Grass: Whether originating from gardening, building a backyard fort, or stopping a soccer goal, this organic stain can be removed by dipping the stained area into a solution of bleach alternative and water. Then launder.
Gravy: No need to worry if you’ve spilled this all-purpose, Thanksgiving-meal topper. Simply spray this oily organic stain with vinegar and water, and launder.
Grease: Remove this oily stain with a spritz of vinegar and water, and launder as usual.
Green vegetables: A solution of bleach alternative and water is your go-to to remove this organic stain. Then launder.
Ice cream: When I was a kid, my absolute favorite treat was a sundae of pralines and cream ice cream, topped by caramel sauce and actual pralines, at an ice cream parlor in Huntington, West Virginia. You know what? It’s still my favorite.
Regardless of which ice cream is your number-one choice, you can easily remove this oily organic stain with laundry soap and a brush. If it’s a fruity ice cream, you may need to swish the garment in a solution of hot water and bleach alternative as well. Launder as usual.
Ink, ballpoint: Removing ballpoint ink is a cinch. Just place a towel on the inside of the garment and spray, or blot, the area with rubbing alcohol. This inorganic stain should come right out.
Ink, permanent: Treat this inorganic stain with a few drops of Amodex. Then launder as usual.
Juice: No matter the type of juice, remove this organic stain with laundry soap and a brush. If color remains, dip the stained area in a solution of bleach alternative and water. After washing, be sure the stain is gone before throwing into the dryer. If it goes through the dryer with any sugar left on it, the sugar will caramelize and a phantom stain will occur. (See “Removing Phantom Stains,” page 101.)
Kombucha: Despite the fact that people have been drinking this fermented beverage for millennia, its popularity is growing—and so are its stains. To remove this oily organic stain, spray with vinegar and water, and then dip the affected area in a solution of bleach alternative and water. Then launder.
Lipstick: See info on page 98.
Maple syrup: This brunch-y organic stain is easy to remove. Simply scrub with laundry soap and a brush and launder as normal. However, after washing, be sure the stain is gone before throwing into the dryer. If it goes through the dryer with any sugar left on the garment, the sugar will caramelize and a phantom stain will occur. (See “Removing Phantom Stains,” page 101.)
Mascara: Frequently found on tops and towels, this inorganic stain is removed by spraying with vinegar and water, and then scrubbing with laundry soap and a brush. Launder as usual.
Mayonnaise: Homemade or store-bought, this popular sandwich spread creates an oily organic stain best dealt with by spraying vinegar and water, scrubbing with laundry soap and a brush, and then laundering. However, some stains may require dipping the stained area in a solution of bleach alternative and water before washing.
Mildew: Mildew is a beast to remove. The best way to eliminate mildew is to soak the stain in a solution of hot water and bleach alternative, which will kill the living mildew. Next, let the garment dry in the sun, which will kill the spores. Third, wash it. Then repeat this three-step process. During the second round, the bleach alternative solution will get rid of any remaining spores.
Mud: In springtime, “when the world is mud-luscious” and “puddle-wonderful” (thanks, e. e. cummings), turn to laundry soap and a brush to remove these delightful organic stains. Then launder.
Mustard: Turmeric is what makes this organic stain such a pain, its color often embedding itself in a garment’s fibers. Before laundering, you may have to repeat these steps: First, remove as much of the mustard as possible, scraping it off with a butter knife. Second, pour hot water through the stain—I’d suggest using a teakettle. Third, scrub the stain with laundry soap and a brush. And fourth, dip the stain into a solution of bleach alternative and water. Then launder.
Nail polish: Perhaps unsurprisingly, you can remove this inorganic stain with nail polish remover. (Do not use nail polish remover on acetate, because it will melt the fabric.) Then scrub with laundry soap and a brush, and launder.
Oil (e.g., olive or vegetable): I offer the same advice as I did for butter: This oily organic stain is easy to remove. Just spray with your bottle of vinegar and water, and wash as normal.
Perspiration: See info on page 100.
