Category Archives: Clothing Care / How To

How To Clean Fake Tan Moisturizer On Your T- Shirt?

There is nothing worse than getting ready to go out and discovering that the T-shirt you intended to wear has a stain. Inevitably, it is a stain that requires a great deal of work to get out and should be attended to immediately. While no stain should be left to set in, some stains are worse than others and need extra attention. Fake tan moisturizer is one of those stains.

Stains resulting from the use of fake tan moisturizer have both color and grease to contend with in terms of getting rid of the stain, not the easiest combination to deal with. The first thing to do is to make sure you have no more moisturizer on your hands or any other part of your body that may touch the T-shirt so you will not make the stain worse. Turn the T-shirt inside out and work on removing the stain in this way so that it can lift off rather that go through the fabric.

Take a light colored absorbent cloth and lay it beneath the stain so that it does not transfer onto another part of the tee while you are working to get rid of the stain. Next use a dry paper towel laid gently over the stain to get the worst of it absorbed before you begin treating what is left.

Apply a clear dish detergent, that is designed to fight grease, mixed with water and dab gently at the stain. If this does not remove the fake tan stain, use hydrogen peroxide and attempt to gently spot clean it. Test treat an inconspicuous spot first to make sure the peroxide doesn’t damage the shirt. You may also want to try glycerin to help remove the stain. When the stain is successfully gone, wash it as usual.

If you cannot get the stain out, add a pretreatment to the other things you have put on the stain and let it sit. Then wash as usual. Do not dry the item until it is stain free or you will be out of luck and have a permanent stain on your hands.

If you find yourself with a T-shirt ruined by a fake tan moisturizer, there is help for you. Choosing to replace the T-shirt with a brand new custom-made one is definitely the way to go. By getting a custom-made tee you can either totally recreate the shirt you have ruined or you can design one that you like even more. You get to choose the color, style, neckline, sit, fabric weight and quality of the T-shirt you are buying. Then to make it even better you can select a design to have printed on it to totally personalize it.

The list of fun T-shirts you can have made include one that says “This is my official self-tanning T-shirt” with fake stains all over it. Such a T-shirt could really come in handy. You can also print lines like one of these on a custom shirt:
–    Smart Girls Fake It
–    I’d rather be sunless tanning
–    Sunless tanning means no tan lines

Get your custom-made fake tan T-shirt today and don’t worry about stains.

What Are The Best Hangers To Hang Your T-Shirts And Clothes

Finding the perfect hangers to hang your T-shirts and the rest of your clothes is much more than simply a matter of personal opinion. There are many different types of hangers that exist and people often have very different opinions about each of them. Some people regard certain hangers as fodder for the trash can, while this is the only type others use. Some swear by certain types of hangers as being the only way to hang your clothing and keep it looking good.

Wire Hangers: These are the ultimate in throwaway hangers. Dry cleaners and alterations shops give away this type of hanger with finished products, meaning that many people have a very steady supply of them coming into their homes. While these types of hangers are great for retrieving things in tight spots and roasting marshmallows over a fire, they are not the kindest to clothes. Wire hangers tend to leave unwanted dents and bumps in clothes, making it necessary to press them or even relaunder them after taking them off the hanger.

Plastic Hangers: These come in many different forms. There are the freebies from many stores that work well; especially the ones with built in grips on the shoulder part. There are also the triangular tube hangers, which provide good support. T-shirts rarely slip off them. Plastic hangers are a good multi-purpose choice.

Luxury Hangers: There are many different types of hangers that one would consider luxury hangers. These include wooden hangers, bamboo hangers, cedar hangers, padded satin hangers, velvet hangers and hangers with built in clips. While these each have their specific purpose and are excellent for certain clothes, they are not ideal for T-shirts.

Padded hangers work great with knits and delicate items. Velvet hangers are perfect for tops that need the extra gentle grip to stay in place.  Wooden and bamboo hangers are designed for heavier items. Hangers with clips are ideal for suits. Cedar hangers are specialty items especially for use when storing out of season items.

There are tons of great sites that offer the latest and best in hangers for T-shirts and all types of clothes. Some of the top ones include: www.clotheshangers.com, www.hangers.com and www.onlyhangers.com. If you are in the market for some great new hangers or just want to see what your options are, check out these sites.

Chemical Smells In Clothes – What are they and How To Remove Them

Stains and odors are the two worst enemies of clothes. One small stain or one impossible to remove odor can mean that an otherwise perfectly good shirt will be not used and eventually gotten rid of. Therefore we typically work very hard trying to get rid of any and all stains and unpleasant odors we find on our clothing.

If you have been in certain areas where the odor is very strong, in some cases it will cling to your clothing. Many times simply washing it will be enough to return it to its original great smell. However, some odors linger and simple washing is not enough. In those cases, you may need to identify the smell on your clothes in order to get rid of it. Chemical smells are one of the worst offenders.

Finding that your clothes have a chemical smell on them is somewhat common. If you can identify the source of the smell and you know where you picked up the odor, you will best be able to successfully get rid of it. However there are some cases, especially with synthetic materials and synthetic blend materials that the chemical smell really is a part of the fabric. Certain fabrics are made from petroleum or are treated with chemicals like formaldehyde that bond to the fabric. They usually have a telltale odor that is as much a part of the clothes as the color. In these cases, it is almost impossible to remove the chemical smell.

