Laundry & Clothing Care
Laundering with natural cleaning agents such as vinegar, baking soda, and gentle detergents is easier on your clothing, skin, and the environment than strong chemical detergents. In this section, you'll also find tips for removing a variety of stains.
When making the initial switch from a detergent to a soap laundry cleaner, wash items once with washing soda only. This will eliminate detergent residues that might otherwise react with soap to cause a yellowing of fabrics.
Simple Laundry Soap
1: Add 1/3 cup washing soda (sodium carbonate) to water as machine is filling. Add clothes. Add 1 ½ cups of soap. If the water is hard, add another ¼ cup soda or ¼ cup vinegar during the first rinse.
2: Add 1/3 cup washing soda to water before placing clothes in machine and substitute soap flakes or powder for detergent. Add ½ cup borax for additional cleaning power.
Natural laundry soap
Castile soap, baking soda, and borax provide extra cleaning action for dirty
clothing. Grapefruit and lavender essential oils add a fresh, clean scent;
10 drops grapefruit essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil
125g (4oz) baking soda
120g (4oz) borax
120g (4oz) powdered castile soap
Add the essential oils to the baking soda drop by drop, mixing thoroughly
with a hand sifter. Combine this with the borax and soap, and mix again.
Store in a tightly covered container. To use the soap. add 60g (2oz) to each
load of laundry.
Holding the colours
To help keep colours from fading in the wash, add one tablespoon of distilled
white vinegar to each load of your laundry.
Pre-soak
Soak heavily soiled items in warm water with ½ cup washing
soda for 30 minutes. Rub soiled areas with liquid soap.
All our grannies and great-grannies swore by borax - the best nappy (ie, towelling) pre-soak fabric softener and stain and odour eliminator around.
Fabric Softener
Add 1 cup vinegar or ¼ cup baking soda during final
rinse. To reduce static cling in tumble-dried synthetics, dampen hands when
folding or line dry instead.
For maximum softhess, wash towels separately on a warm rather than hot wash; replace half your usual detergent with a half cup of borax or baking soda. Don't use fabric softeners or dryer sheets - they will coat the fibres with silicones, which will hinder absorbency levels. Don't bleach or iron - this will weaken fibres and reduce absorbency. Tumble-drying is good for a final fluffing up. Shake out before folding.
Spray Starch
Dissolve 2 Tbsp. cornstarch in 1 pint cold water in a spray
bottle. Shake before each use. For delicate fabrics, dissolve 1 package unflavoured
gelatin to 2 cups of hot water. Dip a corner of the fabric into the solution
to test; if fabric becomes sticky when dry, add more water.
Dry Cleaning
Buy items you can wash or clean on your own. Most dry cleaning
solvents, such as perchloroethylene are toxic. If you must dry clean, air
clothing out thoroughly before bringing indoors. Many garments whose labels
specify "dry
clean only" can be safely hand-washed using mild soap.
Freshening clothing
Many times, clothing is not really dirty,
but simply needs to be rinsed and freshened. To remove perspiration and odours
from fabrics, try adding 30g (1 oz) of baking soda and 30g (1 oz) of borax
as your washing machine is filling and put it on a rinse cycle.
Holding the colours
To help keep colours from fading in the wash, add one tablespoon of distilled
white vinegar to each load of your laundry.
Eliminating detergent residue
Residues from detergents can irritate sensitive skin and cause itching and
dryness. Use half the recommended amount of detergent for a load of laundry
and add 250ml (8fl oz) of distilled white vinegar to the final rinse water
to remove the residues. Caution: Avoid vinegar if you are using chlorine
bleach because the combination produces toxic gases.
Natural oxygen bleach
Oxygen bleaches rely on hydrogen peroxide, not chlorine, to whiten clothing.They
are gentler on fabrics and better for the environment They work best if you
pre-soak your white clothing for two hours in the bleach solution. Follow
by laundering in the hottest water recommended for your fabric. To prevent
dinginess and discolouration, wash white laundry separately from other colours.
Clothes
softener
To soften and deodorize clothing. add 60g (2oz) of baking soda to your laundry
during the rinse cycle.
Alternatives to drycleaning
To minimize trips to the dry-cleaner, keep clothing clean by brushing regularly
with a lint brush. Hanging clothing outdoors on a sunny day helps to remove
stale odours and keeps clothing fresh. If you do have clothing dry-cleaned,
hang it in a well-ventilated place (outdoors is best-weather permitting)
for a week before wearing it to allow the dry-cleaning solvent to evaporate
Laundry starch
If you like the look of crisply ironed cotton and linen, treat your fabrics
with this spray. Mix half a tablespoon of cornstarch and 250ml(8fl oz) of
water in a spray bottle. Shake well. Spray lightly on to fabrics as you iron.
Stain Removers
Here are alternatives to enzyme pre-soaks and bleach for tough stains. Test each of the following remedies on a corner of your fabric first. Wash after application.
To get rid of stains and mildew odours, and to maximise whatever absorbency is left in your towels, dissolve half a cup of borax in a bucket of warm water and leave them to soak for a couple of hours.
Natural all-purpose stain remover
This removes many types of stain. especially if you treat them quickly.
1 tablespoon vegetable glycerin
1 tablespoon natural liquid dishwashing soap
125ml (4fl oz) water
Mix the ingredients. shake well, and store in a plastic squeeze bottle. Rub into
the stain and launder as usual.
Berry stains
Stretch the item over a large bowl and sprinkle with cream of tartar Pour
boiling water on to the stain and continue until you have removed as much
as possible. Rub in a little vegetable glycerin and launder.
Blood stains
Soak in cold water or remove by sponging with hydrogen peroxide, then
rub in liquid dishwashing soap and soak in cold water overnight. Launder
as usual.