Pine resin: It’s no surprise that this stain tends to arise during camping season and Christmastime. Remove as much of this organic stain as possible by scraping it away with a butter knife, and then scrub with laundry soap and a brush before laundering.
Pizza sauce: Deep dish or flat, stuffed or gluten free, the type of crust is beside the point. Pretty much every pizza is topped with a tomato-based pizza sauce. To remove this oily organic stain, spray with vinegar and water, scrub with laundry soap and a brush, and then launder. (However, if the color remains after scrubbing with soap and a brush, dip the stained area in a solution of bleach alternative and water before laundering.)
Punch: My mom always made punch and now this party beverage is making a comeback. Generally, she made Wedding Almond Punch (recipe, page 168), which was red, but my favorite is orange—tart and fizzy with cranberry juice, orange juice, lemon juice, and ginger ale. She’d freeze the punch in a decorative mold and then, after placing the frozen punch into the bowl—she had various punch bowls for different occasions—she’d pour ginger ale right over the top of it. (Mom, if you’re reading this, I’d really like to have your silver punch bowl—I also need the ladle.) Eliminate this organic stain by dipping the affected area in a solution of bleach alternative and water. Give it a swish and throw it in the wash. If, however, this is an inorganic stain—say, it’s got added colors in one of the ingredients (Hawaiian Punch, for example)—then scrub with laundry soap and a brush, and launder as usual.
Red wine: See info on page 99.
Ring around the collar: For this oily stain, place a few drops of oil-based stain solution along the inside of the collar. Then sprinkle a small amount of bleach alternative into the solution and rub it in with your finger. Let this mixture set for thirty minutes. When the time is up, pour (carefully, so you don’t burn yourself) nearly boiling water right through the stain; I use my teakettle. Then throw the shirt into the wash.
After removing the ring-around-the-collar stains from this shirt, every time you wash it in the future—immediately before you wash it—spray it generously with vinegar and water, and you’ll never have a ring around the collar again! You can use the same process with a brand-new shirt: The first time you wash it, spray the collar with vinegar and water right before you wash it, and you’ll prevent this stain in the first place; then repeat this every time you wash.
Road salt: To remove this inorganic stain, even from boots, spray with vinegar and water. For garments, launder as usual.
Rust: Squeeze fresh lemon juice right onto the stain. Do not use bottled lemon juice. Then place the garment in the sun for a few minutes. Finally, scrub with laundry soap and a brush, and launder.
Salad dressing: Spray this common, oily organic stain with vinegar and water, and then scrub with laundry soap and a brush. Launder as usual.
Sauerkraut: Whether served alongside sausages or tucked into a Reuben sandwich, this fermented cabbage condiment can stain. Scrub the affected area with laundry soap and a brush, and then launder.
Scorch: A scorch, or fabric burn (perhaps you were a little too close to the fire when roasting marshmallows), is one stain that you can’t always get out, but do try. Soak for twenty-four hours in water, then scrub with laundry soap and a brush, and launder.
Shoe polish: When you’re spiffing up your shoes or boots, it’s not uncommon to mar a shirt cuff or the knee of your pants with a bit of shoe polish. To eliminate this oily inorganic stain, spray the area with vinegar and water, and then scrub with laundry soap and a brush. You may have to repeat these steps two or even three times before launderi
ng.
Soda: Depending on the beverage, soda may be organic or inorganic. Regardless, you can remove this stain with laundry soap and a brush. Then launder.
Soot: Brush off as much soot as possible. Then, to eliminate this oily organic stain, first scrub with laundry soap and a brush, and then you might need to spray with vinegar and water. This is the reverse order of most stain-removal instructions. Finally, launder.
Soy sauce: Zap this organic stain in a solution of bleach alternative and water. Then launder.
Spaghetti sauce: To remove this oily organic stain, spray with vinegar and water, scrub with laundry soap and a brush, and then launder.
