Bleaching—no chlorine
If you want to keep your white laundry stain-free and brilliantly white without using chlorine bleach, here’s the secret: Fill the washing machine with the hottest water available. Add 1 cup Cascade automatic dishwasher powder and 1 cup washing soda (you can find this in the supermarket laundry section). Add washable whites and allow to agitate for a few minutes. Turn the machine off and allow to soak at least 3 hours (overnight is fine). Finish the cycle and dry as usual.
Bleaching—use half
You can cut the amount of chlorine bleach used in your wash by half when you add ½ cup baking soda to top-loading washing machines or ¼ cup to front loaders.
Candle wax—remove from tablecloths
To remove candle wax from a tablecloth, use a dull knife to scrape off as much wax as possible. Place the fabric between two blotters or facial tissues and press with a warm iron. Apply laundry stain treatment. Wash with detergent in the hottest water that is safe for the fabric.
Color setting
White vinegar sets the color in washables. The first time you wash dark and bright colors, add 1 cup of white vinegar to the wash water.
Colorfastness
Will your new blue blouse run in the wash? Take a light-colored, wet washcloth and rub an inside seam of the blouse. If any color rubs off, the garment will run. Hand wash or dry-clean instead.
Corduroy
Keep corduroy looking brand-new. Wash inside out and according to label directions. If necessary, iron corduroy inside out to avoid crushing the pile.
Delicates—baby shampoo
Instead of using expensive cold-water detergents for delicates and fine sweaters, use baby shampoo. The results will be the same, and the cost is considerably less.
Delicates—hand washables in the shower
Take your delicate items that require hand washing into the shower with you. Instead of laundry detergent or Woolite, wash them with your shampoo.
Delicates—in a pillowcase
Machine wash hosiery and other delicate items in the washing machine by first putting them into a pillowcase and closing it with a safety pin.
Dryer—air-dry instead
Dryer lint is visual proof of just how destructive drying is to clothes. And if that’s not enough, the heat causes gradual shrinking (expect even your preshrunk garments to lose another 5 percent). Whenever possible, air-dry your clothing. You’ll cut energy costs and prolong the life of your garments. When you do use the dryer, turn dress garments inside out to minimize the pilling on the outside.
Dryer sheets—dispenser
Mount a paper towel holder next to the clothes dryer to dispense a roll of fabric softener sheets for easy access. And keep an empty tissue box close by to stash the used dryer sheets, which can be recycled.
Dryer sheets—use more than once
There is no need to throw out your fabric softener sheet after one use. One sheet will work just fine for two or even three loads of laundry.
Dryer sheets—use washcloths instead
As a cheaper substitute for dryer sheets, dampen an old washcloth with liquid softener, throw it in the dryer with a load of clothes, and you’ll have static-free, good smelling, soft laundry. Wash and dry the cloth every couple of loads so it will continue to absorb the solution.
Drying—bathroom rack
Create a convenient drying rack in your bathroom. Install an adjustable tension-type shower curtain rod or two over the center of the tub at a height that is easy to reach but well out of the way when you shower. Drips will go down the drain instead of all over the floor.
Drying—comforter or pillow
When drying a comforter or pillow in the clothes dryer, toss in a couple of clean tennis shoes. They will bounce around on the items and keep them from bunching up.
Drying—cut the time, use extra spin
When you have a heavy load in the washing machine, such as towels, reset the machine for an extra spin dry. The drying time will then be reduced considerably.
Drying—cut the time, with dry towels
A dry towel in the dryer with a very damp load will speed drying time. The towel will absorb a lot of the moisture.
Drying—dry several loads at once
Don’t dry only one load of laundry. Do several loads if you can, one right after the other. It takes a lot of energy to get the dryer from room temperature to hot, so while it’s at that level, take full advantage and save energy.
Drying—marks from clothes rack
If the bars of your wooden clothes-drying rack leave brown stripes on your clothes, you can solve the problem easily by covering the bars with aluminum foil.
