Shannon still remembers the first time she saw her grandmother remove an ink stain using rotten milk solids. She thought it looked like magic as the black ink was drawn into the white milk. And today, all those years later, rotten milk is still an effective way to remove ballpoint pen ink (other inks have different solvents) from fabric. Jennifer’s friend got dye from a new suede handbag over her expensive cream skirt and her dry-cleaner said it couldn’t be cleaned without damaging the fabric. She used the rotten milk technique and it worked a treat. With other stains, don’t rush in and make a bigger mess. Instead, work out what the stain is made of and then apply the correct solution.
INCIDENT: ‘I know it’s stupid. But I didn’t bother to check the pockets before putting some clothes in the washing machine. Of course, there was a random tissue that has spread everywhere. How do I remove all that fluff from the wash?’
SOLUTION:There are two things to clean here: the interior of the washing machine and the contents of the wash. To remove the fluff from the washing machine, put your hand inside the toe of a pair of pantyhose and wipe over the drum. To remove the fluff from your clothes, put on a pair of disposable rubber gloves, wash your gloved hands with a cake of bathroom soap and water and shake dry. Stroke over the linty fabric and the lint will attach to the rubber gloves.
We’ve already outlined basic washing techniques in Spotless but here’s a summary of the essentials:
Cooler temperatures are gentler on fabrics. To work out the appropriate temperature, consult the garment labels on the items you are washing. Only cotton and linen can handle very hot temperatures;
Remove stains before washing clothes. If very dirty, soak before washing but only soak wool and silk for 20 minutes. If the item contains synthetic fibres, wipe with a dab of methylated spirits, then treat the stain before washing;
Less dirt will be removed from clothes if the washing machine is overloaded;
Sort clothes into different fabric types, then separate whites from colours. After sorting, check pockets (you don’t want a stray tissue in the wash), close zippers and do up buttons.
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Have a separate basket for stained items that need to be spot-cleaned before washing.
You may think the longer you soak your clothes, the more dirt is removed but this is not the case. The more delicate the fabric, the less time it should sit soaking (the exception is in salt water). Twenty minutes is generally enough time for an item to soak. Never soak woollens for more than 20 minutes because the fibres will shrink, even in cool water. And be aware that proprietary products such as NapiSan contain chlorine and can leave yellow marks on wool and silk. It’s better to clean them with cheap shampoo in blood-heat water. To remove the yellow marks, see Clothing and Shoes, page 262.
If you have new clothes and you’re not sure if they’re colourfast, try this test. Wring out a white cloth in white vinegar and place the cloth over an inconspicuous part of the garment and iron. Colour will transfer to the cloth if it’s not colourfast. Alternatively, wring out a white cloth in white vinegar and pinch it over an inconspicuous part of the garment. The colour will transfer to the cloth if it’s not colourfast. To make an item colourfast, place in a 9 litre bucket of water with 2 cups of non-iodised salt. Soak for 1 hour and wash normally.
Jennifer was really annoyed when her shirt became pink after a rogue red item found its way into the washing machine. If you have a similar disaster, use the proprietary product, Colour Run Remover (which used to be called Runaway). There are two varieties: Colour Run Remover: Whites and Colour Run Remover: Coloursafe. Rather than add Colour Run Remover to the washing machine as suggested by the manufacturer, soak items in a tub or bucket with twice the amount of product recommended. If the item is made of wool or silk, soak for 20 minutes in blood-heat water. For other fabrics, soak overnight.
At our Stain Clinics many people complain about the ‘lamington look’ of lint on their clothes. To prevent this, clean the lint filter on your washing machine before each wash and remove lint from the drum by wiping with damp pantyhose. Use one-third less washing powder than is recommended by the manufacturer and dissolve the powder particles in water before adding to the wash. Another tip is to use a gentle wash cycle. If clothes are washed too vigorously with too much washing detergent, they become statically charged and collect lint. To remove the static charge in clothes, place 1 teaspoon of cheap hair conditioner in a 1 litre spray pack of water and lightly mist over the clothes as they dry. To remove really tough lint, put on disposable rubber gloves, wash your gloved hands with a cake of bathroom soap and water, shake dry and wipe your hands across the fabric. The lint will stick to the rubber gloves.
