July 2019 - Sapulpa Laundry

Natural Stain Remover’s

There are so many hidden chemicals in today’s products. Chemicals, unbeknownst to us, that can cause eczema, hives, contact dermatitis etc. If you’d like to switch to some natural products, here are a few to try:

White Vinegar

You can use white vinegar for so many things – cleaning, softener for your clothes and as a stain remover. Mixing white vinegar with dish detergent is a great remedy for removing greasy stains.

Boiling Water

Fruit stains, like berries, are particularly hard to get out of clothes. Household Management 101 claims if you pour boiling water directly on the stain it allows it to penetrate the fabric and effectively remove fruit stains. They also recommend submerging the stain in a bowl of white vinegar for about an hour after you’ve poured the boiling water on the stain. If parts of the stain remain, they say to use whitening toothpaste on the remaining stain and rinse well.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is another product that most of us have in the pantry already. It’s an excellent natural stain remover for many different types of stains.

Sprinkle some of on a wet stain and let it sit for about half an hour before washing. It’s really that simple.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a nontoxic chemical that can be used in so many ways and is affordable.

For sweat soaked, dirt stains – soak the stain in water mixed with hydrogen peroxide (50/50) for an hour and then add some hydrogen peroxide to the wash water. Be sure to test the fabric before washing!

Denatured Alcohol

Denatured alcohol is also a great stain remover. Use a small amount with hot water to remove stains caused by grass or paint.

Laundry Guide: Washing

Sort your clothes by checking the care labels. Washing symbols can be difficult to decipher but you can usually find the correct wash temperature (check out our blog The Mystery of Laundry Symbols). The machine wash symbol often looks like a tub of water, if there’s a cross through it, it can’t be machine washed.

Separate whites and dark’s so colors don’t bleed on to the whites.

If you’re using a Tide Pod, or one of the other “pod” detergents, toss it into the drum first. The detergent will properly dissolve during the wash cycle. For small and medium loads use only one pod, for large loads use two pods. When using liquid detergent pour it into the dosing cap. Fill until line 1 for medium loads, line 3 for large loads, and line 5 for HE full loads. For powder detergent, fill the drum until line 1 for medium loads, line 3 for large loads, and line 5 for HE full loads.

Fill the machine with your clothes. Don’t overload the drum – 3/4 full is about right.

Choose a water temperature that’s right for your laundry load. Select a wash cycle. Start the machine.

Time To Recharge Your Towels

Every so often you grab a towel out of the linen closet and notice it’s lost its fresh smell and softness. Let’s face it – no one wants to dry off with a scratchy, musty towel. Here are some steps that will help bring smell good, fluffy towels back.

1) Wash your towels with hot water and 1 cup of white vinegar only.

2) Re-wash a second time with 1/2 a cup of baking soda and hot water only.

3) Dry your towels on the hottest setting until completely dry.

If the odor and scratchiness continues, repeat the steps again only this time use 2 cups of vinegar. If at all possible let the towels soak in the hot water and vinegar for an hour before continuing.

Vinegar is known for removing soap and fabric softener build-up. Fabric softener coats your towels with oils. Vinegar will remove the build-up, while acting as a fabric softener. Baking soda does the same thing as vinegar.

WARNING!

Do not mix vinegar and baking soda together. Be sure to wash in two separate loads. They will cause a chemical reaction when mixed together!

Quick and Easy Way to Fold a Fitted Sheet

Have you ever heard the joke “If you can fold a fitted sheet, you must be a witch”? If you’re like me, folding fitted sheets is not your favorite thing to do. I would always start out optimistic, but after a couple of attempts, I was left aggravated and looking at a wrinkled, rolled up mess. BUT! I found a video tutorial, and after a little practice, I can fold a fitted sheet and be proud to open my linen closet! They no longer look like this…..

Here are the steps and video to follow:

Step 1: Place hands in the corners of the length side of the fitted sheet

Step 2: Fold sheet in half horizontally, tucking the fitted top corners into the fitted bottom corners

Step 3: Fold the sheet lengthwise so all four fitted corners are on top of one another

Step 4: Grab the last corner and tuck into the pocket you’ve created

Step 5: Fold the sheet in half again, and fold over the smooth end to finish

Video: https://vimeo.com/139982441

How to Properly Clean a Mattress

Dust, mold, mildew, body sweat, fungal spores, allergens – all make mattresses the ideal breeding ground for bacteria and dust mites. If you’re as grossed out as I am by this, keep reading and learn how to clean your mattress for a better, cleaner sleep.

Vacuum It

Vacuum your mattress every month or so or as often as every time you change the sheets, if you or family members have severe allergies. Run the vacuum very slowly over the mattress, so it has time to inhale the dust and dust mites. Break out the crevice tool for the edges and crevices.

Treat Stains

Treat any stain immediately. The longer liquids sit in a mattress, the likelier you are to foster mold and mildew growth.

This may sound crazy, but use foaming shaving cream for mattress cleaning, in part because of its thickness. Liquids will soak right through a mattress, not allowing adequate time to dissolve the stain. Foaming shaving cream contains denatured alcohol, which is a stain remover, and it’s thick, so it sits on the surface to work on the stain. Wait 10 to 15 minutes, wipe with a damp cloth, and rinse with a 50/50 vinegar/water solution. Repeat if necessary.

Other helpful solutions for common mattress stains:

Blood: A 50/50 hydrogen peroxide/water solution.
Urine, fecal matter, or vomit: An enzyme cleaner, such as Bac-Out by BioClean, or Nature’s Miracle, available at pet stores.

Freshen Fast

Use a mixture of cornstarch and baking soda to remove smells. Place in a colander and just shake the mixture on to the mattress, let it sit for a few hours or longer, then vacuum. The cornstarch will absorb body oils, while the baking soda will work on smelly odors.

Sheet Strategy
Don’t put new sheets on until evening. This will allow the mattress to air all day discouraging dust mites and bacterial growth.

Pad It
Remember, mattress pads aren’t just for comfort. They keep your mattress cleaner, too. Wash monthly in hot water, and machine dry thoroughly, unless the tag instructs otherwise.