As a last-week-of-classes blog post, I'm going to post a list of some unusual yet useful stain removal tips I've come across. Before you take your clothes to an expensive dry-cleaner's, try these!
1. Lemon juice and baking soda: Supposed to be fantastic for removing discolouration (i.e.: if you washed a blue shirt with a yellow one and parts of the yellow shirt are now green). In my experience, the discoloured parts became fainter but did not entirely disappear.
2. Salt: Sprinkled on a fresh red wine stain, salt is supposed to help remove the stain. Haven't had occasion to try this one yet.
3. The freezer: If you've got gum stuck to your clothes, this trick actually works. Place the soiled item in your freezer for about 15 minutes, remove from freezer, and scrape off the solidified gum.
4. Hairspray: Removing red ink from clothes is a breeze with this trick. Don't wait longer than 24 hours, though.
BONUS:
5. Tea tree oil: This concentrated oil is a natural astringent. It's good for your skin because it clears up acne, but it can also remove nail polish (though this makes a nasty smell) and the goo that always gets left on your skin after you remove a Band-Aid.
Showing posts with label stain removal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stain removal. Show all posts
Friday, April 8, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Avon Bubble Bath: Get Your Money's Worth
Some uses I've found for Avon's bubble bath (after this, do you really want to use it in your bathwater?):
* clean light fixtures, glass, and china
*wash appliances
* wash plants (?), use as plant fertilizer
* remove grease stains from clothes or upholstery
* clean eyeglasses
* clean jewelry
* wash your pets
* wash clothes/cars/drapes
* wash walls/ceilings/cupboards
Wow! Just one purchase can do that many things....almost too good to be true. I might need to order some and try it...but there are so many different kinds...
* clean light fixtures, glass, and china
*wash appliances
* wash plants (?), use as plant fertilizer
* remove grease stains from clothes or upholstery
* clean eyeglasses
* clean jewelry
* wash your pets
* wash clothes/cars/drapes
* wash walls/ceilings/cupboards
Wow! Just one purchase can do that many things....almost too good to be true. I might need to order some and try it...but there are so many different kinds...
Monday, September 28, 2009
Ink on Suede; Salt
So far, the only tip I've found for removing ink stains from suede: "dry-cleaning solvent." This concerns me. Not only are dry-cleaning chemicals dangerous to the environment and probably not the safest things to keep around the home (should one be able to acquire them), they also probably aren't that cheap, either. I notice that the sites recommending "dry-cleaning solvent" don't suggest how to buy it, and they all caution that anyone attempting to remove the stain in this way should 'test on an underside seam' first. Definitely doesn't inspire confidence. If I manage to get ink on a suede purse or pair of shoes, I wonder if the eco-friendly Dollar-Wise drycleaners' outfit might have a solution for me. I'd wander down and see. Jasmine has also recommended Norwex cleaning products - if you already have them or are desperate to remedy the spill, you might want to try them out.
Did anyone take part in/enjoy the Free Weekend? I was looking for a computer monitor but didn't find one with the sort of cable I required. Ah well.
My mother surprised me this weekend with a 3-pack of coil bound books, each claiming to have "Over 100 helpful household hints" on how to use three ordinary products: baking soda, vinegar, and salt. Tracey would no doubt have a few choice words for the cover designs of these books, but the hints contained within are pure gold.
"Make your life easier with salt!" the blue book declares (its companions are also present in the primary colours red and yellow, to complete the set). Christine Halvorson, the salt book's author, claims that among other uses, salt can be used to remove sticky spills from the oven - before you need to resort to that highly toxic oven cleaner. Just "sprinkle the sticky area with salt, let it sit until spilled area becomes crisp, then lift off with a spatula when oven cools." Yay! The book also recommends removing fabric stains by rubbing salt onto the fresh stain, soaking overnight in milk, then washing 'as usual.'
