My Home Health Care News and Articles
(Nutrition, Personal Care, home care tips, articles)
Laundry Day
Empty pockets. Remove any pins or other type jewelry from clothing. Close all zippers, hooks, and fasteners to avoid tearing clothes during the wash cycle. Check for stains and treat affected area on clothing. A degreaser stain remover will get out tough grease, food, and dirt stains. Or, try an all-purpose spot and stain remover that also deodorizes as it cleans. Buy an economical concentrated stain remover that can make several pump spray bottles. Some people may prefer a stain spray in an aerosol can. Like the concentrate, the spray has emulsifiers and solvents that help break down and dissolve tough stains and it is safe for all synthetic and natural colorfast fabrics. Water soluble stains can be removed easily with a spot remover. Another good product to keep handy is a pre-wash stain treatment. It looks and feels like a glue stick; you can apply it to the stained area and launder up to a week later. This can be a lifesaver if you aren't able to wash the garment immediately.
Sort clothing according to groups. Wash separately light and dark colors. Garments whose colors run should be washed separately or with clothes of the same hue. Lint shedders such as towels should be sorted from non-shedding items. Delicate clothing can be washed on the gentle cycle or handwashed depending on the cleaning instructions on their labels. For delicate items, use a fabric wash made for fine washables that won't shrink, stretch, or fade clothing. Check labels on garments to make sure you wash them in the correct water temperature.
Detergents come in powder or liquid form. One quart of concentrated heavy duty liquid detergent can do 16 extra dirty family-size loads of laundry. Those living in hard water areas may benefit from a detergent with water softening agents. Look for detergents that contain brightening agents to keep whites and colors looking new.
Fabric softener eliminates static cling and lint attraction. As the name implies, it also makes clothes feel softer. Add softener during the washing machine's rinse cycle.
Many garments are wrinkle free but there are still some pieces of clothing that require ironing. Make ironing easier with the right tools. First, get a good iron and ironing board. People living in small spaces or traveling may prefer an ironing blanket instead of a board. The blanket can be folded and packed away in a drawer after using. Protect your iron and your clothes with a cotton pressing cloth. By placing the cloth over the item being ironed, you avoid shine and scorch marks. The cloth protects the soleplate of the iron as it passes over zippers or buttons. For hard-to-iron clothes, use a silicone fabric finish spray for easy and quicker ironing.
Stains, wrinkles, and odors happen all the time and often when you are not at home. Keep these products handy at the office or in your suitcase for touch-ups and emergencies. A lint brush will keep clothing free of lint, hair, or dirt. Keep one in the bathroom for a quick brush off after hair styling, one in the car for quick fixes, and one at the office. Don't forget one for travel time too. To remove wrinkles without ironing, use a specially formulated wrinkle remover spray. This product works on most fabrics except for dry clean only, silk, linen, and rayon. Keep static cling at bay with a static stop spray. Choose an all-purpose static remover that can be used on clothing, drapes, furniture, TV and computer screens. For instant stain removal, keep handy a spray on product formulated for dry cleanable clothes. Simply spray and blot. This product can also be used on upholstery and rugs. It is a must-have for travel, home, and work. Rid clothes of smoke and food odors by spritzing on some fabric freshener.
Laundry day may never become your favorite day of the week, but you can make things easier with quality products that remove dirt and stains and leave clothes smelling clean and fresh.
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