DO
IT YOURSELF LAUNDRY SKILLS. (Take your savings, put
them in 99c Store Stock at 16$ a share now.)
There’s nothing worse than having to say goodbye to a much-loved
garment, rug or sentimental item because it has ruined by an accidental spill. Readers
of The Australian Women’s Weekly have for years been sharing their hints on
removing stubborn spots. Some of these stains are PECULIARLY AUSSIE….Ok?
Allow to dry before scraping off excess. Soak washable articles in
biological detergent or sponge with a weak vinegar and water solution before
washing. Non-washable articles: Sponge with weak ammonia and water solution,
then white vinegar, then cold water. Dry thoroughly and quickly.
Sponge fresh blood stains quickly with a mixture of one tablespoon
of salt in two cups of cold water, then with an ammonia solution. Wash in
cooler water than usual. Old stains should be soaked in a hydrogen peroxide or
ammonia solution (one part to eight parts of water), then wash in detergent
with a few drops of ammonia added.
Carpet: For carpet or mattress, apply a thick paste of raw starch and
water, allow to dry, then brush off.
Scrape closely, then place absorbent paper over and under stain and
iron with a warm iron. For washable items, rub powdered detergent welt in, then
rinse. Try white spirit or dry-cleaning fluid if the stain is still there, then
wash in water as hot as the fabric will stand. Non-washable items: Try ironing
through paper, then dab with dry-cleaning fluid. Blot as dry as possible.
Scrape off as much as possible, then put the article in the freezer
for an hour or two. Otherwise, use a few ice cubes in a plastic bag to harden
the wax. Then place fabric between sheets of absorbent paper or between several
tissues with stronger paper on top, and iron with warm iron. Remove any
fragments with methylated spirits or dry-cleaning fluid. Carpet: Place
absorbent paper over the mark, iron on a cool setting.
CARPETS
Make a bucket of detergent water to which you add ammonia and
vinegar. Get a big square bristle brush. Dip, scuz rub the carpet so foam
appears on top surface. Swipe with
clean, dry rag. Do again,Swipe again. Takes a pile of rags. If you want to do
the entire house, you put all the children, husband, friends, neighborhood kids
to work with their own square brush and pile of rags. Do the whole house in an
hour.
Rub with ice cubes or put in freezer to harden, then scrape off as
much as you can. Dab remainder with fluid, white spirit or methylated spirits.
Non-washable items: Blot dry as quickly as possible.
Scrape off solids with a blunt knife. For washable articles, use
boiling water poured from a height (taking care not to splash yourself or apply
biological detergent with enzymes to the back of the stain, mopping as you
sponge. Rinse. Use aerosol grease solvent to remove any residue. Wash as usual.
Soak washables in a solution of 30g borax to one litre of warm
water, then wash as usual. Non-washables: Sponge first with grease solvent then
the borax solution. Carpet: Sponge with borax solution (one tablespoon to one
cup warm water).
On carpet, mop up excess immediately from outside to centre of
spill. Lightly sponge remaining stain
with eucalyptus wool wash in lukewarm water.
Mop us excess then sponge with one tablespoon of dishwasher powder
dissolved in four cups of warm water. Non-washables: Mop up excess, sponge with
cold water and blot as dry as possible.
Most of these have their own thinners, which will remove the stain
but, if not available, try dabbing with a cloth dampened with turpentine.
Sponge with warm water and detergent to remove the stain remover before washing
as usual.
Non-washable items: First check that colour doesn’t run, treat as
above, then sponge with cold water and blot dry.
Remove solids. If washable, apply liquid detergent, then
rinse. Repeat if needed. Any stain
remaining can be soaked in an ammonia solution before garment is washed.
Non-washable articles: Sponge with white spirit or dry-cleaning
fluid until make-up colour disappears. Commercial spot-removing kits are
available for upholstery.
Scrape or sponge off as much as you can. Rinse washable articles in
cold water, then soak in biological detergent or borax solution (one tablespoon
to one cap water). When dry, use dry-cleaning fluid on residue. Wash.
Non-washable articles: Dab with dry-cleaning fluid, then methylated
spirits.
Carpet: Sponge with one teaspoon detergent and one teaspoon white
vinegar in one litre (qt) warm water.
