Congrats, Kaz! 
This is a sponsored post for ASKO
The first I ever heard of asthma or allergies was when I was a kid and reading my way through the Baby-Sitter’s Club books. Mary-Anne’s boyfriend Logan’s little brother Hunter (you still with me?) had severe allergies to pets and therefore couldn’t have one. Bummer. And my first brush with asthma was little Eddie Kaspbrak, who sucked on his inhaler pretty much every five minutes in the Stephen King book IT, and finally used it as a weapon against Pennywise the evil clown, shouting “this is battery acid, you slime!”. What a legend.
While I’ve never suffered from asthma or allergies myself, apparently allergy and immune diseases are among the fastest-growing chronic conditions in Australia. One in four people will be affected at some point in their lives, with infants and small children particularly susceptible. Living with these conditions can severely affect quality of life – I mean, my husband gets hayfever and that looks miserable enough. I can only imagine how much asthma, allergies and even sensitive skin can make your days difficult.
In an effort to combat the issue, ASKO has released the Allergy Washing Machine specifically designed for people suffering asthma and allergy. It is approved by the National Asthma Council Australia’s Sensitive Choice® program, and is recommended by the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association.
Now I have not used this machine myself, and that’s not usually how I do things, but I couldn’t pass up the chance of a reader who really needs this being able to win it at no cost to them. The ASKO W6888ALLERGY Washer features higher rinsing levels and improved spin cycles that help remove detergent and soap residue (if you use that sort of thing). It even has an extra load-free cycle to rinse the drum and ensure the machine is clean.
The water is re-heated* for five minutes during the main wash, which reduces allergens, and the machine itself has no rubber bellows in the door like a regular machine. Instead it uses SmartSeal™ technology which means your garments will not come in contact with rubber and helps make loading and unloading more hygienic. The machine is also a hefty 7kg, which is great for large families.
For more information (and to find stockists), you can go to the ASKO site, chat to them on Twitter here, or on Facebook here.
If you would like to win one for yourself, then simply leave a comment with your 25-words-or-less answer to the question: What’s your top laundry tip?
The winner will be selected by ASKO based on the creativity of your response, and will be contacted via email (by me!) and also announced on the Veggie Mama Facebook and Twitter pages. What you will receive is an ASKO W6888 Allergy Washing Machine valued at $2,099, with delivery and installation.
The fine print:
*The competition is open to Australian permanent residents aged 18 years and over.
*Employees of ASKO and their families are not permitted to enter.
*The competition will close on October 31, 2013.
*Prize cannot be exchanged for cash or any other product.
*Prize will be delivered to the winner’s residential address in Australia.
So what are you waiting for? Give us your top tip! And good luck!
* A hot wash (above 55°c) is most affective in killing dust mites
My top tips for getting your laundry really clean?
Well a good start would be the ASKO W6888 Allergy Washing machine
Also less detergent and more sunlight
They’re a sure fire way to kill a dust mite.
Keep the blacks from the white,
Dry through the day, not at night,
Fold the clothes as soon as they’re dry,
Not so many creases to make you cry!
I’ve a secret weapon, handmade Laundry Soap, 50c a cake from a lady in the country. Only thing to get chocolate out of kids clothes.
I want to get this now!!! Share her details lovely?
Hi Cat, My Mum gets it for me, I buy 10 cakes at a time and it lasts me ages, she is an elderly lady and makes them at home. I need to instagram them to show you how fab they are. Considering my 10 cakes cost a whole five dollars – they also last me over a year!
Whatever you do, do not turn on the washing machine while your wife is in the shower, if you want to live a long life…
Before children, husband and I agreed to always split the laundry by gender. We now have two girls and one boy. Tip: have more sons.
I encourage my husband with the ironing, he is much better than me! I do the washing and know my whites remain white and both jobs are done well.
Put socks in the machine with a matching “friend”. Hang in pairs. That way you’ll never lose a sock to the hungry washing machine again.
Using a delay cycle to time as suits, usually around the boys dinner time and hang out when they’re having their evening runabout.
I whip or fluff my towels before hanging them on the line. This is also good for some clothes if you’re not a huge fan of ironing, like me. It will be even more effective of you sing “whip-it” at the same time
Don’t forget about clothes in the Washing Machine and leave a load wet in there for days.
