10 Laundry Hacks Every Mom Needs to Know
Everything from stain removal tips to how to make laundry more manageable
Lipstick Stain
We’ve all gotten lipstick on our clothing, pillows or napkins at some point, but did you know that bread can blot it out? Take a piece of white bread and remove the crust. Then roll the piece of bread into a ball and blot at the stain. You should see the color lift off of the garment and then launder shirt the way you normally would.
Tip source: Huffington Post
Image via: DIY Maniac
Ink Stains
We have all at some point had a pen explode on us or had a pen/marker draw on our clothing, but did you know that alcohol is your best bet to get rid of the ink? All you need is a bottle of rubbing alcohol, purell, or hairspray to remove these stubborn stains. Simply spray or squirt the affected areas, wait about 10 minutes, blot with a paper towel and then wash normally!
Laundry tip via: One Good Thing
Image via: Wiki How
Grease stains
Grease stains are pretty inevitable and can often seem like a death sentence for our clothes, but thankfully there is a very simple remedy! White chalk. Yup, white chalk works wonders to remove grease stains. Simply rub the chalk on and around the stain and watch the grease lift off! However time is of the essence so be sure to keep a package of white chalk in the house to keep the stain from setting in!
Note baby powder also works well to remove those tough grease stains!
Tip via: Wiki How
Image via: Home Hacks
Yellow sweat stains
Shirts tend to develope those yellow pit stains but have no fear, there are plenty of ways to get rid of them! We found this very helpful chart from: TheSecretYumiverse.wonderhowto.com. You are welcome!
Add Tinfoil to the Dryer
Okay this is one of our best money saving tips; simply replace dryer sheets with a ball of rolled up tinfoil! The best part is, you can use the same ball for up to 6 months, so definitely don’t discard after each use! If you also like the dryer-sheet scent, then douse a hand towel in fabric softener, let it dry, then toss in the dryer with each load!
Aluminum tip: Budget Savvy Diva
Dryer sheet tip: Mattern Family
Image via: PopSugar
Add Vinegar
Adding plain white vinegar to your washing machine does wonders for your towels workout clothes, and rather stinky laundry. Vinegar acts as a natural antibacterial agent and kills mold, bacteria, and germs! It also acts as a natural fabric softener by removing soap and residue! Simply add 1/2-1 cup of vinegar to your wash cycle at the beginning and then your laundry won’t have the vinegar smell, but it will be really clean, soft, and odor free!
Image via: Green Idea Reviews
Decrease wrinkles
Wrinkly clothing gives off a dirty appearance so it’s best to keep our clothes as neat looking as possible. There are many tips to help avoid or reduce the odds of wrinkles forming while doing laundry in order to save time later with the ironing! 1. Use the permanent press cycle on your washing and drying machines. This cycle was created to reduce creasing of clothes and other garments. 2. Don’t jam pack your machines because they need room to spin and properly get cleaned. Jamming in your clothes is a sure way to increase creasing to your clothes. 3. Separate your clothing by the fabric. Heavy clothes like denim should not be washed with light clothes like silk and thin cotton. 4. Fold and put away/hang up your clothes as soon as the dryer is done. The less time clothes remain in a tangled up mess, the less time they have to develop wrinkles! 5. Invest in a garment steamer, they will effectively remove any wrinkles in a quarter of the time ironing will.
Tips via: Wiki How
Image via: Huffington Post
Unshrink Clothes
Everyone has at some point tossed a shirt or pair of jeans into the dryer on high and now they are a size or two smaller! While it’s not really possible to “unshrink” your clothes, there are a few ways to relax the fibers enough to stretch them back into shape! Here are 3 methods to try out: 1. Baby shampoo or conditioner soak 2. Vinegar soak for wool or cashmere 3. Plain water and gravity for heavy clothes like jeans! Click here for exact steps!
Image via: Todd and Erwin
Whiten Whites
Our white clothes never seem to stay that bright shade of white for too long. But now you can restore your beige-ing white clothes with this great recipe:
- HOT HOT HOT water
- 1 cup of laundry detergent
- 1 cup powdered dish washer detergent
- 1 cup bleach
- 1/2 cup borax
The important things to know about this treatment process is to get really hot water (add a pot of boiling water to your already hot wash), keep the load size small because we are going for concentrated cleaning power, and let the clothing soak for as long as possible in the solution. Find out more about this tip by clicking here!
Remove coffee stains
If you are a regular coffee drinker then you will inevitably spill it on your clothes, bedding, or tablecloth at some point. Coffee stains can be very stubborn and hard to remove but if you follow these steps will help get the stain out of a fresh coffee spill:
What You Will Need
- Absorbent white paper towels
- Powdered laundry detergent
- Distilled white vinegar
- Cold water
- Small cup or dish
- Toothbrush or small nail brush
- Liquid laundry detergent with color-safe bleach
Steps to Remove the Coffee Stain:
Image via: Food Network
