Let’s be very honest with ourselves here: When was the last time we took the initiative to clean the washing machine, inside-out? Exactly what we were thinking – most of us have ignored the tumbler in the machine; the grime, dirt, lint et al, because we sort of assumed that there was no way to get into those areas and clean them all – apart from calling the ‘after-sales-servicing-team’ to improve the appearance of the machine!
Truth be told, most of us spend a lot of money to get stubborn stains out of clothes and articles – we want them white sans the lipstick marks, the blood stains or even the grass stains on our laundry as memoirs, don’t we? All hope is not lost – Did you know, hairspray or even the humble hand sanitizer can remove the toughest of stains? A teaspoon of baking soda when added can make the clothes white without destroying its precious fabric threads? Surprised and didn’t know about these laundry hacks – let’s learn more.
Before we go any further to explain how to use the laundry hacks for your best interest – remember to check the washed laundry before you dry; sometimes the pesky stains remain. Pre-treating your stained clothes before a wash in any of the Whirlpool washing machines is a must; but be assured, the Whirlpool Stain wash system can fight the most stubborn of stains – pickles to curries, teas to coffees, protein stains to wine stains, shoe polish to nail polish remnants too – every stage in the washing cycle would be a warrior’s agenda against stains.
- Lipstick stainsÂ
A slice of white bread helps remove cosmetic stains. Cut off the sides of the bread and use only the soft-middle portion (make a ball of the middle portion) to dab onto the stain. Use the ball to blotch the stain and remove as much as possible. Wash the garment as you’d normally do in the washing machine – the stain wouldn’t stand a chance, and your garment would be white as new!
- Ink stains
The humble hand sanitizer of any brand can remove the toughest of ink-stains. Squirt a teaspoon of the hand sanitizer over the stained area and wait for a while. Wash normally and watch how the garment is blessed with its whitest look again!
- Blood stains
Hydrogen peroxide (a teaspoon of the potion) mixed with a teaspoon of washing powder and applied over blood stains when still wet would help clear the garment of the pesky mess. Apply the potion over the stained area and wait for 10 minutes, wash normally thereafter – your garment wouldn’t be the ‘witness’ to a murderous act anymore!
- Grass stains
2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide and a tablespoon of dish soap is all you’d need to remove the annoying grass stains from trousers, skirts, pants and jeans. Apply the mix over the stains and wait for 20 minutes, wash normally thereafter.
- Grease stains
Chalk is the best rival to use against grease stains – rubbing chalk pieces for a minute over the stained greasy area would absorb the oil. If you do not have chalk around, talcum powder would work like magic. Wash normally thereafter.
- Yellow sweat stains
Crush 3 aspirin tablets and mix it into half a cup of warm water. Soak your stained-yellow-sweaty whites in the mix for a good three hours. Wash normally thereafter; you now have your whitest-white shirts back in form.
- Red wine stains
A mix of milk, club soda, table salt in equal amounts (1tb:1tb:1tb) would help do away with red wine stains (when still wet). The stain should be covered well and gently rubbed – normal washing thereafter is a must!
- Acrylic paint stains
Your child is a genius at art and craft- praise him and don’t worry about the stains he leaves on his clothes thereafter. A little bit of rubbing alcohol (2 tbsp) when rubbed over the stains for ten minutes and washed thereafter, can bring back the white hue – brand new!
- Smelly and sweaty clothes
Humid month’s ahead – sweaty smelly clothes to deal with for sure. The humble acetic acid or vinegar can go a long way in dealing with unpleasant smells. From towels to workout gym wear; a cup of vinegar when added to a bucket of water for a normal wash, would remove the bad odours.
- Dry your clothes faster
Post the washing and cleaning, you’d need to have plenty of sunlight to dry your clothes. What if it is all too cloudy out there? Save your electricity bills and use a fluffy towel to bring down the ‘drying time’ in the washing machine’s dryer compartment. Place the fluffy towel in the dryer along with the wet clothes for 20 minutes and let the dryer run. Pull it out after 20 minutes and your clothes would be almost damp-to- dry. Your clothes now wouldn’t need a lot of time in the sun to dry, and your energy bills at the end of the month would be low too.
Did you know, using your humble hair conditioner would help revive the length of your clothes – conditioner can also bring back the life in ‘shrunken clothes’. Soak the shrunken wear in a bucket of warm water mixed with any conditioner of your choice. Keep it for 20 minutes and throw them into the washing machine thereafter for a good spin and drying ritual. Your clothes would be back in shape, and you wouldn’t have to worry about the fabric quality too.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about stain removals, sweat-smelly odour removals and even how to bring new life to the old-shrunken sweaters and garments too! Share these hacks with your family and friends; let them praise you for the concern and the knowledge too. If you have more hacks and ideas, DIY techniques to share with the world, we are listening.