I wash all the “sox and jox” in the one load….easier to sort later!
Pumpkin stains on baby clothes? Rub a small amount of liquid laundry detergent on the stain before throwing it in the wash.
My top laundry tip: Get your hubby to do it!
Less laundry powder = cleaner clothes
I don’t understand but it works every time!
I’ve found that the best stain remover is dishwashing detergent. Works better than any laundry detergent I’ve ever used.
I don’t have asthma only metal allergies and it from the inside of my body,so cannot be fixed .I am sure you will find some one who really needs this washing machine to help their allergies,it is a very annoying thing to have,great giveaway Stacey xx
The one I’m so glad Mum shared with me, to use the lint brush on wet clothes as you’re hanging them out to dry. Saves so much time trying to remove it all once they’re dry. Try it, you’ll see just how well it works!
The kids and I all get asthma and allergies… yay :/
OK… hot tip when washing is to have a can of Eucalyptus oil spray on hand. It will remove all the stains and has about a bijillion other uses!
Buy a laundry bag and use it for your bra’s. It really extends the life of your undergarments, because the straps aren’t getting stretched and tangled with the bulk of the laundry.
Marry a good woman who enjoys doing it, so you don’t have to! Works well for me 🙂 Seriously though, don’t waste your money on expensive pre-wash-sprays for stains. Use a generic brand ‘spray and wipe’ (all purpose cleaner), spray it on the stain, let it sit, then in with the wash. Nan swore by this, as do we in our house now too. Just treat it the same as you would a proper pre-wash spray.
a silly annoying tissue went through the wash! oh no white fluff EVERYWHERE!
no worries, put your clothes through the dryer, the lint collector should collect that annoying white fluff. Once dry, shake your clothes, clean the dryer filter then return the clothes to the dryer for another ten mins!
oops needs to be 25 words or less
EDIT:
TISSUE FLUFF ALL OVER CLOTHES. put clothes in dryer, dry, shake clothes, clean lint filter, return to dryer for ten more mine. FLUFF BE GONE!.
Avoid putting too much soap in a front loader. I did it once, and this is what happened: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151930052494453&set=a.10150307754419453.367752.569234452&type=3&theater
My tip: JUST DO IT before the laundry pile grows and swallows you and your loved ones whole!
But I’m actually entering for my friend who is a very recently single mother to 3 kiddies under 2 and half, the eldest of which suffers terrible allergies and very severe asthma. This would make her life just a little bit brighter.
Use vinegar instead of fabric softener. Does the same job but there is no build up
in your clothes (the build up is what makes towels less absorbent).
Get all thoughts of “one day” getting ALL the washing done out of your head, and you’ll be a more sane person. Laundry, ye shall not defeat me with your petty mind games!
always separate your wash into lights, darks and household linen. By doing this you preserve the brightness of your clothing and rough old jeans don’t rub against your dedicates. I also agree with Angela about only using half or less detergent, I have been doing that for years.
wash in cold water as much as you can, your clothes will thank you for it
Clothes left on the floor do not get washed… pick them up and pop them in the washing basket!
When I have a whole bunch of socks to wash, I pin the edges of each pair together, makes for easier sorting and hanging.
My biggest tip for washing would be to allow the husband to do it all, providing all items in ones laundry are black or a shade of grey, made of cotton and look good with towel fluff on them as a feature.
i always spray a bit of vinegar along my husbands collar, underarms and sleeves of his work shirts to keep them looking nice
Turn your garments inside out before putting in the wash so the wear from friction, agitation is on the inside of the clothing.
Always fold your washing as you take it off the line so you don’t end up with a giant, daunting pile waiting for you!
I always put the washing powder/liquid in before I put the clothes in so that you dont get any powder clumps on the clothes!
Start teaching the kids from a very young age how fun washing is! I have my 3.5 year old little helper in training now 😉
Listen to your mum… she has all the tips and tricks you’ll ever need! She’ll probably even lend a hand if she’s visiting.