The book also suggests avoiding frosty car windows in the mornings by rubbing them with a saltwater-soaked sponge in the evenings. If only that worked...I suspect the inconveniently low temperatures in Winnipeg will just turn the saltwater into another layer of ice to remove, if tried after mid-October.
Enough...for now...about books. I do love easy home remedies for things like oven-cleaning (have you read the disclaimers/poisoning warnings/instructions on those aerosol cans? That stuff is frightening) and stain removal, and drain unclogging, but what I'd really like to know is how to get the most computer for my money. I've had a lot of trouble with my laptop lately (it's 9 years old and was free, so I guess I got what I paid for!) and have accepted I'll have to shell out SOME money. But how much? And what will I get for what money I do need to shell out? I usually cave and fork over more than I should for purposes of ending the frustration of the chase...but this blog IS about my need to develop thriftier habits. If that needs to start anywhere, it's with a purchase as expensive as the computer! Especially since this current computer I have has: randomly disconnected me from the Internet; restarted in the middle of important homework assignments; recently informed me it doesn't have sufficient drive space to house anything manufactured by Adobe; and doesn't recognize my digital camera, hence it's been impossible for me to add to this blog any photos I've taken.
Did anyone take part in/enjoy the Free Weekend? I was looking for a computer monitor but didn't find one with the sort of cable I required. Ah well.
My mother surprised me this weekend with a 3-pack of coil bound books, each claiming to have "Over 100 helpful household hints" on how to use three ordinary products: baking soda, vinegar, and salt. Tracey would no doubt have a few choice words for the cover designs of these books, but the hints contained within are pure gold.
"Make your life easier with salt!" the blue book declares (its companions are also present in the primary colours red and yellow, to complete the set). Christine Halvorson, the salt book's author, claims that among other uses, salt can be used to remove sticky spills from the oven - before you need to resort to that highly toxic oven cleaner. Just "sprinkle the sticky area with salt, let it sit until spilled area becomes crisp, then lift off with a spatula when oven cools." Yay! The book also recommends removing fabric stains by rubbing salt onto the fresh stain, soaking overnight in milk, then washing 'as usual.'
The book also suggests avoiding frosty car windows in the mornings by rubbing them with a saltwater-soaked sponge in the evenings. If only that worked...I suspect the inconveniently low temperatures in Winnipeg will just turn the saltwater into another layer of ice to remove, if tried after mid-October.
Enough...for now...about books. I do love easy home remedies for things like oven-cleaning (have you read the disclaimers/poisoning warnings/instructions on those aerosol cans? That stuff is frightening) and stain removal, and drain unclogging, but what I'd really like to know is how to get the most computer for my money. I've had a lot of trouble with my laptop lately (it's 9 years old and was free, so I guess I got what I paid for!) and have accepted I'll have to shell out SOME money. But how much? And what will I get for what money I do need to shell out? I usually cave and fork over more than I should for purposes of ending the frustration of the chase...but this blog IS about my need to develop thriftier habits. If that needs to start anywhere, it's with a purchase as expensive as the computer! Especially since this current computer I have has: randomly disconnected me from the Internet; restarted in the middle of important homework assignments; recently informed me it doesn't have sufficient drive space to house anything manufactured by Adobe; and doesn't recognize my digital camera, hence it's been impossible for me to add to this blog any photos I've taken.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Stain Removal!
Before we begin, as a shoutout to Kenton Larsen: Get-rich-quick ideas!
Melanie, thanks for helping out a student! Melanie Lee Lockhart, my Public Relations instructor, kindly lent me her copy of Haley's Hints. For anyone who (like me) isn't familiar with Rosemary and Graham Haley, they're the authors of a book (and Graham is the host of a TV series) detailing a wide range of helpful solutions for common problems - all using items many people have on hand at home. I'm jumping into the middle, since stain-removing tips start at about page 94 in the book, but with chapters like "Kitchen Magic" and "Laundry Day Helpers" this book will get revisited! (You can all hold me accountable to return it to Melanie!)
And now...stain removal solutions that work!