This is only a brief guide to stain removal. For more detailed instructions, consult the relevant advice in the book.
Banana
Wipe with a little glycerine and leave for 15 minutes, then wash normally.
Barbecue sauce
Wipe with a little white vinegar, wash normally and hang in sunshine to dry.
Beer (including dark beer)
Paint a paste of NapiSan OxyAction MAX and water on the stain and leave for 15 minutes, then wash normally.
Beetroot
Soak in white vinegar until the stain is removed, then wash normally.
Bird droppings
It depends on what the bird has eaten—either protein, seed or fruit. With protein (generally black or brown poo), scribble over the stain with a cake of bathroom soap and cold water. With seed (generally white poo), scribble over the stain with a cake of bathroom soap and warm water. With fruit (generally purple or orange poo), wipe with a cloth dampened with white vinegar, then wipe with a dab of glycerine on a cloth and leave for 20 minutes before washing normally.
Blood
Rub the stain out with cold water and a cake of bathroom soap then wash normally on the cold setting. If you can’t put it through the wash, use a thin paste of cornflour and cold water to draw out the stain. Allow to dry and brush away. For old blood stains, use cold water and a cake of bathroom soap and vigorously rub the stain against itself.
Carrot
Wipe with a little white vinegar and hang in the sun. Carrot stains respond to UV rays.
Chewing gum
Harden the gum with an ice-cube and cut as much off as possible with scissors or a blade. Then apply a little tea tree oil with a rolled up pair of pantyhose and work the remaining gum out by rubbing it in circles. White spirits also works.
Chilli sauce
Wipe with white vinegar or lemon juice until most of the red colouring transfers to the cloth. To remove the oil, add a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid to your fingers and massage into the stain until it feels like jelly before washing normally.
Chocolate
Scrub with a cake of bathroom soap and cold water, then scrub with a cake of bathroom soap and hot water before washing normally.
Chocolate ice-cream
Scrub with a cake of bathroom soap and cold water before washing normally. Collar grime
Mix NapiSan OxyAction MAX and water to form a paste the consistency of peanut butter. Apply to the stain and leave for 20 minutes. Wash and dry normally.
Soak up as much oil as possible with paper towel. Apply a little dishwashing liquid and massage into the stain with your fingers until it feels like jelly. Rinse with a little warm water. Wash normally.
Coffee/tea
For fresh stains, use a little glycerine applied with a cotton ball, then wash normally. For old stains, use a little glycerine, followed by a little white spirits and a little dishwashing liquid, then wash normally.
Crayon
Mix 2 drops of tea tree oil with 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and massage over the crayon marks with your fingers, then rinse with water and wash normally.
Deodorant
Apply a little white spirits with a cotton ball before washing. For stiffened armpits, apply a paste of NapiSan Plus and water, leave for 15 minutes before washing normally.
Dog poo
Dip a cake of bathroom soap in cold water and scribble over the stain as though using a crayon, then rub before washing normally.
Egg yolk
Use a cake of bathroom soap and cold water first, then a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid and warm water.
Fruit juice
Wash in white vinegar and hang in the sunshine to dry. UV light breaks down fruit colouring. For stone fruits and fruits with high tannin levels, treat the stain with a little glycerine first.
Sponge with a little white spirits before washing normally.
Gravy
Dip a cake of bathroom soap in cold water and scribble over the stain. Put a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid on your fingers and massage into the stain until it feels like jelly. Then wash normally.
Grease
Apply dishwashing liquid to the stain and rub with your fingers to emulsify. Rinse under cold water.
Hair dye
Use the same brand and colour hair dye (hair dye contains its own solvent). When the stain starts to loosen, rub with a little anti-dandruff shampoo on your fingers. If the stain has just happened, spray with hair spray before washing normally.
