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Resources
1.
Stain Removal
Blood, Fresh & Dried
Rinse
fresh blood stains in cold running water and rub with soap. Repeat. For dried
stains, first scrape or rub off as much dried blood as possible. Soak in warm
water using a product which contains enzymes. Wash. If this doesn't work, rewash
the item using a chlorine-free bleach. In the case of stubborn stains, rust
removers may be helpful.
Coffee, Tea
Presoak item in liquid detergent with bleach. Wash using the hottest water
temperature that is safe for the fabric.
Cosmetics
Dampen stain and rub with liquid detergent. Rinse, then wash.
Dingy White Socks
Presoak in a liquid detergent solution for a minimum of 30 minutes. Wash in a
liquid detergent which contains bleach. Food Coloring Soak in cool water. If
stain remains, rub on detergent and rinse. Wash.
Fruit Juice, Wine & Soft Drinks
Soak stain in cool water as soon as possible. Then, soak in a laundry detergent
which contains bleach, using the hottest water safe for the fabric. Wash.
Mud
Brush off as much as possible when garment is dry, then rinse under cold running
water. Pretreat with a paste of powder detergent and water, or liquid laundry
detergent. Wash using laundry detergent and a fabric-safe bleach.
Rust Stains
The yellow, orange or brown spots we sometimes find on our clothes may be caused
by rust. Iron content of over .2 parts per million in your water supply can
cause these type of stains, so it's important to have your water supply checked.
Two possible sources can be rust water pipes or water heaters. One way to combat
this problem is by using a mechanical water softener with an iron filter. Also,
using a non-chlorine bleach can help, as chlorine bleach may cause the iron in
the water to precipitate on fabrics and leave stains.
2. Washing Tips
Brighten Colors with Salt
Hard water can cause clothes to become dull or dingy after several washings. To
solve this problem, add a couple of pinches of ordinary table salt to the washer
with the detergent. Let some water run in the washer to dissolve detergent and
salt, then add clothes. Colored clothes will come out much brighter.
Delicates
Think you have to take that sheer voile blouse, beaded top, fringed silk shawl,
or lace trimmed dress to the cleaners? Think again! You can clean these at home
by simply tying the articles in a cotton pillow case, knotting it closed, and
washing in cold water on regular cycle. Beads, sequins, buttons and delicate
laces will not fall to pieces, and garments can be restored by steam ironing or
steaming in the shower!
Down
As a general rule, down items should be cleaned twice a year- once before you
start wearing them, and before you put them away after the winter season. Down
can be washed or dry-cleaned, read your care label for instructions. You're
better off taking large items that require a lot of washer and dryer space (i.e.
comforters) to the laundromat, which has larger machines. Be careful not to
tumble dry down items at a temperature greater than 140F, or water-resistant
shell fabrics can slow drying.
3. Odd & Oversized Items:
Stuffed
Animals
Old stuffed animals can be salvaged. Place stuffed animals in a pillowcase, tie
a knot in the case, and then place the stuffed animals in your wash machine on
gentle or permanent press. You can even dry them. For best results, machine dry
animals for about 20 minutes and then let air dry. Your child's favorite stuffed
toy may look like new.
Baseball Caps
To clean baseball caps without destroying their shape, place them on the top
rack of the dishwasher and run through a complete cycle.
* Large items such as bedspreads, comforters and king size blankets should be
washed alone or laundered and dried in oversized machines, which are available
in most laundromats.
4. Rayon
Q.
Can you wash rayon items by hand or in the washing machine or by hand?
A.
The confusing part about caring for rayon is that two types of rayon exist:
viscose and polynosic. The major difference is that viscose rayon becomes weak
when wet, and therefore normally requires dry cleaning. Occasionally it can be
finished so that gentle hand washing is possible. Blends with 30 percent or more
polyester will provide enough strength for gentle hand washing or machine
laundering. Polynosic rayon is an improved version with high wet strength. You
can safely machine wash and dry it.
How do you tell the difference? Unless information is provided on the label, or
can be obtained by calling the manufacturer, you can't. Machine washable rayons
will have the term polynosic, the trade names Modal or Zantrel, or indicate
machine wash and dry on the label. The term viscose on a label will be
accompanied by a care label that indicates to dry clean.
For
best results, follow care label instructions.
