vinegar in rat laundry?

[adoptaratcanada]

Hi, all,
I've heard about vinegar in laundry for hard water areas, but only just learned that it acts as an anti-static, too, so I've switched over to that rather than dryer sheets.

My rats have alot of fleece in their cage, and of course it always comes out of the dryer with static in. I won't use dryer sheets on their stuff because of them being so close to it with breathing, and skin contact, and also it reduces the absorbancy. I'm wondering if using vinegar in the rinse (I use a Downy ball for this purpose) will leave too much vinegar in the fabric and might it aggrevate their respiratory systems (for instance, I know when using vinegar in cage cleaning it must be very thoroughly rinsed)?

Thanks!

[Die Fledermaus]

Wow. That may be the most esoteric question ever asked on this site! ;D

I can barely adequately do my own laundry!

Vinegar in the rinse?? I have never heard of such a thing until this moment. All I can say is "how much vinegar is in the rinse?", and "is that the final rinse or is there a pure water rinse subsequently?". I would prefer the latter situation. I suppose.

[pinky]

I would concur with DF--you might want a final water rinse, but that may remove the vinegar anti-static effect?

The chemist here can't quite figure out what it is about vinegar that would be anti-static. It is 5% acetic acid--nothing special.

[Andrea]

I say test and see. I haven't put vinegar in my laundry but I hear it makes your whites stay white

[Die Fledermaus]

All I know about it is it is good to remove hamster pee stains in tank corners.

Oh yea, it also went well with salt on french fries. I had them a lot as a kid.

[adoptaratcanada]

pinky said:

I would concur with DF--you might want a final water rinse, but that may remove the vinegar anti-static effect?

The chemist here can't quite figure out what it is about vinegar that would be anti-static. It is 5% acetic acid--nothing special.

I wondered about a final rinse...maybe I'll test it on my own stuff and see how it turns out.

As for it's anti-static properties -- WHO KNOWS HOW, but it WORKS!! I'm in heaven!! I always used fabric softener or dryer sheets VERY grudgingly. However I put my worst static offenders into the wash a few days ago and they came out as though I *had* used fabric softener/sheets!!! I'm THRILLED!

And easily entertained ;D

[adoptaratcanada]

zouave said:

Oh yea, it also went well with salt on french fries. I had them a lot as a kid.

Ahhh, I thought that that was alien territory for Americans! It's a Brit thing, and we tend to eat them that way in Canada. Malt vinegar is ESPECIALLY tasty on them!

[adoptaratcanada]

andrea said:

I say test and see. I haven't put vinegar in my laundry but I hear it makes your whites stay white

Well, although the vineger in undetectable to human noses once the clothes are completely dry, my concern is whether ratties will sense it and whether it will be (even at that small, rinsed dose) enough to be problematic for their resp. systems.

[adoptaratcanada]

zouave said:

Vinegar in the rinse?? I have never heard of such a thing until this moment. All I can say is "how much vinegar is in the rinse?", and "is that the final rinse or is there a pure water rinse subsequently?". I would prefer the latter situation. I suppose.

I had heard about it for getting soap out in hard water areas and to "soften" the laundry, but since I'm in a soft water area I never paid much attention. However, once learning it can actually help static I was quite excited to try it.

I imagine that normally one would add the appropriate amount (whateve that may be) to the final rinse, like with a liquid fabric softener. However, my laundry space is downstairs and I have to go outside to access it (not so fun in the dark or the rain, or worse, both), so I'm using a Downy ball, since I heard someone else try it. Downy fabric softener makes this little plastic ball with a "lid" where you add the liquid and toss it into the wash at the BEGINNING, when you add the clothes and soap, etc. I'm not really sure how it "knows" how to pop open at the right time since it's an extremely basic design. You'd put the liquid in it to the appropriate fill line, but I just add vinegar instead.

You can't quite see it from this photo, but that ring is fixed onto a cap that would fall into the ball if the ring weren't attached. You put the liquid in the ball, and pull on the ring and that secures the cap in place, keeping the liquid inside:

[adoptaratcanada]

Linda wonders how it is that in the short time since she's resurfaced, both her discussions have been laundry related....

;D

[Die Fledermaus]

adoptaratcanada said:

zouave said:

Oh yea, it also went well with salt on french fries. I had them a lot as a kid.

Ahhh, I thought that that was alien territory for Americans! It's a Brit thing, and we tend to eat them that way in Canada. Malt vinegar is ESPECIALLY tasty on them!

It is unusual, but for some reason in this part of Brooklyn it was common.

In the Philadelphia region mustard on pretzels is common!

[Die Fledermaus]

>> I'm THRILLED!

And easily entertained <<

Indeed. Static issues have never entered my realm of pressing issues. I never noticed them, in fact. I throw the wet clothes in the dryer, and place a few softener sheets on top, and come back half an hour later. Never noticed static.

What happens to the rats if the clothes have static??

What happens if the rats have static? Does their fur stand straight up or what?? Do they cling together?

[adoptaratcanada]

zouave said:

>> I'm THRILLED!

And easily entertained <<

Indeed. Static issues have never entered my realm of pressing issues. I never noticed them, in fact. I throw the wet clothes in the dryer, and place a few softener sheets on top, and come back half an hour later. Never noticed static.

What happens to the rats if the clothes have static??

What happens if the rats have static? Does their fur stand straight up or what?? Do they cling together?

It's especially fun to rub them on my head then stick them to the walls!

I suffer terribly from static, I'm a walking lightning rod! My hair gets static and sticks out and once the weather gets cold I get zapped by everything I touch. It's really bad at work, where if I touch anything metal I hear AND see a huge spark!

Grocery shopping is a nightmare.

As for the rattie laundry, at the moment I shake and shake each piece which helps and SOMETIMES pulling the piece through a clenched fist will help reduce the static. Letting it sit a few days works, too

[Die Fledermaus]

If you got worse you could be some kind of Electric Woman zapping the neighborhood!

I've never even noticed static, except on rare occasions touching the proverbial doorknob.

[pinky]

Hee hee hee! Those last posts make for some great images!

If you use dryer sheets, DF, then you won't have static problems. I don't use them because I have skin issues and so stay away from perfumes and the like in the laundry venue. So I do have static. And like Linda I too am Electra Woman--I have already begun to get shocked getting into/out of my car. . . . not fun.