Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag » LaundryLiving off the Smell of an Oily Rag

Soap nuts

reader — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 23:02:31 +0000

If anyone is thinking of using soap nuts as an alternative to commercial laundry powder, be sure to remove them before the rinse cycle or you’ll end up like me with brown stains on your washing. I followed the directions on the pack precisely which included putting the nuts in the bag provided & not needing to take the bag out until wash cycle was completed. If you don’t want brown stained washing, take them out after wash cycle & before rinse cycle.
Whangarei
Lyne

N.W., Waverley.

reader — Sat, 11 Jul 2015 21:37:51 +0000

If you are camping or don’t have a clothes dryer, there is enough heat in your car on a sunny day to just finish drying out clothes not quite dry. Leave one car window a little open.

Josefa, Tasmania.

reader — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 21:44:37 +0000

I have bought towels from factory outlets. I was advised to wash the towels with a tablespoon of borax to remove the dressing and make the towels absorbent. The new towels were rather stiff but came out soft and absorbent from this treatment.

Miriam, Kaitaia.

reader — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 23:24:34 +0000

I use straight washing soda or soda ash in my washing machine – it works really well and is very reasonably priced. For my dishwasher I use washing soda and baking soda and citric acid with a white vinegar rinse aid. They both work really well.

Tina, Christchurch.

reader — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 23:09:58 +0000

I make my own washing liquid for the laundry which has saved our family of seven a fortune over the years. Use 1 cup Lux Soap Flakes (you can grate a bar of soap but I like the flakes) 1/2 cup washing soda (do not confuse with baking soda!). Bring 2 litres of water to the boil, drop in 1 cup Lux flakes and stir gently till melted. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup washing soda and stir until melted. Use a large lidded bucket that easily contains 10 litres and fill with 8 litres of hot tap water. Pour the soap mixture into the bucket and stir. You can add drops of essential oil of your choice to this mixture. It will thicken on cooling. I use a very long soup paddle and mix it up several times and use 1/2 cup for a normal sized load. Keep this mixture locked up and well away from young children.

EMS, Wellington.

reader — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 22:38:50 +0000

Through six children I cleaned many sweat-tops and most clothing of oil, food or grease stains by hand-washing (scrubbing the old fashioned way before there were washing machines) with a cake of sunlight soap and moderately hot water before putting them through a normal wash. Alternatively you can just soak them in a bucket of hottish water with a double dose of your normal washing powder prior to washing or do a hot wash! – as long as you know the material or garment can tolerate it and most can despite what the labels say. (Don’t go overboard and use boiling water!)

B.W., Auckland.

reader — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 22:34:12 +0000

Liquid Laundry Detergent.

You need: Hot water, 1 bar Sunlight Soap (grated), 1 cup washing soda. In a large saucepan add grated soap and enough hot water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is melted. Fill a large bucket with 9.5L of hot water, add hot soap mixture. Stir until well mixed. Then add the washing soda, again stirring until well mixed. Set aside to cool. Use 1/2 cup per full load, stirring well before each use (will gel).

F.N.

reader — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 08:03:28 +0000

Buy machine washable garments. “Dry clean only” labels are a protection for the manufacturer. Only a small percentage of clothes cannot be hand washed if done carefully. Pressing of clothing at the dry-cleaners costs a fraction of the full dry-cleaning price.

A.K., Carterton.

reader — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 22:29:12 +0000

I hang my newly washed shirts etc on coat hangers on the line and then ironing, if necessary is a breeze.

Reconditioning towels?

reader — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 08:00:56 +0000

Graeme from Christchurch has a question. “I have bought some new towels that only smear the water and not absorb it. I did hear a long time ago you could put something in the wash water to get rid of the dressing on the towels from the manufacturing, but cant remember what it was. I was wondering if anyone could help me make my towels absorbent.”

Margaret from Mt Maunganui writes, “Reconditioning your towels is as simple as running them through two hot loads. Skip the detergent on both loads, run them through once with hot water and a cup of vinegar, then again with hot water and half a cup of baking soda. My towels all have more body and absorbency, plus my white towels are cleaner and brighter. I usually do this every six months or so.”

MS from Christchurch suggests, “Soak the towel in a bowl with salt dissolved in warm water. I can’t recall how much, but have an idea it was about 1-2 tablespoon. I’m sure that using more if you wish will do no harm! Then wash the towel in the usual way.”

Jo G from Christchurch says, “Soak the towels in water and add 1 tablespoon epsom salts for each towel. That’s how we used to get the dressing out of new towels.”

Susan from West Auckland writes, “Always wash new towels first in hot soapy water. Then add half to one cup of white vinegar to the rinse. This removes the manufacturers’ fabric softener they add to make their towels look soft and fluffy in the store. To keep them fluffy and absorbent, do your towel washing on a windy day and hang them out to dry. The wind will fluff them out again. Cheaper and better for your clothes and pocket than a tumble dryer.”

Valerie has this suggestion. “Graeme could try adding white or brown vinegar to his wash rinse cycle to improve the absorbency of his towels.”