An Unusual Way to Get Whiter Whites - Laundry Tips

Getting whiter whites...sounds like the woes of a woman in the 1950's, no? But seriously, it's one of those trickly laundry situations that make all of us happy slobs shake our heads...or perhaps in very bad moments, shaking our fists in despair at our dingy, greyish white clothes! So, I started doing some research to find new ways to get white laundry whiter and cleaner than ever.

Now, I admit that this tip is not entirely natural, so if you come here for tips on homemade, all-natural cleaners then it might not be the best tip for you. But, I read how some people use dishwasher detergent, of all things to boost the whitening power of their wash.

And guess what? It actually works! I added about a half cup of non-phosphate dishwasher detergent to a hot water load of white laundry. I wasn't really expecting much. But, to my (pleased!) surprise, the laundry looked much whiter than before. The dishwasher detergent (it was, as mentioned non-phosphate, and was a powder formula) left the whites much whiter and also felt crisp and nice to the touch. Huh. I'm still surprised by it all.

I'm not sure if you'd need to add this to your wash every time you wash whites. I might do it once in a while to boost whitening. But, it's a tip that I definitely had to share.

Have a killer laundry tip that you just MUST share with other Happy Slobs from around the world? Don't hold back slobbos - please, post it. :) And go and do a cleaning burst while you're at it...I'm about to do the same!

Admittedly Gross...Removing Sweat Odors from Clothing

Okay, so maybe this isn't a delicate topic that we all yearn to discuss: how to remove sweaty odors from clothing. But, take it from me - someone who is trying with all earnestness to use natural deodorants. Sometimes those crystal deodorants and natural deodorants just don't do quite the trick that the chemical-laden antiperspirants do.

With what result?

Sigh...sweaty odors permeating my clothing!!! It's disgusting, and I can hardly believe I'm blogging openly about sweat smells in clothing. But, I digress. We all sweat, but most of don't like talking about. At least now I'm learning firsthand how to remove those stinky, sweaty smells from clothes.

Baking soda is a huge help once again. My, oh my...what would we DO without that big box of baking soda? This time it's a soak in the stuff that will help. Uhhh...your clothing that is, although soaking in baking soda couldn't possibly hurt the sweaty situation to begin with! Okay, back to business: Add at least a cup of plain baking soda to your usual wash load. If you have the ability to let it soak first that helps - the soaking seems to allow the baking soda to permeate the fabric and really dig out the stink. (Ha! That's a sentence I never thought I'd write.)

Otherwise, just do your regular laundry load with the regular amount of detergent - I choose liquid laundry detergents because I don't have to worry about white clumps and bumps of detergent ending up on my clothing - and then add at least a cup of baking soda. If you find that one cup didn't do quite the odor removing you'd hoped for, next time double up and try two cups of baking soda.

Let me know how it works, slobbo buddies! And hey...let's not be embarrassed about our au naturel sweating, shall we? Okay...we're still embarrassed. But there for a moment, we seemed all cool and oh so European.

Post a comment on all things perspiration related...go on, you know you want to.

5 Tips to a Clean, Fresh and Cozy Bed - Laundry Tips

5 Tips to a Clean, Fresh and Cozy Bed - Laundry Tips and More

At the end of a long day, a cozy, comfy bed feels like a sanctuary, the perfect place to throw yourself into and curl up with a great book. Here are a few tips to have a comfortable, clean and tidy bed without stressing out too much about the whole situation.

1. Choose cotton sheets - fresh cotton sheets, billowing in the breeze. Now that is what a good set of cotton sheets should feel like! Cotton feels so good next to your skin - clean, and crisp. Cotton also cleans up beautifully - add about 1/2 cup of Borax or 1 cup of white vinegar to the load of sheets instead of harsh bleach if you want to keep those whites whiter.
2. Keep bedding simple - on top of those lovely fresh cotton sheets, just layer on a great big fluffy duvet, complete with cover. (Really in my opinion, the fluffier the better, like this beauty: White Down Comforter ) Then, making the bed in the morning (when you SO don't feel like being bothered) is no big deal. You just straighten the sheets, and throw over the duvet. Add a few cute throw cushions and voila - you're done making beds for the day! (Keep these tips in mind for the junior slobbos in the household...the easier you can keep bedmaking for kids, the more likely they'll actually stick to it.)
3. Freshen up linens naturally - Airing out your linens can be as simple as throwing back the duvet and opening the bedroom window wide! Or, if you have the weather and a line available, try drying sheets and other linens out in the fresh air. Nothing smells better.
4. Spray the lavender - A natural lavender spray spritzed over your pillows before you snuggle in for the night is a perfect way to ease stress and tension, and ease you gently to sleep. (Did you know that real essential oil of lavender also eases stress and tension in pets? It's just an interesting tidbit I recently learned and wanted to pass along! Always check with your vet before trying any particular treatment.)
5. Dewrinkle sheets without ironing - You know I'm not a fan of ironing. If you're also not fond of that steamy appliance, then set your handy timer again - but this time to make sure you know the moment the dryer is done drying your sheets. If you remove sheets as soon as they're done drying, and fold them immediately, then your linens should look nice and crisp - MINUS the ironing! If you didn't catch them in time and the sheets are a wrinkled mess, don't despair. Just spritz with a bit of water and toss them in the dryer for a few minutes to dewrinkle them and then fold them.