Ink/ballpoint pen
Apply rotten milk solids or a little white spirits to the stain. Use a little glycerine first on red ink.
Lipstick/make-up
Apply a little white spirits with a cotton ball.
Mascara
Sponge the stain with methylated spirits, then blot with paper towel.
Mayonnaise
Massage a little dishwashing liquid into the stain with your fingers and wash in cold water. The massaging makes the mayonnaise water-soluble.
Wash normally on the cold cycle.
Mud
For red clay mud, apply a dab of white spirits then wash. For black mud, wash in the washing machine.
Nail polish
Use pure acetone on a cotton bud or ball, not nail polish remover.
Paint
For water-based paint, use a dab of methylated spirits. For oil-based paints, use a dab of turpentine.
Pen marks
Solutions vary according to the type of pen. Permanent markers—write over the mark using the same pen. Then wipe with white spirits on a cotton bud. Wash and dry normally. Artline—wipe with methylated spirits on a cotton bud. Wash and dry normally. Whiteboard marker—wipe with methylated spirits on a cotton bud. Wash and dry normally. Fluorescent pen—write over the mark using the same pen, then wipe the mark with white spirits on a cotton bud. Alternatively, fill a 9 litre bucket with water and add 1 cup of non-iodised salt, dip the stain in the salt solution, gently wring and place in a plastic bag before freezing in the freezer. Wash and dry normally. Gel pens—soak in methylated spirits for 10 minutes and rub with a cotton bud dipped in methylated spirits. Repeat until removed. Wash and dry normally.
Rubber
Dampen and rub with coarse non-iodised salt.
Use CLR or Ranex or lemon juice and non-iodised salt.
Sap
Sponge with a little tea tree oil.
Shoe polish
Use a little methylated spirits applied with a cotton ball. Alternatively, use a little tea tree oil applied with a cotton ball.
Soft drink
Treat as though it’s a fruit stain because soft drinks are coloured with vegetable dyes.
Soy sauce
Wipe with white vinegar before washing normally.
Sunscreen
Massage a little dishwashing liquid into the stain with your fingers, then wash with warm water.
Sweat
Make a paste of NapiSan Plus and water, leave on the stain for 15 minutes, then wash in the washing machine. To prevent sweat marks, experiment until you find a deodorant that works for you. Everyone’s body chemistry is different which means some people will need a deodorant and others will need an antiperspirant. Make sure your deodorant has dried before putting on your clothes.
Tar
Massage in a little baby oil followed by a little kerosene on a cloth.
Tomato sauce
Wipe with white vinegar and wash normally. Dry in sunshine.
Wipe with a little lavender oil before washing normally.
Urine
Wash normally and dry in sunshine
Vegemite
Will generally come out in the wash. If stubborn, put a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid on your fingers and massage into the stain. Then wash normally.
Vomit
Wash normally and dry in sunshine or use NapiSan Plus if the stains are stubborn.
Watermelon
Quickly deteriorates and ferments causing a smell. Sponge with white vinegar and sprinkle with bicarb to remove the stain and the smell.
Wax
Place ice-cubes on the wax until the ice starts to melt. Scrape away as much wax as possible with a blunt knife, then lay sheets of paper towel over your ironing board. Place the stained material over the ironing board and cover with more paper towel before ironing with a cool iron. If a greasy mark remains rub it with a little tea tree oil.
Wine
For new red wine spills, absorb moisture with paper towel, then wipe with a little white vinegar on a cloth. For old red wine spills, wipe with a dab of glycerine on a cloth and sprinkle with bicarb. It will turn grey. Allow to dry, wipe with a little white vinegar and vacuum. For white wine stains, both old and new, sponge with white vinegar on a cloth.
