Are you looking for natural solutions for getting your laundry clean? Give these tips a try.
My daughter and husband have extremely sensitive skin. If I change detergents or try to sneak in a little fabric softener or even a dryer sheet, they make me aware of their disapproval with bouts of eczema and rashes. I would find laundry products they could tolerate, but after awhile even those would begin to wreak havoc on their skin.
I've tried all of the hypoallergenic products, and some of them worked okay, but they were super expensive. I decided to do some research and see if I could come up with my own solution to the laundry dilemma. Here are some things that I learned that might help you out as well.
Natural Laundry Soap
Use castile soap (made exclusively from olive oil - as opposed to animal fat). Use 1/8 to 1/4 cup of it instead of regular laundry detergent. By the way, this soap is also great for personal hygiene, hair care, house cleaning, shaving, and I've even read that some people brush their teeth with it... but I haven't been brave enough to try that one.
Laundry Freshener
Baking soda is an all-around great product with so many uses. Add 1/2 cup to your laundry to remove odors. It also helps whiten clothes, remove detergent build-up, and as a fabric softener. It also works on acidic stains (see next tip).
Stain Removal Not all stains are created equal. Use these tips for various types of stains:
Acidic stains such as Drain Opener, Battery Acid, Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Vomit, Urine - Quickly rinse acid spills and then sprinkle baking soda on your clothing to neutralize the acid and prevent damage. If the acid is already dried, you can still neutralize it with baking soda before washing and prevent further damage in your machine.
If crayons have accidentally made their way into your laundry, there may still be hope for removing them. Rewash the clothing in the hottest water allowable for the fabric, adding a 1/2 box to a box of baking soda. You get the best results if you catch the problem before the items go into the dryer.
Blood stains can be removed with hydrogen peroxide. Start by rinsing the item with cold water, removing as much of the blood as possible. Then add 1/2 strength hydrogen peroxide (half peroxide, half water) and allow the bubbling action to remove the stain. Remember, hydrogen peroxide can discolor some fabrics, so you may want to do a spot test first.
Oil Stains - When it comes to removing oil or grease with natural products, I've been severely challenged. Most of the information I found started out great, with the use of a dry product to absorb the oil such as talc or cornstarch. Then the next step would always be something toxic like "dry-cleaning solvent" - NO THANKS! My advice is to start by applying dry corn starch to the stain, leaving it in place for 20 minutes or so. Brush away the excess, check the spot, and if it is still present, apply again. Then wash the garment in the hottest temperature the garment instructions will allow, using the natural detergent and either baking soda, or vinegar. This actually works quite well on other tough stains like tomato sauce or steak sauce.
By Dene Brock
Title: Laundry Tips Using Natural Products
Rating: 88% out of 100% based on 25 ratings
Written By Unknown
Rating: 88% out of 100% based on 25 ratings
Written By Unknown
