5-MINUTE EXPERT:
Household hacks to save your clothes
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Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017 | 2 a.m.
Dryer helper
Add a dry towel to your dryer load to make items dry more quickly. The dry towel helps absorb moisture from the other items.
When life gives you lemons
To brighten whites, add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the rinse cycle.
Typical stains
For other food stains, soak in a 50/50 mix of hydrogen peroxide and water, then launder as normal.
Heat is the enemy
When trying to remove a blood stain or any other protein-based stain, do not use warm water or machine dry. Heat will cause the stain and any accompanying smell to set.
Laundry tip
To unwrinkle an item of clothing or freshen up something that already has been worn, toss it in the dryer with an ice cube for 10 minutes.
A coffee spill on a white shirt. A smudge of oil from your car. A messy child any time, any day. Stains are inescapable.
But you don’t have to throw out your favorite clothes because of one mishap. Solutions exist for even the scariest of stains.
• Grease or oil: Sprinkle stain with baking soda and brush away any bits that clump. Soak the garment in undiluted white vinegar for 15 minutes, then rinse and scrub area of stain with liquid dish soap before washing.
• Gum or tape: Apply ice to harden the surface of the sticky area, then scrape any hard bits away with a dull knife. Saturate with prewash stain remover, rinse, then launder.
• Red wine: If the stain is fresh, saturate it with club soda, then pour a liberal amount of salt on the stain. When the fabric dries, wipe off the salt; it should carry the stain away with it. If the stain is dry, dampen it with warm water and a sponge. Cover the affected area with foaming shaving cream. Scrub gently. The shaving cream should absorb the stain. Wipe away the foam and launder normally.
• Mud: Allow the mud to dry fully, then brush off what you can with a stiff brush. Scrub the remaining stain with a paste of borax and water, then wash immediately.
• Coffee or tea: Immediately pour boiling water over the stain until it is gone. If it already is set, scrub with a paste of borax and water, and wash immediately.
• Blood: Blot out as much as possible using a slightly damp towel. Do not scrub, and work from the outside in to prevent spreading. Soak the item for an hour in a bucket of cold water spiked with a good amount of fresh lemon juice. Dab the stain with detergent, and agitate the discolored area to release the stain. If the stain remains, dab it with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide. Air dry.
Other protein-based stains (poop, urine, vomit, egg, glue, etc.) Soak the item in cool water, then machine wash with an added mixture of 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide and 1/2 cup baking soda.
• Tomato-based stains: Pour white vinegar on the affected area, then wash immediately.
• Armpit sweat: Stir together in a small bowl one part dish soap and two parts hydrogen peroxide. Apply the mixture to the stain, then sprinkle with baking soda. Use a toothbrush to work the mixture into the fibers of the shirt. Let the shirt sit for at least an hour, then launder as you would normally.
• Lipstick: Decrust a piece of white bread, then roll it into a ball. Use the bread ball to blot the lipstick mark. The bread will lift the stain.
• Grass: Mix 2 tablespoons hydrogen peroxide with 1 tablespoon dish soap, and scrub into the stain.