Sriracha/Sriracha mayo: To knock out this spicy hot sauce, increasingly used on everything, spray this oily organic stain with vinegar and water, and then scrub with laundry soap and a brush. If color remains, dip the area in a solution of bleach alternative and water. Then launder.
Sunscreen: If you dripped some sunscreen on a garment (perhaps in preparation for hanging the clothes up to dry outside), spray this oily inorganic stain with vinegar and water, and that should take care of it before laundering. Once in a while, you may need to first scrub with laundry soap and a brush before washing.
Sweet-and-sour sauce: Generously spray the stained area with your bottle of vinegar and water. Next, scrub the area with laundry soap and a brush. To remove any remaining color, dip the stained area in a solution of bleach alternative and hot water, and then launder.
Taco sauce: If evidence of your Taco Tuesday is all over your shirt, scrub the stained area with laundry soap and a brush. To remove any remaining color, dip the stained area in a solution of bleach alternative and hot water, and then launder.
Tar: To remove this tough oily organic stain, scrape off what you can with a butter knife or something dull so as not to harm your garment. Spray the stained area with vinegar and water, and then scrub with laundry soap and a brush. You may have to repeat these steps before laundering.
Tea: Black, green, or white, the type of tea doesn’t matter. Remove this inorganic stain with laundry soap and a brush. If the stain remains, stretch the stained portion of the garment over a bowl and pour the hottest possible water through it. Pouring the water from a bit of height—again, be careful—provides a greater force and more stain-removing power. To make it extra easy, I use my teakettle. After washing, make sure the stain is gone before throwing it in the dryer. If it goes through the dryer with any sugar left on it, the sugar will caramelize in the dryer and a phantom stain will occur. (See “Removing Phantom Stains,” page 101.)
Teriyaki: Dip the organically stained portion of this garment into a solution of bleach alternative and water, and then launder.
Tomato: I love ripe tomatoes picked fresh from the garden or purchased at a farmer’s market. Add some basil, olive oil, and fresh mozzarella, and I’m practically dizzy with bliss. To remove this organic stain, dip the affected portion of the garment in a solution of bleach alternative and water, and then launder.
Turmeric: Let the organically stained portion of the garment soak in a solution of bleach alternative and water for twenty minutes, and then launder.
Vomit: So sorry that you’re having to look this one up. To remove this organic stain, wipe or rinse off as much as you can. Then soak in a solution of bleach alternative and water, and launder. (And, of course, get those essential oils working for you on your wool dryer balls so that any former scent is only a memory.)
Urine: This one is super easy to remove. To eliminate this organic stain, dip the affected area in a solution of bleach alternative and water, and then launder.
Watermelon: Let me guess—you got into a major watermelon fight or at least a watermelon-seed-spitting contest. To remove any resulting stains, dip the affected area in a solution of bleach alternative and water, and then launder.
Eliminating stains is surprisingly fun, right? Now, whenever a family member asks if you can remove a particular stain, you can say, with confidence, “No problem!” Plus, you can take any spills in stride. Red wine? Barbecue sauce? Sharpie? You’ve got this. And don’t worry about memorizing the simple how-tos. Feel free to return again and again to this comprehensive stain guide and its easy directions whenever needed.
8
Doing Better When We Know Better
Mother Earth is not a resource—she is an heirloom.
—DAVID IPIÑA, ARTIST, POET, WRITER
Long before the film An Inconvenient Truth, the Paris Climate Agreement, and kids walking out of school to demand action on climate change, there was my childhood with early Earth Day celebrations, the “Keep America Beautiful” commercial (with the crying Native American portrayal), and kids and adults signing petitions to save baby seals, stop whaling, and more. Obviously, a significant percentage of us have cared about the planet’s health for a long time.
But it was long before that, arguably at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, that humans began negatively affecting our world on a wide scale. As the decades have flown past, Mother Nature has suffered significantly due to our shortsighted actions.
We’re already reducing, reusing, and recycling. Now it’s time for us to start renewing our laundry practices to make another major difference in our health, the health of our natural surroundings, and the health of our planet.
