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Wool sweater

How to Wash a Wool Sweater

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Wool sweater

When washing your delicate wool sweater you have to use the utmost of care to avoid the dreaded ‘fulling’ effect. Fulling is when there are patches of your nicely woven wool sweater that have been allowed to fluff up and look horrendous. This is easily avoided and contrary to popular belief, this is really caused by abrasion and not water temperature.

Follow this process to ensure your wool sweater comes out as good as new:

•    Preparation for wash: Fill your bath tub with hot water…yes hot. Again, this is not the cause of fulling, it is abrasion that causes this. Hot water has the power to dissolve grease and other grime so don’t be afraid of it, use it.
•    Soap: Soap will hurt the sweater, even the most supposed ‘gentle’ soaps available. Woolite is not as gentle as they say but is definitely better than regular washing machine soap. Even better though is good old detergent. The best brand to use is Dawn. Stay away from the colored and fruity fragrances and stick with original blue or yellow if blue is not available. Use one squirt in the tub of hot water and only give a quick swish to dispense the soap, but avoid sudding up the water.
•    Washing: Here is where you have to have discipline. Gently place your wool sweater in the hot water with Dawn and let it be. Don’t swirl it, mash it, or ring it as that is abrasion and a sure path to fulling. Let the Dawn do its job by letting the wool sweater just soak. Soak it for several hours and overnight if it has been a while since the garment has been cleaned.
•    Rinsing: Once the sweater has soaked for a while, gently transfer it onto some clean towels and be sure it doesn’t bunch up. Now empty the tub and re-fill it with fresh hot water. Then gently take the sweater and place it in the clean water and let it sit for about 20 minutes. You may have to repeat this step two or three times; basically until the water looks clear.
•    Drying: Get some towels! Gently lay the sweater down on a big towel and then carefully roll the towel and press the towel to assist in the drying. Make sure to use pressure only and do not rub or shift your motion as this will cause fulling. Once the sweater is only damp, place it on dry towels and let it sit being sure to flip it every 12 hours or so. The air will do the rest and in about 24 to 48 hours your wool sweater should be dry.

If this all sounds like it is too much or your wool sweater has a significant stain on it, consult a dry cleaner that is better able to handle you sweater and will have access to chemicals that you can’t get. Just remember that when it comes to your wool sweater, patience is your friend and abrasion is your mortal enemy.

Strawberry stains

How to Remove Strawberry Stains from Clothes

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Strawberry stains

One of the tastiest fruits known to man is the timeless classic known as the strawberry. The strawberry is used in many different desserts but can be enjoyed equally as well on their own. The best is getting a really ripe strawberry that latterly burst with flavor as soon as it hits your mouth. Unfortunately these strawberries also usually burst all over your clothes as well leaving a very nasty stain. These stains are some of the hardest stains you will ever have to deal with.

You can try to use the stain removers you buy at the store but they will have little to no effect on these tough stains. But don’t throw your garments away until you try the following steps to remove the strawberry stain:

•    Rinse and blot: As soon as you realize your clothing has been stained you need to run those stains under cold water for about five minutes. Then get a paper towel and blot at the stain. This will help to remove some of the stain right away and makes the removal of the rest of the stain easier on you. Be sure you are blotting and not rubbing as rubbing will simply make the stain worse.
•    Soak the stain: In a bucket of cold water and regular laundry detergent soak your garment for a while. You don’t need to soak the garment for very long, but a couple of hours certainly won’t hurt. Once the time is up take it out of the solution and wring it out.
•    Make a magic mix: Take this time to make a wonderful and easy mixture that will almost always remove the strawberry stain. To create this concoction you mix baking powder with white vinegar and mix it into a loose paste, it’s that simple.
•    Treat the stain: Next take the stained garment and spread some of the magic paste over the stain. Let this sit on the stain for twenty minutes or more and remember, no rubbing.
•    Rinse the stain again: After the twenty minutes has elapsed rinse once again with cold water.
•    Wash the stain: Now wash the garment in your washing machine using the cold water cycle. Do not throw it in the clothes dryer when the washer is finished.
•    Dry the garment: Let the garment air dry to be sure that the strawberry stain is completely gone. If you dry the garment in the clothes dryer and the stain is still there, you will set the stain in and then you may as well just toss it in the trash.
•    Repeat if needed: If the stain remains you may have to repeat the process. Strawberry stains are among the more stubborn stains in the stain family so expect to give it an application or two for best results.