5. Silk
Why Dry Clean Silk? Did you know that silk does not need to be dry cleaned? All
you need to do is warm hand wash the blouse with some mild woolwash (normal
detergents are the wrong pH for animal fibers like wool and silk). Then dry
until it is just damp, roll it tightly and place in a sealed plastic bag then
place that in the freezer. Then when it is frozen take it out and iron it.
Suds & Cleanliness
When soap flakes were used, a lot of suds meant good cleaning performance.
However, the way laundry detergent is presently formulated, this is no longer
true. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of this, and use excessive amounts
of laundry detergent.
Washing Time
Never set the washing time for over 10 minutes -- most detergents have done all
the work they are going to do by then-- the rest of the time your clothes are
just agitating in the dirty water. It may not seem like much, but you can save a
quite a bit of money over time using this trick.
Water Temperature
Water temperature plays a key role in the washing process. Hot water offers the
quickest, best form of cleaning, and should be used for the following items:
Sturdy whites, colorfast pastels and light prints, cloth diapers and similar
baby items, and heavily soiled clothes. Warm water removes wear wrinkles, helps
reduce wrinkling in the washer, and minimizes dye loss. It should be used for
permanent press, all colorfast dark or bright colors, nylon synthetics,
polyester, acrylic and washable woolens. You may want to keep in mind that
laundry detergents are formulated to clean best at temperatures above 60°F/16°C.
Cold water may prevent sensitive dyes from "bleeding" minimizes washer
wrinkling and saves hot water. It can be used for lightly soiled fabrics, and
should be used to rinse all loads, regardless of wash temperature. However, due
to detergent formulations, cold water does not clean as effectively as warmer
temperatures.
6. Drying Tips
Save
on Drying Time
To save on the time spent running your dryer, especially for "heavy"
items like throw rugs, diapers, etc., first run an extra "spin" cycle
in your washing machine. Then, add a clean, dry, fluffy towel to your dryer with
the wet laundry. This can cut your drying time by 25% or more!
*Don't over-dry your clothes. If your machine has a moisture sensor, use it.
*Periodically inspect your dryer vent to ensure it is not blocked. This will
save energy and may prevent a fire. Manufacturers recommend using rigid venting
material, not plastic vents that may collapse and cause blockages.
*Use the cool-down cycle to allow the clothes to finish drying with the residual
heat in the dryer.
*Dry towels and heavier cottons in a separate load from lighter-weight clothes.
*Clean the lint filter in the dryer after every load to improve air circulation.
*Drying a small load reduces the tumbling effect and consequently lengthens the
drying time. Add several clean, dry white towels to speed up the drying of small
loads.
*Turn your jeans inside out, so they won't fade as quickly.
*Most dryers have delicate permanent press cycles, which have lower settings to
protect fabrics which might be damaged by high temperatures.
*Don't overload your dryer, as it can result in excessive wrinkling.
7. Down Items
Some
manufacturers recommend putting new tennis balls in the dryer to keep the down
from clumping. However, the Soap and Detergent Association does not recommend
this practice. The neon dye on the tennis ball could transfer to the down-filled
item, or the tennis ball might not be able to withstand the heat. To avoid
clumping, it is safer to periodically remove the item and shake vigorously.
Adding clean, dry towels to the dryer load can also help.
LL
Bean's Advice
In
washing down filled items. wash on the gentle cycle, but when it comes to drying
remember that it takes a very long time! I bought LLBean jackets for my
children.......after going thru the normal dryer cycle, I thought they were dry,
they appeared dry. The down was settled at the bottom of the jackets though, so
I thought the jackets were useless and I called LLBean for advice. They told me
to dry the jackets on low heat all day long. The down needs to dry out well, and
when it does *then* the down will be evenly distributed through-out the jacket.
I did as I was told, I was doubtful, but sure enough it worked! LLBean did say
that using a commercial dryer would work faster.
8. Ironing Tips
Cut
Down on Ironing Time
My
time is valuable to my four children, husband and me. I've reduced my
electricity used and time spent by removing my clothes directly from the dryer
while they're still warm and laying them flat -- one item at a time -- on top of
my washer until the whole load is stacked. Then, I take the entire stack to my
favorite folding place. If I have to do something else and return to the stack,
it's still unwrinkled and ready to be folded -- not ironed! Now I only iron a
few things!
Free Distilled Water for your Iron
If you have a dehumidifier in your basement, you have "free" distilled
water in its tank, which you can use for your iron.
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