Can the disgusting be beautiful?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (205216)
Walnut Creek, California
October 16, 2018 1:25pm CST
I've recently taken to soaking my t-shirts before I was them.It's incredible to me how much sweat and dirt get soaked up by the t-shirts we wear when we're gardening, working on our cars, or just shooting hoops.
This is a picture of some of my t-shirts being soaked in Oxyclean and dish soap. It's from a couple of weeks ago. The water is filled with the nastiness that was released from the t-shirts. It made me happy.
Once I launder them, even the most ancient white t-shirts look almost "new." It's pretty incredible. Do you ever soak stuff before you wash it? Do you think I'm weird for enjoying the disgusting, dirty water that my soaks provide?
11 people like this
15 responses
@TheHorse (205216)
• Walnut Creek, California
17 Oct 18
@vandana7 Valerie is a Midwesterner. She's from near where I grew up. I would guess that a lot of her language would reflect "common sense" and pragmatism. Those are values we're known for in the Midwest. "Weird" is a pretty solid, descriptive word in English. Heh. If I went to Green Bay, I bet I'd find it "weird" how passionate Green Bay Packers fans are about their football team. But we have many people who are "weird" (over the top) in their love of our football teams too.
2 people like this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
16 Oct 18
There's definitely something satisfying about how much grunge we can get out of things. Maybe it's why I clean the bathroom.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205216)
• Walnut Creek, California
16 Oct 18
@spiderdust Is that the stuff that's super stinky? Wait. I think that's the green stuff.
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
16 Oct 18
@TheHorse Speaking of which, I need to go to Dollar Tree soon to get some more of my favorite purple foaming oxy bathroom cleaner. I'm actually completely out!
1 person likes this
@babytaffster (2232)
• Chatsworth, California
18 Apr 20
No, I mean I haven’t really heard that before, but to each his own.
@TheHorse (205216)
• Walnut Creek, California
17 Oct 18
It really does work. Do you have a "secret formula," like I do? I have 20-year-old t-shirts that are white now, even if the have some tears. I can't part with them (turn them into loudspeaker refinishing rags) for sentimental reasons.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21737)
• Canada
16 Oct 18
Hmmm.....is that why my mother always wanted to soak everything before she laundered it?
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
31 Oct 18
I've had water literally turn black from soaking my cycling clothes after just a couple of rides!
@porwest (78761)
• United States
18 Oct 18
I think it's all in your head. A washing machine does a very effective job on its own with a very small amount of detergent to do exactly the same thing. The only difference is you can't see what comes out. But properly marketed, companies who make these products would be very proud of their marketing investment because you will use more product to accomplish the same goal. 
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205216)
• Walnut Creek, California
18 Oct 18
Oh, heck no! When I wash my whites in a regular washing machine, they come out...almost white, as if I'd owned them for ten years. It's when I stack them next to new white t-shirts that I really notice it.If I soak them in my top secret Oxyclean and dish soap mix with hot water, and then repeat a couple of times, that they come out looking like new. Oh snap. Did I reveal my top secret formula?
1 person likes this
