- Ketchup, ketchup, ketchup. We eat an obscene amount of Ketchup (good thing it's considered a vegetable in school disctricts). My children's clothes are constantly spotted with Ketchup, despite their bib-wearing efforts.
- Chocolate. Andrew spotted one of his brand new summer shirts with a chocolate popsicle. I always make him take his shirt off with red popsicles. Who knows why I didn't think to do it with a melting chocolate pop.
- Ballpoint pen. Both boys marked up their new Easter suits and shirts with pen at church. I've washed it all repeatedly with multiple treatments, but the marks are still there.
- General little boy grunge. Andy's clothes aren't going to make it to Joshy if I don't figure out how to cut out these stains from everything!
So what are your tricks? I know a lot of you have boys and washing machines, so tell me what works! My old tricks aren't working anymore.
And here's a discussion question: What's up with Color-Safe Bleach? Does it really work? Does anyone use it?
11 comments:
I've never gone wrong with good old elbow grease. When I have tough stains I wash them out by hand just like my Venezuelan companions taught me to, put a little stain remover on it and scrub it between your fists. Works every time!
Ahhh...elbow grease. I remember using that before--back when our clothes didn't have stains on them because of my ripped forearms. Shoot. I was hoping for something in spray form...
Hairspray works on pen... I once washed one of my work pens (waitress) with my whites and everything had pen on it. I sprayed it with hairspray and washed it again and it came out! Don't know how or why!
boiling hot water, and oxy clean. I can get out ANYTHING with it. It was a martha stewart idea. I just started it a few months ago and I can get out stains from when Josh was a baby. Try it! (I let it soak a few hours in the washing machine.)
Yeah, do you use Oxyclean? I throw a scoop in with every load of the kid's cloths. Ketchup and chocolate comes right out. For trickier/lingering stains I presoak for a couple hours. I am glad to know about the boiling hot water.
I use oxyclean, elbow grease and buy everything in triplicate so I can pretend that I got the stains out! Just teasing!
I'm still in awe about how mom kept our white looking so white! I've heard about hairspray and pen before. Hope it works.
Great post about the jam. Mom and Dad are so cute.
Ketchup and carrot stains will come out if left in the sun.
Chocolate will come out if pretreated with oxyclean or spray and wash.
Ink does come out with hairspray. Spray it on while the clothes are dry and rub and rinse with cold water. When it's gone, then wash with oxyclean.
It is best if any stain is pretreated and ALWAYS check it before you through it in the dryer. Once it has dried, it is more difficult to remove. So let the clothes air dry if the stain isn't gone.
Peanut butter takes gum out of hair and clothes. Rub it on the gum and add more until it dissolves.
Last, WD40 takes crayon off of walls.
When I have really bad spots, I get the sport wet, apply liquid laundry soap and scrub. Sometimes I even use a brush with the liquid laundry soap. Thanks everyone for all your good hints. I will use them, too.
Wow... that is some good info!
I don't have kids, therefore I don't have the same barrage of stains y'all have. But, I'm a messy klutz and my salvation is my Tide Pen. Never leave home without it!
I also love the Tide Pens, but of couse I usually don't have one with me. Clorox bleach pens are great for spot treating on whites.
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