If you have a chemical smell on your clothes, you can take several steps to get rid of it. Air it out well outside in the sun. Spray the garment liberally with an odor eliminating spray like Febreeze. This should also be done outside or in a well-ventilated area. Then wash the item, as usual. If your item is white, you can add a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in order to help get rid of the odor. If you use vinegar with other colored T-shirts you run the risk of fading them.  Check the clothes carefully after the wash cycle to make sure it is odor-free before air drying it outside if possible.

If you find that your T-shirt has that horrible chemical smell no matter what you do, the best thing to do is throw out the shirt or use it as a rag. Order a custom-made organic T-shirt to replace the old one, to be sure you get one that is completely free of noxious odors. You can choose one in any color or style you desire, as well as in the fabric weight or quality of your choice as well. With a custom-made T-shirt you can print anything you would like on them. You can completely replicate the T-shirt that you have had to get rid of or make one that appeals to you even more.

Get your clean smelling custom-made organic T-shirt today and never again spend time trying to awful remove chemical smells.

What are the Differences Between Washing Cycles?

If you have clothes to wash, you need to know the difference between the various washing cycles. By using the wrong washing cycle, you can wear out your clothes far faster than is necessary. You may also ruin some clothes that aren’t made for washing on certain cycles. By using the right washing cycles, you can extend the life of your clothes and keep them in better condition. You can also save time and money by using the shortest cycle that will work with your clothing type.

Short Cycle Wash
Most washing machines have a short cycle wash. This short cycle is a good way to wash clothes that are only slightly dirty or that have a lot of embellishments on them that should be washed gently. It’s good to use slow cycles as well for these types of clothing. A long, vigorous wash wears down the fibers of clothing. If you are washing a delicate fabric, use the short cycle and use cold water. If you are washing cotton and you are trying to avoid shrinkage, use the short cycle on cold as well.

Regular Wash Cycle
The regular wash cycle will agitate the clothing and spin it at a faster rate of speed than the shorter cycle. The regular wash cycle is good to use on clothes that are very dirty or that are thick and sturdy. The regular cycle works well with jeans, t-shirts, coats, bedding and any other items that don’t need any delicate treatment. Clothing that is very dirty or that has a bad smell is also in need of the regular wash cycle.

Permanent Press Cycle
The permanent press cycle is a cycle that is a bit easier on fabrics. For many average loads with clothing that is not extra dirty, the permanent press washing cycle is a good choice. This washing cycle cools clothes before they entered the spinning cycle. This is what prevents certain fabrics from getting creased or wrinkled during the washing process. It is particularly effective with synthetic fabrics and permanent press items. Clothing that is advertised as wrinkle-resistant should be washed in a permanent press cycle. For loads full of moderately dirty clothes that do not have foul smells, the permanent press cycle will play them without any unnecessary wear to the fabric.

Delicate Washing Cycle
For many fabrics, the delicate washing cycle is the only one that will work well. There are many items that are simply not made to be washed in a washing machine. There are some silks that are dry clean only, as are some items that are embellished with a lot of sequins or other items. However, there are many delicate items that can be washed in the delicate cycle. Items such as lingerie, items with a lot of lace, very delicate lightweight items, and fabrics that are loosely woven are all perfect for the delicate washing cycle. With delicate items, use cold water and a delicate detergent. This cycle washes clothing more gently with slower agitation and spinning. It is the closest thing to hand washing that is possible with a washing machine.

Why Do The Bottom Of My T-Shirts Keep Stretching Out

T-shirts are a great looking addition to any wardrobe. They come in so many different colors and styles that you can easily use them to your advantage in almost any outfit. You can dress them up or down and can get a lot of use from T-shirts. However, there are some people who are plagued with problems with their T-shirts. One of these problems is that the bottom of their T-shirts keep stretching out. While this seems like it might be a rather unusual problem for someone who has never experienced it, quite a few people consider it an issue.

Below are some of the reasons the bottom of your T-shirt might keep stretching out:

•    If you have wider than average hips, you may be pulling down the T-shirt to cover them, whether self-consciously or unconsciously. Constant pulling on your T-shirt and stretching it wider than it was meant to be will lead to the bottom of your T-shirt being stretched out.
•    If you have a nervous habit of pulling at the hem of your clothes or twisting it, the stress on the garment will inevitably lead to the T-shirt being stretched out at the bottom.
•    If you surf in your T-shirt or do any other activities in which your T-shirt will get wet, the bottom of the shirt will inevitably tend to stretch out because the T-shirt will hold the water and stay heavy at the bottom. .
•    If you happen to have a child who loves to hold tight to Mommy, you may find that the bottom of many of your T-shirts are getting very stretched out also from him or her pulling at them.
•    Certain fabric blends have very specific laundry instructions, like lay flat to dry. If you do not follow these instructions and hang your shirts to dry, you will find that the ends stretch out from the weight of the water.

Hard Vs. Soft Water And Impacts On Your Laundry

Hard water is simply water that has positively charged minerals in it, such as magnesium, calcium and others. These minerals tend to create deposits on other things that they have regular contact with, like clothing, metals, ceramic and porcelain. They also interact with the different components in cleaning products to often lessen their effectiveness.

Soft water is usually water that has been treated to remove the mineral deposits, so that the only positively charged component remaining is sodium. Soft water also occurs naturally in some regions. This makes for water that works well for laundry and cleaning and is easy on the plumbing in your home.

