On_my_own_info

Laundry in General

Lemons

Letter Writing

Laundry in General

Separate clothes by color and by material. Washing lingerie with denim can damage the finer fabrics of lingerie. Terry cloth, the fabric towels are made of will cause lint on other fabrics even when similar in color. It is best to wash like colors and like materials together…don’t put whites in with darks because the darks may “bleed” and the whites will come out dingy or gray.

Use only chlorine bleach when it is listed on the label as safe. Even on white clothes sometimes bleach will turn them yellow not bright white.

Bluing can be used to make whites whiter and colors brighter.

Do not use bleach and bluing together. Be sure to follow the directions on the label. Do not use more than is recommended or there could be more problems to solve.

If dark clothes are faded try adding strong brewed coffee or tea to the rinse water to enhance the colors.

Adding ½ cup vinegar will help colors to stay bright and reduce fading.

Read labels:

Some clothes can not be washed and must be dry cleaned. Particularly wool materials or silks although it is possible to wash some in cold water but do not put woolen fabrics in the dryer. They can shrink!!

There are cold water detergents on the market specifically for washing woolens and lingerie. Read labels to find the product needed and follow the directions. Sometimes this seems like a waste of time when in a hurry, but it is better to take the time to read labels than to ruin a favorite sweater, pair of slacks or skirt.

It is best to take quality clothing, suits and jackets to a dry cleaner. However, there are products on the market that will “dry clean” in the dryer. So read labels. These products can be found in the detergent and cleaning product aisles at a department store or grocery store.

Use Cold Water:

Using cold water to wash laundry is often a good idea because it will conserve energy and will be better for clothes and other materials especially if they are colored.

Hot water is good for sheets and some clothes. But, read the care labels in the clothes or on any washables. Sometimes the labels are hard to find. Usually, in clothing, labels are at the back of the waistband on pants or the back of the neck on shirts. Sometimes labels can be by the zipper on the inside of pants or at the side seams inside of shirts, sweaters, blouses or jackets. Occasionally, a major search is required to find the labels. It’s always best to look for them in case special care is needed.

When using laundry detergent follow the recommend amounts on the label of clothing and on the detergent based on whether the load is small or larger. Putting extra in just because “more is better” is not a good idea. The washer can overflow with excessive suds and there will be a mess to clean up. Or extra rinses will be required to get the excess soap out, thus wasting water.

For cleaner clothes, don’t cram as many clothes as possible into the washer. The clothes won’t be clean and will become dingy and still smell of body odors. Over loading the washer can cause it to be out of balance and there could be major damage caused to the belts and motor. Over loading a dryer can also cause problems with its ability to operate properly. Besides that, it will take longer for clothes to dry and they can be wrinkled and twisted.

Use fabric softener when rinsing clothes. Follow the directions on the bottle based on the size of the load.

Vinegar can also be used in rinse water (1/2 cup) and it will “cut” the soap residue as well.

Blood Stain Removal:

As soon as possible rinse the fabric that has been stained with blood in cold water. Put liquid detergent on the spot and gently rub into the fabric, then soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Rinse. If the stain has not been removed. Repeat.

Grease Removal:

Sprinkle a small amount of flour or baby powder on grease and oil splatters which have gotten on clothing or table linens. Do this as soon as possible. Do not rub into the material but allow the flour or powder to soak up the grease or oil.

The flour or powder can be left on the fabrics until time to launder. When you are ready to put the fabrics in the washer put a little extra liquid detergent on the spot and gently rub.

Do not put fabric softer in the rinse. Remove the fabrics that have been treated from grease stains and let them air dry. You can hang them on hangers. After they have dried check to see if the grease has been removed. If not rub the spots again with detergent and let them sit for an hour or until you are ready to do laundry again.

If you dry grease stained fabrics in the dryer before being sure the stain has been removed the heat from the dryer can set the stain into the fabric. It will be even more difficult to remove.

Ball Point Ink Removal:

If fabric or clothing has been stained with ball point pen ink spray with hairspray until soaked and then wash. If you don’t have hair spray try using

Isopropyl alcohol which can be found at a drug store, grocery or department store. Be sure the stain has been removed before adding fabric softener or drying in the dryer. These could set the stain. If it has not been removed try repeating the treatment.

If the ink is permanent it is very likely the stain can not be removed. You can always try, just in case, but most likely permanent is just what it says it is... …permanent.

Rust Removal:

Put lemon juice on the rust stain until soaked and put the cloth or garment in the sun and allow drying. Repeat if not removed…if removed then wash.

Cream of tarter and salt: make a paste with water and equal parts of salt and cream of tarter. Put in the sun to dry. If not removed repeat but if it is gone: wash.

Spot Removers:

Rub or spray a commercial spot remover on the stain on your clothing or other material, perhaps a table cloth. Let it sit for about a half hour before washing. There are some spot removers that can be put on the stain and left several days until you have time to do the laundry. You can get these removers in the detergent aisle where you buy groceries.

Lemons

Lemons can add zesty flavor to many recipes and they are useful in cleaning as well.

Fresh lemons make a very pretty, and decorative arrangement for the table or counter. Sometimes this is an extravagance that doesn’t fit every budget.

And sometimes you can find lemons on sale especially packaged in a bag. Just make sure to comparison shop between the price: which one is cheaper in the long run? The lemons sold by the bag, or the ones sold by the piece?

An inexpensive way to keep lemon juice on hand for recipes and cleaning issues is to purchase fresh frozen lemon juice from the frozen juice section in the grocery store. It is real lemon juice and not concentrated and will last up to eight weeks when thawed and stored in the refrigerator. To insure the use by date write the date placed in the refrigerator to thaw on the side of the container with a waterproof permanent marker.

A paste of lemon juice and salt can be used to clean brass and copper. Squeeze juice of a lemon into a bowl and add several teaspoons of salt, mix and rub on the brass or copper. The salt acts as a mild abrasive. Scrub gently, rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.

Letter Writing

Personal letter writing is becoming a lost art. It has almost been replaced by emails.

Part of the problem is the hectic day to day agendas that leave little time for relaxing and staying in touch with family and friends other than by phone or email.

There was a time when sending typed letters was considered in poor taste when writing a personal letter to friends and family. Now, even emails are cryptic with abbreviated words and most without greetings… they just start out with whatever subject is in mind and many times aren’t signed. Text messaging is taking hold and the language used for that form of communication is even more cryptic.

Even business letters are succumbing to the email format because many people are over whelmed with work responsibilities and are resorting to taking short cuts to get the day to day business done. This includes writing letters as well as the time it takes to reading them. It is much faster to write via email and respond that way because it can take a matter of minutes as opposed to days for what is referred to these days as “snail mail”.

However there are times when letters should be written regardless of the time it may take. These include cover letters for resumes, presentations which are mailed, letters of recommendation and letters of resignation. All these mentioned require a more formal use of language than is used in emails. If inexperienced in letter writing there are books available at the library and at book stores. A good book on Etiquette will also have a good deal of information on all forms of letter writing.

All Thank You notes should be hand written.

From time to time it is also important to take the time to write personal letters to family and to those friends who are special to us.

(see Thank you Notes, Etiquette)

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