Now just enjoy your strawberry eating and don’t worry about the stains that will come. After all, it is probably easier to deal with these occasional stains than it is to give up strawberries as part of your diet.

Nicotine stains

How to Remove Nicotine Stains from Clothes

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Nicotine stains

If you are a smoker than you have no doubt seen some of your favorite garment exposed to nicotine stains. The tar that is left behind is the actual culprit of the stain and this can be a hassle to get out when you are relying on regular clothes detergent alone. But you do not have to get rid of your favorite clothes as there is a way to effectively remove those nicotine stains that isn’t all that hard.

There are many nicotine stain removers that are sold in the stores but these can be very expensive and are sketchy at best when it comes to their effectiveness. There is no need to spend the money because there is a solution you can make right at home for a fraction of the cost.

Face it, if you’re going to be smoker you will have to deal with nicotine stains. Here is how you effectively remove nicotine stains from your clothes:

•    Make a cleaning solution: You can make an effective wet cleaning solution by mixing one part glycerin, one pert dishwashing detergent that is white in color, and also eight part of water. Once combined, seal the bottle and shake it really well to ensure all the ingredients get a good mixing.
•    Prepare the garment: Grab the nicotine stained garment and before you attempt to treat it you will want to wet the affected area with cold water and let the garment sit for about twenty minutes. After the elapsed time rinse the garment on more time with cold water and this time do not allow it to sit.
•    Treat the garment: Now grab your home made spot remover and spray it liberally on the stain. Here is where you will also use the ‘secret ingredient’ which is nothing more than vinegar. Once the two cleaning agents are on the stain cover the stain with an all cotton pad or folded cloth and put that on top of the stain. Allow the cotton to set and then ‘lift’ away the stain.
•    Repeat: You may have to repeat this process several times until it looks like the stain is all but gone. When you are happy with the result you can move on to the next step.
•    Wash the garment: Now you need only wash the garment as you normally would in a regular load of laundry. However, when the load is done, do not dry the garment in your clothes dryer.
•    Dry the garment: Allow the garment to air dry to be sure that you have totally removed the nicotine stain. If you have not then you need to go back to square one and start over again.

There is no set amount of treatments that will determine when the stain will come out and there are several factors that will determine how bad the stain is including how long the garment has been exposed to smoke and how long the nicotine has been allowed to set in.

Once you have removed all the nicotine stains from your clothes you can keep them away by adding vinegar to your loads of laundry on occasion. You don’t have to do it every load, but once a month or so is not a bad idea and will help keep the nicotine stains at bay.

Hand wash

How To Hand Wash Clothes

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Hand wash

Hand washing clothes is quickly becoming a lost art in today’s world. As wash and wear garments and more casual looks and fabrics have become more popular, more people than ever have wardrobes that are made up entirely of items that can be thrown in the washer and dryer. The big drawback with these types of clothing is that it limits you in the styles you wear and especially when it comes to delicate garments, fine fabrics and adorned outfits. Many such items need dry cleaning or hand washing in order to preserve their quality. With the high cost and inconvenience of dry cleaning proving to be stumbling blocks for many people, hand washing is the only remaining option. Knowing how to properly hand wash clothes will save you money and open up a whole new world of rich fabrics and clothing options that you’ve only dreamed of.

The true way to hand wash clothes is to start by spot treating any stains on the clothes, like you would if you were washing by machine. Fill up the sink, or a container big enough to hold your item and allow for agitation, with cold water. The cold water will prevent shrinking and color fading. Add laundry soap that is specifically formulated for hand washing in cold water. Be precise with the measurement as it will take a long time to rinse out excess suds if you add too much. When the soap is completely dissolved, add the item of clothing you wish to wash. If you have more than one item that needs hand washing, do only one at a time.

Move the clothing around in your soapy water gently in order to create mild agitation. This will allow the water to work through the garment loosening dirt. Pay particular attention to the underarm area, the neckline and any spots on it. Gently rub such areas with your fingers to remove stubborn stains and odors. When you are content that your clothing item is as clean as possible, you will need to rinse it. Using cold water only, rinse the item multiple times until no bubbles are produced when you add water.

With all the suds out of your hand washed item, it is time to dry it. Gently squeeze as much water out of the item as possible. Compress the fabric gently and do not twist it. Then using a heavy absorbent dry towel, lay the clothing flat and roll it up in the towel. Repeat gently compressing the rolled towel to get out excess moisture. Check the item’s label for further drying instructions. You may be able to put it in a cool dryer, hang it to dry or lay it flat to dry. Whatever the drying technique used, you will have sped it up considerably by getting the item as dry as possible before hand.

