How To Get Rid of Stains and Odors
How to Get Rid of Stains and Odors
What are women's pet peeves about keeping their households clean? These are the questions I'm asked again and again.
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Pet Peeve 1
Crayon on Walls
If you have a young Picasso who has scribbled on the walls, here's the quick fix: dry-cleaning solvent. Pour a bit on a terry-cloth towel to safely remove crayon marks from almost any surface, except antique wallpaper.
Pet Peeve 2
Perspiration Stains
Sweat won't stain if you let your antiperspirant or deodorant dry prior to putting on your clothes. Before you wash shirts, pretreat the underarm areas with undiluted liquid laundry detergent so sweat will rinse away. Pretreat any existing stains with household vinegar to help dissolve the perspiration. To prevent more buildup, wash in the hottest water that's safe for that fabric at least every third or fourth time.
Pet Peeve 3
Sticky Irons
If there's a brown or sticky residue on the iron's soleplate, it's most likely from man-made fibers singed by an iron that was too hot. This is the time to spend a few bucks for a tube of iron cleanser, which does a fabulous job and will last for years. Steam iron not spritzing properly? Check with the manufacturer on how to clean the innards. In some cases, you can use vinegar, but not in others. Newer models may require tap water rather than distilled.
Pet Peeve 4
Stinky Shoes (and Feet)
Wash your feet and dry them well. Spritz feet with deodorant before putting on socks. It also helps to use antibacterial soap and to soak your feet in vinegar for five minutes nightly. Airing out shoes and pouring a bit of baking soda inside between wearings will also help.
Pet Peeve 5
Mystery Stains
Often these stains are from a pale liquid, such as white wine or a clear soft drink that contains sugar, that was present when the garment was laundered but did not come out completely. Try this: For whites and light-colored fabrics, dab stain with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide on a cotton swab. Allow the peroxide to set for several hours; it acts as a milder, slower bleaching agent. And here is my mother's last-ditch stain remover for washable whites and colored items that can be bleached (or that you're willing to take a chance on): To 1 gallon of hot water, add 1 cup of powdered dishwasher detergent and 1/2 cup of bleach. Let the garment soak for no longer than 30 minutes. If the stain doesn't come out in that amount of time, it probably never will.
Smelly Dishwasher
First check to be sure the drain hose is not crimped and look in the bottom of the machine for bits of food and gunk. Believe it or not, a dishwasher should be cleaned and deodorized occasionally. Pour a gallon of household vinegar in the bottom, let it sit for an hour or so, then run the washer through a full cycle. To help remove hard-water buildup, simply add a half cup of citric acid powder (available at supermarkets) and run the dishwasher. If the odor is still strong, call a plumber, because it could be a potentially hazardous problem that needs to be remedied by a pro.
Pet Peeve 7
Lipstick Marks
Lipstick can usually be removed with rubbing alcohol. Get two hand towels; lay one out and place the garment, lipstick stain facedown, on it. Dip the other towel in the rubbing alcohol and use it to dab the back of the stain. Repeat until stain is gone. Marks made by lipsticks formulated to be long lasting or by those with a lot of gloss may need several treatments.
Pet Peeve 8
Cleaning Silver
Both sterling and silver-plate utensils (except hollow-handle knives) can be washed in the dishwasher as long as you stop the machine before the drying cycle, take the pieces out and hand-dry them. Do not put these utensils in the same basket with stainless steel, because this could damage the sterling. For long-term care, a good-quality silver cream or polish is still the way to go.
Pet Peeve 9
Smoke Fumes on Clothing
Normal laundering should remove the odor from washables. For winter coats and heavy sweaters, many fabric-refresher sprays do a good job. But if there has been a fire and the smoke smell is awful, find a dry cleaner that has an ozone cleaner.
Pet Peeve 10
Bloodstains
For washable clothes, soak garment in cold water for about 30 minutes -- that will usually do the trick. However, if you still see a mark, mix a little water with unseasoned commercial meat tenderizer (which breaks down the protein in the blood) and apply to the affected area. If the fabric can't be laundered at home, take it to the dry cleaner ASAP. Point out the stain and let the professionals save the garment.
