Sherri's Helpful Hints

Laundry Tips

Blankets
Set the cycle, add detergent, and let the machine fill. When all the soap is dissolved, add the blanket. Let it soak, and then wash on gentle. Add 1 1/2 cups white vinegar to the final rinse. It will give the blanket a clean smell and give it a little fluff.

Blood Stains
Remove with hydrogen peroxide.

Blue Jeans
To soften new blue jeans, soak them overnight (or for 12 hours) in cold water with plenty of fabric softener. Then wash as usual.

Body Oil Stains
To remove body oil stains from collars and cuffs of colored shirts and blouses, rub hair shampoo directly on the stains. Rinse out the shampoo, then wash the clothes as usual.

Delicates
Slip them in a covered jar with a little cold-water soap and shake until they are clean.

Designer Jeans
The first time you wash them, soak them for two hours in cold, heavily salted water (3 tablespoons per gallon). This will set the dye. Then wash, using the cold water setting.

Detergents
If you use concentrated liquid detergent, keep a plastic cup handy by the machine. Use it for measuring. After you pour in the detergent, throw in the cup (or the plastic cap for the bottle if you use this to measure). The wash will pick up all the excess that was left in the cup.

Fabric Softener
To make your own fabric softener sheets, dab a little liquid fabric softener onto a washcloth. Throw it into the dryer.

If you run out of fabric softener, add a little of your hair cream rinse to the rinse cycle. Clothes will be soft and fluffy.

Grease
Remove grease by using a few drops of coconut or banana oil, then mild suds.

Ink Stains
To remove ink stains from clothing, scrub with a washcloth dipped in rubbing alcohol. Rinse with clean water.

Squeeze lemon juice on the stain, place stained item between two pieces of cloth, and press ink stain onto the surrounding fabric. Wash as usual.

Ironing
To clean your steam iron, fill it with white vinegar. Let it steam until the big bursts are over. Turn it off, and pour out the vinegar after it has cooled.

Fill a clean catsup dispenser with water for your steam iron. Keep it near the ironing board to save steps.

Lingerie
Make some very strong tea and soak dingy lingerie until it is just a little darker than desired. Rinse quickly once in cold, clear water, and the dye is set.

Panty Hose
Add a dash of liquid fabric softener to the final rinse when washing panty hose. It lubricates the fibers, and adds life to the hosiery. You can keep it handy in a leftover dishwashing detergent squirt bottle.

Sweaters
Outline the sweater on an old framed screen. Make the outline in white chalk. After you have washed the sweater, block it to fit the outline. Put the screen upon bricks so that the air circulates. Or rest the screen over the tub to catch drips.

Whites
Soak white laundry in lemon juice and water. Lemons have a natural bleaching ingredient and can be used to whiten clothes.