The alternative to true hand washing is to use your washer’s extra gentle cycle. It may even have a setting on it called hand wash. Be sure to use cold water and special detergent. This is a much more time efficient way to “hand wash” your items that need such treatment. However, one thing to keep in mind is that while the setting is very slow and gentle it is still a machine and the possibility for damage to your clothes still exists.

Learn to properly hand wash clothes now and enjoy the world of delicate clothes while saving money too.

Tomato stains

How to Remove Tomato Stains

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Tomato stains

Tomato stains can come from so many different variables. Perhaps you had a nice hardy bowl of pasta with red sauce or perhaps you were drinking some tomato juice for your health. Whatever the case may be, these nasty red stains can ruin anything they get on. But they don’t have too. There are many stain lifters and stain fighting products sold today that may or may not work on the stains, but a home remedy exists that can have your clothes tomato free in no time.

Here is how you can rid yourself of these nasty red stains in the comfort of your own home once and for all:

•    Scrape the excess: Use the dull side of a butter knife to scrape away the excess sauce or any tomato that has crusted up due to drying. This will allow you to focus on the main part of the stain that will be in the fabric of your clothes.
•    Rinse backwards: Turn the garment inside out and rinse for five to ten minutes with cold water on the backside of the stain. This will help push the tomato stain out and again lightens the effect of the stain.
•    Soak garment: Fill up a bucket with warm water and a small amount of liquid detergent. Swirl the detergent around with your hand and then add the garment. Swish the garment gently around and then let it sit for a couple of hours. When the time is up remove the garment and wring it out the best you can.
•    Treat the garment: You can now treat the stain on the garment with any type of stain remover you like, but a very powerful one may be right under your nose without you ever knowing. This powerful agent is nothing more than regular baby shampoo. Use the baby shampoo and gently work it into the stain. Making sure that the entire stain is being treated you then let the garment sit for about fifteen minutes.
•    Soak garment again: Again mix warm water and liquid detergent in your bucket and let the garment soak for another hour or so.
•    Wash time: Once you again remove the garment and wring it out you need only wash it in your washing machine like you normally would. Once the garment is finished being washed is sure that you do not place it in your clothes dryer.
•    Dry the garment: Allow the garment to air dry and when it is completely dry you can check to be sure that the stain is totally gone. Drying the garment in the dryer before the stain is gone will result in the tomato stain getting set into the garment and will make removal all but impossible.
•    Repeat if you need to: Depending on how long the stain was allowed to sit before you had an opportunity to get to it will determine on the number of times you will have to go through this process. You may have to give two or three applications, but if you keep at it, the stain will go away.

One final word of advice; maybe leave the white clothes in your dresser the next time you are enjoying something tomato based.

Crayon stains

How To Remove Crayon Stains From Clothes

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Crayon stains

Crayon stains are the inevitable hallmark of having little kids in your home. Sooner or later a crayon makes its way into the washer and dryer or melts onto clothes in the hot sun. Nothing is more disheartening than to discover clothes that have been stained with crayons. No matter how your crayon stains happen, it is important to know how to deal with them so that they do not turn into permanent stains.

One of the trickiest parts of crayon stains is that it is a combination stain. You will have to deal with removing color and grease. Therefore multiple stain treatments may be necessary, however typically grease removal products should take care of both aspects. The main thing to remember when dealing with a crayon stain is to get started removing it as soon as you notice it. As with any clothing stain, the longer the crayon stain sits before you attempt removal the harder it will be.

The first thing you must do is to use a blunt knife or other fine-edged object to remove the excess crayon residue. Since the crayon is made of wax, you need to treat it as you would a candle stain. Place an ice cube on it to make sure it is as solid as possible and scrape off as much of it as possible.

In order to treat the grease portion of the stain, you will need to treat it as you would any grease stain. One of the best pre-treatments for grease stains is Dawn dishwashing liquid. Designed to cut grease, it can be applied directly to the stain and rubbed in. The item should then be laundered with the hottest water that is considered safe for the fabric. Another great grease-fighting pre-treatment is hand cleaner that is formulated for mechanics. The same technique is used when pre-treating using this type of product. For particularly tough crayon stains, pre-treat the stain with WD-40 before laundering the item in hot water, color-safe bleach and regular detergent. You should test check a hidden part of the garment first before using WD-40 on it.

