Tip: All Manner of Laundry & Stain Help

Lemons can be used to remove stains from fabric including those from blood, grass and rust. Dab salt and lemon juice onto the mark, leave for a while, then rinse well and wash as normal.

To remove greasy marks such as foundation makeup, food spills, car grease and dirty cuffs and collars, rub undiluted dish washing liquid (any brand is fine) into the mark and wash as normal.

Pen marks can be removed by spraying with hair spray or vinegar before washing.

To remove gum from clothing, freeze the item for at least 30mins (either by placing in the freezer or with an ice pack or cubes) and pick off the gum with the flat side of a butter knife until all off. Rub undiluted dishwashing liquid and wash as normal.

Half to once cup of vinegar in EVERY wash (straight in at the beginning for top loaders or in the fabric softener compartment for front loaders) will work miracles! It will help remove unseen stains, act as a fabric softener, keep whites white and black from fading. It will remove bad smells such as the smell of kitchen grease, sweat, pet smells (inc wee!) and cigarette smoke.

For sweat stains, yellowed polyester and all manner of marks that have an unknown origin, apply vinegar directly and then wash as normal. Try to dry in the sun if you can.

If you’ve washed whites with a red (or whatever) item and it’s dyed the wash there are some options –

1. You can buy Dylon dye remover from their stockists
2. You can soak in a good laundry soaker
3. Wash alone, no soap and 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup bicarb in COLD water and dry in sun if possible
4. Wash alone, no soap with bleach in HOT water

I would try them in this order – 3 as it will cause no harm, 2 as it in unlikely to cause harm and then 1 or 4 which may cause damage.

To stop/reduce this happening again, soak the offending red/blue/purple shirt overnight in a bucket of water and a cup of salt. Dissolve the salt in the bucket with a little hot water and top with cold and add shirt. Then wash as normal. The salt should ‘set’ the colour.

To make your own washing powder, perfect for sensitive skins:

250gm grated bar laundry soap
1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Bicarb soda

Mix everything together and stir until it resembles bought washing powder, about 5mins. You will find all these items in the laundry isle.

Just add 1-2 tblsps to the wash.

Somehow we all seem to have a washing pile, even me! Try giving everyone their own washing hamper if space will allow, it does help with ‘floordrobe’ issues and stops arguments about where things are. Wash a load or more every day and put it on before you make coffee! I find that space is always at a premium and I end up with a big pile of clothes with no home when I can’t fit them in the cupboards lol! This has driven me to a be big on cleaning out the wardrobe and buying LOTS of spare hangers.

If you can’t find the answer to your question here – just Ask Sarah xx