower less than daily, not that its a bad thing depending on how dirty they get). Could be that they have a more water efficient house (better/new plumbing). Could be that its just one of those strange things that you might never find the answer to.

[zebra15]

We have an HE washer in this house and we get the HE detergent. Since HE washers use less water in theory the HE detergent is made to work that way. Some people get good results with regular detergent, I'm not one of those people. I use ALL free and clear for HE. Its the only thing that works in this washer.

On the utilites, the billing could be anything. You could 'water' outside longer then the neighbor or the neighbor may not water the lawn at all, the diaper laundry, cooking, 'drinking water' from being home, the friend my use disposable plates and not use the dishwasher as much, unless you saw her actual bill you have no way to know what she is paying. Maybe she just told you $44 when its really $200 , you have no idea.

[Turquesa]

Helpful replies, thank you. Yea, she may not be telling the truth.

Since cleaning companies are not required to post their ingredients (per "trade secret" laws), I've always wondered if HE-compatible detergent just regular detergent diluted with water. But that's just me. I'm cynical.

[provocativa]

also, sometimes water meters don't function properly. don't know how you'd get them to check it, though.

[cschick]

Originally Posted by Turquesa

2. My spendthrift, disposable-diapering friend is spending $44.00 per month on her water, trash, and sewage. We are being charged $73. Here are some factors to consider:

I called the City for ideas on why this discrepancy existed, and the lady on the phone was no help. . Any ideas as to why I'm paying $19.00 per month more than my friend?

Probably the cloth diapering and the daily cold water load are the primary culprits. (How often does your friend do laundry? I only do full loads excepting when we were stilling using diapers and I only run 3-4 loads a week for 3 people.) But I suspect that your friend spends a lot more than $19/month on disposables.