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Cleaning Tips
Do you have a stain treatment that works
for you? Please email it to me and I will add it to this page!
Justforkids@hughes.net
Disclaimer: These tips
are not guaranteed by Just For Kids. Use these tips at your own risk. Just For
Kids is not responsible for any damage to clothing/items related to the
following tips. Please use caution and follow manufacturer’s directions for
washing and cleaning.
Clothes
- Oxy Clean – Great for all types of stains –
soaking clothing in a sink with water and Oxy Clean is the first treatment
for most stains. It is great for stained shoe laces and cuffs. Just soak
and then wash as directed in the washer. On white fabrics, add a little
Clorox bleach to the Oxy Clean on a toothbrush to spot remove.
- Goop - Hand Cleaner – Good for grease, goes on
without water – apply liberally and let sit, then put in the regular wash
cycle. Has been found to remove stains from clothes that were washed and
dried with a crayon.
- Mother’s Miracle – Cleaning solution new
mothers can’t do without! Great for sip-up, urine, blood, etc.
- Carbona Stain Remover – various solutions for
many types of fabric – the rust solution is a very good one.
- Tilex – Great for mildew stains on white
fabrics. Remember, it is a bleach! Must be used carefully, especially on
colored fabrics. On white, spray on and let sit – just rinse if blue spots
occur. On colored fabrics, it’s easy to cause bleach spots but carefully
spray on and rinse quickly. Using Tilex on colored fabrics is really a a
last resort.
- Rit Dye Color Remover – another last resort,
but can be effective. Follow the directions carefully. On small stained
areas, it is easier to use the stove-top method. For larger loads, use the
washer.
- Hot water – is great for Kool Aid and
Jello-type stains. Hold fabric taut and pour from a height. Soak and
repeat if necessary. Comes out every time!
- Goo Gone – removes tree sap, gum, tape residue,
and crayon. Just spray on, let sit for 10 minutes, and wash as usual.
Don't buy special cleaners to get out baby formula stains, use a
little isopropyl alcohol on the stain, then a regular stain remover. Works like
a charm.
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More Laundry
Tips
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To
remove perspiration stains in clothing, soak in warm vinegar and
water. |
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Microwaves can be used to emergency disinfect clothes, such as a
child's cap that another kid has put on, as long as they have
absolutely NO metal in the zippers, buttons, rivets etc. ALWAYS
place a cup of cold water next to the article to absorb the heat and
microwave on high until the water is steaming. |
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Removing mildew stains from clothes: Begin by brushing of mold
outdoors so you don't scatter mildew spores in the house. On
washable fabrics, pretreat by rubbing detergent into the dampened
stain. Then, launder the items in hot water, detergent and chlorine
bleach, if it is safe for the fabric. If the stain remains, sponge
it with hydrogen peroxide, rinse and launder. If the item isn't
bleach-safe, soak it in an oxygen bleach that is safe for colors,
then wash it. Take non-washable fabrics to the dry cleaner and tell
them what the stain is. |
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Urine Stains: For
washable fabrics that can be bleached… pre-soak them in cold water
for at least thirty minutes. Launder these fabrics in hot water
using detergent and chlorine bleach according to the directions on
the bleach container. For washable, non-bleachable items, sponge the
stained area with a solution of equal parts of household ammonia and
water then launder the item in warm water and detergent. Rinse it
well. For non-washable items, sponge just the stained area with
clear water to which a few drops of ammonia have been added. Then,
sponge with clear water only. |
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Gray Dingies: One cause of the gray dingies is overloading the
washing machine. When you do this, the clothes cannot move freely,
resulting in poor washing and irremovable soil. To estimate the
right-sized load, place dry, unfolded clothes in the washer loosely
until it is about three-quarters full. Another cause is using
non-phosphate detergents, particularly the granular type. If you're
using a non-phosphate detergent, use the hottest water possible and
dissolve the detergent in the water before adding the clothes. If
you have hard water, you might want to add about a third to a half
cup of packaged water softener along with the detergent.
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- Dirty neck rings around shirt or blouse collars
can be removed by putting shampoo on them. Rub the shampoo in like you were
washing your hair. Shampoo is specifically made to remove body oils. A cheap
bottle of shampoo kept by the washing machine is handy for all kinds of
stains in clothing. Don't forget this trick when you are traveling.
- For
removing ink stains: Ball point pen stains can be removed by using hair
spray - let the hair spray dry and wash the item. Table salt will absorb ink
when it is spilled - pour salt on the wet ink and continue to add salt until
there is no more "wet ink". Then vacuum or wash. Other types of ink can be
removed using rubbing alcohol.
Shoes
and Toys
- White Oxford-type shoes: Use a spray
preparations solution (found at shoe stores) on scuffs and marks. For
scratches that have take off the original color, use shoe spray. Instead of
spraying directly on the shoe, causing a caked-on look, spray onto wax
paper. Then dab at the scratch with a foam paintbrush. This will
give a smoother finish. Don’t forget to soak the laces in Biz while you're
doing this!
- Oops – latex paint remover – great for getting
out all kinds of stains, marks and stickers of off plastic toys. If the toy
is made of thin plastic, TEST A SMA LL AREA before cleaning. On most
thick plastic such as Little Tikes toys, Oops will take off scratches,
scuffs, crayon, pen, pencil, etc. On stubborn marks, use steel wool. Will
also take crayon off of chalk boards without damaging the finish. Wear
rubber gloves.
- Power Wheels – can clean fuses and switches
with a Q-tip and alcohol.
- Non-acetone Nail Polish Remover – takes off ink
and marker
- Armor All – restores the luster to all types of
plastic and metal.
- Magic Erasers – These work GREAT for shoes,
plastic toys, Little tikes toys and almost anything!
- White Vinegar - Children's stickers can be
removed from wood by applying white vinegar to the sticker, letting it soak
and then scraping off.
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From Gail L: You can add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load
of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing,
pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub
it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary. From Lisa T: I use
this trick for outdoor items that get that black mold on them. I also
use it for mini blinds, of course I take the blinds out of the window
and hang them somewhere outside!! I like to use a bathroom cleaner,
such as Scrubbing Bubbles, on all outdoor hard toys, swimming toys and
pools that you can disassemble, even the old type lawn chair with the
webbing. If you wet the item, then spray, let set a couple of minutes
then brush with a soft brush, then rinse, this will remove most of the
black stuff that accumulates ( I think it is mold). Sometimes you have
to spray and brush 2 or 3 times to get into all the crevices. It also
works on the hard plastic toys, such as the Fisher Price desks, to
remove crayon and marker, but on these you have to be cautious,
sometimes it will fade the item in the areas where it is sprayed.
From Wayne T: Use lighter fluid to remove all sticky gunk from
almost any surface. It does stink!! Make sure there is good air flow. From Gail L: You can add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a
load of whites in your laundry to whiten them.
If there is blood on clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let
it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if
necessary.
For lipstick stains - saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and wash.
Presto! Lipstick is gone!
Here are some great
links for more detailed stain removal tips:
http://www.toledoaasr.com/kitchen/stains.htm
http://www.thriftyfun.com/search.ldml?qry=clothing+stains&top=296
Do you have a stain treatment that works for you?
Please email it to me, and I will add it to this page!
Justforkids@hughes.net
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