Hard water creates a variety of problems with your laundry.
•    Mineral buildup means that colored clothes fade more quickly than they should.
•    White clothing tends to get yellow with repeated washing in hard water.
•    It requires more detergent to effectively be able to create enough suds to clean your clothes.
•    Buildup of deposits and extra work being demanded from the washing machine’s parts often shorten the life of the machine.
•    More water is used and wasted with the need to repeat washing and rinsing clothes more often.
•    In order to get hard water to clean effectively, it is necessary to use hotter water than if using soft water. This leads to higher energy costs and unnecessary energy use.
•    The extra washing and the buildup that results takes a toll on the fabric in your clothing, meaning that it doesn’t last as long.

Using soft water creates whiter, brighter clothing. There will be less soapy residue and build up on clothes from deposits than what is created by the interaction of hard water and detergent. Clothing can be washed in cold, soft water with less detergent, creating more savings for the consumer. Soft water is also easier on washing machines, meaning that they last longer, as do the clothes washed in it. Clothing looks better for much longer when cared for with soft water.

Soft water is naturally occurring in some places, although in reality hard water is much more common. Luckily it is relatively easy to soften hard water, although many of the machines to do so are relatively pricey. The savings you will make through the use of soft water will however, over the life of the unit, compensate for its cost.

When Is It Time To Recycle Your Old T-Shirt? How To Recycle Your Shirt

T-shirts definitely have a life cycle. As they age, they start to look less than spectacular and get worn less and less. Then the time comes to recycle your old T-shirt. Luckily there are countless ways to recycle a tee, but you need to know when is the right time to do so.

Periodically go through your T-shirt wardrobe and evaluate the shirts you own. If you have any that you have not worn in a year or more for whatever reason, they should go into the recycle pile. Weed through the remaining shirts to decide whether or not it is time to recycle them or if you can continue wearing them. Some of the top indicators of when it is time to recycle your old T-shirts include the following.

•    It does not fit you anymore.
•    It has been worn so much you can see through it.
•    It is permanently stained.
•    The tee is stretched so badly that it has no shape anymore.
•    It has become too unevenly faded or discolored to be worn outside.
•    It is full of holes and rips that were not strategically done.

When you are looking for the ideal way to recycle your shirt, you will find that the options are endless. Here are some of the most popular ways to do so.

•    If the T-shirt still has life left in it, you may want to donate it to a charitable organization like a homeless shelter, Goodwill or the Salvation Army.
•    If you can’t bear to part with it yet, you can salvage a favorite T-shirt by using it as an undershirt, dying it, putting patches on it or simply repairing it.
•    If it is a favorite, a nice color or one with sentimental value, you can cut the front and back into large squares to be made into a quilt. The Internet is flooded with how-to information on making a T-shirt quilt. This is great for kids’ tees too.
•    You can cut up or rip up T-shirts into rags to be used for cleaning or in the garage.
•    You can cut the T-shirt into very thin strips diagonally and roll the strips to create a yarn that can be used for knitting or crocheting to truly recycle it into useful new clothing.
•    You can turn old T-shirts into underwear, for those who are good at sewing.
•    For those who have just the basics of sewing, an old T-shirt might be a great pillow or tote bag with a few simple stitches.
•    Old tees can be sewn into various shapes and stuffed for use as pet toys.
•    They can also be cut up and used as cleansing cloths or as liners in cloth diapers.

When you are ready to recycle some of your T-shirts, it also means that you are ready to get some new tees. A great option to ensure you have a winning set of new favorite T-shirts is to order custom-made ones. You get to choose the perfect tee for you. You can even recreate some of your old favorite ones by having them printed just how you would like.

Does Chemicals Or Dye On Cotton Rub Off On Your Skin From Your Clothes?

Cotton is the most popular natural fabric. It is used in a variety of different items because it is so versatile and yet so comfortable. However, people are becoming increasingly concerned with keeping themselves away from things that are not completely all natural. There is even a concern about chemicals or dye on cotton rubbing off onto your skin from your clothes. Yet, does it really occur?

Typically you do not have to worry about dye transferring from your clothes to your skin. The only time is tends to is if the dye process was poorly done, as in the case of a very cheap item. Some very bright or dark colors may transfer a small amount of dye if they are not washed before they are first worn. Therefore it is very important to wash new clothes before wearing them.

Chemicals can and do transfer from cotton to your skin. Skin irritations and allergies are proof that chemicals transfer from cotton to your skin. Those who have sensitivities to certain soaps and fabric softeners suffer from breakouts and irritations when their cotton clothes is washed using these products because the chemicals that bother them rub off on their skin. Some people also find their skin is irritated if they wear a new item of clothing before washing it. This is typically because of some residual chemical used during production and another good reason to wash new clothes before wearing them.

Luckily there are several options that you have, if you are concerned about chemicals or dye rubbing off on your skin from your clothes. First, be sure to wash all new items before wearing them. Second, wash them using a mild and pure soap that is low in chemicals and does not have any additives like dyes, perfumes or fabric softeners. Third, do not use bleach on your clothes, it is a very harsh chemical and can be very irritating. Fourth, stop using fabric softener, because the way it makes clothes soft and static free is by coating the fibers of the material in chemicals.

If you truly want to avoid chemicals and dye in your cotton clothes, you can always opt for organic cotton as an excellent alternative. This type of cotton is grown without pesticides and other chemicals. It even grows in different naturally occurring colors and therefore you can get a variety of colors without the use of dyes at all.

If chemicals and dyes on your cotton clothes concern you, replace your T-shirt wardrobe with a variety of custom-made organic cotton T-shirts. You don’t need to give up cute tees in great designs and styles just because you are choosing organic. You can choose the natural colors you want in the styles you want. Then you can choose to have anything you want printed on the custom tees. You can flaunt the fact that you have chosen an organic tee, support a cause, make a clever remark or a silly one. The choice of how to personalize a T-shirt is endless.