Soak stain with white vinegar, then rinse and wash as
usual.
Non-washable articles: Carefully sponge with warm water
and liquid
detergent
Soak washable items in cold water and biological detergent, then
wash as usual. Use a grease solvent to remove any remaining stain. Non-washable items: Expert care is required
so find a dry-cleaner without delay.
Remove anything solid, then spray washable articles with biological
detergent. Use grease solvent on what’s left before washing in the usual way.
Non-washable articles: Dab with grease solvent, then liquid
detergent and sponge oil with cold water, repeating as often as necessary.
Sponge or soak fresh stains at once in cold salted water, soda
water or milk. If article is washable, treat it with detergent, rubbing it into
the stain with your fingers; or treat with borax solution, vinegar or an
ammonia solution (one part to five parts water). Cover wet stain with salt and
wash at high temperature, if possible.
Non-washables: Sponge with cold water when dry, use upholstery spotting
kit or dry-cleaning fluid. Carpet: Sponge with warm water, then treat as for
chocolate.
Dab with dry-cleaning fluid, lighter fuel or turpentine, then
sponge with a solution of one teaspoon of detergent, one teaspoon of white
vinegar and one litre of warm water.
On clothing or carpet, cover stain with calamine lotion. Allow to
dry, then brush off. Dab with cloth dipped in methylated spirits. For carpet that’s heavily stained, make a
paste of methylated spirits and borax and rub into fibre. Cover slain and let
dry before vacuuming. Repeat as necessary.
Dampen stain on washable items, then rub with methylated spirits or
glycerine. Leave an hour, then wash as usual.
Non-washable items: Sponge with methylated spirits or liquid detergent,
followed by cold water. For stains that have browned, sponge with one teaspoon
wool wash in one cup warm water. Rinse after sponging.
Scrape off, then sponge with cold water. if washable, soak in a
pre-wash solution, then wash with biological detergent.
Non-washable articles: Sponge with cold water, then treat with
whitespirit or dry-cleaning fluid. Sprinkle with talcum powder; wipe and
re-apply Carpet: Treat the same as for chocolate stains.
Scrape off what you can, then put absorbent paper under and over
grease mark and press with a warm iron (change paper as often as needed).
Sponge with white spirit or dry-cleaning fluid and, if washable, rinse then
wash as usual.
Non-washable items: Try as above without washing. Carpet: Sprinkle with talcum powder, cover
with paper towel and hold a hot iron over the paper. Press only lightly and
repeat if necessary.
Once it’s dry it will often not come out, so act quickly. Rinse
washable articles in cold water and rub with liquid detergent. Sponge with
methylated spirits or ammonia if necessary. Rinse, wash as usual.
Non-washable articles: Dab with hydrogen peroxide, methylated
spirits or ammonia and sponge with cold water.
For washable articles, cover stain with damp English mustard and
leave for 24 hours before washing as usual.
Non- washable articles: Sponge with alcohol or methylated spirits.
Soak or sponge garments in a solution of 30g borax to two cups warm
water, then wash as usual.
Non-washables: Sponge, stain with warm water containing ammonia or
borax or use dry-cleaning fluid.
As with blood, they’re harder to move when dry, so rinse or sponge
with cold water quickly. Soak washable items in biological detergent, working
the powder into the stain. If it’s still visible, use white spirit or
dry-cleaning fluid, rinse, then wash in lukewarm water. Non-washables: Use a dry-cleaning solvent.
Scrape off what you can. If washable, rinse in cold water, rub with
liquid detergent or try methylated spirits. Rinse again, then wash. Non-washable items: Dab with white spirit or
dry-cleaning fluid.
Unless the fabric is drip-dry or permanent-press, soak in diluted
bleach, then wash as usual. Or spread spots with lemon juice, cover with salt
and leave in the sun. Keep moist till spots are gone, then rinse and wash as
usual. For dark clothes that have been hanging in a cupboard, sponge with hot
water and a dash of Dettol. Iron kill mould spores and dry well before
rehanging.
Rinse washables in cold water. Then soak in lukewarm water with
detergent and a dash of ammonia. If needed, follow up with dry-cleaning fluid,
rinse, then wash as usual.
Non-washables: Sponge with a grease solvent, then with lukewarm water
and blot dry.
