GREASE POLICE. Sometimes I find grease stains on my clothing, and I've found that dish soap is the most effective spot remover for greasy or oily stains. Since it is designed to cut the grease on pots and pans and still be gentle on your hands, dish soap makes the perfect product to use on tough oil stains in delicate clothing.
RINSE RELEASE. I live in an apartment with a stacked washer and dryer. Since the washer does not have a fabric softener or bleach dispenser, I decided to use my fabric softener ball to dispense vinegar during the rinse cycle. It worked like a charm! Now I will never miss the rinse cycle again.
SALT SOLUTION. If you make your own laundry detergent and your whites are getting dingy, it is probably because you have hard water. Salt is the secret to softening your laundry water and brightening those whites. I use the cheapest salt I can find, without iodine. My water is extremely hard, so I use 1/2 cup of salt per load. I suggest starting with 1/4 cup. If your whites still come out dingy, add more salt next time.
ON THE MARK. I was using way too much laundry detergent in every load because I could not see the lines on the inside of the cup that indicate the amount to use. Now, I keep a permanent marker in the laundry room. When I open a new bottle of laundry soap, I immediately mark the lines for small and large loads on the outside of the cap. I save my eyesight and avoid using too much detergent!
RUST BUSTER. My washing machine is an oldie but a goodie. The only problem is that sometimes it develops rust spots on the metal washing drum. It was leaving rust spots on my clothing until I figured out a solution. I patch the rust spots with nail polish. I use a color that is similar to the enamel coating on the wash drum so I can spot new rust that is forming instead of confusing it for patched spots. The polish lasts a year or two without wearing off.
SOFTENER SAVINGS. I stretch my liquid fabric softener until it screams. I pour about half of a cup of it in a spray bottle. Then, I fill the rest of the bottle with water. A few squirts into a dryer full of wet cloths does the job.
DRY-CLEANER BUST. Instead of paying for dry-cleaning or taking a risk by washing my sequined tops and beaded tops, I turn them inside out and spray Febreze® under the arms after each wearing. Then, I hang the item to air out, and they're ready to wear again next time
well they are great ideas. but the last one is a NOT for me. no way.
Yeah, I hear ya Hippiemama!!!!
I am not really a sloppy eater, but occasionally I do drop some food on my shirt, so immediately upon taking the shirt off, I pre-spot the area with a dab of liquid hand soap from a dispenser on the vanity sink. I have been doing this for years, especially when I wore a necktie to work. It saves time and practically insures no stain left behind after washing.
Also, after trying about all of the stain pre-spotters before washing, we use OxyClean in a spray and the powder for tough stains!
As usual some great tips. I'm going to try the salt thing with my next load of clothes. Thanks
posted by Laraine
about 1 month ago
I also have very hard water, well water, so I want to try the salt trick too. I haven't made my own soap yet, but have all the stuff from an earlier post. I'm waiting to use the liquid I have now. I should think it would work with regular laundry detergent.
Yep, salt softens the water and makes for cleaner, brighter laundry. Also, baking soda is a good substitute - in moderation. We used to add it to our swimming pool to make the filter more efficient!