If you think about all the dirt and grime that passes through your washing machine, it’s no surprise it needs to be cleaned. Each month, add ½ cup of bicarb to the wash slot and ½ cup white vinegar to the rinse slot and wash on a quick cycle. If you get a random tissue or disposable nappy washed through the machine, allow the drum to fill with water, add 2 tablespoons of cheap hair conditioner, 2 tablespoons of bicarb and leave filled for 1 hour before rinsing and wiping with pantyhose. Don’t forget to clean the exterior, seals and hinges of the machine. To clean the seals, wrap an old tea towel around a plastic knife, dip in white vinegar and work under and around the seals. Wipe hinges with 2 drops of machine oil and clear away any fluff and dirt. If you keep your washing machine clean, you won’t need to call the repairer as often.
Q: ‘I’ve got mould in the rubber seal of my front loading washing machine’, says Sue. ‘What should I do?’
| Problem: | Mould on rubber seal of washing machine. |
| What to use: | Oil of cloves, water, 1 litre spray pack, pantyhose, damp salt. |
| How to apply: | Mix ¼ teaspoon of oil of cloves with water in a spray pack and lightly spray over the area. Leave for 24 hours. Rub with a pair of pantyhose dipped in damp salt. Respray with oil of cloves solution and leave to dry. |
Q: ‘We have a rather old washing machine and one of the last loads stained all our clothes’, says Meg. ‘We believe it’s from a build-up of all the fabric softeners which have collected grease and dirt during various washes. What can we do to remove these stains?’
| Problem: | Washing machine staining clothes. |
| What to use: | Damp pantyhose, bicarb, white vinegar. |
| How to apply: | To remove the current grime, wipe the inside of the drum with damp pantyhose. Make sure you get behind the seals. Run an empty load with ½ cup of bicarb in the washing slot and ½ cup of white vinegar in the fabric conditioner slot using a quick cycle. Instead of using fabric softener, try this washing formula. Use one-third the quantity of your regular detergent and for a large top loader, add ½ cup of bicarb and ½ cup of white vinegar; for a large front loader, add 2 tablespoons of bicarb and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. |
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New flannelette sheets can leave a load of fluff in your washing machine. To avoid this, wash them on a heavy duty cycle with ½ cup of bicarb added to the laundry detergent and ½ cup of white vinegar in the fabric softener slot. Dry on the clothesline, not in the dryer. Many flannelette sheets contain polyester and if placed in the dryer they wear more quickly and pill.
Q: ‘We live in the mining town of Newman’, says Penny. ‘And our washing machine is caked in red dirt from iron ore. Is there anything we can flush through the machine to remove the dirt?’
| Problem: | Red dirt in washing machine. |
| What to use: | Bicarb, white vinegar, bucket, water. |
| How to apply: | Place 1 cup of bicarb in the washing water and 1 cup of white vinegar in the fabric conditioner slot of the machine. Remove heavy dirt by soaking the clothes in a bucket of water saved from the bath or shower before placing them in the washing machine. It means your machine won’t have to work as hard. Reuse the bucket water over your garden. |
Be aware that these vary from country to country.
95°C cotton wash—maximum and most effective temperature
60°
40°
40°C with bar—synthetics wash
40°C with broken bar—wool wash
chlorine may be used
do not use chlorine
hot iron
warm iron
cool iron
must be professionally cleaned
do not dry-clean
may be tumble dried
dry on high heat setting
dry on low heat setting
do not tumble dry
Q: ‘I washed a spandex/viscose top in warm water’, says Rhonda. ‘But I accidentally used the fast spin on the washing machine. It’s now stretched about two sizes bigger. Can I possibly shrink it back to the right size?’
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When trying to get a whiter than white look, many people reach for bleach. But most bleaches and mould-removal products simply whiten the mould rather than kill the spores that allow mould to grow. A better option is to use oil of cloves, which kills mould spores.
Q: ‘I get a sudsy residue on dark clothes when washed in my washing machine’, reports Annabelle. ‘What’s wrong?’
