Laundry Tips

Baby Stain Remover - TIPS

"Try mixing some dry meat tenderizer with a small amount of water and then rub onto the formula stains. Scrub a little and let it set a little while. Then wash as usual. Used to work for me when I was a young mom. Hope it works." Submitted by Peg.

"Fill your washer with the hottest possible water....add one cup of bleach and a cup and a half of ganulated automatic dishwashing detergent...and a little laundry detergent...add the clothes and agitate for a few minutes and turn off...let sit overnight. Then run the washer full cycle...stains should be removed and this also works on perspiration stains on adult's clothing." Submitted by Janice

Thanks to Carolyn for this tip!

"1 Cup of baking soda in a bucket of water and place in your sons/childs/teenagers smelly worn all day school socks!! Keep adding the socks each day - until all 5 days worth are soaked. Wash and dry them on Saturday. Not only does this keep the socks fresh and white and unsmelly .... it also keeps track of all his socks!!"

Julie suggests: "Add 1/2 to 1 cup of baking soda to warm/hot water cycles in your laundry to help remove odors and boost the cleaning power of your detergent."

If you have clothes that are very delicate with embellishments like sequins, beads, lace or fringe,you do not have to send them out to be dry cleaned if they are made of strong fibers like cotton. (The opposite of a strong fiber would be angora ... something very fuzzy).

You don't even have to hand wash them. Most of them will survive just fine if placed in a knotted pillowcase before putting in the washing machine. Be sure and use cold water.

"all you have to do is add a couple of tennis balls in the dryer and they will fluff it up perfectly."

1. Try using plain vinegar in your Downy ball or in the fabric softener dispenser in your washing machine. Works well, and is very inexpensive. Also a good trick when you've run out of regular fabric softener and you need a quick replacement.

1. Yikes, nothing is worse than this! But if you have a glob of gum stuck on your clothes, try pressing an ice cube gently against the gum. When it hardens, you should be able to peel it off, and then wash the garment as usual.

2. "I have had such good luck at getting gum out of things using a bar of Lava brand soap. Having 4 children, I have successfully gotten gum out of hair, hands, clothes, carpet, sofa, linoleum, car uphostery, blankets, and probably a few other places I can't remember, all by using the Lava soap bar. Work it in a circular motion and watch the little balls of gum wad up and fall off. Rinse with water. Of course you would want to be careful of delicate fabrics, but if you have gum in them, can they really get much worse?" (Tip from Jean - thanks!)

1. Rub the clothes with some dettol antiseptic liquid, just before washing. It removes the stain with no trace.

2. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca~Cola will help loosen grease stains. Try pretreating each spot with a little Coke, rubbing it in, throw it in the washer, fill up with water, & if there's any remaining Coke in the can pour that in with the water & wash as usual.

3. Try soaking it in Dawn Dishwashing Liquid. It contains a degreaser which should break down the stain.

4. My mother always uses Dawn dish soap to remove oil and grease stains. She says it also works on blood and just about anything else! Just use it as a spotter and launder the item or even throw it in the hamper and launder it later. I have tried it and it works great.

RECIPE: Pre-Wash Spray

1/2 C. household ammonia
1/4 C. baking soda
1/2 C. white vinegar
1/2 gal. water

After mixing this solution, put part of it in a smaller spray bottle to keep handy by the washing machine when doing laundry. Spray liberally onto clothes where needed.

Removing Yellow (Perspiration) Stains from Shirts

"Try pouring plain white vinegar over the areas and leaving it for a few minutes. Then wash as usual. I have good results doing this with my uniforms. Also, Rit makes a color remover (works better than the whitener, IMHO) that might help."Submitted by Dannie

"IN RESPONSE TO HOW TO REMOVE YELLOW STAINS FROM WHITE SHIRTS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT I USE 'TILEX MILDEW REMOVER'. IT REALLY WORKS! JUST SPRAY IT ON AND LET IT SET FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND WASH WITH THE REST OF YOUR WHITES."Submitted by a reader

" I saw where someone had written stating she had yellow stains in her whites that she couldn't get out. I have used a product called Yellow Stain Out that can be found at Walmart in the bathroom isle where the plumbing is. You don't have to use much, but soak the whites for a while and out comes any yellow that was there. Hope this helps." Submitted by Tina

To remove smoke odors from clothes, run a sink or tub of hot water, add vinegar, hang the garment in the bathroom and close the door. The vinegar will absorb the odor.

1. Here is a tip that not only works for perpiration stains, but also for baby food formula stains. Fill the washer with the hottest water available...add one cup of Cascade type automatic powdered dishwasher detergent. Add one cup of bleach. Add your clothes and let sit overnight...In the morning, finish the cycle and you'll be very surprised at how these stains are gone!! (Thanks to Janice for this tip!)

2. Add 1/2 cup 20 mule team borax along with bleach and laundry detergent to keep white things white. Of course remember Hot water with whites. (Thanks to Carol for this tip!)