Get your custom-made organic cotton T-shirts today and never again worry about the chemicals and dyes from regular cotton.

Why Do T-Shirts Fade In Color?

We all love new, vibrant colored T-shirts. In fact, when we first buy them, we often choose T-shirts because they are the perfect color we are looking for. However, the rather unfortunate thing about cotton T-shirts, in particular, is that they will inevitably fade. Some fade very quickly while others keep their color longer. Purchasing certain types of T-shirts and specific care techniques will help to ensure your T-shirts stay looking good longer. So, why do T-shirts fade in color at all?

There are multiple factors that play a part in T-shirts fading with time. Below is a list of the most common ones.

•    Certain fabrics tend to hold dye better than others. Cotton, the most common fabric of T-shirts, is not one of these fabrics. In fact cotton is notorious for fading quickly in color.
•    The laundry is a primary culprit in making T-shirts fade in color. Color cotton tees have a tendency to fade with washes and especially when dried in the dryer, because the T-shirt fibers break down over time.
•    Hanging color T-shirts to dry outside is also not a good idea. The sun has a natural bleaching effect on clothing, so it is advised to let colors dry inside, away from the sun’s rays, to preserve the intensity of the color.
•    The dye process used in the fabrication of the T-shirt material will also impact how quickly or slowly a T-shirt fades. Cottons that have been dyed using hot, longer processes will have more resistant color than other processes, as the chemical process needed to bind the dye to the cotton will be better activated.
•    The quality of the T-shirts is important for fading. Often T-shirts that are cheaper and of less quality will fade much faster than others. This is often because the production methods were not good quality and attention was not paid to the colorfastness of the item.

Tips to prevent T-shirt colors from fading:
•    Turn them inside out before washing them.
•    Use a mild detergent and warm or cool water, not hot.
•    Do not put them in the dryer but hang them inside to dry instead.
•    The first time you wash a new vividly colored T-shirt, add a cup of vinegar or some table salt to the water with the detergent. This will help the dye to set in better.
•    Use one of the new detergents that is specially formulated for dark colors.

If you happen to have some faded out T-shirts, the absolute best way to replace them is with custom-made tees. You can have a shirt completely replicated through custom printing so that it perfectly matches the one that no longer looks good enough to wear.  When you are making the choices required when ordering a custom-made T-shirt, be sure to order the highest quality one you can, especially if you are getting one in a dark or vivid color. They will hold the color best and stay looking good much longer.

How To Make White T-Shirts Whiter

It seems that white T-shirts are always the ones that get stained, dirty and discolored the quickest and easiest. Inevitably, our favorite ones are always amongst those that don’t look their best. However, you can relax by knowing that there are multiple things that you can do to make your white T-shirts even whiter.

•    Use bleach in your wash cycle with detergent if the T-shirts washing instructions do not warn against chlorine bleach. You may also soak the T-shirt in a mixture of bleach and water for a short period of time before washing it. Be sure to check instructions and do not leave the T-shirt soaking for too long in bleach or you will have a shirt with holes in it.
•    If your T-shirt’s instructions indicate no chlorine bleach, you can opt for color-safe bleach. Pre-treat stains by applying it undiluted to the spot and then soak the T-shirt overnight in a mixture of water and the same color-safe bleach. Wash as usual.
•    Adding bluing to the rinse cycles of your wash will also help to add some of the whiteness back to your favorite white T-shirt. Be careful to dilute it in water first to avoid blue stains on your tee.
•    Hang your favorite white T-shirt outside to dry it. The sun has a natural bleaching effect. Even in winter, white T-shirts will whiten up outside.
•    Vinegar also works as a bleaching agent for clothes. Add it to your wash cycle or soak your clothes in it. It is also very effective in getting rid of odors in T-shirts. Just be sure to not mix vinegar with bleach.
•    Baking soda added to your laundry will also help to whiten your T-shirts. A half-cup with your regular detergent will boost the detergent’s whitening power.
•    A half-cup of hydrogen peroxide added to your washing machine, along with your laundry detergent will also effectively whiten your tees.

Sometimes no matter what you do, your T-shirts will remain looking less than pristine. If you have neglected them for too long, they are too old or have been stained by certain things, there is no going back. If this is the case, you may want to simply replace the T-shirts in question and start off taking better care of the new ones. If you have a T-shirt that is unique, full of memories or a favorite for some other reason, you can get it recreated perfectly by opting for a custom-made T-shirt.

When investing in new white T-shirts, ordering custom-made ones ensures that they say exactly what you want them to. You get to choose the style, fit and quality of the T-shirts too , which means they will inevitably be amongst the more favored shirts in your wardrobe, earning them more attention and care. Keep your new white T-shirts clean and super white by using the above tips regularly and they will stay looking their best much longer.

What To Do If Your Iron Stains Your Shirt

Stains on a T-shirt can turn a great looking tee into one that is your official house cleaning shirt. Stain removal is one of the biggest concerns for T-shirt owners, as stains happen so easily. Eating, cooking, working, playing and even caring for your shirt can result in stains that are hard to remove.

Leaving water in an iron often leads to rust in its water reservoir. When the same iron is used to press your clothes, whether with the old water still sitting in it or with fresh water, the rust can taint the water, which will then transfer onto clothes that are being ironed with it. Telltale rust spot stains stand out like a sore thumb and look hideous. To make matters worse, the heat of the iron helps to set the stain in quickly, so it is critical to deal with such stains right away. Luckily, there are several ways to get the problem under control.

