by natalie Wise
Whites:
• ¼ cup baking soda
• ¼ cup table salt
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
Mix these ingredients in a small bowl until they form a loose paste. Gently rub onto the stain, but don’t rub too hard. Leave on for at least 2–3 hours. Leave the item in the sun if you can; the sun and the lemon juice combine to create a great bleaching aid. Rinse off the paste, and while the area is still wet, take an old toothbrush and gently rub the area to loosen the gunk still stuck in the fibers. Rinse well. Wash normally.
Darker colors:
• ¼ cup baking soda
• ¼ cup table salt
• ½ cup white vinegar
Mix these ingredients in a small bowl until they form a loose paste. Gently rub onto the stain, being careful not to push too hard. Leave on for at least 2–3 hours. Do not leave darker garments in the sun, as we do not want any bleaching or fading to occur. Rinse off the paste, and while the area is still wet, take an old toothbrush and gently rub the area to loosen the gunk still stuck in the fibers. Rinse well. Wash normally.
HAND-WASHING DELICATES AND WOOL
I am a fan of hand-washing! It isn’t a chore to me, it’s more like a treat. I know, I’m the exception, not the rule, but taking time to care for my delicate clothes offers me a few moments of peace amid the chaos of life. I keep a small basin just for hand-washing, and you’ll want a stack of towels, too. Hand-washed items can likely go out on the line, but if you aren’t lucky enough to have a clothesline, or the weather isn’t cooperating, a wooden pop-up drying rack does well, too.
Delicates (silk, lace): I use the hand-washing solution recipe on page 152 to do my hand-washing in a large basin in the bathtub. Just enough soap to get some light suds, but not enough to make rinsing a never-ending chore. Gently swish and swirl the items around in the water, and let soak for 15–20 minutes. Then rub any particularly soiled areas against the cloth itself to release ground-in dirt. Rinse thoroughly. Lay out a towel, and place pieces flat on the towel. Roll the towel up, gently pressing to release as much extra water as you can. Then hang or lay flat on fresh towels to dry.
Heavier items (sweaters, wool blankets): You’ll need to fill the entire bathtub for bulky items and wool sweaters. Wool will soak up more water than you think, and it will become very heavy and unwieldy, so having a large space to work is best. Line the bathroom floor with fresh towels for when you’re ready to dry the pieces, and to catch any splashes. Add soap under the running water to get it well dispersed. You’ll want to let wool soak for only 15 minutes, because you don’t want the fibers to relax in the water too much, which will make them harder to reshape when drying. Do not wring out wool, only gently roll and pat it up in the towel. Let wool and other heavy clothing items dry flat on towels, reshaping them to ensure they dry in shape. Wool blankets, however, do not need to be reshaped and can be put on the line to dry.
LAVENDER LUXURY LINEN SPRAY
Linen spray feels so fancy, so French, so . . . expensive. But it needn’t be expensive, because you already have everything you need to make it. This linen spray is ideal for sheets and pillowcases. The idea is that you spray it when you’re ironing, but you don’t need to get out your iron to use this divinely scented spray. Simply spray linens as they come out of the dryer and are still a bit warm so the fibers soak up the scent. You can even keep it on your nightstand and spray pillows before you go to sleep to inspire good dreams.
• 8 ounces distilled or boiled and cooled water
• 2 tablespoons rubbing alcohol
• 12 drops lavender essential oil
• 8 drops lemon essential oil
Mix ingredients well in an 8-ounce spray bottle. Shake before use. To use while ironing, simply spray items well and iron. For sleep spray, gently mist onto pillowcases and sheets before going to bed.
KEEP YOUR IRON PUMPING . . . OUT WRINKLE-FREE CLOTHES
Is your iron looking a little worse for the wear? Does it have mysterious brown and black stains that seem impossible to get out, yet somehow transfer light marks to your clothing? The culprit is likely that you haven’t been using distilled water in the steam reservoir, or you’ve been getting buildup from laundry soap that has burned onto the plate. There’s an easy fix, though, with things you already have in the pantry, and it only takes a hot minute (or as long as it takes your iron to heat up).
