I can’t believe I’m doing this – but, today, I’m “airing our dirty laundry”. Not the "discussing personal problems in public" kind, but the "dirty laundry" kind I have to sort, wash, dry, and put away every week. Now, I know this title might have been a little misleading - so, if you’re here for laundry tips – keep reading! If you’re here for the other kind of “dirty laundry” (well - shame on you - JK/giggle :) :) – just scroll to the bottom - there's a little of that for ya, too!
Okay, now, I’m sitting here wondering – how many of you are skipping laundry tips for the good stuff!!
TOP 5 TIPS TO SIMPLIFY LAUNDRY & STAIN REMOVAL
1. Tie It In A Knot – We have a rule at our house – if you have a stain on something – tie it in a knot before you throw it in the hamper. This way, I don’t have to go through every piece of clothing looking for stains. If it’s in a knot, I know it needs special treatment!
Looks like this week – I am the one who has a spot. Yes, even I have to follow the knot rule, otherwise, I’ll forget my own stains :)
2. General Stain Remover – I know there are tons of methods to remove different types of stains (white wine for red wine, hairspray for ink . . .), but I like to keep it simple. I found this method through trial and error - and it has become the method I use for all of our stains (except grease/oil). I use it to remove everything – coffee, tea, grass stains, food, dirt, mud, wine, blood! I even used it to get printer cartridge toner out of our carpet once. It works on whites, and on colored clothing without fading your colors.
Step 1 – Spray stain with “Spray & Wash”.
Step 2 – Pour a little Oxy-Clean on it. Rub in.
Step 3 – Spray again with “Spray & Wash”. Rub in.
Step 4 – Let it sit while you do another load or two of laundry.
Step 5 – Wash as your normally would!
Voila – it’s like magic!
3. Removing Grease Stains – To remove oil or grease stains, I use plain old dish washing detergent. For set in grease stains (i.e. somebody forgot to tie it in a knot, and it’s been washed and dried) – just put a little WD-40 on it to reactivate the oil/grease, and then wash with dish soap. Works like a charm.
4. Put Everything Away At Once – To save time, I finish all of the laundry first, and then, I carry it all upstairs, and put it away! It’s much quicker than carrying baskets up and down the stairs and putting away one load at a time!
5. Home Made Spray Starch – This is a quick and easy way to make your own spray starch (you can even use this for your quilting girls)! Simply mix 2 cups warm water with 1 Tablespoon of Cornstarch.
Stir until the starch is dissolved, pour in a spray bottle. It will look milky, like this.
It’s quick, easy – and great for the environment (which I’m worried about after looking at that shot of all those cans of spray paint I went through this week)! Be sure to shake it before each use.
The "Real" Dirty Laundry
Okay, so I know some of you are here for real dirty laundry :) How’s this for dirty –
I finished the laundry on Friday, and as of last night – it was all still down stairs. We've been running down there, for four days to pull out our clean stuff to wear!
Not dirty enough – mkay – how about this – I seriously contemplated leaving it, and waiting until I finished next week’s laundry. I mean it was only a couple of more days! And, I seriously need to spend some of my fabric budget on new bath towels!
Still not dirty enough – well, goodness girls - how much dirt do you want? Come back later this week – and I’ll tell ya about how I got stuck in “The Gap” (yuck) this week. Yep, took on a wee bit too much – and lost my “zen” temporarily! I’ll fill you in on all the dirties – and how I’m getting back to center later this week :)
How about you all - have you got some good laundry tips to share with us?
Ooohhh, even better - you got any "real" dirty laundry you want to share? Cuz, we'd love to hear all about both :) :)!!
TTFN,
Kelly