After the item has been washed, check to make sure the stain is out. If it is not, do not dry it. Repeat the stain treatment or opt for a different stain treatment method and wash the item again. Be sure the stain is completely gone before drying the clothes. If your clothes have been stained by a crayon that made its way through the washer and dryer, make sure you clean out the dryer before you put the newly cleaned clothes back in there. The best way to remove crayon from the drum of a dryer is with WD-40.

Now that you know the secrets of removing crayon stains from clothes, you can rest easy when it happens. You surely won’t wish for crayon stains to appear because dealing with them is time consuming, but at least you know the tried and true methods to ensure your clothes are not ruined forever.

Curry stains

How To Remove Curry Stains

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Curry stains

Curry is a wonderful unique spice that is typically found in Indian dishes. More and more it is becoming a widely used spice throughout the Western World also. An enticing combination of sweet and spicy, curry has an unmistakable taste that people either love or hate. The more curry you use in your cooking the spicier the taste becomes. It also turns dishes an unmistakable shade of yellow. In addition, if you happen to drop some curry spiced food onto clothing, it leaves a distinct yellow stain. Make sure you act quickly if you want to prevent that curry stain from becoming a permanent one.

Immediately rinse the stain in lukewarm running water to minimize the damage. You will see the stain rinsing through. Keep the stained fabric in the running water until no more stain reduction can be observed. The next step is the pre-treatment of the stain itself. If you have an item which can be washed in chlorine bleach, apply some of the bleach directly to the stain and wash the item in a protein-based detergent as usual and the stain should be gone.

For clothing that cannot be treated with chlorine bleach, alternate methods must be used. Delicate fabrics and colored clothing that have curry stains should be treated with a half and half mixture of glycerin and warm water. Put the mixture on the stain and work it in. Let it sit for 10 to 30 minutes before you wash it in an enzyme-based laundry detergent.

For stubborn stains, big stains, set in ones or stains on rugged fabrics, a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water is just what is needed. You can dilute the peroxide in water in a 1 to 6 proportion to a 1 to 9 proportion. Try the solution on a hidden part of the garment before using it on the stain to check for color fastness. Once you are satisfied that this bleaching solution will not harm your article of clothing, soak the article in the solution for several hours. Check on the progress of the stain regularly and when you see that it is dissolved, remove the item from the solution and rinse it before washing it in an enzyme based detergent.

As you are working at removing a curry stain one thing to keep in mind is to never dry the item before the stain is completely gone. If you pre-treat the stain and wash it in the washer, be sure to check that the stain is actually out before you proceed with drying it. If not, you will have set the stain into the fabric. However if you catch it while the item is still wet you can do a second treatment and wash using the same method or a different one.

If worse comes to worse and you find that you cannot remove a curry stain from an item of clothing, don’t be too disheartened. Just designate that item as your official curry making and eating clothes and be sure to wear it whenever you are at risk for further curry stains.

Gas stains

How to Clean Gas Out of Cloths

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Gas stains

You are in a rush and late for an appointment. You swing into the gas station and begin to fuel your vehicle up. When you are done you whip out the nozzle only to find that the gasoline was not finished going into the tank. The result is you and your clothing being soaked in gasoline. While all you have to do is take a shower to get rid of the gasoline smell, how do you get it out of your clothing?

There is perhaps no harder smell to get out of cloths and for this reason many individuals simply throw out their gas soaked garments. Before you give up though, here are some steps to take to help you rid your cloths of gasoline:

•    Pre-soak: First take the cloths off and completely soak them in warm water and then ring them dry as best you can.

•    Sunshine: Lay the cloths that are soaked with gasoline out to dry in the sun. This will completely dry the cloths and the sun and fresh air will help to start the smell of the gasoline to dissipate.

•    Soak clothing: Next mix warm water with some vinegar and swash the clothing around in it. Make sure you agitate the material of the clothing well so that the vinegar can penetrate the gasoline and do its job. Let the cloths sit in the solution for about 20 minutes. Take them out of the solution and put them back in the sun to dry.

•    Soak again: Mix another solution of warm water and this time use Dawn liquid detergent. In addition to putting the Dawn in the water, put it directly on the spots where the gasoline soaked the garment and rub it in. Then swash the cloths in the solution and let it sit for an additional 20 minutes. Take the clothing out of the solution and once again put them in the sun to dry.

•    Use baby oil: Since gasoline is an oil based product, it will need the help of an oil based product to get it out of your cloths. Put your gasoline stained cloths in the washer and use regular detergent and top it off with a small amount of baby oil. Be sure you are only washing the gas laden cloths and nothing else.