Drying—outdoor hangers
Protect the clothes you hang outdoors from taking off in a strong wind: Put each piece of clothing on two hangers, hooks reversed, to keep the hangers from falling.
Drying—plastic shower curtain
Yes, you can dry a plastic shower curtain in the dryer. Set the temperature to low and add one or two dry towels. Common sense says plastic in a clothes dryer presents a potential fire hazard. So don’t even think about walking away. Stand there for the 2 minutes it takes to remove the wrinkles and dry the shower curtain.
Drying—unmentionables
Heat deteriorates hosiery and misshapes bras, so air-dry whenever possible.
Ironing—emergency board
Need an emergency ironing board? Use a kitchen breadboard covered with a dish towel.
Ironing—lightly scented
If you do not like to spray perfume directly onto your clothes or skin, try giving your ironing board a squirt or dab before pressing your blouse, trousers, or skirt. The steam from the iron draws just the whisper of the scent, and it clings to the fabric all day.
Ironing—out of time
If you run out of time before you finish ironing, stuff any clothes you’ve dampened into a plastic bag and store the bag in the refrigerator. This prevents mildew and saves the time it would take to dampen them again.
Ironing—pleats
Use bobby pins or clothespins at the bottom of each pleat to hold it flat while you iron.
Lint—on corduroy
To remove lint from corduroy garments after laundering, take them out of the dryer while they’re still damp and brush vigorously with a clothes brush. The next time you wash the items, keep them lint-free by turning them inside out before laundering.
Lint—on dark clothes
Use a bit of white vinegar in the final rinse water to keep lint from clinging to dark clothes.
Mending kit for laundry room
Create a mending kit for the laundry room. Thread several sewing needles with basic colors, stick them into a pincushion, and hang it near the dryer.
Odors—baking soda in the hamper
Sprinkle baking soda into the laundry hamper to minimize odors from soiled clothing.
Odors—perspiration in clothes
Perspiration odors in washable clothing can be removed by wetting the affected areas and rubbing in baking soda before laundering.
When washing smoky-smelling duds, add 1 cup baking soda to the wash cycle. If laundering doesn’t do the trick, check whether your dry cleaner offers a treatment that removes smoke odor. This treatment does cost more than regular cleaning, but it might be worth the cost if the clothes are of particular value.
Pillows
Hand wash foam-filled pillows in mild detergent, then roll them in a towel and squeeze out excess water. Machine drying could cause a fire, so always air-dry foam-filled pillows away from heat.
Presoak manually
Instead of using the presoak and prewash cycles on your washing machine, which use additional water and energy, use the regular cycle but turn it off after the clothes agitate a few minutes. Let them soak for an hour or overnight, and then resume the rest of the cycle.
Pretreat collars and cuffs
Use shampoo to pretreat dirty collars and cuffs. Scrub gently with an old toothbrush. Shampoo is meant to clean body oil, which is exactly what that ring is.
Rugs—in a pillowcase
Cotton and synthetic braided throw rugs are generally machine washable in cold water on a gentle cycle. The agitation of the machine, however, can be hard on these types of rugs, so to keep them intact, put the rug into a pillowcase and close it with a safety pin. Throw the rug, case and all, into the washing machine for a gentle yet effective cleaning. Be sure to test that the rug is colorfast prior to laundering.
Scorch marks from white cotton
The best way to remove scorch marks from white cotton is with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, which acts like bleach. Using an eyedropper, saturate the scorched area, and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Repeat until the marks have disappeared, then flush the fabric with water.
Socks—keep in bags
No more lost socks. Make each family member—even the baby—a drawstring sock bag to keep in his room. All dirty socks go in, and the bag is thrown into the wash. After drying, the bag, still full, is returned to its owner intact.
Socks—pin them
Pin kids’ dirty socks together before dropping them in the laundry. The time invested will be more than returned when you’re sorting laundry later.
Stains and spots—basic solution for fabrics
Mix 1 cup Cascade (powdered) and 1 cup Clorox 2 with very hot tap water in a large pail or container. Soak stained articles overnight. Wash as usual.