Q: ‘I’ve got black tar in my washing machine’, complains Jenny. ‘It came from my son’s work clothes. What can I do?’
| Problem: | Tar in washing machine. |
| What to use: | Baby oil, pantyhose, talcum powder. |
| How to apply: | Wipe the tar with a dab of baby oil on pantyhose. When it softens, puff some talcum powder over the top. Rub with clean pantyhose and the tar will come away in little balls. |
Q: ‘I didn’t hang my washing out right away’, reports Mandy. ‘Apart from being a bit smelly, my daughter’s cream-coloured shirt has mouldy spots on it. Can it be fixed?’
We’re constantly asked at Stain Clinics how to make towels less scratchy. One of the main reasons they become scratchy is washing detergent residue. To fix, add ½ cup of bicarb to the washing detergent and ½ cup of white vinegar to the fabric conditioner slot. If towels have become yellow with age, add ¼ cup of lemon juice to your normal wash and hang in the sun to dry.
Q: ‘I perform massages and use white towels’, says Ngaire. ‘What’s the best way to remove massage oils from them?’
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It’s best not to use orange oil to remove oil stains because over time, the orange oil can leave a residue and stain if not completely rinsed out. Instead, place a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid on your fingers and massage into the oil. Wash and dry normally.
Q: ‘I have a plastic laundry tub’, says Bob. ‘And it’s got a blue-green stain on it. Can it be removed?’
| Problem: | Stained plastic. |
| What to use: | Glycerine, talcum powder, pantyhose, damp cloth. |
| How to apply: | Mix glycerine and talcum powder to form a paste the consistency of runny cream. Polish the stain with a pair of pantyhose and repeat until removed. Wipe with a damp cloth. |
It doesn’t take much more effort to hand wash your more delicate clothes and they’ll thank you for it. First, spot clean any stains. Then fill a laundry tub or bucket with blood-heat water and add a small quantity of cheap shampoo. Gently wash the garment by hand and leave for around 10–20 minutes to soak; any longer and the fibres will reabsorb the dirt and the cold water will strain delicate fibres. Then rinse in clean blood-heat water. The temperature of the rinse water must be the same as the temperature of the wash water. Remove the rinse water by placing the garments in the washing machine and using the spin cycle. Either hang the garments on the clothesline or lay them flat on a towel in the shade to dry. Avoid using the dryer if you can. If it’s raining, use a clothes drying rack or hang the items from a coat-hanger in the bathroom.
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If you hand wash after gardening, you’ll clean your hands and clear your pores as well.
It’s common for clothing manufacturers to include a ‘dry-clean only’ label so they’re not liable for any damage but some of the garments sent to the dry-cleaner can be hand washed. The exception is structured or tailored clothing which should go to a dry-cleaner because of the shape of the garment. With fabrics such as rayon, silk or viscose, test first by rubbing a wet cotton bud into a seam and leaving it to dry. If the fabric crinkles, it can’t be hand washed because the fabric will shrink. Be careful with darker coloured rayon, silk and viscose garments which may lose colour if hand washed. You can hand wash wool, linen, cashmere and cotton.
Keep this in mind when hanging out the washing: if you hang your clothes as flat as possible, you’ll have less ironing to do because there’ll be fewer creases. Keep the clothes basket at waist height and store pegs beside the basket. Don’t leave pegs on the clothesline because UV light and rain cause them to deteriorate. Hang each item by the strongest section of the garment: trousers and skirts should be hung from the waistband; shirts should be hung from the tails and pegged on the side seams or hung on a coat-hanger. Woollens are best dried flat on a white towel.
Apartment living means many people don’t have a clothesline and use a clothes dryer instead but it’s better for clothes to be dried naturally. Drying racks are cheap to buy and easy to put up and down. If you do use the dryer, make sure you remove any lint and don’t allow clothes to become bone dry or they’ll be stiff.
If you get a dry powdery build-up in the lint catcher or around the seals on the dryer or across dried clothes, this is excess soap, which indicates that the rinse cycle on the washing machine isn’t working properly. Reduce the amount of washing detergent you use by one-third and add ½ cup of white vinegar in the fabric conditioner slot.
It’s hard to imagine a time when irons had to be heated on the stove before being used; now, they’re Teflon coated and super steaming with multiple functions. Some are even smart enough to turn themselves off if you forget. We can’t wait for the day when they can do the ironing by themselves.
