Laundry Tips & Tricks: Part One

[Ultramatic]

 

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">Tired of dingy whites? Stubborn stains? Faded colors? Well the answer to all your laundry problems are in this NEW thread. Yes with Laundry Tips & Tricks YOU TOO can have sparkling whites, bright colors and sweet smelling laundry!</span>

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">Hubby spilled Bosco on your antique tablecloth? Ask away! You have some tips on how to remove a ____ stain? Share! Your colorful poncho is beginning to fade? SOS! Know how to keep colors from bleeding? Get the word out! Laundry smells blah? Inquire here!
</span>

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">So pull up a chair to the dinette table, pour yourself a cup of kawwfee and have a slice of bundt cake...Laundry Tips & Tricks is open. </span>

 

[Ultramatic]

Keeping dark clothes dark.

<span style="font-size: medium;">Wash them inside out with either a detergent made for dark clothes or a bit of dish washing liquid. Never hang to dry in direct sun.</span>

 

[Ultramatic]

Using less detergent.

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">Put a sliver of old soap in a sock and tie the end. Toss in the wash. It won't be necessary to use the full amount of detergent. </span>

<span style="font-size: medium;">(I haven't tried this one yet, but sounds intriguing.)</span>

 

[polkanut]

If you prefer to line dry your shirts, polo, dress type etc. put them on a hanger and button the top button to keep them from flying off.  It helps eliminate marks from the clothespins, and it helps to lengthen the body of the shirt because the wet fabric and gravity do the trick.  This also helps to pull out some of the wrinkles.

 

P.S. They also smell better than something baked in a dryer.

 

P.P.S Remember, when hanging laundry on the clothesline, tops by their bottoms, and bottoms by their tops, and socks by their toes.  

 

[appnut]

Stains

One word.  biz.  Have used successfully since major surgery 11 years ago.  Drainage from incision rujined a favorite shirt.  Shout didn't budge it.  A friend of mine told me she used Biz--called it a girl's best friend.,  Thenb she said, read between the lines, as I was pretty naive aobut what she was trying to tell me.  Bought a box.  don't even check for stains like I used to for each garment before I put in the machine.  I usede to inspect every garment before I washed it.  Slowed down the process considerably.  I'd put a load in the dryer, start the next load, and hten stand there and start working through the next pile that went into th4e machine.  Felt like such a drudge.  Have not had one disappointment since fall of 2001. 

 

[polkanut]

I agree Bob,

I really like the BIZ Blast Packs.  Just toss in the water and let it do its thing.  No muss, no fuss.

 

Don't forget good old-fashioned bluing for whites like grandma used to have.  Just be careful when adding it to your wash water.  Follow the instructions closely or you'll have blue stained laundry.  I prefer Bluette over Mrs. Stewart's any day.

 

[JohnaMarsz]

Ultramatic question

Hi Ultramatic - Regarding your dark clothes tip - you suggest dish washing liquid, but here in England that's what I would call the liquid I put into my dishwasher. Just wondering if you could clarify if that is correct or do you mean fairy liquid, like the little bottle of detergent you use to hand wash at the sink?

Just don't want to get this wrong in case I bleach something!

Many thanks,

John

 

[Ultramatic]

Hi John..

<span style="font-size: medium;">I meant the liquid you use to wash dishes in the sink, not in the dishwasher. </span>

 

[Ultramatic]

Biz...

<span style="font-size: medium;">Wow, I haven't seen Biz in these parts in YEARS. I remember my mom using that when I was a kid though. </span>

 

[polkanut]

My mom switched off between BIZ & Axion.  Would love to find a stash of Axion.

 

[qsd-dan]

Which Biz is preferred, liquid or powder?

Liquid for colds and darks, powder for warm/hot/lights?

 

[mrb627]

Biz

What on earth is a blast pack?

Malcolm

And I agree, BIZ is a little known secret weapon. It rocks!

 

[polkanut]

That is their name for the dissolving packets that you just toss in the washer.

http://www.bizstainfighter.com/products

 

[DADoES]

 
I've used both Biz powder and liquid.  It's expensive IMO for the size of the packages.

 

[mrb627]

Blast packs

Never seen them at my market. I usually buy the box of powder. Only use it for white loads so it lasts a long time!

Malcolm

 

[Ultramatic]

Sweaters cuffs stretched out?

<span style="font-size: medium;">Spray with hot water and blow dry with a hair blower. They should shrink back to their original shape. </span>

 

[Ultramatic]

Bath Salts

<span style="font-size: medium;">Add 1/4 cup of scented bath salts during your washing machines rinse cycle when your washing your bed linen. Not only will your sheets smell great, but the salt acts like a starch to keep them crisp. </span>

 

[appnut]

It's expensive IMO for the size of the packages.