I’m not entering as I already have an Asko washing machine, just wanted to add a big pat on the back to ASKO… I bloody love my washing machine… but even better… the dishwasher! Three racks… absolutely fantastic machine…
How brilliant does that machine sound! Washing tips, try to do it regularly because no one will thank you if you and your clothes smell…… or shake the clothes before you hang them on the line, hang shirts on hangers and fold as you take off, saves a helluva lot of ironing (ie nearly all of it) : )
Keep a bottle of home brand shampoo (with pump) next to the washer use one pump on the neckline of shirts where grime collects, rub in and wash as normal.
Have a separate different coloured washing basket per person/child, as you bring the washing in off the line fold and put into appropriate basket, one at a time. Then it is too easy to take each one to the room it needs to go and unpack, rather than one huge daunting pile to sort through! XX
I use sensitive washing powder and dishwashing liquid, on hot cycle, to break down the grease caused by the oily moisturiser needed for my ichthyosis.
This washing machine would be perfect for me.
Does anyone have a tip for clearing my floordrobe?
Add a little bit of white vinegar to help soften towels instead of softeners 🙂
My top washing tip is for tomato based stains. Tomato stains are photo sensitive so after you wash normally in your machine be sure to place the stained item in direct sunlight and it will magically disappear without anything more needing to be done to it.
Add a half cup of vinegar to the final rinse. It’s non-toxic, acts as a fabric softener, helps to eliminate the fug from clothing & helps to kill any nasties in general (and especially when there is illness in the house), cleans the washing machine & the pipes out, cheap as…….
To minimise shrinking, make sure cottons and knits are back in their original shape, then lay flat on towels to dry.
My allergic fam would love this… hot tip is 1/4 cup white vinegar in with washing detergent for the fluffiest hotel softness towel. Even when line dried! No pickled smell either, honest!
Spray HAIRSPRAY on ball point pen marks then wash as normal, gets rid of it every time!
Less is more; contrary to instructions, you don’t need a full scoop of laundry power for a wash, half or even a quarter washes wonderfully.
Praise your husband each and every time he does a load of washing so he can continue doing it!
Each family member has ONE BASKET, ONE SHELF,
Sorted washing within: they iron themselves.
Teaching self-sufficiency beats stains or tips environmental,
So DELEGATE laundry!…Fundamental!!!
Save your sanity now, listen to me…
Take some advice from my knowledge tree…
Shake the clothes before hanging to dry… Otherwise your ironing basket will pile high.
To say in 25 words or less
How to keep atop of laundry mess
One solution, without being rude
Simply go around in the nude! 🙂
To avoid the missing socks!!, Buy only a few colors, all from the same brand, in large quantities. Grabbing a pair has never been easier.
DIY washing powder: 4 c grated soap, 1 c washing soda, 10 drops eucalyptus oil. Stir and store, use 1 tablespoon disolved in hot water per wash.
A-llergies. Avoid or minimise exposure.
S-lip ups will leave you suffering.
K-eep on top of it.
O-nly dry your clothes inside to avoid pollen etc
If the stain is still there don’t soak it again.
Hang it outside, let the sun do it’s thang.
Use only biodegradable washing liquid or powder. We are treating our waste water biologically with the use of a ‘worm farm’. If the worms don’t die from your waste water then your skin, your laundry and your washing machine should survive as well.
My best laundry tip is to fold, hang and put away everything as soon as it’s dry otherwise you’ll soon have three weeks of clean washing taking over your couch (like I do at this very moment).
A Whites/Darks divider laundry basket in everyones rooms. Then with two laundry baskets collect all clothes at once and wash whites then dark’s together
Wash everyday so the washing never builds up! It also reduces the deepness and ingrainedness (not entirely sure if that is a word) of the stain,smell or discolouration
ALWAYS Check the pockets – tissues, pens, and money, DO NOT MIX well with water!
My clothes saving tip for strawberry lovers is pour boiling water on fresh stains and watch them disappear before your eyes. “Boiling water?!?” I hear you say. Yep, strange I know but has worked every time.
Invest in a quality washing machine
Do routine maintenance wash and keep it clean
Treat it well and it will last, as simple as that.
Add Bi-carb soda to your wash to stop yellowing and make whites white again!! Bi-carb is great for cleaning around homes!!