An all-natural method of treating rust stains from your iron is as follows:
•    Soak the item in a 1 to 5 parts mixture of vinegar and water overnight.
•    Wash the shirt as usual.
•    Inspect the item to be sure the stain is gone before drying it, as drying often sets the stain permanently.

If this method does not work for you or you wish to treat the stain more aggressively, the following steps are recommended.
•    Immediately take the T-shirt and pre-treat it with a product especially made for harsh stains, such as from rust and other mineral deposits. Such treatments may be specifically for laundry or may be for general cleaning purposes, but work well for laundry also.
•    Follow the directions carefully for using commercial rust-removal products, as many such products are very toxic.
•    If no instructions are given, soak the T-shirt in this pre-treatment for about 15 to 30 minutes. Gently rub the product into the spot.
•    Wash as usual and inspect it to make sure the stain is gone. If the stain persists, repeat the process leaving it on the stain longer.
•    Do not dry the shirt until you are sure the iron stain is out.

If all else fails and you are stuck with a permanent stain on your T-shirt from your iron, rest assured that you do have a couple of last ditch solutions. You can camouflage the stain by having something printed over it or dying the whole T-shirt a darker color so the stain blends in.

Another alternative is to get yourself a replacement T-shirt exactly like the one you have ruined. A custom-made T-shirt can be made to exactly replicate your stained one. You can have it printed any way you would like, choose any color you want and even select the style and quality. In fact a new custom-made T-shirt is usually even better than the one you ruined.

How Do I Get the Smell Out of My T-Shirt?

Over time, anyone can end up with a t-shirt that smells bad and resists your attempts to get the smell out of it. The smell can occur because of excessive sweat, the odor of food or the specific smells of the workplace. If the smells don’t come out when the t-shirt is washed with the rest of the laundry, there are several ways to get rid of the offensive smell.

One of the easiest things to do is to hang the t-shirt on a clothesline outdoors to try to rid it of the smell. If you don’t have one, simply hang the shirt over your patio or balcony railing and let the fresh in their blow through your t-shirt. This can go a long way toward giving the t-shirt a fresher smell. Once you have done this, there may be some lingering odors left. If so, you’ll need to soak the t-shirt in something that will lift the odor from the fabric. Using a regular, scented laundry detergent will not necessarily remove the odor. Often, detergents just work to mask the odor with a new fragrance rather than ridding the t-shirt of it. So, when the detergent fragrance wears off, the bad odor is left behind. There are several substances that will rid the t-shirt of its odor without simply masking it.

Vinegar is a good rinse for a t-shirt that smells. You can use vinegar to soak the t-shirt for a few minutes before washing it in the laundry, or you can add a little bit of vinegar to the laundry detergent in the washer. Vinegar is extremely efficient at stripping odors from fabric. It may end up with a vinegar smell afterward, and the t-shirt may need to be washed again after the vinegar has done its work.

Baking soda is another great substance that can be used to pull the smell from a t-shirt. When mixed with water, it can be used as a presoak for your t-shirt. The shirt should be soaked in a solution for about half an hour and then put into the laundry as usual. Another way to use baking soda is to add a cup of it into the laundry along with the detergent. This can be extremely effective at removing foul odors from laundry.

Another method is to use a fabric softener to absorb the odor. To do this, take the t-shirt and one or two fabric softener sheets, depending on how bad the odor of the t-shirt is, and seal them together in a plastic bag. Keep the t-shirt in the bag with the softeners for two weeks. Once you remove the t-shirt, the fabrics softener sheets will have absorbed most, if not all, of the odor from the t-shirt. If there is any odor left in the shirt, try this method again with brand-new fabric softener sheets. After two weeks, you’ll be left with a sweet smelling t-shirt that has not simply been masked with a fragrance. The offensive odor will actually have been absorbed by the sheets.

How to Remove Condiments From Your T-Shirt

Condiments are items that can mean a lot of trouble for clothing because of their very nature. They are generally both drippy and thick, and because of this they often end up on t-shirts as well as other articles of clothing. One of the main problems with condiments, however, is that they are brightly colored and therefore can be difficult to get out of fabric.

Mustard and ketchup are generally the most commonly used condiments, and because they are fairly thin, it’s easy to stain t-shirts with drops of mustard and ketchup. Other condiments such as hot sauce and pickle relish can also create very difficult stains and t-shirts. When you first get a stain from one of these condiments, start blotting them away from the t-shirt as quickly as you can. Use whatever you have on hand such as a napkin or paper towel. If there is a lot of the condiment on your shirt, start with a butter knife to scrape it away from the t-shirt. Get as much of it away from the t-shirt you can before you attempt to treat the fabric.

Take off the t-shirt and put it under cold running water. Make sure the water is running directly through the stain. Don’t use a trickle of water – make sure the water is running swiftly ordered to power of the stain out of the fabric. If the condiment stain is fairly fresh, the cold water should take much of it out of the t-shirt. Rub the fabric together under the cold running water in order to force more of the condiment out of the fabric. If it is a fresh stain and this method gets most of the condiment out of the T-shirt, you can then soak it in cold water for a while. Simply fill up the sink with cold water, put the t-shirt in there and push it down to the bottom to make sure that air bubbles don’t force the t-shirt to the surface. The entire t-shirt needs to stay under the water for best results.

