I hate doing laundry most of all then any chore in the house. I do not know what it is but sorting, stain removing and especially folding and putting away clothes can make my day worst.   If you’re like me you avoid it as much as possible.  Unfortunately avoiding it can make your stains much worse.   Always remember to soak the stains first then let it sit.  There are many different kinds of stains and you can remove them with no headache.  It just takes a little time and prep work from you.

Here are some helpful tips:

Yellow stains are very conspicuous when they show up on white clothing especially the arm pits.   To remove these stains, you need to adapt to a special cleaning and drying instructions. Combination of laundry bar soap, machine washing and outside drying will get yellow stains out of your white cloths.  Start by wearing rubber gloves, wet the bar of laundry detergent and scrub the yellow stains on the cloth with the bar of soap. Start your washing machine, pour 2 tablespoons of bleach into the washer and put the cloth in the machine. Bring the cloth out after it has run in circles in the machine and hang it outside to dry. 

Another good use is Baking Soda:  Mix four tablespoons of baking soda with one quarter cup water.  Scrub the paste into the armpits with an old toothbrush or fingernail brush.  Let sit for an hour and then wash and dry–not with high heat. 

Grass Stains:

Try to treat grass stains as soon as possible. If you allow it to dry and set for a long time, they become much harder to remove.  The stain treatment that worked best was a combination of dish soap and hydrogen peroxide, which almost completely removed the stain. A combination of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and hot water did a wonderful job.   A combination of vinegar and baking soda was surprisingly ineffective, and using only very hot water left an obvious stain.  After pre-treating the grass stains with one of these recipes and getting most of the stain out, a good run in the washing machine should finish the job. Just be sure to check the stain before you put it in the dryer. The heat will set most stains, making them nearly impossible to remove.

Grease Stains:

Sprinkle the grease with powder. You can use baby powder, talcum powder, baking powder or cornstarch – whatever you have on hand. Cover the grease spot completely, and don’t skimp. The powder will begin absorbing the grease. •Leave the grease to sit and absorb the grease for at least half an hour.

Using a soft-bristled brush wipe away the powder. With short, swift strokes, brush the powder from the affected area of your fabric. •Don’t use a hard-bristled brush, since it might damage the fibers of your fabric. Use an old soft-bristled toothbrush.  Rub dish soap into the grease spot. Use your fingers, or for thicker fabric, an old soft-bristled toothbrush. Make sure the grease spot is thoroughly soaked in soap. •Laundry detergent should also work for most stains.  Place the garment in hot water for 20 minutes. Fill your sink, a bucket, or another container with hot water. Completely submerge your garment in the water, making especially sure that the grease-stained part is underwater.

•Always follow your garment’s care instructions if you need to double check that hot water won’t cause it to fray or shrink.

 

Blood Stains:

Blood­ is one ­of the most difficult substances to remove once it has stained a fabric, surface, or laundry.

Meat tenderizer, probably because it breaks down proteins, might be an effective blood stain remover recommends you make a paste of it with cold water, work it into the stain and leave for 15 minutes before rinsing.

Hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, and enzyme soap are also commonly recommended blood-stain-removing agents. Real Simple has a guide for removing blood stains that combines all of these ingredients, from the cold water soak and hydrogen peroxide treatment to machine washing the stains off with an enzyme-based laundry detergent. Make sure, however, that you test dyed fabrics for color fastness before applying hydrogen peroxide (it’s safe for all fibers but acts like bleach).

Vinegar:  Whether you nick yourself while shaving, or receive an unexpected scratch, it’s important to treat the stains on your clothing as soon as possible; bloodstains are relatively easy to remove before they set but can be nearly impossible to wash out after 24 hours. If you can get to the stain before it sets, treat it by pouring full-strength white vinegar on the spot. Let it soak in for 5-10 minutes, and then blot well with a cloth. 

Pet stains:

Machine washes as usual, adding a one-pound box of baking soda to your regular detergent. It’s best to air dry these items if possible. If you can still see the stain or smell the urine, machine wash the item again, and add an enzymatic cleaner (available at pet supply stores) that breaks down pet-waste odors. Be sure to follow the directions carefully.  If you’re pet urinates or defecates on the sheets or blankets on a bed, then cover the bed with a vinyl, flannel-backed tablecloth when you begin the re-training period.  It’s machine washable, inexpensive and unattractive to your pet.

If your stains are set on carpets or upholstery hire a professional carpet cleaning company that removes all the stains and contaminants.  The only true way to remove stains from carpet and upholstery. 

There are many helpful tips in helping you if you hate doing laundry like I do.  Follow some simple tips to make your life a little easier.