Laundry Tips (Joy Germann)
To get stains out:
Blood 1. Make a paste of meat tenderizer and water;
rub it in the stain, and let it set for 30 minutes; rinse the clothing in a
mixture of 2 quarts cool water and 1 tablespoon ammonia; rinse in cool water;
let dry in the sun.
2.
Flush the stain with cool water before it dries; soak in cold water for
30 minutes; rinse; work detergent into stain; wash, using bleach safe for
fabric.
3. Sponge the stain with cool water;
work a spoonful of 3% hydrogen peroxide into the stain; when foaming stops,
rinse in cool water; if stain is gone, launder as usual.
4.
Make a paste of powdered starch and water; rub it into the stain; let it
dry; peel the dried paste away; rinse in cool water, and launder as usual.
Butter 1.
For whites, scour stain with kitchen cleanser; let stand for 15 to 30
minutes; rinse with cool water; if stain is gone, launder as usual.
2. Combine borax cleanser and water into a
paste; test it on a small, concealed area of fabric, if fabric does not discolor,
work the paste into the stain; launder as usual, without first rinsing the
paste out of the fabric.
Catsup 1.
Scrape off excess; sponge with cool water; soak the stained area in cool
water overnight; work either powdered or liquid detergent into stain, rinse
with cool water; launder as usual.
Gum 1.
Put the article of clothing in a plastic bag in the freezer for several
hours; scrape the frozen gum off the clothing with a dull knife.
2.
Sponge the gum with turpentine or kerosene before washing as usual.
3.
Rub the chewing gum with beaten egg white until the gum dissolves and
comes off; launder as usual.
4.
Rub the gum with an ice cube; when cold and hard, scrape off with a dull
knife; launder with hottest water safe for fabric.
5.
Soak the stained area in white vinegar until gum dissolves or can be
pulled off; launder as usual.
Chocolate
Make
a paste of borax and cold water; rub into stain, let stand for 15 minutes;
rinse in cool water; launder in hottest water safe for fabric.
Cosmetics To remove mascara, eye shadow, rouge, pancake
powder, or liquid foundation from clothing, rub a paste of powdered detergent
and water into the stain (or use a small amount of liquid detergent); rinse
with cool water; launder as usual.
Crayon Loosen the crayon with shortening; scrape off
with a dull knife; rub detergent into the stain; wash in hottest water safe for
fabric with detergent and 2 cups of baking soda; repeat if necessary before
putting clothing in dryer.
Deodorant 1.
Sponge the stain with ammonia, and launder as usual. If the fabric is silk or wool, dilute the
ammonia with one part water.
2.
Sponge the stain with white vinegar; if stain remains, soak in rubbing
alcohol for 30 minutes; rinse thoroughly with cool water; wash in hottest water
safe for fabric.
Dye If one article of clothing “bleeds” during
washing and discolors other clothing, wash the discolored clothing immediately
in a color-safe bleach.
Egg Scrape the dried egg off the fabric with
a dull knife; soak in cold water for 30
minutes; work detergent into the stain; launder in hottest water safe for
fabric.
Fruit
Juice 1. Stretch the stained area over a large bowl;
pour boiling water through the stain from a height of several feet; repeat
until stain is gone; launder as usual.
2.
Rub 3% hydrogen peroxide into the stain; when peroxide stops foaming,
rinse thoroughly with cool water; repeat until stain is gone, launder us usual.
3.
Rub lemon juice into the stain; let stand for 15 minutes; rinse
thoroughly with cold water; repeat until stain is gone; launder as usual.
4.
If the stain is fresh, sponge the stained area with cold water; soak in
cold water for 30 minutes; launder as usual with bleach safe for fabric added
to wash water.
Grass 1.
Soak in cold water for 30 min., rinse thoroughly; rub detergent into the
stained area; wash in hottest water safe for fabric with bleach added to wash
water.
2.