Soaking a new condiment stain in cold water should remove the stain completely and the t-shirt can then be washed in the laundry with other clothing. Use cold water and a strong detergent to make sure all of the stain is out of your t-shirt. For white t-shirts, put a little bit of bleach into the wash with the t-shirt. For colored t-shirts, use color-safe bleach only. Don’t use a detergent that contains ammonia or you may cause the stain to set into the fabric permanently.

If you’re condiment stain is very old, it may take a professional to get it out completely. You can try a pre-treating stick or spray and letting it soak into the condiment stain before washing the shirt. If it still doesn’t come out, there are home dry-cleaning kits that may work better. If these also fail, take the t-shirt to a reliable dry cleaner can ask whether they can remove condiment stains.

How to Brighten Your White T-Shirt?

Over time, any white t-shirt can start looking dingy and dull. Some may even turn a shade of yellow or gray. Some end up having a brown tinge because of age. Though it is normal for this to happen over time, there is no reason to live with a dingy t-shirt. There are several ways to brighten a white t-shirt and to make it look more like it did when it was brand new, clean and white.

Bleach is the most obvious answer for brightening a white t-shirt. However, bleach is a very strong substance and can be extremely harsh on fabrics. If you want to use bleach, use it sparingly and not very often. Perhaps use a small amount of bleach in the wash every other time you wash your white t-shirt. This will brighten it up without making the fabric brittle. One way to keep the amount of bleach that you use low is to add both baking soda and bleach to the laundry. The baking soda will give the bleach a boost and allow you to use less of the bleach.

Hydrogen peroxide is another chemical that is very effective at brightening white t-shirts. You can use bottled hydrogen peroxide on your t-shirt as a presoak and then wash the t-shirt in the laundry. Hydrogen peroxide can also be mixed with a little bit of baking soda and used in a pre-treating paste for the t-shirt. This paste is spread over the t-shirt to whiten and brighten it.

Lemon juice is another inexpensive and time tested method for brightening white clothing. Lemon juice can be used as a presoak or a pre-treating liquid for the t-shirt. If you are using it is a presoak, mix lemon juice and water and let the t-shirt soak before you launder it. If you want to use it is a pre-treating solution, put lemon juice diluted with a small amount of water directly on a dull area of the t-shirt before washing just as you would with a commercial pre-treating product.

With lemon juice, you can also add it directly to your washing machine. To do this, take 1 cup of lemon juice and add it to your washing machine during the rinse cycle. This is a way to bleach your t-shirt lightly with out damaging it.

Washing soda is a substance that is known to make whites a lot whiter than most commercial laundry detergents. Washing soda is used in a washing machine just like detergent. It doesn’t need any extra detergent and it is considered safer for the environment than many laundry detergents.

Perhaps the easiest method of whitening a white t-shirt is simply to bleach it out with solar power. Sound complicated? It couldn’t be easier. It’s done by simply laying the T-shirt out in the sunlight and allowing the sun to bleach it clean. It may take a few days to get the desired effect on your t-shirt, but it’s free and it’s easy to do. Be sure to flip the t-shirt periodically so that both sides get bleached by the sun.

How Do I Remove Red Kool-Aid From My T-Shirt?

Anyone with children has had Kool-Aid spilled on them at one time or another. The key to keeping your clothing intact is to learn how to get the Kool-Aid stains out of your clothing effectively. Because Kool-Aid is so heavily pigmented, Kool-Aid stains are legendarily difficult to remove. Red stains in particular are one of the hardest colors to get out of fabric. Red Kool-Aid binds to the fibers of the fabric and makes it difficult to get the stain completely out of the t-shirt.

If the shirt is white, the easiest thing to do is to apply a small amount of bleach to the affected area. You can do this by pouring bleach into the cap and then pouring it over the stain. The bleach will have to sit for 15 minutes or more before you will see very much improvement in the stain. After that time, if the bleach has not taken the stain out of the t-shirt, try rinsing the bleach out and beginning again.

If the t-shirt is a different color, it will be much more complicated to get the red stain out of the fabric. How well the stain comes out generally depends on how quickly you start treating the fabric. To begin with, try to rinse out as much of the stain as you can. Put the stained area of the fabric under the faucet and run cold water straight through the t-shirt. This will loosen up the Kool-Aid that has not bonded with the fabric.

Once you have rinsed the area, you can start pre-treating it. This is an important step before you wash the t-shirt. You have a much greater chance of getting the stain out if it is treated before putting it through the laundry. There are many pre-treatment sprays, sticks and liquids that you can use to try to get the rest of the Kool-Aid out of the fabric. Apply one of these treatments and let the t- shirt sit flat for at least as long as recommended on the pre-treatment package.

If this doesn’t completely remove the stain, it will at least lighten it quite a bit if the stain is new. Once you have done this, you may need to rinse the pre-treatment substance away from the t-shirt. Read the directions to find out whether you must rinse it before laundering the shirt. If not, you can put directly into the laundry.

When you do wash the t-shirt in the laundry, be sure to use only cold water. If there is any part of the stain still lingering, using hot water will bind it completely to the fabric and make it extremely difficult to ever lighten it again. If you use cold water and the t-shirt comes out of laundry with some of the stain still left on it, you can try pre-treating it and laundering it again for better results. You may find that after two or even three times of pre-treating and washing, the stain is removed completely from the t-shirt.