Stains and spots—blood
Presoak bloodstained clothing in cold or warm water for at least 30 minutes. If the stain remains, soak in lukewarm ammonia water (3 tablespoons ammonia per gallon of water). Rinse. If the stain still remains, work in detergent and wash, using fabric-safe bleach.
Stains and spots—cocoa and chocolate
To remove cocoa and chocolate stains, scrub the stained area immediately with cold water. Apply laundry stain remover to area and wash as usual.
Stains and spots—coffee
The key to treating coffee stains is to get at them as quickly as possible. If the garment must be dry-cleaned, don’t waste any time getting it to the cleaner. If it’s washable, immediately rinse it in cold water and apply a good prewash treatment as soon as possible. Wash the garment in warm, soapy water, then rinse and allow it to drip-dry. Don’t put it in the dryer just in case all the stain didn’t come out, which sometimes happens with coffee, and you need to repeat the process.
Stains and spots—deodorant
Vinegar applied to clothing stained by deodorant removes the spots from most fabrics. Soak the soiled area in the vinegar, then launder the garment as usual.
Stains and spots—fruit, berries, and juice
Stains in fabric from fruits, berries, and juices should be sponged immediately with cold water. Then if it’s safe for the fabric, hold the garment over the sink and pour boiling water through the stain. Follow by working laundry detergent into the stain and rinse.
Stains and spots—grass, with rubbing alcohol
Pretreat minor grass stains on washable fabric with full-strength rubbing alcohol. Rub gently and launder as usual.
Stains and spots—grass, with shampoo
To remove grass stains from clothes, spot-treat the stain with a shampoo made for oily hair.
Stains and spots—ink, with borax mixture
Place the ink-stained fabric over several thicknesses of paper toweling. Combine 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 tablespoon milk, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon borax in a small bowl, and “paint” the spot. Wait for a few minutes, then sponge the area with cool water. Repeat until the stain is gone.
Stains and spots—ink, with hair spray
Aerosol hair sprays, because they contain a high concentration of acetone, will remove some ballpoint ink stains from clothing. Try this: Hold a rag under the fabric to blot the ink that comes through on the other side, then aim and spray. Remember this tip when you’re at the office and get an ink stain. Someone usually has hair spray, and the key to beating an ink stain is to tackle it as quickly as possible.
Stains and spots—ink, with milk
A quick, easy, and cheap way to get ink spots out of washable clothing is to soak the stain in milk. Wash as usual.
Stains and spots—last-ditch effort
After you’ve tried every method you know to remove impossible stains such as mildew from fabric, try this: Use a cotton swab to apply a commercial mildew stain product such as Tilex directly to the stain. Let stand for about a minute and wash immediately. This will work on colorfast or white fabrics but will leave a huge bleach mark on noncolorfast items. This is a last-ditch, severe action—so beware.
Stains and spots—lipstick
Use hair spray to remove lipstick stains from clothing. Spray it on, let it sit for a minute or two, and wipe carefully. Launder as usual.
Stains and spots—makeup
Here’s a wonderful prewash treatment for cleaning makeup from collars: Mix equal amounts of white vinegar and liquid dish-washing detergent like Dawn or Joy. Rub into the soiled collar or other soiled spots, and toss into the washing machine. Launder as usual.
Stains and spots—mildew on white fabrics
To remove mold or mildew stains from most white fabrics, soak the garment for an hour or so in a solution of 1 tablespoon vinegar, ½ cup liquid bleach, and 2 quarts hot water. Wash and dry the garment as usual.
Stains and spots—on Little League uniforms
Clay dirt from baseball fields gets on clothes and uniforms and is just about impossible to remove. Try this: Brush off any dry clay remaining on the fabric. Treat heavily stained areas with your laundry stain treatment and then soak the garments overnight in a solution of enzyme-action detergent (like Biz), following package directions. The next morning, launder the clothes. If stains remain, repeat the whole process. Or, if the fabric is white, use chlorine bleach as a last resort.