Before you begin ironing, consult the care label on the garment and set the iron to the correct temperature. Begin ironing clothes that require the least amount of heat and work your way up—that way you avoid scorching your clothes.
As a general rule, iron the least important part of the garment first because you’re more likely to crease that part as you move the garment around. Iron the most important part last—the part that people see the most. If you’re in a hurry, fill a spray pack with 1 litre of water and 1 teaspoon of lavender oil and mist over your clothes before you put them on. Shannon loves using this technique: it removes creases—and it keeps mozzies and flies away.
If there are white flecks coming out of your iron, that’s aluminium oxide. To fix, pour a weak tea solution—1 tea bag in 1 cup of warm water left to steep for 30 seconds—or equal parts white vinegar and water into the iron. Turn the iron on and press the steam button until the liquid has worked through the iron. Add clean water and continue to press the steam function until the iron sprays clean water. To prevent this problem, remove water from your iron after using it. If the holes are blocked, add 2 drops of CLR or Ranex to the water, turn the iron on, hold it horizontally and push the steam button down. Rinse with clean water.
If clothes become shiny from ironing, immerse a clean white cloth in white vinegar, wring out well and place over the shiny area. Run a cool iron over the top. This also gives clothes a quick spruce up if they’ve been in the cupboard for too long.
If you scorch clothes while ironing, immerse a clean cloth in 3 per cent hydrogen peroxide, wring out tightly, place over the mark and iron on a cool setting.
Q: ‘I’ve got an iron mark that’s stiff and shiny on my polyamide/elastane trousers’, says Leonie. ‘What can I do?’
| Problem: | Iron melt. |
| What to use: | Cotton cloth, white vinegar, iron. |
| How to apply: | Hopefully the fibres are melted rather than burnt. Immerse a cloth in white vinegar, wring out and place over the area. Use a cool iron over the top. If the mark won’t come out, it’s permanently damaged. To save the garment, soak a piece of cotton corduroy in white vinegar, place over the garment, cord side down, and apply a hot iron. This creates a ridging pattern over the fabric which covers the scorch mark. |
Q: ‘I’ve got a burn stain on my iron’, says Josie. ‘It looks like black muck. How can I get it off?’
Q: ‘I have a collection of my mother’s 70-year-old hand-embroidered linen doilies and tea towels’, says Lynda. ‘Some have dark rust-coloured spots on them. Can they be removed?’
| Problem: | Rust-coloured stains on old linen. |
| What to use: | Non-iodised salt, lemon juice, sunshine. |
| How to apply: | Place a little mountain of salt over each spot and squeeze drops of lemon juice on top until the salt is just moistened. Leave in the sunshine to dry. Repeat if necessary. This can take up to 2 days but is a gentle solution that won’t damage the fabric. |
| Prevention: | Store items in acid-free paper or wrapped in an old cotton sheet. Add a couple of white chalk sticks to absorb moisture. |
Q: ‘I must have put a damp towel in the linen cupboard’, says Gail. ‘I think the mould spores must still be on the shelf. How do I fix it?’
| Problem: | Mould on towels in linen press. |
| What to use: | Non-iodised salt, water, 9 litre bucket, stiff brush (towels); oil of cloves, water (shelves), 1 litre spray pack. |
| How to apply: | Mix 1 kg of salt with a bucket of water, add the towels and leave overnight to soak. Remove, gently wring (but don’t rinse) and hang the towels on the clothesline. When dry, they’ll be covered in a salt crust. Brush away the crust with a stiff brush. Wash the towels normally. To remove the mould spores from the shelves, put ¼ teaspoon of oil of cloves into a spray pack of water and lightly spray the shelves. Leave for 24 hours before wiping and re-stacking. |
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If there’s rising damp in the rear wall of the linen press or the linen is sweating from lack of ventilation, place a tub of silicone crystals or a bouquet of white chalk sticks on the shelves.
hand wash only symbol