For silk, wool, or colored fabrics, soak stained area in 2 cups of water
mixed with 1 cup rubbing alcohol; rinse thoroughly, and launder as usual.
3.
Dip a strip of white fabric in kerosene; rub the grass stain with the
strips of fabric until the stain is completely
saturated; wash in small amount of sudsy water; rinse thoroughly; launder as
usual.
Grease 1. Rub
detergent into the stain, wash in small amount of warm sudsy water; rinse
thor0ughtly; launder as usual.
2.
Sprinkle talcum powder,, cornstarch, or cornmeal onto the stain; let
stand for 15 min., brush off; work small amount of liquid shampoo into the
stain; wash in hottest water safe for fabric.
3.
For knits, rub stain with club soda; launder as usual.
4.
For suede, sponge with vinegar; brush with a suede brush to restore nap.
Ink Saturate stain with hairspray;
immediately rub with a soft, clean cloth; rinse thoroughly; launder as usual.This also works for Sharpies.
Lipstick Rub stained area with petroleum jelly; wash in
warm sudsy water; rinse thoroughly; launder as usual.
Mud Let mud dry completely; rub off with a
stiff Bristle brush; sponge stained area with cool water; if stain remains
sponge with rubbing alcohol until gone; launder as usual.
Mustard Moisten stain with cool water; rub
detergent into stained area; rinse with cool water; soak overnight in sudsy
water; wash in hottest water safe for fabric with bleach safe for fabric.
Pencil Try to erase the stain with a pencil eraser;
rub detergent into stain; rinse thoroughly; if stain remains rub ammonia into
stain; rinse thoroughly; launder as usual.
Perspiration 1.
If stain is fresh, sponge immediately with warm water and detergent or
ammonia; soak for 30 min. in warm water; launder in hottest water safe for
fabric.
2.
If stain has dried, sponge with vinegar; soak with warm water for 30
min.; launder in hottest water safe for fabric.
3.
Rub stain with a paste of warm water and meat tenderizer; let stand for
1 hour; rinse thoroughly with cool water; launder as usual.
Rust 1.
Spread stained area over a bowl or pan of boiling water; pour lemon juice through the stain; rinse
thoroughly; launder as usual.
2.
Make a paste out of lemon juice and salt; rub into stain; let dry in
sun; rinse dried paste out of fabric with warm water; launder as usual.
Choosing
Water Temperature
White shirts……………………..Hot water wash, cold water
rinse
White underwear…………warm water wash, cold rinse.
Wash and Wear colored fabrics….Warm water wash,
cold rinse
Elastic fabrics…………….Warm water wash, cold rinse
Synthetic fabrics……….Warm water wash, cold rinse
100% Cotton fabrics!!!!!..............Cold water
wash, cold water rinse
Colored fabrics that bleed……….Cool water wash,
cold water rinse
MOST IMPORTANTLY: When in doubt, wash in cold!!
Washing
Regardless of what detergent you use, follow label
directions for amount; you’ll need to consider size of load, type of fabric,
and amount of soil. The label will tell
you how. To get better results, let the
washer fill with water; pour in the designated amount of detergent, swish it
around with your hand until it dissolves, then add clothes. To soak, with the
washer shut off, let the clothes soak in the soapy water for 15 minutes, then
reactivate the washing cycle. Soaking
will help loosen stubborn dirt and will give the detergent time to start
working on the clothes.
Drying
Check the lint filter before you start the
dryer—clean all lint and dust from the filter, which usually looks like a
screen. Select the right temperature
control; you can dry most clothing on low heat, but use high heat for heavy
fabrics like denim. Do not put 100%
cotton fabrics in dryer!!
It’s best to slightly underdry; Check the load
periodically to make sure the clothes don’t get too dry. Many articles of clothing will not need to be
ironed if you remove them from the dryer when they are slightly under dry and
hang them on a hanger immediately. If
you’ll be ironing your clothes immediately, remove them from the dryer while
they are still damp, roll them up and put them in your laundry basket. Iron right away.