Let it dry and brush off what you can. Soak in hot water with
plenty of good detergent, then rub by hand in the bucket to release as much
dirt as possible before putting the article in the washing machine. Non-washable articles: Sponge the dried mud
with detergent and water solution, then use dry-cleaning fluid.
Rub a mulberry stain with a green mulberry, then sponge, or wash as
usual.
Wipe up spill and dab with acetone or amyl acetate; don’t use oily
polish remover. Sponge out any colour left with methylated spirit. Rinse, wash as usual.
Never decant Leave any household poisons in their original
containers. Never store dangerous liquids in empty food or drink containers.
Always easier tackled while still wet, it’s a good idea to note
from the can the name of the thinner for the paint you are using in case of a
major spill. Water-based paint should wash out well in cold water but, if it
has dried, use methylated spirits or paintbrush cleaner. For oil-based paint,
sponge with warm detergent and water, then soak stained area in white spirit
and scrub gently with an old toothbrush. It takes a while and you will need to
repeat the process, but it will come out in the end. Alternatively, soak
paint-stained garment overnight in warm water with one tablespoon of vinegar, two
tablespoons of ammonia and one teaspoon of salt. Rinse in cold water and hang
to dry.
Act immediately on spilt perfume. Rub in a little glycerine, leave
for several hours, then wash in warm soapy water and rinse. Non-washables: Sponge with warm water and
borax.
Soak for 30 minutes in warm white vinegar, rinse well and wash as
usual; or dissolve three tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda in a bucket of cold
water, soak for an hour, then wash in the usual way. On a silk dress or shirt, make a paste of fuller’s earth and
water and spread over the stain. Brush off when dry. For a woollen garment ,
sponge with a weak mixture of bicarbonate of soda and warm water. If the
underarm area is yellow, sponge with hydrogen peroxide and keep it damp for
half an hour. If it’s oily, dab with dry-cleaning fluid.
Pet stains See Urine/Vomit.
Scorch marks are difficult to get rid of. Careful rubbing with fine
sandpaper or steel wool with a little peroxide may help fade the mark. For
washable articles sponge or soak in ammonia, hydrogen peroxide or borax
solution. On silk or wool, cover scorch with a mix of equal quantities borax
and glycerine, leave for one hour, then carefully hand wash.
Non-washable articles: Sponge lightly with glycerine solution, then
sponge with warm water. Repeat.
Scrape off what you can. Dab with white spirit or grease solvent,
while holding an absorbent pad underneath to stop stain spreading. Whites can be bleached. After treatment,
rinse and wash as usual. Carpet: Sponge
carpet or chair covers with a mix of three parts wool wash and four parts warm
water. Use a rough cloth like towelling, then sponge with cold water. If
necessary, first treat with white spirit or dry-cleaning fluid.
Soft drinks See Fruit, Fruit Juice and Berries.
Scrape off deposit. For washables, apply white spirit or eucalyptus
oil. Rinse, wash as usual. Sponge tar off pets’ paws with eucalyptus oil on a soft
cloth, followed by warm soapy water. Non-washable articles: Dab with white
spirit or eucalyptus oil - or see a drycleaner.
Tomato juice See fruit, fruit juice and berries.
Fresh stains on washable articles can be rinsed in cold, salty
water, then washed. Soak dried stains in biological detergent and use hydrogen
peroxide and ammonia solution if necessary. Non-washable articles: Sponge fresh
stain with cold water, then white vinegar solution. For dried stains, you may
need a drycleaner.
Remove excess. Run washable article under cold tap, soak in
biological detergent, rinse, then wash as usual. Non-washable articles: Sponge with cold water. Then sponge with
mix of two and a half cups warm water and one tablespoon of borax. A wipe with
eucalyptus oil helps cover odour.
Articles that have been stored for some time and yellowed can be
corrected with a mild bleach solution. For something that can’t be bleached,
soak 12 hours in one dessertspoon of cream of tartar to four litres of hot water.
Rinse, wash as usual. Failing that, dye the whole thing in a pot of fresh tea.
Zinc cream Remove deposit. Dab
with neat wool wash on a cloth wrung out in hot water. Repeat as necessary,
using a fresh part of the cloth for each application.