Laundry Tips and Hints from Readers

None of us exactly feel THRILLED to look at the ever growing piles of laundry in our laundry baskets. So, the best way to get the job done is to - well - DO IT already! Here are some fantastic fresh laundry hints from readers, and of course I just posted some of my favorite laundry hints at http://www.happyslob.com/laundry.html which should also inspire you.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to send in some laundry tips!

Keep up...so you don't have to catch up!
from Lisa:
"The best thing to do with laundry to keep it flowing is keep it going! If you work outside your home, as I do, put a load in the washer in the morning as you're getting ready. When/if it's done before you leave, throw it in the dryer. When you get home, throw another load in the washer and fold the other at the dryer. If you keep it moving, you'll never get behind. It's always easier to keep up than catch up!"

Another Laundry/Vinegar Fan
from April in Texas:
"My favorite fabric softner is white vinegar! It is cheap, enviromentally friendly, and helps those colors stay bright."

Got Spots?
from "C":
"f your laundry is getting spots, cloudy marks, switch your powdered detergent to liquid."

Detergent Recommendation
from Robyn:
"For front loaders......... Have them buy Affresh!! Works great. Sell it at any Home Depot!"

Do Towels Last...and an overall cleaning motto that I love!
from Lisa:
"I like to wash towels last, at the end of the day.
Then when I am tired of doing laundry, I can just let them sit in the dryer until morning(or afternoon) and not worry about wrinkles because I have hopefully done the clothes that wrinkle earlier in the day.
My motto-do the hardest, crummiest jobs first and get them out of the way, then coast through the rest feeling
great accomplishment."

Amount of Detergent to Use
from Sandy:
"I read somewhere that you do not use more soap to clean better or more soap to more clothes, but you simply use the amount of detergent according to the water level you have chosen.

If you have not used this already, it has been useful information to me, as I have always thought you should put more detergent for extra dirty clothes. Too much detergent will cause your clothes to wear out faster and also if you see a lot of lint in the dryer, that is a sign that you are using too much soap. (I may have got this from you happyslob) THank you!!"

No, thank YOU Sandy! And all of you for these great tips!
Christina

Easy Baking Soda Tip to Remove Laundry Stains

It doesn't get much easier to remove stubborn laundry stains than this. Simply pour a bit of baking soda (soda of bicarbonate to those of you Happy Slobs from around the world) into a small bowl. I have lots of handy little pinch bowls for just this purpose. Add just enough tap water to create a thick paste.

Here's the cool bit -- use an old toothbrush or small scrub brush to work the baking soda paste into laundry stains. Let sit for a while, and then launder as usual - a great, natural laundry stain remover!

P.S. If the garment is white - then try using fresh lemon juice with the baking soda to create a super fizzy, super tough stain fighter! I have a feeling the lemon juice might create a bleaching effect, so don't try this on colorful fabrics.

I'm doing the Laundry...and hey, I'm not hating it as much as usual!

So, any of you regular readers will know that I'm not (let's go further than just italicizing it...NOT) a big fan of doing the laundry. But, I'm happy to say that with a new front loading washer machine in our building (Yes, I'm an apartment dweller...quite happily, too) it's become a whole lot easier to get the laundry done! This beautiful new washing machine does a great job at doing the wash, and even manages to use less laundry detergent, which frugal old me just loves.

What is YOUR laundry day? Do you do laundry every day? I know I hear from a lot of Moms that daily laundry is simply a necessity. Have you tried any of the family laundry tips in the book yet? What? You haven't gotten a copy of the ebook yet? :) Poor you...it's really quite a lovely read. Look at what a few Happy Slob Housecleaners have to say about it:


Lovely Words from Slobbos 'round the world

Hey, changing how we do the laundry might not change the world. BUT...it sure does contribute to family happiness! So, as always, any laundry tips are gladly accepted - I'll be happy to share your ideas with all and sundry.

Happy Slob's Handy Laundry Tip of the Day - Keeping Socks Matched Together

I've heard the tip of using safety pins to keep matched pairs of socks together in the laundry. But, I also know that a lot of you have kids. Or else, like me, just happen to be clumsy, accident-prone adults who don't want to face poking pins when they reach into the dryer to pull out the dried bits and pieces.

Solution to this maddening problem? :) Try buying a bulk pack of hair elastics at the dollar store. For - you got it - a buck. Just tie the socks together at the tops with one of these handy little hair elastics, and your socks will stay together. And, at the same time you and the kids won't have to worry about piercing your delicate fingers when all you want to do is get the clean laundry put away.