Laundry Tips

Laundry Tips

1. Make your own inexpensive alternative to fabric softener dryer sheets. Mix 1 cup of liquid fabric softener together with 1 cup of water. Store in a wide mouth jar. Using and old cloth, dip it in the mixture,then wring it out over the jar so that any excess liquid is returned to the container. Throw the face cloth in the dryer with the damp clothes. It works like a charm!
2. Attach a magnetic caddy to the side of your washing machine to save items that fall out of pockets in the wash.
3. To remove sticky film from the bottom of your iron, place 2 tablespoons of salt on a piece of brown paper. Using a warm setting, iron over the salt to clean and polish the iron like new.
4. Make your own spray starch with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch added to 1 pint of cold water. Mix vigorously to dissolve the cornstarch and apply as usual with a spray bottle.
5. Clean the steam vents of your iron with pipe cleaners.
6. To speed ironing, spray the ironing board cover with spray starch.
7. If clothes stick to the bottom of your iron, try sprinkling salt on a piece of paper and then run your hot iron back and forth over the salt. This should solve the problem.
8. To iron clothing with bead work, embroidery or other special trims, place the design face down on a towel and iron. This will prevent the special trim from being flattened during ironing.
9. To prevent colored fabrics from running, add a little salt to the fresh water.
10. To prevent new dark jeans, or any dark cottons from fading and streaking, turn them inside out and throw them into your washing machine filled with cold water and 1 cup of vinegar. This will "set" the color. A must for teenagers who don't want the streaked effect that so commonly occurs with black jeans.
11. Take the stiffness out of new denim jeans by soaking them overnight in water with 1 cup salt. Launder as usual.
12. Adding a teaspoon of vinegar to the rinse water, will help pantyhose retain it's elasticity.
13. To get rid of ring around the collar, rub hair shampoo into the ring before washing or try a paste of vinegar and baking soda.
14. To remove stubborn smells from your laundry, add 1/2 cup baking soda to the rinse cycle.
15. To whiten discolored socks, boil them in water along with 1 or 2 lemon slices.
16. For a fresher, cleaner wash add 1/2 cup of baking soda with your usual amount of chlorine bleach to your load.
17. Sprinkle baking soda on soiled diapers before putting them in the pail to eliminate the odor.
18. Brighten white socks and cottons by using dishwasher detergent in the washing machine.
19. To prevent lost or mismatched socks, keep a large supply of safety pins handy and pin socks together before laundering.
20. Zippers last longer if they are zipped shut before laundering.
21. Fresh blood stains may be removed by washing in cold water. Hard and dry blood stains should soak for a few hours in cold water that has a pinch of baking soda added to it before it is washed. Never use hot water on blood stains.
22. Always wash milk or cream stains with cold water, never hot. Then follow with soap and water and a clear water rinse.
23. To remove grass stains easily, rub undiluted hair shampoo into the stain, then launder as usual.
24. Remove perspiration from clothing by soaking the garment in salt water, then wash as usual.
25. Apply a patse made from baking soda and water to perspiration stains and allow it to sit. Launder as usual.
26. For ball point pen ink marks, saturate the spot with hair spray, and allow to dry. Then brush lightly with a solution of vinegar and water.
27. Remove ink from leather purses and shoes with nail polish remover.
28. Ink stains on fingers can be removed by brushing with a soft nail brush dipped first in vinegar and then salt.
29. To remove grease from clothing, dampen the stain with salt dissolved in ammonia. Blot and rinse.
30. Sprinkle a little talcum powder on a shoelace knot to loosen it.