Buy extra underwear--it's much better to do laundry once a month instead of every few days if you have to take your stuff to the laundry mat. (Lisa McNabb)

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Distilled white vinegar is a great substitute for fabric softener. 1/4 c. per load. It is much cheaper and doesn't leave a reside or smell (I promise). (Kyna Erickson)

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Homemade Stain Remover (Shout)

• 2/3 cups Dawn Dishwashing Liquid

• 2/3 cups ammonia

• 6 Tblsp baking soda

• 2 cups warm water

Mix everything together and pour into a spray bottle. I got this one at Wal-Mart for about a buck. (I actually got SEVERAL of them for the array of natural/homemade cleaners I have started using. My inventory continues to expand!)

Before you go to use it…if it’s been sitting for awhile…give it a good shake.  As you can see in this picture…it does tend to separate a bit. But after a quick shake it’s good to go.  

To use: spray on stains as you normally would.  I usually let mine “soak in” for a few minutes at least.  Then launder as usual.

From: http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2011/12/homemade-shout-stain-remover.html

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A good stain remover: Equal parts Liquid ERA, ammonia, and water in a spray bottle (Daffney Blais)

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To get stains out:

Blood

1.  Make a paste of meat tenderizer and water; rub it in the stain, and let it set for 30 minutes; rinse the clothing in a mixture of 2 quarts cool water and 1 tablespoon ammonia; rinse in cool water; let dry in the sun.

2.  Flush the stain with cool water before it dries; soak in cold water for 30 minutes; rinse; work detergent into stain; wash, using bleach safe for fabric.

3. Sponge the stain with cool water; work a spoonful of 3% hydrogen peroxide into the stain; when foaming stops, rinse in cool water; if stain is gone, launder as usual.

4.  Make a paste of powdered starch and water; rub it into the stain; let it dry; peel the dried paste away; rinse in cool water, and launder as usual.

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Butter

1.  For whites, scour stain with kitchen cleanser; let stand for 15 to 30 minutes; rinse with cool water; if stain is gone, launder as usual.

2.  Combine borax cleanser and water into a paste; test it on a small, concealed area of fabric, if fabric does not discolor, work the paste into the stain; launder as usual, without first rinsing the paste out of the fabric.

 

Catsup

Scrape off excess; sponge with cool water; soak the stained area in cool water overnight; work either powdered or liquid detergent into stain, rinse with cool water; launder as usual.

 

Gum

1.  Put the article of clothing in a plastic bag in the freezer for several hours; scrape the frozen gum off the clothing with a dull knife.

2.  Sponge the gum with turpentine or kerosene before washing as usual.

3.  Rub the chewing gum with beaten egg white until the gum dissolves and comes off; launder as usual.

4.  Rub the gum with an ice cube; when cold and hard, scrape off with a dull knife; launder with hottest water safe for fabric.

5.  Soak the stained area in white vinegar until gum dissolves or can be pulled off; launder as usual.

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Chocolate

Make a paste of borax and cold water; rub into stain, let stand for 15 minutes; rinse in cool water; launder in hottest water safe for fabric.

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Cosmetics

To remove mascara, eye shadow, rouge, pancake powder, or liquid foundation from clothing, rub a paste of powdered detergent and water into the stain (or use a small amount of liquid detergent); rinse with cool water; launder as usual. 

 

Crayon

Loosen the crayon with shortening; scrape off with a dull knife; rub detergent into the stain; wash in hottest water safe for fabric with detergent and 2 cups of baking soda; repeat if necessary before putting clothing in dryer.

 

Deodorant

1.  Sponge the stain with ammonia, and launder as usual.  If the fabric is silk or wool, dilute the ammonia with one part water.

2.  Sponge the stain with white vinegar; if stain remains, soak in rubbing alcohol for 30 minutes; rinse thoroughly with cool water; wash in hottest water safe for fabric.

 

Dye

If one article of clothing “bleeds” during washing and discolors other clothing, wash the discolored clothing immediately in a color-safe bleach.