•    Sunshine again: You guessed it, more sunshine. Because the baby oil will be in the clothing now, you will want to set the cloths back out into the sun and let them dry. If you put an oil based product in the dryer you could be risking a fire. You will have to wash the cloths several more times before the baby oil is completely gone.

•    Repeat: For tougher gasoline stains, you may have to repeat this process a couple of times.

While it is a lengthy process it does in fact work. At the very least it is worth a shot before you just throw away cloths that are perfectly fine and can be saved.

Cigarette odor

How To Remove Cigarette Odor From T-Shirts And Clothing

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Cigarette odor

Taking care of the T-shirts and clothing we wear is something we all have to do. For many people clothing care is simply nothing more than tossing clothes in the washer and dryer with some laundry detergent and fabric softener and hanging them up or folding them when they are dry. Occasionally there will be the need to do a little stain pretreatment, if an item of clothing gets something on it that is hard to get off. So all in all, it seems a pretty easy process. However, some things that get on clothes can not be seen but they can easily ruin the impression of a clean T-shirt. Such offenders are odors, like hard to remove cigarette odors. If smoke has permeated your clothing you may even be able to smell it after you’ve laundered it.

If you are not about to wash the clothes in question you can remove the odor by hanging your odorous item of clothing in the bathroom. Put about an inch of very hot water in the bathtub with 4 cups of vinegar added to the water. Leave the T-shirt or other smoky item hanging there with the door closed until the item smells fresh again. This is the best way to get rid of smoke odors without actually washing.

If you’ve come back from a night out and your clothes need to be washed anyway, you can remove the odor of smoke by adding vinegar to the wash. Simply fill the washer with water, add the laundry detergent and a cup of vinegar; then add the clothes. Never pour vinegar straight onto your clothes and never leave your clothes sitting in water with vinegar in it. Vinegar has a natural bleaching effect and while this is great for white clothing, it will fade darker clothing. When the wash cycle is done, dry the clothes as usual.

Adding baking soda to your laundry detergent or using a detergent with baking soda in it will also do an effective job of removing cigarette smoke from clothes. Mixing washing soda, borax and ivory bar soap flakes together in your washer will also make a great homemade remedy for removing smoke odors. Another suggestion is to use heavily perfumed laundry detergent in hot water and dry the clothes in a hot dryer to rid your clothes of cigarette smells.

Chocolate milk stains

How to Remove Chocolate Milk Stains

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Chocolate milk stains

Those of us who don’t like chocolate are few and far between. The amazing taste of the cacao bean was discovered 2,000 years ago in the rainforests of the Americas. The ancient peoples of Mexico and Central America mixed the ground beans, found in the pods of the cacao tree, with other seasonings to make a frothy and somewhat bitter drink. Drinking chocolate was an important part of the lifestyle of these civilizations, much as coffee drinking is to modern times. Spanish conquistadors took the drink back to Europe, where it quickly became a favorite, so much so that native Americans and Africans were enslaved to farm and produce the beans. Over time, other concoctions using cacao were created. The popularity of the chocolate flavor gradually spread throughout the world, evolving into new textures and items that are now enjoyed by countless numbers of people.

The creation of chocolate milk is credited to Sir Hans Sloane, a British physician and collector. That gentleman discovered chocolate while practicing medicine in Jamaica in 1689. There the locals drank cocoa mixed with water. The good doctor is said to have found the drink disgusting, and devised a way to mix cocoa with milk to make the taste more pleasant. Upon returning to England, Sloane brought his recipe with him, and it was later dispensed by apothecaries for medicinal purposes. By the 1800’s, tins of Sloane’s “drinking chocolate” were being sold by the famous Cadbury brothers.

Chocolate milk is one of those simple pleasures in life that can be enjoyed by young and old alike. It can also cause major problems if it happens to come in contact with your favorite white shirt or little Johnny’s best khaki dress pants. This is because milk contains natural lactose sugar and fats, while chocolate syrup contains sugar and cocoa powder (with cocoa butter proteins). When combined, these two create a powerful stain punch.

To combat a nasty chocolate milk stain, move quickly. Grab some paper towels to blot up the excess and try to prevent a larger stain. Keep pressing a clean towel against the fabric to pull out as much moisture as possible. Next, wet a sponge with cold water (it’s very important that the water temperature be cold, otherwise you will help to set the stain) and wipe the wet stain over and over. Blot with a clean paper towel, and repeat.

