Who Needs Spray-N-Wash?: 2 DIY Laundry Stain Removers
Getting stains out of a shirt that you thought was a lost cause can make you feel powerful. Like the queen or king of the laundry room. Yeah, you got rid of that red wine spot on that white shirt. AND, you got the grass stains out of those jeans to boot. Did you do it with all-natural ingredients? That makes you even more awesome.
When it comes to cleaning products, and certainly with laundry products, anything homemade gets a bad rap. Homemade laundry products tend to come with the stereotype that they just don’t clean as well as their chemical-laden counterparts. Probably because they don’t have an overwhelming fragrance. (Conventional laundry cleaners need to have a strong fragrance to mask the nose-cringing smell of noxious chemicals.) Homemade products also don’t require very many ingredients. And, you can make them for cheap. Oh wait. Those are all good things.
Making your own laundry cleaners means you know what goes in them. There won’t be any carcinogenic chemicals or ingredients that cause allergies and irritation in them, like with many store-bought cleaners. You won’t have breathing problems or asthma attacks, either.
Mixing up your own laundry cleaners is especially important because your clothes go right up against your skin, the largest organ in your body. You can absorb anything that your skin comes into contact with, including chemicals. If you spray your clothes with toxic stain remover, launder them in detergent filled with dangerous chemicals and add in noxious fabric softener to the mix, you’re absorbing those chemicals through your skin every time you pull on that sweater.
You eco-conscious laundry doers don’t need the chemical concoctions sold in laundry aisles today to remove stains and get your clothes clean. All it takes is a little know how and the right natural ingredients. Give these two laundry stain removers a try with your next load.
All Purpose Stain Remover Spray
This simple stain remover works on clothes of different colors and fabrics.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda
4 cups water
Directions:
Stir all of the ingredients together and pour the mixture in a labeled spray bottle. Spritz on soiled areas just before washing. For tougher stains, let the mixture soak for a few minutes. Always test a hidden spot first.
Homemade Bleach Substitute
Instead of reaching for the toxic bleach, use this natural spray to brighten your whites and remove stains.
Ingredients:
1 part soap
2 parts hydrogen peroxide
Directions:
Blend the ingredients together in a spray bottle. Spray on items before washing. For tougher stains, fill a bucket with hot water, dump the mixture in and submerge the soiled item for 10-15 minutes.
If you want to get your white clothes super white, take advantage of the sun. The sun works as a natural bleaching agent. It can even lighten set in stains. Just place your white garments out in the sun for several hours.
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image: atrphoto
