Let’s be honest, laundry can be a nightmare at the best of times. Here’s some clever and unexpected ways to clean your clothes.
1. White bread can vanish lipstick stains
Sometimes you can’t help but get lipstick on your clothing. Before panic strikes, get a piece of white bread and remove the crust. Scrunch the bread into a ball, and blot the stain. Anything that remains should come out once you’ve run it through the washing machine.
2. An ink stain removing combo
Who would have thought that the humble hand sanitiser and a spritz of hairspray would be kryptonite to ink stains? Apply hand sanitiser and hairspray to the stained area and leave it for 10 minutes. The ink will bleed out; wash as normal.
3. Grease is no longer the word
Rub chalk or sprinkle baby powder onto fresh grease stains to absorb the oil. Repeat if necessary and wash as normal.
Be inspired by these 17 laundries that look good and work hard.
(Photographer: James Knowler | Story: House & Garden)
4. Asprin relieves more than a headache
If you find sweat stains on your shirts, try soaking them with two crushed asprins dissolved in half a cup of warm water. Soak for a few hours.
5. Leave your clothes sweetly scented
Soak a hand towel in fabric softener and let it dry. Every time you use the dryer, toss the hand towel in – it will leave your clothes with a lovely scent. Alternatively you can use a linen spray post-washing.
A generous laundry tub like the one in this contemporary farmhouse-style home allows for space and time to soak items.
(Photographer: John Downs | Story: Home Beautiful)6. Speed up your drying time
To speed up your laundry’s drying time, place a dry towel along with your wet clothing in the dryer. The towel will help absorb water. Just pull it out after about 15 minutes so it doesn’t continue to contribute to the water in the machine.
7. Revive shrunken clothes
Don’t you hate when your clothes shrink in the wash?! By soaking the shrunken clothes in hair conditioner and tepid water (not too cold or hot) for a few hours, it will help bring them back to their (almost) original state.
8. Revive patent leather
Window cleaner works a treat on patent leather. Simply spray and wipe to clean and restore its shine.