Use a couple of vinager in every wash. Gets rid of all those horrid boy gym clothes smells and keeps everything bright and fresh!
A dash of tea tree and lavender oil not only gives a lovely smell
It also kills all those nasty bacteria as well
With six kids to wash for (two have severe allergies), my tip is to wash every day so I don’t get buried under dirty washing!
I pack my washing machine every night before I go to bed, then set the delay function, so it washed at 4am, all ready to hang out first thing in the morning.
ADD A DROP OR TWO OF LAVENDER OIL WHEN WASHING BED LINED TO FRESHEN IT UP, AND THE AROMA LINGERS IN THE LAUNDRY HELPING YOU TO RELAX WHILST TACKLING THE NEVER-ENDING LAUNDERING CHORE!!
ADDING FEW DROPS OF LAVENDER OIL WHEN WASHING BED LINEN FRESHENS IT
UP, AND THE AROMA LINGERS HELPING YOU RELAX WHILST
TACKLING THE NEVER-ENDING LAUNDERING!!
ADDING FEW DROPS OF LAVENDER OIL WHEN WASHING BED LINEN FRESHENS IT, AND THE AROMA LINGERS HELPING YOU RELAX WHILST TACKLING THE NEVER-ENDING LAUNDERING!!
I always add white vinegar to a load as a fabric softener. Its also good for cleaning your washing machine out, just do an empty load with some vinegar 🙂 magical stuff
Spraying a little ‘Spray and Wipe’ on the
collars of white school shirts before washing makes the stains vanish.
Getting someone else to do it for you…
Do something every day – sort, wash, fold or iron. That way it never piles up and you always have an organised laundry system!
Always use the sun to dry clothes- the natural way leaves whites whiter, electricity bills down and clothes smelling amazingly spring fresh!
If you love doing laundry, drag your kids trough the mud,then you can test if the
Asko Washing machine is really as good as its reputation
my laundry tip as a family of 5 don’t put it off hoping the washing fairies come they never do then it becomes mount washmore.
A lways use cold water
S ome mesh laundry bags to Separate
K indly choose the right detergent and cycle
O verloading is a big no, no!
I put the laundry in the machine as soon as I get up in the morning so it is done during off-peak electricity times, and while we’re having brekky and getting ourselves ready for whatever is planned for the day. This saves us a substantial amount of money by the end of the quarter and means we are much more productive or have more free time with this otherwise daunting task out of the way early.
Always read care labels. Especially when considering placing red towels in with white. I have had 3 housemates do this.
Sunlight soap is the BEST at removing stains!!! A little tip passed down from my mum, rub a little on the stain and soak overnight!!!!
I’ve ruined more clothes than can remember in the wash. Teenage son now has pink jocks. Not a good look! So, sort, sort and sort!
When you’ve got a little one and are constantly washing clothes & spending lots on detergent, make your own instead with grated sunlight soap and boiling water!
Buy an ASKO Allergy Washing Machine. It takes the fun out of worrying about detergent residue causing my skin allergies!
Ok so I definitely thought the response had to be a poem? I’m not sure why I thought that but I’m going to roll with it..
“There’s a brand called ‘Earth’.
Gold, its weight, it’s worth.
It’s cheaper than peas
Good for animals and trees
Used by volunteers at MEarth.”
(http://mearthcarmel.org/ non-profit U.S environmental group :p)
A load a day, keeps the washing at bay 😀
Make sure the washing outlet hose is fixed in its drain point, a three thousand dollar lesson hard learned
My top laundry tip is always check pockets. I always end up with a little pocket money (geddit!?) from my husband forgetting to empty his pockets.
It is OK if the washing builds up every now then, and husbands CAN put on a load!
My top tip is to buy an Asko washing machine … I’ve heard great things about them. My poor old machine is rusting out and dying a slow death … need to replace it and have priced Askos but just can’t afford one at the moment.
Always wash your towels separately, there’s nothing worse than finding a stray towel has made the rest of your clothes fluffy!
