It's not a creative metaphor for some big revelation in my life.
I need help.
With spot cleaning.
Remember these kids?
They make spots. Lots and lots of spots.
And I never told you this before... but I do laundry. Lots and lots of laundry. You don't believe me? Take a look at this:
(I think this was just about the worst it's ever been. Man, my laundry room is dreary)So, I know I desperately need a new washing machine. My husband is quickly jumping on board with my undercover plan to get a front loader. This might be due to the fact that he had the whole thing apart this past weekend trying to figure out where the dead possum smell is coming from (sorry for that mental picture, it was the first thing that came to mind after reading this post). While it does smell a bit better now, the poor thing is almost 20 years old. It needs to go to washing machine retirement living or something. It's worked long and hard enough.
Anyway, back to spot cleaning. You are all aware of my obsession with ironing. I'm almost as obsessive about spots - and getting my whites bright. Neither of which I am having much success with. And you know who I blame? The phosphate haters. That's right folks. I recently read that it was those glorious phosphates that caused our grandmothers' laundry to shine bright. And mine? Phophate free... and dingy and spotted. Grrrr.
I would love to be able to use these clothes for at least a couple more children. Not to mention the fact that I don't feel I can freely iron these clothes until the spots are out. Crisis!
So what do you use? Help please!
10 comments:
Girl, if I remember the other posts about laundry correctly... you are speaking to the wrong crowd! I have 3 boys, never iron and we have tons of spots. I'm pretty sure Levi wore holey... yes, I said that right, holey, auughh, sweatpants to church on Sunday! Did I just say that? Oh, man. So, I am of no help. ZERO. NADA! But I'll read all the other comments to see if there's an answer. Oh, and this is why I don't buy white! :) Trina
So does dead possum smell similar to the dead rats we had in the walls at Gazelle? We had dead rats under our house when we first moved in and as soon as I smelled it I told Jace that I knew exactly what it was. That is a smell you don't EVER forget.
I spray with Oxyclean, scrub with a toothbrush, spray again, and let sit for twenty minutes. Sometimes I can't believe what I'm able to get out, and sometimes I'm terribly disappointed. I'll look forward to checking what other people have to say.
Fels Naptha. Crazy word, almost sounds like a camp name or something. It is at any grocery/drug store, I think. It is amazing. It looks like an orange bar of soap, and can get anything out. Once I dropped a piece of blackberry pie on my couch...yes, my brand new couch (at the time) from Pottery Barn. Used Fels Naptha- you would never be able to find where the stains were. Don't be fooled though- my kids clothes are beyond stained. I only make time to use it when the need is worthy- otherwise I just let it go.
I'm horrible at getting out stains too. I"m pretty sure lily won't have any 2-4T clothes.
I've heard shout works the best.
Also this, Fill pot of water with very hot tap water. drop 2 scoops of oxiclean and soak for 15 minutes. heard it works great. I'll try to find the link
Cutzi: I just positively love it that you iron your kids clothes. I think that's the best, best thing ever! My mom taught me to iron when i was a kid and I ironed millions of my dad's clothes.
As for spots, I find that line-drying whites helps. The sunshine bleaches it. At least, that's what I've found helpful.
Best of luck!
For stains, I use dish soap for anything greasy and hydrogen peroxide for just about anything else. Oxi-clean turns into hydrogen peroxide once it hits water, so I just take out the middle man with a 69 cent bottle from the drug store.
Cutzi. CUTZI! You are so not serious. Do *not* talk to me about laundry and spots, girlfriend. Come live on a dairy farm with five boys and a LOT of MANURE and you'll be a happy camper to go back to plain ol' dirt. Real happy. ;-D
Just caught up on all your posts of late. Fun stuff. I finally got around to adding you to my blog roll, btw.
Heres what I do. I line dry everything of my chidrens. I I miss a stain and it hits the dryer, I am doomed. I have lots of lines hanging from my ceiling of my laundry room. It has helped a ton, if I miss something, I can try and get it out the next time.
I also use SHOUT and it is a miracle worker. Oh and I wash cold, all my kids clothing, that paired with the line drying has left me *almost* spot and stain free.
I resell all my old kids clothing on EBAY after it has worn, (things I will not use again) and they almost look like new. Line drying is a pain, but works!
Hi Cutzi. I'm a random blog-stalker (I've said hello before), and couldn't resist commenting on a topic so near and dear to my heart. For spot-treating, I use Zout laundry spray, and I am always amazed. I always check the spot before I put it in the dryer. If the spot is still there, I retreat and rewash. That does the trick for me, but I also have Fels Naptha in my arsenal as well as Borax laundry booster. For an especially muddy (or poopy) load, I just toss in the washer with a good scoop of Borax. Then rewash with my regular laundry detergent, treating any remaining spots with Zout.
Good luck! Spots on the kids' clothes drive me nuts too. But I resist the urge to iron.
Bekah
Cutzi,
First about stains...Oxyclean does a pretty good job and I've read about the whole sunshine line drying thing with all the cloth diaper research I've been doing and many moms swear by it...crazy!?
And wanted to pass along that if you are interested in a front loader washer to ask around to others who have them and what brands they have. My mom-in-law has a maytag and it leaves a funky mildewy smell to it. BeaJay has the same problem with hers and am not sure of the brand. Ours is a Fridgadaire and has not had problems at all. Just a heads up, I'd hate for you to invest the money in something you've anticipated for so long and then be disappointed.
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