• Wax paper
• Table salt
Lay the wax paper out on the ironing board, at least a foot of it. Sprinkle it liberally with table salt. Heat up your iron. When it is hot, simply iron the salt on the waxed paper. Let the iron cool completely.
To clean the steam reservoir, fill it with half vinegar and half water. Then steam on full speed until the reservoir is empty. Refill with clean water, add 2 drops of lavender essential oil, and steam that out as well. From here on out, only use distilled water to avoid clogging the steaming pores with mineral buildup and mold.
CLEAN YOUR WASHING MACHINE
Washing machines can get dirty and musty just like anything else that’s constantly in contact with water. Keeping your washing machine fresh will extend its life cycle and prevent you from having to repeat-wash items that smell musty from the machine itself. There’s a different method of front-loading and top-loading machines, so take a look below to see which will work for your washing machine. In the future, prop the washer door open after each load (particularly on front-loading machines), and make sure to remove clothes promptly to prevent mildew.
Front-Loading: Front-loading washing machines are likely to be more high-tech and not allow you to run a full cycle without anything in the machine. But they may have a cleaning cycle that you can run according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you don’t have the ability to do a cleaning cycle, use a mixture of half white vinegar and half warm water, and a towel with some texture to it. Liberally spray the inside of the washing machine drum and wipe clean. Don’t forget to spray liberally into the rubber gasket, the main offender on front-loading machines, and use a toothbrush if necessary to get the gunk out of the gasket, and get the vinegar in there to neutralize mildew. Use the spray to clean the detergent dispenser, too, to get out any detergent gunk that may be clogging this area.
Top-Loading: Top-loading machines will likely let you fill them without adding any clothes, so go ahead and fill the machine with warm water and add a quart of white vinegar. Swish this around well. Drain, and scrub with the vinegar and water spray. Use the spray to clean around the rim and the bottom of the agitator as well to get out any bits of pet hair or lint that may have accumulated.
Extra Tip: Use a dry-erase marker to make notes on your washer or dryer for which items in the load need to be air-dried. It easily wipes off with a rag or paper towel. This prevents others from “helpfully” changing the laundry over and accidentally shrinking a favorite shirt.
DO-IT-YOURSELF “DRY-CLEAN”
Those at-home dry-cleaning kits do a great job, but they’re still infused with chemicals. Is it possible to dry clean your clothes at home without chemicals? Yes. Here’s my take on the DIY “dry-clean.” Of course, don’t use this on anything precious beyond replacing, because every dry clean only garment will react differently, but this method has worked well for me. Don’t try this with a standard pillowcase; the items won’t be able to move around enough to get saturated by the solution on the washcloth as well as dry thoroughly.
Spray a washcloth with the laundry stain remover spray (see page 131). Make sure it is moist but not wet. Wring out any excess solution. Place this washcloth in the bottom of a king-size pillowcase. Add up to 2 items that need to be dry-cleaned to the pillowcase and tie a knot in the top of the pillowcase. Be sure there is enough room for the items inside to move around, tying the knot as close to the top of the pillowcase as you can to allow free movement. Place the bag in the dryer on medium heat for 20–30 minutes. Take the items out of the bag and hang to dry immediately. Steaming them with a c
lothes steamer or ironing them will complete the dry-cleaning “look.”
WOOLEN WONDERS DRYER BALLS
Wool dryer balls are a wonder! These basic little balls of wool have so many secrets: they greatly reduce static, dry your clothes faster, don’t decrease absorbency of items like towels, contain no chemicals or skin irritants and impart clothes with a laundry-fresh scent all in one! They’re easy to make and last for ages. You can purchase wool dryer balls, usually two to a package, and use them right away with a few drops of your favorite essential oil. But making your own is a simple project and you’ll have the satisfaction of using up some of that scrap wool you have in your stash. I recommend making 6 balls to start. Two to four balls will work for a regular load of laundry, but it’s good to keep them in rotation and have 6 on hand for bigger loads.