P. 111: Remove chewing gum: "Hold an ice cube against the chewing gum until it hardens. Then chip the gum away." If the item can withstand cold temperatures without breaking, cracking or otherwise coming to harm, I can also recommend putting it in the freezer for about 1o minutes (or more if needed and possible) and then chipping the gum away. Works well on clothing.
P. 109: Cleaning Carpets. A diluted solution of vinegar, soap, and water can help remove stains that weren't found immediately. Wet a cloth with the mixture, hold against the stain for several minutes, then blot dry with a dishcloth. Also remember, when dealing with a liquid spill, DO NOT rub the spill. That will push the spilled liquid further into the carpet. Instead, blot with dry cloths.
P. 94: I wish I'd come across this one sooner! Badly stained tubs: use a scrub brush and a mixture of cream of tartar (a baking ingredient!) and hydrogen peroxide. Other bathtub tips: if you get bathtub ring, it can often be minimized by softening the water - so add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your next bath! "Yellow water stains"? Try making a paste of lemon juice and borax (can also work for toilet cleaning!). What's borax? Look HERE. Bathtub mold? Try scrubbing with vinegar and rinsing with clean water. No dice? Place bleach-soaked rags on the mold-affected area and let sit overnight, then wash off with warm water and liquid detergent. (If the problem is very serious, however, I'd recommend consulting with an expert. Molds can be a health issue.)
P. 95: Porcelain sinks? Fill with hot water and drop in 2 denture tablets! Leave for a while for gleaming sinks! I'd like to add that baking soda helps polish sinks and tubs, not to mention any rusty cutlery or sink/tub spouts! Haley's Hints adds that petroleum jelly keeps shower doors from sticking, and shower rods from rusting. Who knew?
P. 106: Chronic nosebleeds? Papercut led to a stain on your favourite reading chair? Haley's Hints recommends treating blood stains with a paste of cornstarch and water - but NOT for velvet or velour upholstery. If the item is easily and safely soaked in boiling water very soon after it is stained, that's the best way I've found. Popcorn grease stains on the couch after movie night? Sprinkle liberally with salt as soon as the stain occurs, then just brush the salt off once it has absorbed the grease.
P. 114: Scuffed linoleum: Use toothpaste on persistent scuff marks, but try using a rubber (gum) eraser first! If you have any of that 'sticky tack' around - the blue gummy stuff for holding posters on walls without harming paint or paper - it works wonders too!
Other interesting tips from the Haleys that I haven't tried, but gladly will if the occasion arises:
**Clean marks from wallpaper with an eraser OR rye bread!
**Cold tea cleans woodwork!
**Shine brass items with Worcestershire sauce! Or toothpaste, or a lemon-juice-and-salt mixture.
We all know baking soda works wonders as a deodorizer: in the fridge, in the microwave, in the oven...but how about vanilla extract? Vegetarian Times' now-defunct Fridge Notes section supplied this tip as well. More fridge-friendly tips from VT’s March 2008 article “10 ways to green your fridge” by Jacqueline R. Renfrow: "a one-to-one solution of white vinegar and water" for dried-on liquid stains or general cleaning; where an abrasive cleaner is needed: "baking soda and a damp sponge."
Commercials train us to trust that only tough anti-bacterial chemicals can save us from evil bacteria and other nasties. But many such industrial-strength chemicals pose serious hazards themselves. Why not try natural cleaners? They've been around much longer, with good track records and no risk to you, or the environment. Plus, since you've probably got vinegar, baking soda, salt, and lemon juice around anyways, they're cheaper!
The last word is for those pesky red-pen stains on clothing: Hairspray. No, I'm not kidding.
Melanie, thanks for helping out a student! Melanie Lee Lockhart, my Public Relations instructor, kindly lent me her copy of Haley's Hints. For anyone who (like me) isn't familiar with Rosemary and Graham Haley, they're the authors of a book (and Graham is the host of a TV series) detailing a wide range of helpful solutions for common problems - all using items many people have on hand at home. I'm jumping into the middle, since stain-removing tips start at about page 94 in the book, but with chapters like "Kitchen Magic" and "Laundry Day Helpers" this book will get revisited! (You can all hold me accountable to return it to Melanie!)