Because milk and chocolate are organic, they should not be cleaned with chemicals and other non-organic cleansing agents. This will actually “cook” the stain onto the material, making removal much more difficult, if not impossible.

Another trick is to use a bit of lemon juice. Sprinkle the juice on the stain while the fabric is wet, then lay it in the sun. The juice and sun will work together to lighten and brighten stubborn organic stains. This will not be as effective if the stain is old or has been treated with chemicals which cooked it into the fabric.

Now even if the chocolate milk wins, you can rest easy knowing you’ll soon be able to get your stain-free groove on.

Cigar odor

How To Remove Cigar Odor From T-Shirts And Clothing

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Cigar odor

The smell of cigars is usually something that people either love or hate. Even nonsmokers often revel in the smell of a good cigar. It is a much more alluring scent than that of cigarettes. However, that interesting aroma that you can enjoy when someone is smoking a cigar around you is not the same when it is on an item of clothing. The stale, funky odor of cigar smoke on a T-shirt or other item of clothing is less than enjoyable. In fact, even if you are wearing perfectly clean clothes, the smell can make it seem as if your clothes are dirty. So what do you do about clothes that have picked up the rank odor of old cigar smoke?

If the odor is very faint it can still be significant enough to bother a non-smoker or someone who is very sensitive to odors. In the case of very mild odors, simply washing the item as you normally would tends to take care of the smell. Be sure to use a laundry detergent and fabric softener with a scent in it in order to completely eradicate the cigar odor. Adding vinegar or baking soda to your detergent also helps to intensify the odor-erasing power of it.

For stronger odors you can pretreat your clothes liberally with Febreeze fabric spray or some other similar product designed to eliminate odors. This is best done outside. Wash the item in a mixture of laundry soap, 1 cup of baking soda and fabric softener for the rinse cycle. Drying it outside or on high heat in the dryer will make sure that any lingering odor is completely gone.

If you don’t have time to wash your clothes out and want the smell of cigars gone now, you can again turn to a fabric odor eliminator like Febreeze and spray your clothes generously with it. Let the item dry or dry it according to care instructions before wearing it. The only drawback with this method is that Febreeze tends to have a rather perfume-like odor that can be overwhelming.

Urine stains

How to Remove Dog and Cat Urine Stains from Clothing

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Urine stains

While nothing in life gives you pleasure like your four legged friends, nothing gives you quite the same feeling of madness when they urinate on your favorite cloths. Anyone who owns a dog or a cat has experienced this at least once –and probably a lot more- in the life of a pet. While there is nothing quite as nasty as the pungent odor that comes with the ugly stain, there is a rather easy home remedy to get both out in the wash.

First of all if your cat or dog urinated on your whites, like your undershirts, you are in luck. A simple wash cycle using a healthy amount of bleach should do the trick. But usually fluffy finds your favorite shirt, skirt, jeans, or slacks to relieve himself on and the solution is not so cut and dry.

For all other clothing try this simple method. First it is important to absorb as much of the pet urine as possible with paper towels. Blotting the stain usually proves the most effective. Next mix 3 parts hot water with one part of white distilled vinegar and soak the articles of clothing in the solution. Soak the clothing for about 35 to 40 minutes and then launder as you normally would. If you wish, an added measure can be taken to ensure the smell comes completely out. Simply add a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar in with your normal detergent and that should insure that the smell is gone.

For delicates the process is much the same except instead of using hot water use cold water. Also do not use the apple cider vinegar for anything that is delicate. It is better to soak it twice in regular vinegar if need be.

Once your laundry is done, it is important to make sure that the area where the clothing was is also ridded of the odor. If it is not, that is like telling your furry friend that they can have a bathroom break there anytime they want to. Using the same solution of vinegar and water usually does the trick for carpets and bleach and water does the trick if the wall was hit.

There are a number of cat and dog urine stain removers that can be purchased at a place like Pets Mart but when you buy those products you are taking your chances. Besides, most of those products are rather expensive as compared to a bottle or two of vinegar.

Remember cats and dogs are like children that never grow up. They can be fickle little creatures and will urinate on your clothing for a number of reasons. Some cats do it because of a full litter box and dogs sometimes do it because they just can’t hold it until you wake up. The point is that your fuzzy companion will urinate on your cloths every now and then. It’s just one of the joys of being a pet owner. But with the remedy discussed above, hopefully the next accident your pet has won’t be such a big deal.

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

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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.