Stains and spots—on wool and silk
An excellent spot remover for wool and silk is Murphy’s Oil Soap, which is available in the household cleaning section of the supermarket. Use directly on the fabric and allow it to soak in. Always test on an inconspicuous spot like an inside seam. Wash as usual. Murphy’s is also great for cars, floors, and, of course, wood furniture and cabinets.
Stains and spots—paint, tar, and rubber cement
Soften hardened paint, tar, and rubber cement on washable fabrics with petroleum jelly. Launder fabrics treated in this way immediately after application.
Stains and spots—perspiration
To remove perspiration stains, add 4 tablespoons of salt to 1 quart hot water, and sponge the fabric with the solution.
Stains and spots—rust
To remove rust stains from washable fabric, shake ordinary table salt on the stain and wet with lemon juice. Allow to set overnight, then wash normally.
Stains and spots—sunscreen
That ring around the collar on shirts and blouses may be your sunscreen, so make sure you pretreat it with a stain treatment that is designed to break down and remove grease and oil. Wash as usual, using the warmest water that is safe for the fabric. Don’t put the garment in the dryer before checking to see if all the stain has been removed. If the stain remains, the heat from the dryer may set it. Repeat treatment as necessary.
Stains and spots—yellowed fabric
Denture-cleaning tablets will remove yellow stains from fabric. Find a container big enough to hold the stained fabric. Fill the container with warm water and the number of tablets according to the ratio described on the package. After the tablets dissolve, add the stained item to the solution and soak until the spots are gone.
Stains and spots—yellowed linens
To remove that disgusting yellow from old linens that are supposed to be white, dissolve ¼ cup automatic dishwasher detergent (such as powdered Cascade) in a large stainless steel (not aluminum) pan filled with boiling water. Carefully add linens and allow them to soak, off of heat, for 8 hours. Rinse and launder as usual.
Starch—spray, cornstarch
Dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 1 pint of cold water. Place in a spray bottle. Shake well before using. Clearly label the contents of the spray bottle.
Starch—spray, make your own
If you use a lot of spray starch around your house, you’ve likely discovered those aerosol cans of spray starch don’t last very long. Cheaper and better, purchase concentrated liquid starch such as Sta-Flo and mix it in a spray bottle, 1 part starch to 2 parts water. In this way a 32-ounce bottle of starch equals 3½ cans of aerosol starch for a fraction of the cost.
Washing—baking soda boost
Add ½ cup baking soda to the laundry wash cycle, and you can expect your liquid laundry detergent to get a boost in its enzymatic and cleaning action.
Washing—cut suds when hand washing
Cut excess suds when hand washing clothes by adding a splash of vinegar to the rinse. Rinse again in plain water.
Washing—in coin-operated laundry
When at the laundromat, place a small refrigerator magnet on each washer and dryer you’re using. No more embarrassing mix-ups.
Washing—inside out means longer wear
Reduce fading and pilling. Turn clothing wrong side out before washing and drying to reduce friction on the right side of the garment.
Washing—water temperature
The bulk of your laundry is only minimally soiled. Modern-day detergents clean very well with cold water as well as warm. Your colors will last longer, too, if you use cold water. The average family can save several hundred dollars per year by switching to cold water when possible. And always rinse clothes in cold water. The temperature of the rinse cycle does not affect cleaning. Exception: Health professionals recommend that bedsheets and towels be laundered in 130ºF water to make sure nasty bacteria and stubborn germs are properly laid to rest.
Waste not—measure detergent
Measure detergent for both washing machine and dishwasher. If you just dump it in, you are probably using way too much.
Waste not—stiff laundry = too much detergent
If items come out of the laundry stiff, you’re probably using too much detergent. Don’t use more than the manufacturer advises, and add a cup of vinegar to the rinse water to help soften your clothes.
Waste not—use the last bit of liquid laundry soap
When using the last quantity of liquid laundry soap, fill the empty bottle all the way to the top with water and replace the lid. Shake vigorously, and use the entire contents with your next load of laundry. You’ll get one last wash from a bottle that normally would have been thrown away.