And now...stain removal solutions that work!
P. 111: Remove chewing gum: "Hold an ice cube against the chewing gum until it hardens. Then chip the gum away." If the item can withstand cold temperatures without breaking, cracking or otherwise coming to harm, I can also recommend putting it in the freezer for about 1o minutes (or more if needed and possible) and then chipping the gum away. Works well on clothing.
P. 109: Cleaning Carpets. A diluted solution of vinegar, soap, and water can help remove stains that weren't found immediately. Wet a cloth with the mixture, hold against the stain for several minutes, then blot dry with a dishcloth. Also remember, when dealing with a liquid spill, DO NOT rub the spill. That will push the spilled liquid further into the carpet. Instead, blot with dry cloths.
P. 94: I wish I'd come across this one sooner! Badly stained tubs: use a scrub brush and a mixture of cream of tartar (a baking ingredient!) and hydrogen peroxide. Other bathtub tips: if you get bathtub ring, it can often be minimized by softening the water - so add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your next bath! "Yellow water stains"? Try making a paste of lemon juice and borax (can also work for toilet cleaning!). What's borax? Look HERE. Bathtub mold? Try scrubbing with vinegar and rinsing with clean water. No dice? Place bleach-soaked rags on the mold-affected area and let sit overnight, then wash off with warm water and liquid detergent. (If the problem is very serious, however, I'd recommend consulting with an expert. Molds can be a health issue.)
P. 95: Porcelain sinks? Fill with hot water and drop in 2 denture tablets! Leave for a while for gleaming sinks! I'd like to add that baking soda helps polish sinks and tubs, not to mention any rusty cutlery or sink/tub spouts! Haley's Hints adds that petroleum jelly keeps shower doors from sticking, and shower rods from rusting. Who knew?
P. 106: Chronic nosebleeds? Papercut led to a stain on your favourite reading chair? Haley's Hints recommends treating blood stains with a paste of cornstarch and water - but NOT for velvet or velour upholstery. If the item is easily and safely soaked in boiling water very soon after it is stained, that's the best way I've found. Popcorn grease stains on the couch after movie night? Sprinkle liberally with salt as soon as the stain occurs, then just brush the salt off once it has absorbed the grease.
P. 114: Scuffed linoleum: Use toothpaste on persistent scuff marks, but try using a rubber (gum) eraser first! If you have any of that 'sticky tack' around - the blue gummy stuff for holding posters on walls without harming paint or paper - it works wonders too!
Other interesting tips from the Haleys that I haven't tried, but gladly will if the occasion arises:
**Clean marks from wallpaper with an eraser OR rye bread!
**Cold tea cleans woodwork!
**Shine brass items with Worcestershire sauce! Or toothpaste, or a lemon-juice-and-salt mixture.
We all know baking soda works wonders as a deodorizer: in the fridge, in the microwave, in the oven...but how about vanilla extract? Vegetarian Times' now-defunct Fridge Notes section supplied this tip as well. More fridge-friendly tips from VT’s March 2008 article “10 ways to green your fridge” by Jacqueline R. Renfrow: "a one-to-one solution of white vinegar and water" for dried-on liquid stains or general cleaning; where an abrasive cleaner is needed: "baking soda and a damp sponge."
Commercials train us to trust that only tough anti-bacterial chemicals can save us from evil bacteria and other nasties. But many such industrial-strength chemicals pose serious hazards themselves. Why not try natural cleaners? They've been around much longer, with good track records and no risk to you, or the environment. Plus, since you've probably got vinegar, baking soda, salt, and lemon juice around anyways, they're cheaper!
The last word is for those pesky red-pen stains on clothing: Hairspray. No, I'm not kidding.
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