How to Remove Candle Wax From a T-Shirt or Clothing

Candle wax spilled on t-shirt may seem like it would be impossible to remove. It ruins the look of the t-shirt, and it even changes its texture of the shirt in the area were it was spilled. You may think that your t-shirt is now beyond repair, but there are several methods of getting the wax off a t-shirt. If you can get any of the wax off while it is still pliant and warm, take off as much as you can. This can be difficult however, because as soon as the wax is cool enough to handle it will get stiff very quickly. Once the wax is hardened there are two main methods of getting the wax out. One way to do it is to use heat and the other is to use cold.

If you take the t-shirt and put it in the freezer for an hour or two, the cold will freeze the wax. Once the wax is frozen, you can break it much the way you would break glass. If the wax is very thick, use a hammer to break it up into pieces and then discard the pieces. If it is thinner, rolling the frozen portion of the shirt should break the wax up and make it easier to get rid of the frozen pieces.

The other primary way of getting rid of wax on a t-shirt is to use heat. You can use heat by placing the t-shirt into boiling water to loosen the wax. This will heat the wax enough to make it make it liquid again and it should float to the top of the pot of water. When this happens, skim the liquid wax from the top of the water to keep it from settling back on the shirt once you take the shirt from the water. Once the water has cooled, pour out the water and check t-shirt for any remaining wax once it is cool enough to touch. It may need to be boiled again or at a higher temperature if there is still wax left on the shirt.

Another way to use heat is to turn the t-shirt inside out, put sheets of newspaper inside the shirt and lay the shirt and newspapers flat. Then, take a hot iron and iron the t-shirt. Don’t use the steam setting for this method- only heat. The iron will melt the wax which will then be soaked up by the newspaper. Using an old towel instead of a newspaper will also work for this method.

If you try any of these methods and still can’t get the very smallest pieces of wax out of the fibers, you can use a needle to dislodge those pieces. This is often easier if the wax has been frozen first. Then, simply sit and push the tiny parts of wax out of the fabric with the needle. This is painstaking work, however, and it’s easier to try to get the wax out with the other methods.

How to Remove Lipstick From Your T-Shirt

Lipstick can be a frustrating staying to get a t-shirt. One reason that can be so frustrating is that it’s an embarrassing stain to have on a shirt. Once you have lipstick on a t-shirt, your first instinct is probably to get rid of it as soon as possible, and your instincts are correct. The quicker you can get it out, the more complete a removal job will be able to do.

Rubbing alcohol is extremely useful for getting rid of lipstick stains. The key to using rubbing alcohol properly is to use just enough to get the job done without causing an additional stain in the fabric. Put a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth and use it to dab gently at the lipstick stain. Never rub harshly at the fabric or you risk damaging the fibers. Keep dabbing lightly until you see some of the lipstick begin to come away from the t-shirt. Repeat this process with a different part of the cloth in order to keep lipstick from getting back onto the t-shirt.

If the rubbing alcohol doesn’t get all the lipstick out of the t-shirt, there are a few other ways to get the job done. Dishwashing detergent is a good, inexpensive way to get the stain out. Put a little bit of liquid dishwashing soap onto your finger and rub it gently across the lipstick stain. You may want to try rubbing the fabric against itself several times in order to get the dishwashing detergent deep into the fibers. Let the dishwashing detergent soak into the t-shirt for little while before rinsing it out with cold water. Rub the fabric against itself under the cold running water for the best results.

Another quick method is to use a pre-treating stain stick. These are specifically made for treating stubborn stains that may not come out in the wash without special treatment. To use these, choose either a stick or a spray pre-treating detergent. When using a spray, lay the fabric on top of a towel and spray the pre-treating soap directly onto the stain. Let the spray sit in the fabric until you see results. If you choose a stain stick, rub it gently into the stain until you see that it is coating all of the lipstick that is still on the t-shirt. Allow it to sit on the shirt until you can see that some of the lipstick is gone.

No matter which type of pre-treatment detergent you use, the t-shirt must be washed after the treatment. The pre-treating stain may not get rid of all of the lipstick, but there is still hope. If any is left behind, washing it in the washing machine may take the rest of it out. Just be sure to use cold water in the wash or you may set the stain into the fabric. If you remove your t-shirt from the wash and there is still some lipstick left, repeat these procedures again and you may find that your t-shirt looks as good as it did before your lipstick troubles.

How to Clean a Chocolate Stain From a T-Shirt

Chocolate can be a very difficult thing to get out of t-shirt. It is sticky and thick, making it easy for chocolate to attach itself to fabric. Unless it is removed properly, chocolate can ruin a t-shirt. But with a little effort, it is possible to get all of the chocolate out of your t-shirt.

Once chocolate is spilled on a y-shirt, it’s important to quickly remove as much as possible. You may need to scrape away some the chocolate to remove it from the fabric. To do this, use a brush to scrub away as much chocolate as possible. Use a scrub brush or tooth brush to scrub the fabric in just one direction rather than back and forth. This will minimize the amount of damage that can occur to the fabric. This will lift away some of the chocolate. To keep it away from your t-shirt, press a cotton cloth into the stain to take away the chocolate you have lifted out.

Once you get the excess chocolate out of the fabric, you’ll need to get the rest of it out. To do this, you will need a strong cleaner that can lift the stain away from the fibers. Washing powder is a good, neutralizing substance that can be extremely good for moving this type of stain. You can make a paste out of equal parts of water and washing powder. Press this mixture into the fabric and brush it into the fibers. Then, let the mixture sit and soak into the fabric. This will allow the washing powder to separate the chocolate from the fibers.

