Laundry Secrets

Determining Water Hardness

If you have hard water, you will need to use more detergent and higher water temperatures to get clothes really clean. Knowing how hard your water is makes it easier to make the correct adjustments. One way to determine water hardness is to buy a test kit at a hardware store. You can also call your local water utility for a reading.

Reading Care Labels

Care labels are the most reliable source of information on how to clean a given garment. In order to make the cleaning process as easy as possible, manufacturers use a set of universal symbols that identify the appropriate procedure. Be sure to follow these instructions carefully.

Pillows and Down-filled Clothes

Some pillows contain filling that can become lumpy or stained when wet, so read the manufacturer's label for washing instructions. If a pillow or down-filled vest is labelled washable, however, first fill the washer halfway with water, then submerge the pillow to get the air out of it. Let the washer fill, then wash the pillow or vest for eight to 10 minutes on a regular or delicate cycle. Open the lid occasionally and press air from the items and balance the load as necessary. Because a front-loading washer tumbles its load, the action itself expels air from the items.

Special Laundry Problems

In addition to taking extra care with fine fabrics, there are a number of tricks of the trade that can improve your laundry results.

1. To soften new blue jeans, wash them several times or soak them for 12 hours in a small tub filled with cold water and fabric softener, then wash as usual. To prevent jeans from streaking, turn them inside out before washing.
2. To keep up the nap on corduroy, turn clothing inside out before washing.
3. To wash nylons or tights, place them in a mesh bag and wash with other delicate items without hooks, eyes, or other metal parts that could snag the stockings.
4. To get baby clothes their cleanest, treat in a pre-soak product, and then launder as usual. Soak items as soon after staining as possible and keep them wet until laundering.
5. To bring back the crispness to curtains, launder and then dip in a solution of 2 gallons of warm water to 1 cup Epsom salts. Let drip dry outdoors or in the shower and touch up with iron.
6. To clean cloth-covered buttons that still look dirty after laundering, brush with mild soap or detergent and a soft toothbrush.
7. To remove rings around shirt collars, rub liquid laundry detergent into the stain or collect soap bits in a mesh bag and rub into the affected area. Wash as usual.
8. To whiten dingy handkerchiefs, soak in a solution of cold water and 1 teaspoon cream of tarter before hand washing with mild soap.

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