I get the largest size with the flip top box lid.  Just tossing 1/2 a scoop or little more in with detergent and not spending lots of time looking at every garment for stains is with the "expense" in saving me time. 

 

[appnut]

Axion

That was on the market when we got our 1970 Kenorew 800 with the 30 minute automatic enzyme soak cycle.  I couldn't find anything that equated it in performance until I learned Biz was still around. 

 

[cleanteamofny]

Lestoil is good for removing chewing gum and grease and motor oil.
3/4 to 1 cup with any brand good detergent. Use longest wash cycle and restart cycle before draining.

For Lestoil scent removal:
Rewash items with favorite detergent.
Add 3/4 cup of vinagar and 1 cup baking soda to first rinse.
Add favorite fabric softener to 2nd rinse.

Always transfer Lestoil to a glass vessel for longer shelf life or it will eat a hole through the plastic bottle messing up walls/baseboard or cabinet flooring!

 

[Ultramatic]

Wow!

<span style="font-size: medium;">And I remember when Lestoil used to come in glass bottles. </span>

 

[mrsalvo]

This is an excellent thread. Haven't looked for Biz in a long time.

Stain Removal: I manage a movie theatre and I've gotten some pretty bad concession stains on much of my clothing. My godmother gave me the BEST receipe I've ever used. It's simple and it lasts, and lasts, and lasts.
Buy a good spray bottle and mix the following:

1 part water
1 part dish soap (like Dawn or Ajax)
1 part ammonia

Spray stain and wash immediately.

I don't think this forumla is for HE machines, so maybe add more water. I will tell you that it makes tons of suds.
Just wished I had discovered it sooner.

 

[Ultramatic]

<span style="font-size: medium;">I am definitely trying that! Shout and the like are pricey.  Thanks for sharing!</span>

 

[Ultramatic]

Home made powdered laundry detergent

 

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">Really simple, but  have no idea how effective it is. Has anyone tried it?</span>

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">1 Cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda</span>

<span style="font-size: medium;">1 Cup Borax</span>

<span style="font-size: medium;">1 Bar Shaved Soap (Fels Naptha or Ivory)</span>

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">Stir the ingredients together (after shaving the soap) and store in a resealable container. Use 2 TBS per load of laundry. This method should work well in HE front loader washers as well since it is a low-suds formula.</span>

 

[mrsalvo]

Concerning the homemade laundry detergent, there was a sizeable thread on that last year that I started and was suprised by the number of responses. I think there are pro's and con's to the homemade soap. I have some that I use on really dirty clothes that seems to do well, esp. combined with the stain remover that I make (above).
Before I came across this receipe, I used to use 409 and I had fairly good results.

Do try the stain remover and let me know what you think. Looking forward to your reply.

 

[jaxsunst]

At the dollar store (Dollar Tree here), there is a line of products called "Totally Awesome". Their laundry pretreat is the best stuff I've ever used, haven't found anything it will not get out. And, it's only $1 for bottle.

 

[yogitunes]

GOOP!...found in auto parts stores....wether regular or orange is great for removal of grease stains...1/2 cup with your regular detergent works wonders

does anyone remember Grease Relief?....Dawn works equally well, but can be sudsy...

plain BakingSoda on a damp sponge is great for cleaning almost any surface, from appliances, to stove tops, to bathtubs.....the uses are endless....and has taken out stains that heavy duty cleaners leave behind...the many uses could be a thread all to its own

 

[stan]

Lye Soap

Other than common sense laundry habits... correct water level (my conventional), sorting, correct wash, and rinse temps, what I use for a lot of things, (not all) is a bar of old fashioned Lye soap!

Im talking about the real thing not Dove, or Camay, but a lye soap that's made for fabric, not skin.
Just wet the stain, rub the bar into the stain, rub, or let sit a couple of min, throw into the machine, your done!
This works very well on ring around the collar, grease spots ect. It's safe non toxic, lasts forever

 

[Ultramatic]

Greasy Clothes?

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">Pour a can of cola into the load along with your detergent. It will improve the cleaning power of most detergents. Colas contain a weak acid that helps degrease clothes. </span>

 

[Ultramatic]

Dingy whites?

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">Pour 1 cup of white vinegar into the machine.  Your whites will be white again. Another bonus of using vinegar is a cleaner and softer load of laundry. Vinegar will help in washing out excess soap residue that can leave clothing feeling stiff.</span>