 

Egg

Scrape the dried egg off the fabric with a  dull knife; soak in cold water for 30 minutes; work detergent into the stain; launder in hottest water safe for fabric.

 

Fruit Juice

1.  Stretch the stained area over a large bowl; pour boiling water through the stain from a height of several feet; repeat until stain is gone; launder as usual.

2.  Rub 3% hydrogen peroxide into the stain; when peroxide stops foaming, rinse thoroughly with cool water; repeat until stain is gone, launder us usual.

3.  Rub lemon juice into the stain; let stand for 15 minutes; rinse thoroughly with cold water; repeat until stain is gone; launder as usual.

4.  If the stain is fresh, sponge the stained area with cold water; soak in cold water for 30 minutes; launder as usual with bleach safe for fabric added to wash water.

 

Grass

1.  Soak in cold water for 30 min., rinse thoroughly; rub detergent into the stained area; wash in hottest water safe for fabric with bleach added to wash water. 

2.  For silk, wool, or colored fabrics, soak stained area in 2 cups of water mixed with 1 cup rubbing alcohol; rinse thoroughly, and launder as usual.

3.  Dip a strip of white fabric in kerosene; rub the grass stain with the strips of fabric  until the stain is completely saturated; wash in small amount of sudsy water; rinse thoroughly; launder as usual.

 

Grease

1.  Rub detergent into the stain, wash in small amount of warm sudsy water; rinse thor0ughtly; launder as usual.

2.  Sprinkle talcum powder,, cornstarch, or cornmeal onto the stain; let stand for 15 min., brush off; work small amount of liquid shampoo into the stain; wash in hottest water safe for fabric.

3.  For knits, rub stain with club soda; launder as usual.

4.  For suede, sponge with vinegar; brush with a suede brush to restore nap.

 

Ink

Saturate stain with hairspray; immediately rub with a soft, clean cloth; rinse thoroughly; launder as usual.This also works for Sharpies.

Lipstick Rub stained area with petroleum jelly; wash in warm sudsy water; rinse thoroughly; launder as usual.

 

Mud

Let mud dry completely; rub off with a stiff Bristle brush; sponge stained area with cool water; if stain remains sponge with rubbing alcohol until gone; launder as usual.

 

Mustard

Moisten stain with cool water; rub detergent into stained area; rinse with cool water; soak overnight in sudsy water; wash in hottest water safe for fabric with bleach safe for fabric.

 

Pencil

Try to erase the stain with a pencil eraser; rub detergent into stain; rinse thoroughly; if stain remains rub ammonia into stain; rinse thoroughly; launder as usual.

 

Perspiration

1.  If stain is fresh, sponge immediately with warm water and detergent or ammonia; soak for 30 min. in warm water; launder in hottest water safe for fabric.

2.  If stain has dried, sponge with vinegar; soak with warm water for 30 min.; launder in hottest water safe for fabric.

3.  Rub stain with a paste of warm water and meat tenderizer; let stand for 1 hour; rinse thoroughly with cool water; launder as usual.

 

Rust

1.  Spread stained area over a bowl or pan of boiling water;  pour lemon juice through the stain; rinse thoroughly; launder as usual.

2.   Make a paste out of lemon juice and salt; rub into stain; let dry in sun; rinse dried paste out of fabric with warm water; launder as usual.

 

Choosing Water Temperature

White shirts……………………..Hot water wash, cold water rinse

White underwear…………...........Warm water wash, cold rinse.

Wash and Wear colored fabrics…....Warm water wash, cold rinse

Elastic fabrics……………............Warm water wash, cold rinse

Synthetic fabrics………................Warm water wash, cold rinse

100% Cotton fabrics!!!!!...................Cold water wash, cold water rinse

Colored fabrics that bleed………...Cool water wash, cold water rinse
 MOST IMPORTANTLY: When in doubt, wash in cold!!
 