For a more stubborn stain,
mix cornstarch, talcum powder or cornmeal with water and apply to stain. Allow
to dry and brush away.
Chewing Gum
Rub with ice. Gum will flake off the fabric. Follow by rubbing distilled
white vinegar into any remaining sticky areas.
Chocolate stains
Sponge the clothing with hydrogen peroxide to remove as much of the stain
as possible. Mix a paste of bora and water and apply to the stain. Launder
as usual.
Coffee and tea stains
Coffee: Mix egg yolk with luke-warm water and rub on stain.
Rinse the coffee or tea stain with cold water or club soda.
If stain is
still evident, sponge with a solution of one teaspoon of borax diluted
in 250ml (8fl oz) of water Rinse thoroughly with clean water and launder
as usual.
Collar stains
To remove the ground-in dirt and oils that stain collars, make a paste
of liquid dishwashing soap and baking soda Rub the mixture into the stain, let
it sit for one hour, then launder.
Fruit
Immediately pour salt or hot water on the stain and soak in milk before washing.
Grass Stains
Dampen the fabric with cold water and rub cream of tartar into the stain.
Follow
this by rubbing with a mixture of equal parts vegetable glycerin and liquid
dishwashing soap.
Rinse,
and launder as usual.
Grease stains
1: Pour boiling water on stains and follow with dry baking soda. Also try ammonia
and water.
2: Cover the stain with cornstarch and rub in gently. Allow to sit for 15
minutes and brush to remove. Rub liquid dishwashing soap into the stain and
launder in the hottest water appropriate for the fabric.
Heavy Soils
Rub with solution of 2 tbsp. washing soda in 1 cup warm water.
Ink stains
1: Soak in milk or remove with hydrogen peroxide.
2: Rub a small amount of vegetable glycerin into the ink stain and then apply
a paste of cream of tartar and lemon juice.
Leave the paste on for several
minutes, then rinse off with warm water, and repeat if necessary.
Launder
as usual.
Lipstick
Rub with cold cream or shortening and wash with washing soda.
Mildew stains
1: Pour strong soap and salt on the spots and place in sunlight. Keep the
spots moist, and repeat as often as necessary.
2:
Rub with a paste of buttermilk and salt and then launder in hot water
If the item is white or light-coloured. hang it outdoors to take advantage
of the sun's natural bleaching action.
Nappies
Pre-soak in 3 tbsp. baking soda dissolved in warm water in either but or washing
machine.
Perspiration stains
Combine a tablespoon of salt and a tablespoon of baking soda. Add enough
water to make a paste and rub into stain. Let it sit for an hour and then
launder
Protein stains
For milk or egg stains, soak the item in cold water Follow by rubbing liquid
dishwashing soap into the stain and launder as usual.
Rust
Saturate with sour milk (or lemon juice) and rub with salt. Place in direct sunlight
until dry, then wash.
Scorches
Boil scorched article in 1 cup soap and 2 qts. milk.
Wax
With a dull knife, carefully scrape off as much excess wax from the fabnc
as possible.
Place a brown paper bag over the remaining wax, and press with
a warm iron.
The wax will melt and transfer on to the paper bag.
Place a fresh
part of the paper bag over the spot, and continue ironing until you have
removed all the wax from the fabric.
Wine
Immediately pour salt or hot water on the stain and soak in milk before washing.
Red wine stains: Using an absorbent towel, blot up as much of the wine
as possible.
Apply a thick layer of salt; leave on until the salt has absorbed
the wine, and then rinse.
Alternatively, try soaking the stain with club soda.
Caring for leather
Clean dirty leather with a sponge and a solution of mild soapy water. Rinse
thoroughly, and dry with a soft cloth.
60ml (2fl oz) olive oil
2 teaspoons grated beeswax
Heat the ingredients in a saucepan until the beeswax has melted. Pour into
a small jar and let cool. Apply a small amount of polish to leather at least
every three months to keep it . from drying and cracking. Rub it in well,
and buff to remove excess.
Remove stains from leather
Beat an egg white until stiff and rub into the leather with a soft cloth.
Repeat until the stain has gone.
Preventing clothes moths
Although clothes moths can be extremely destructive, they are also easily
destroyed by laundering, fresh air, and sunlight. Moths are attracted to
wool, mohair, angora, and other animal hair fibres, and also to food stains
and perspiration. Make sure your clothing is clean before storing itA simple
way to kill moth larvae is to hang clothing outdoors in the fresh air and
sunshine. For added protection against moths, add a few drops of cedar or
eucalyptus essential oil to the final rinse water when washing sweaters or
other clothing and allow them to soak for about 30 minutes.
Herbal moth repellents
Herbs that work well to repel moths include eucalyptus, lavender, and peppermint.
Place a handful of dried herbs in the centre of a cotton handkerchief
and tie with a ribbon.
Use bags of herbs generously: the stronger the fragrance,
the more protection herbal repellents provide.
To protect clothing and linens
from moths, place cotton balls sprinkled with a few drops of patchouli essential
oil in closets and drawers. Replenish the essential oil when the scent begins
to diminish.
Repel moths with cedar
Cedar is excellent for repelling moths. Either buy cedar shavings in pet
stores for sachets, or use solid blocks of cedar, which are commonly available
as natural moth repellents. Cedar blocks should be sanded every few months
to renew their fragrance or treated with a few drops of cedar essential oil.
Freshening
hairbrushes and combs
To remove residues of hair-styling products and to keep hairbrushes and combs
clean and fresh, soak them weekly in a basin of warm, soapy water to which
you have added 30g (1 oz) of baking soda.
Soak for 30 minutes, and scrub if
necessary with a nailbrush. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.
