Airing out Dirty Laundry

Like opinions and other things, everyone’s got this, too – dirty laundry. And it’s come to my attention that nobody really knows the dirt on it! So, I’m here to iron out some of the kinks.

Recently, a newly divorced dad emailed me desperately seeking the truth about dirty laundry. Apparently his teen-age daughter insisted that colors and whites be washed in the same load. He didn’t think it sounded quite right, but needed a referee. While it seems like a time-saver, I suggested he let her know that the end result of that color co-mingling would be gray undies, which aren’t the rage at dance or in the locker room. Another teenager saved from ultimate embarrassment. Sigh!

We all get those emails about how Coca-cola cleans toilet bowls and other outrageous-sounding tips. Even stuff about laundry. I’ve now done the research on several of them and have amassed help for you languishing about laundry.

Unabashed Product Endorsement.
I love, love, LOVE Oxy-Clean. A mama can’t get through white pants baseball season without a tub or two of it. I still haven’t gotten through all 100+ uses for the product. I may need to do a segment just on this amazing invention, but I digress.

Basic Laundry Tips:
~ Read the labels on your clothes before plopping into the wash. You don’t have to remember which type of fabric or color goes in what temperature.
~ Generally speaking, separate into 3 categories (especially when you do laundry all the time like I do) – whites, darks, and pastels for best results.
~ Inside out: turn dark clothes inside out (including jeans) to prevent fading. This also helps prevent piling (you know, nubby knots that form on the fabric of your clothes making them look old)
~ ALWAYS empty the lint trap every single time you dry clothes in the dryer. Also, occasionally vacuum around your dryer. Your local fire department thanks you.
~ Do you ever wonder how to separate the white shirt that has red trim? They’re marked washable, but you’re afraid the color will run. If it does run, DO NOT put it in the dryer – dryers set stains. Try washing it again. While bleach may take out the newly formed pink, it will also blanch out the red trim. Good luck.
~ Should you use dryer sheets? This is a personal preference. They can be a skin irritant, but they also keep static at bay. If you do use them, you may want to save some dough by cutting the sheet in half.
~ If you have heavily stained items, eg. a baseball uniform that slid into home plate and brought half the ball field home, wash it separately from other clothes.
~ Read the box – your detergent will tell you the best way to use it. Did you know that water temperature, amount of detergent, and the timing of the load all goes into how well your clothes get clean?! Yep. True story.
~ Towels sometimes share lots of lint with other clothes. Wash them separately. And dry them separately, as a matter of fact, since they can take longer to dry out.

Stain Removal Procedures:
~ Fresh stains are MUCH easier to remove than old ones, so take care of stains as fast as you can.
~ Blot up excess liquid with a clean white cloth, paper, or other towel. Remove solids by scraping or chipping with a dull knife.
~ Never rub a fresh stain with a bar soap – it can set the stain.
~ Use cold water on stains – the heat can set a stain, especially a protein stain.
~ Try not to rub a stain. Rubbing can spread a stain, damage fiber or finish of fabric.
~ Don’t iron over a stain before washing.
~ When you take your stained item out of the wash load, check to see if it was removed before you put it in the dryer.
~ Pre-treaters are a wonderful invention. Besides Oxy-Clean, I also love Spray N Wash. One or the other or a careful mixture of the two will pretty much get out anything that leaps on your clothes.

Unique Stain Treatment Tips:
~ Chewing gum: Apply ice to harden the gum. Crack or scrape off excess. Spray with pre-treatment, rub with liquid detergent. Rinse with hot water.
~ Deodorant stains on washable shirts: Test on a hidden spot first!!! Sponge on or soak in white vinegar for 30 minutes. Launder shirt in hottest water safe for the fabric.
~ Glitter on clothing: Some of those glittery girly shirts share the sparkle with everything else in your load. Spray the original shirt with aerosol hair spray to make it stay put AND wash alone and turn it inside out.
~ Grease: Sprinkle cornstarch or baby powder over the grease stain
~ Ink: Rubbing alcohol on the stain will take it out, but be pretty precise because it can take color out of fabric.
~ Rust and mineral stains: Add 1 cup of bottled lemon juice to the load to remove discoloration from cotton laundry.
~ Soiled shirt collars: Using a small paintbrush, brush liquid detergent into the soiled area.
~ Spaghetti stain: Grab some Oxy-Clean and a small laundry brush or toothbrush, rub it in, and launder.

Mistakes to Avoid (like the content in those “helpful” emails)

~ Dishwasher detergent on clothes. Nope, they’re for dishes, not fabric.
~ Hair spray on ink. They can deposit a gummy residue. Yuck!
~ Ironing candle wax actually drives the stain in deeper to the fabric.
~ Milk on Ink. You’re adding a protein to a stain? What are you thinking?
~ So, now you have the low-down on laundry. You’re free to move on to other, more important issues like having fun getting your clothes dirty playing with your kids! Good clean fun, I’d say!

Cheer! (and Tide, and Woolite, and Biz … yeah, I know I’m corny!)