Washing:

Regardless of what detergent you use, follow label directions for amount; you’ll need to consider size of load, type of fabric, and amount of soil.  The label will tell you how.  To get better results, let the washer fill with water; pour in the designated amount of detergent, swish it around with your hand until it dissolves, then add clothes. To soak, with the washer shut off, let the clothes soak in the soapy water for 15 minutes, then reactivate the washing cycle. Soaking will help loosen stubborn dirt and will give the detergent time to start working on the clothes.

 

Drying:

Check the lint filter before you start the dryer—clean all lint and dust from the filter, which usually looks like a screen.  Select the right temperature control; you can dry most clothing on low heat, but use high heat for heavy fabrics like denim.  Do not put 100% cotton fabrics in dryer!! 

It’s best to slightly underdry; Check the load periodically to make sure the clothes don’t get too dry. Many articles of clothing will not need to be ironed if you remove them from the dryer when they are slightly under dry and hang them on a hanger immediately.  If you’ll be ironing your clothes immediately, remove them from the dryer while they are still damp, roll them up and put them in your laundry basket.  Iron right away.

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Make Your Own Detergent:

Whole Lotta laundry Soap (Liquid Version)

Ingredients:

        1 C Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*

        1 C Borax

        1 whole bar Fels-Naptha  heavy duty laundry soap**

        Water

*Must be WASHING SODA.  Baking soda won't work, neither will Arm & Hammer detergent.

**other soaps:  Zote, Pure & natural, Ivory,  Sunlight

 

1)     Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full with hot tap water.  Set aside.

2)     grate the soap bar. (you can use a cheese grater or a food processor)

3)     heat 4 cups of water to nearly boiling

4)     add grated soap, heat and stir until completely dissolved remove from heat

5)     Add washing soda, and borax.  Stir well until all powder is dissolved.

6)     Pour into 5 gal. bucket with water

7)     Fill bucket to top with more hot water.  Stir, cover, and let sit overnight to thicken.

In the morning, the soap will have a thick, jell-like consistency.   Stir and break up.   Fill your containers 1/2 full with soap, and fill the rest of the way with more water! Shake or stir.  I usually shake before each load

 

Yield: 10 Gallons.  

To use: Top load machine: use 5/8 c (approx 180 loads)

           Front load machine: use ¼ c (approx 640 loads)

 

Optional: Add scent soap with 1-3 TBS Scent Crystals (Downey, Purex, etc) or your favorite essential oil

 

 

Awesome laundry Soap (Powdered version)

Ingredients:

        1 C Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*

        1 C Borax

        1 (4.5oz) bar Ivory, or other laundry soap** - finely grated

Mix it all together and store in an airtight container

To Use: 1 Tbs per load (up to 2 Tbs for heavy soil)

Yield: 32 oz (about 64 loads)

These are safe for use with septic tanks because they contain zero phosphates and zero fillers (like montmorillonite clay) that cause commercial powder detergents to clog lines. They are also completely non-toxic and will not harm necessary septic bacteria like toxic detergents and antibacterial soaps.

Source: http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-laundry-detergent-soap/

 

Super Easy No-grating (liquid version)

 

3 Tablespoons Borax
3 Tablespoons Washing Soda
2 Tablespoons Dawn Dish soap

Put these ingredients in a one gallon jug. Pour 4 cups boiling water into the jug. Swirl until ingredients are dissolved in the liquid. Cool. Then fill almost to the top with cold water. The bubbles will overflow out of the bottle.  The slower you add the water, the less suds you’ll have to deal with.  I love this because you can pick an awesome scent with the Dawn dish soap. But original Dawn works the best because it gets grease out. The other scents may not have the degreaser. :o)

 

To Use: between ½ and 1 cup depending upon load size and soil level 

Source: http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/

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If you leave your clothes in the dryer and they're wrinkled, take what you want to wear and hang it in the bathroom while you shower. The steam will fix the wrinkles. You can also put the wrinkled clothes in the dryer with a damp towel. Run for about 10 mins. and the wrinkles will be gone! (Julie Jones)