To make 1 ball:
• 3 ounces 100% wool yarn, preferably labeled roving, and not machine washable or “superwash”
• Your favorite essential oils
Start by wrapping a few strands of the wool around your fingers, pinching it down, then turning it and pinching again, until you have a solid starting point to begin wrapping off your fingers and creating a ball. Wrap, turn, wrap some more, until you have used up all of the yarn. Weave a nice long tail into the strands using a needle, crochet hook, or your fingers if they’re nimble enough. Now you need to felt the balls, that is, exactly what you don’t want to happen to a wool sweater you wash, where it shrinks and becomes smooth and tight. Throw your balls into a hot wash cycle and dry them on HIGH heat. Do this a few times until they are fully felted, that is, do not unravel at all and are smooth.
To Use: Anytime you wish to use your dryer balls, simply place 1–2 drops of your favorite essential oil (again, lavender is a popular laundry scent) on each ball and simply add them to the dryer cycle.
Extra Tip: Store these in a container with a few drops of essential oil on them, and the lid on tightly (just be sure they are thoroughly dry when you put them away so they don’t mildew). This way they’ll be ready to simply throw in your next dryer load.
HANGING YOUR (CLEAN) LAUNDRY OUT FOR EVERYONE TO SEE: AN AIR DRYING PRIMER
Wool dryer balls are great, but whenever possible, I love to put my laundry out on the line to dry. There’s just something about the sunshine and the breeze that makes your laundry smell wonderful, like no essential oil could replicate. If you don’t have a permanent drying line, with posts that are driven into the ground, perhaps you can attach a retractable one to the corner of the garage and house, or an inexpensive rotary/umbrella type that moves, much like a lawn umbrella.
First, wipe down the clothesline with a damp cloth. This gets any dust, pollen, pine needles, and bird detritus off the line. Then, take note of the sun and wind. You’ll want to place small, lighter items at the front of the clothesline, or where the sun is least bright, since they will dry faster anyway. Also take note of the wind, and load lighter items toward the wind, so it blows through them and still gets to the heavier items, rather than the wind getting bogged down in heavy items and never reaching the lighter ones. Turn any dark items that you don’t want to fade inside-out before drying on the line on a sunny day. Give heavier items, anything that you don’t want to wrinkle, and items you want to keep soft, a good snap-shake before you hang them on the line.
Shirts and dresses: Hang by the two side seams at the bottom, arms hanging, unbuttoned if the shirt has buttons.
Pants: Hang by the legs, one clothespin on each leg, and pull the front pockets out to speed them drying.
Underwear and socks: You can find specialty dryers that hold many underwear and socks and hang on the line itself, or you can simply use one clothespin for each pair of underwear or each sock and hang by the waist and ankle.
Sheets and towels: Fold over a few inches on the line and secure with several clothespins, but leave the majority of the item to flap in the wind.
Extra Tip: A half apron with pockets makes a great companion to putting up and taking down line-dried laundry. You can easily grab and put away clothespins without bending down or holding them in your mouth until you make it over to the bin for them.
STAIN REMOVAL CHEAT SHEET
While the all-purpose stain removal on page 131 will work for most spots, sometimes you have something specific that you want to get out right away. Here are some of the most common stains, along with quick, natural ways to remedy them.
Blood: Douse with hydrogen peroxide if you catch the spot right away, then rinse thoroughly, rubbing the fabric against itself. It should disappear. If not, soak a cotton ball in hydrogen peroxide and place it on the spot for about a minute. Then rinse well to avoid bleaching the garment. Always use cold water when rinsing blood; hot water will set the stain.
Grass: Douse with undiluted rubbing alcohol. Let sit for 10 minutes, then wash as usual.
Red wine: Use white wine to quickly saturate the stain. Rinse well. Follow with seltzer water if there is still some left.
Coffee/tea: If the coffee or tea is black, you can use cold water and blotting to remove much of the stain. If it contained cream or sugar, you’ll need to use some vinegar to help break down the proteins. Saturate the spot with vinegar, let sit for 10 minutes, then rinse with cold water.