My son is 6 and is so messy when he draws or paints so his clothes is always covered in pen or texta marks and paint, along with his face, arms and belly (not sure how it gets there!). My mother-in-law told me to use hairspray to remove it and this stuff is amazing it removes all marks, so its not just great to stiffen hairdo’s but also to remove my son’s creative mess, and the mother-in-law taught me something useful!! 🙂
Check pockets! Avoid
the devastation of tissue “snow” on dark clothes – and maybe find money… which,
after all, is the best kind of laundry “tip”.
Always sort and seperate your washing into dark and light shades, have a third pile of all your reds, pinks & purples as these colours seem to run even onto the darks.
You can use your washing machine to wash lego! Simply pop it in one of those small mesh bags you use for lingerie and put through gentle cycle with hot water. (I divide mine into a few bags). No detergent needed but you can add a drop or two of teatree oil if you like. Stop before spin cycle and hang the bag on the line to drip dry.
A small teaspoon of baking soda works a treat for removing the most annoying of stains!!!!
Don’t let the laundry pile up; have a weekly routine for what gets done when; iron as you take things off the line.
Make the laundry a haven…music or TV..and a chair…the kids don’t come in and I get some me time…I love Laundry Time
Separate darks from whites,
Decent detergent so they come out bright,
Don’t leave them sitting too long,
Wash in an Asko- you won’t go wrong! 😉
Coffee stains, driving me insane,
Time for another load of washing again!
But a little bi-carb,
Will fix this garb!
Somewhat deliberately lose hubby’s socks until he gets frustrated and vows to do the washing himself!
Wait till mum comes over. I know she can’t stand to see mountains of laundry. She enjoys doing it so really it’s a winwin situation.
Make a washing day or days per week & stick to it. Hate huge washing days
Use a cup of vinegar every now and then to keep your machine sparkling and clean just like brand new!!
If you use cloth nappies, they can be washed the hottest cycle of a front loading machine like Miele. There is no need to soak in harsh non environmentally friendly chemicals, and the nappies come out snow white and smelling beautiful.
Use a minimum amount of washing powder and water with your ASKO front loading washing machine- a clean wash every single time!
Put a dime in for your time, a perfect excuse to do more laundry and spoil yourself afterwards with more clothes – the perfect ‘cycle’!
I recently came across these rubber washing things from Japanese shop Daiso – put a few in with my wash and use half the soap. Ingenious.
Dissolve the washing powder in water, add to the wash. It wont leave white residue on clothes, ideal for Allergy sufferers. Tip from my Father.
My tip is to make sure your laundry is a haven – keep it clean, organized & ambient. Then when you are in there laundry is not a chore it’s an escape and a chance to reflect….
When you have a toddler, always check that there aren’t toys, books, phones or ipads in the machine before you load it and turn it on…
I only ever do washing when I have a full load
Soft toys and lingerie go in a pillowcase
So it doesn’t corrode
Check all pockets for tissues, especially if there are allergy sufferers in the family!
With 3 chronic asthmatics in the house we find that cleaning out the filter after every wash helps a lot, as does using super sensitive, or even better home made, wash powder.
Tip from a mum of four: Empty pockets! A forgotten receipt, used tissue, ball point or bobby pin, laundry get cleaner without the ‘extras’ in.
Wash every day, have multiple baskets in your laundry; sort as you go so that the baskets are ready to put in the Asko.
Use eucalyptus oil spray as a natural stain remover as it’s chemical free and less like to trigger any allergy problems.
Always check the clothes before putting in the machine. With 5 kids I discovered they often threw clean clothes into the laundry basket, or clothes so dirty they needed soaking. This quick check has saved endless loads of unnecessary washing and saved clothes that would have been ruined if they has not been treated first.
I’m just not the kinda gal to wash and tell and “air my dirty laundry”!
Separate your whites first – your once-white-now-blue-undies are not a lesson in racial equality but the result of a vicious cycle!
Bubble wrap your children until they’re old enough not to
get grubby. Better still, use an Asko washer to clean your clothes perfectly.
Have your washing machine connected to a hose running into the garden – you save water, do two chores at once and it’s perfect for homegrown veggie mamas!!!!!
clean the washing machine every 4 months. It get’s a build up of liquid soap and a good clean will prevent the softener dispenser clogging up.