HouseWife Xtreme - Encyclopedia of Household Tips

Housewife Xtreme Encyclopedia of Household Tips, Knowledge & Management

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January 6, 2009

Household Tips | Entertaining | Body, Mind & Spirit | Saving Money

- Bathroom
- Kitchen

- Laundry

       Drying
       Stain Guide
       Washing
- Living Room

Household Tips

Laundry Room - Washing

Washing
Sorting Loads
The Rinse Cycle

Washing

Place both large and small items in each washer load. This will let the items move more freely during the washing cycles.

Make sure the items are equally distributed around the tub of the washer to keep the load balanced during spinning cycles.

Set water level high enough so those clothes have plenty of room to circulate and rinse properly. You want to make sure dirt and detergent go down the drain, not back on the clothes.

To keep socks from getting lost, place them at the bottom of the washing tub or wash them in a mesh bag.

To soften new jeans fill your washing machine with water, add one capful of Fabric Softener, soak the jeans overnight, then run through the rinse cycle and dry.

To prevent bright coloured clothes from fading, soak article in white vinegar for ten minutes before putting it in the washing machine.

1 tablespoon of Epsom salts placed in the washing machine prior to the wash cycle is said to work as a fabric softener.

Soak grubby tea towels in a mix of 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar to 1 litre of water before washing.

Sorting Loads

The first and most obvious to successful washing is to sort your cloths by colour. No cheating, Lighter garments can pick up dyes from darker colours.

Separate man-made fibres such as polyester, which attract the oils released from natural fibres such as cotton. These oils can build up and make spots more noticeable.

Sort delicate fabrics and loose knits from "tougher" fabrics.

Separate fleece sweatshirts, new towels, and products made from chenille yarn (all of which may tend to generate lint) from permanent press cloths and corduroys (which attract lint).

As you sort wash loads, remember to empty pockets and close zippers to prevent snagging.

To keep shirt sleeves out of tangles in the washer, button cuffs to the front buttons.

The Rinse Cycle

Putting a cup or so of vinegar in the rinse cycle of the washing works as an effective rinse aid and mild disinfectant for clothes. It is said to remove detergent build up from the clothes as well. It is also credited with removing fluff. It certainly acts as a fabric softener.

To Keep fabrics from bleeding, add 2-3 teaspoons of salt to the wash and rinse cycles.

Black clothing tends to look brown after several washings. To restore the black colour, add coffee or strong tea to the rinse water.

To whiten your fabric tennis shoes add a little lemon juice to the rinse cycle.

Add half cup of baking soda in the rinse cycle to remove odours from clothes.

If you would like to add, request or suggest some tips or topics please e-mail me at householdtips@housewifextreme.com.

Tip of the Week

You can place sugar cubes in the container with your cheese to help keep the cheese mold free.

***Food Guide***