Ink/marker/highlighter: Douse with undiluted rubbing alcohol. Let sit for 10 minutes, then wash as usual.
Chocolate: Let dry if it is solid chocolate that melted. Use a butter knife to scrape off the melted chocolate, then douse the stain with rubbing alcohol.
Ketchup/barbecue sauce: Cold water or cold seltzer water. Rinse immediately and gently rub the fabric against itself to get out any stubborn bits. Blot with vinegar if it hasn’t completely come out.
Grease/oil stains: Rub a stick of white chalk over the stain to absorb it. Or, coat the spot liberally with cornstarch. Then hand-wash the spot with a bit of your regular shampoo (it’s designed to get oil out of your hair, and it works great on clothing fibers, too).
Our clothing closets tend to be some of the messiest spaces in our homes, stressing us out first thing in the morning when we’re trying to get ready for the day. When clothing is hung haphazardly, getting dressed becomes a process instead of a pleasure. When there’s dust bunnies living in every pair of shoes, and half the items hanging up need to be repaired or altered, your closet is not working for you. It’s working against you.
The Process: Purge, Clean, Organize
Purging the closet may be a big project for you, or it may only take a few minutes. Yes, you’ll need to take out every single item of clothing—the belt that’s fallen to the ground, dance shoes you haven’t worn in decades, and the other things that end up in closets: boxes of old memorabilia, wrapping paper, seasonal accessories, etc. Take everything out. Since it’s clothing, you’ll need to try on anything that you aren’t sure about. If it doesn’t fit, it’s out. If you have a few sizes you keep in your closet for fluctuations in weight, keep each extra size in a bin at the back of the closet or under the bed for easy access when you need it, but without keeping it cluttering your daily choices.
Outdated items get donated; worn-out items get tossed; things you’ve never worn and aren’t likely to ever wear get passed on to friends. Make sure everything you put back in your closet is clean, wearable, and seasonally appropriate (or at least have seasonally appropriate clothing separated and at the front). Organize by type or color, whichever you prefer, but keep like items together somehow.
Keep a bin in the closet for the things that keep clothing in tip-top shape: safety pins, static cling reliever, deodorant mark remover, gel heel pads for shoes that are a little painful, and a lint brush. You might also want to keep double-sided tape for fixing hems quickly and keeping straps and necklines in place. If you don’t already have a mirror in or near your closet, adding one will help you keep those items in the bin, because you’ll be able to make those minor fixes right near the closet.
Make sure you keep your laundry basket w
herever you tend to ditch the day’s work clothes. That may be in the closet, bathroom, or laundry room. Find a laundry basket that suits the room’s aesthetic and keep it where you will actually use it.
When you have the room ready to go, make up a few of these closet basics so you have them at hand when you need them.
STATIC CLING RELIEVER SPRAY
We’ve all been there . . . about to head out the door and our clothing is being clingy and needy. In need of some static cling reliever spray, that is. If you keep this in your bin in the closet, you’ll be ready to tame the cling at a moment’s notice. This spray keeps indefinitely if you use distilled or boiled water.
• 4 ounces distilled or boiled and cooled water
• 4 ounces witch hazel
• 1 tablespoon rubbing alcohol
• 2 drops of your favorite essential oil
Mix together and funnel into an 8-ounce spray bottle. Shake before use. To use, spray liberally on clothing or upholstered furniture that is collecting static electricity. Do not use on silk.
DEODORANT MARK REMOVER
You’re all ready for the meeting, wearing your sharpest blue dress shirt and black blazer, when that one last glance in the mirror shows you the dreaded white marks left by your deodorant.
Place a clean, fine-grained sponge inside the toe of an old pair of pantyhose. Tie a knot close to the sponge so it is fully encased in the pantyhose, then cut off the excess. When you get a deodorant mark on your clothing, simply use this to brush it off. You may need to brush in both directions to get the stain to fully disappear.