We Can Do Better
Caring for the environment is extremely important to me. Despite my love for clothes as a kid, I didn’t hang out in the laundry room all day long—not by a long shot. I loved spending time outside.
I gardened with my parents, helping them pick out plants for our garden and my own small patch, and I especially remember waiting for the daffodils to bloom each spring. I also helped my granddad in his expansive plot, which supplied our extended family with bushels of vegetables.
But my activity in nature wasn’t always so organized. Our home in Eastern Kentucky was on the top of a wooded hill. I loved meandering through the forest, collecting interesting rocks and exploring nature by myself. And when I’d visit Granny Martha and Grandpa’s house many weekends, I’d splash in the creek, discovering minnows and crawdads.
When you grow up with nature at your doorstep, you take it for granted. But eventually, you realize you can no longer do that. If you truly care about this planet and the people and creatures on it, you must become a more enlightened and environmentally conscious citizen and consumer.
As best I can, I practice what I preach, teaching Earth-friendly ways to care for our clothes and supporting brands whose products are kind to the environment, my loved ones, and me. Over the years, certain practices have become automatic—using safe and plant-based soaps and detergents, avoiding products that use harmful chemicals, washing my clothes less often, hanging my textiles out to dry as often as possible, and donating and recycling clothes and shoes.
My affinity for the great outdoors is even evident in my home, where I use real twigs and moss in my décor, and furnishings such as lamps and serving pieces that feature twig and nature motifs. This aesthetic started long ago, from my connection to nature as a kid. And I still love to garden—my lime tree, brought inside during Minnesota’s harsh winters, is one of my greatest joys.
But there’s so much more that we can do. So let’s look more closely at some environmentally focused actions relating to how we launder our clothes.
Nine Eco-Friendly Laundry Strategies
1. Never dry clean again. You’ve likely heard that dry cleaning is hard on your clothes, your health, and the environment. I’m here to suggest that you take that to heart, as all of that is true. For more on why you shouldn’t dry clean, see the next chapter.
2. Launder less. Often when an item of clothing is thrown into the wash, it doesn’t actually need laundering. It simply needs a good airing out or a quick steaming to bring it back to life, or a spritz of vodka to eliminate odors, or spot treating with rubbing alcohol for that tiny risotto stain (totally worth it). These simple solutions can help yo
ur clothes look and feel as good as new without having to actually wash them. And holding off on washing saves water, energy, and time.
Have you heard of those hard-core Levi’s lovers who never, ever wash their jeans? The never-wash folks make a good point when they say that washing and drying damages our garments—it’s true, and that’s why I highly recommend limiting washing and relying on line-drying in most cases. For these jeans fans, rather than wash their dungarees, they spot-clean stains and air out the jeans as needed. While I personally can’t go that far and never wash my jeans—though I do wear my jeans ten or more times before I wash them—these folks are definitely on the right track.
3. Rely on Earth-friendly products. When you do wash a load, skip the fabric softeners, the dryer sheets, and those in-wash scent boosters. Stop using these toxic products and you’ll no longer be spewing VOCs, including acetone and ethanol, into the air; these chemicals can harm you—and any neighbors walking by your dryer vents—causing wheezing, coughing, migraines, skin and eye irritation, and more. Plus, you won’t be exposing yourself to phthalates, likely endocrine disruptors linked to damaging hormonal systems such as reproductive and developmental processes.
And for goodness sake, don’t ever use bleach again.
In the washer, use high-quality, plant-based soap flakes or a liquid laundry soap that requires just a tablespoon or so per load. These are not only good for the environment, but they’re so much better for your skin.
In your dryer, rely on natural, sustainable wool balls to help dry your clothes up to 40 percent faster than a load of clothes dried without them. And scent these balls, if you wish, with essential oils of your choice—perhaps citrus in the summer and frankincense in the winter. Also, don’t forget to use a ball of aluminum foil to eliminate static. And get rid of stains by using such basic household products as rubbing alcohol and vinegar.
Laundry Love Page 10