When this is completed, wash away the mixture with very cold water. Using hot water can set the stain if any chocolate is left behind. Once you have washed in cold water, try a pre-treating stain solution if any chocolate has remained behind. Let that solution sits on the t-shirt for as long as the directions indicate. Then, wash it in the laundry as usual.

If the chocolate spills on a white t-shirt, it is much easier to remove the chocolate stain. Simply use a small amount of bleach directly on the t-shirt to remove the stain. Using a small amount that is applied with a cotton swab will keep you from applying too much bleach. Bleach can weaken fabrics, so it’s best to use as little as possible. Use the cotton swab to paint the bleach all over the stain. Allow the T-shirt to sit for at least 15 minutes in order to let the bleach do its work.

Check on the t-shirt periodically to make sure it that the stain is fading. You may need to add slightly more bleach if any chocolate remains on the shirt. Once the chocolate stain has faded, rinse the bleached area in cold water and wash the t-shirt in the laundry on cold. If you have used bleach, be sure to wash your t-shirt only with other whites to avoid bleaching the other clothing.

How Do You Get Vaseline (petroleum jelly) Out of a T-Shirt?

Vaseline is a thick, oily substance that can leave any t-shirt with an oil stain even after it’s been washed several times. This may make you want to throw out your t-shirt in frustration, but there are ways to get rid of the Vaseline stain and to make a t-shirt look as good as it did before.

The first step in removing the Vaseline is to remove the part of it that is not entwined with the fabric. Use a butter knife, spoon or other stiff, dull surface to scrape the Vaseline off the t-shirt. After this is done, much of the Vaseline will be removed. The oil that is left behind must be washed out of the fabric.

One reason that washing a t-shirt does not get Vaseline out is that normal dishwashing detergent is simply not effective against something that oily. To get the grease out of the fabric, you need something specially formulated to remove grease. One of the least expensive ways to do this is to buy a dishwashing detergent like Dawn. By using liquid Dawn, you can lift the grease out of the fabric before washing it in regular detergent.

To do this, rub a little bit of Dawn into the grease spot. The amount of liquid that you use will depend on the size of the stain. Rub the fabric back and forth, getting the detergent deep into the fabric. Once you’ve done this, let the t-shirt sit for a few minutes to allow the detergent to soak through. Rinse the Dawn out of the fabric with hot water. Then, run the t-shirt through the laundry in hot water. If this does not remove all of the Vaseline, repeat the process to remove the rest of it.

In addition to Dawn, there are a few other products that are made to remove oil and grease. Shout makes a pre-treating product that is used in much the same way as Dawn. Simply apply it to the stain, rub it into the fabric and let it sit for a while before washing.

WD-40 is another product that some people have used with success remove Vaseline. It can be used as a pre-treatment just before you use Dawn detergent on the t-shirt. Some people find that this allows the Dawn to remove more of the Vaseline from the t-shirt. After using the WD-40 followed by the Dawn, wash the t-shirt in hot water.

Another method is to use isopropyl alcohol to dry out the oil and to allow it to be washed away from the fabric. Also known as rubbing alcohol, this substance will immediately start to break the oil down, allowing you to rinse it away. To use isopropyl alcohol, pour a little bit of alcohol over the stain and rub the fabric together. Once you have done this, run water through the fabric to lift out the oil. If there is some oil left still left on the t-shirt, repeat the process. The t-shirt can then be washed in the laundry.

How to Get Clothes Soft Without Using Fabric Softener

Getting clothing soft is one of the most sought-after effects of washing and drying clothes. However, fabric softener is avoided by many people who have sensitive skin or who don’t like the smell of most fabric softeners. Some people also have concerns about the chemicals used in fabric softeners and what their possible effects on health and the environment may be. To solve this problem, there are ways to get soft clothing without using harsh chemicals as fabric softeners.

Vinegar is a substance long known to soften clothing. It is inexpensive and it is a completely natural substance. To use vinegar as a natural fabric softener, use plain white vinegar. Wash the clothing as usual and wait for the first rinse cycle. Then, during the beginning of this cycle, add about a cup of the vinegar to the clothing. This will soften the clothing without leaving any harsh residue, and it will be rinsed out during the final rinse at the end of the washing cycle.

Another method is to use less detergent on the clothing. Stiff clothing is sometimes caused by simply using too much detergent. This can leave residue in the clothing that makes them feel stiff or heavier than they should be. If your clothing often feels like this, experiment with how much detergent you really need. Cut the detergent in half and see if the clothing still comes out clean. If so, it will likely feel far softer than it did when you were using double that amount.

To get a fast softening effect, try ironing the clothes with steam and then rolling up the clothing. This keeps the humidity in the clothing and keeps it softer. After about 10-15 minutes, the clothing will have cooled and will be soft and ready to wear.

Another easy method to add a little softness is to always use the second rinse on your machine. Many people overlook the second rinse or don’t think it’s necessary to use it. However, a second rinse will get more detergent residue out of the clothing and will take out any small particles of dirt that have been left behind. This will leave the clothing in the load feeling far softer than if they had been denied that final rinse.

Baking soda is used by some people to soften their clothing. This can be used in several ways. It can be used as a substitute for the detergent, though this might not get rid of all the dirt and grime that detergent would. It can also be added along with the regular detergent. This allows the detergent to do its job, but it will keep clothing softer at the same time.

If you dry your clothing on a clothes line, this will contribute to stiffer clothing. To make the clothing softer, use a dryer. It may be more expensive to use than using a clothes line, but using a drier will make a big difference in the way the clothing will feel against your skin.