Stains equate the end of the world. Not really, but stains can sure feel like the world is ending.
It’s inevitable our household items will get dirty. Nobody is perfect, and nobody can stay completely stain free. Stains happen, and they happen pretty often. We don’t have to forfeit our items to them, however. There are tricks to overcome the stain which result in clean clothing and a spotless household.
Sweat Stains
It’s summer and it’s immensely hot outside. Heat equals sweat and sweat equals stains. There are many hacks to get rid of pesky underarm marks with common household items.
Instead of adding lemon to drinking water, add lemon juice to equal parts water and scrub the stain. When you’re done, toss the shirt in the wash and the marks should be gone. No lemon juice on hand? Try using baking soda. Add only enough water to make a paste and let sit on the stain for a few hours before washing. No more shirts ruined by yellowing sweat marks.
Grass Stains
Got a grass spot on your favorite top or pants? Try sticking the clothing in a white vinegar solution for 30 minutes before laundering. Don’t worry about your clothing smelling like vinegar because the wash cycle should get rid of most, if not all, of the smell.
Grease and Oil Stains
Grease spots can seem like a catastrophe, especially if the stain is large and noticeable. It may feel like the end of the world, but I will be the first to tell your it’s not. Grease can be tackled with items you have lying around the house.
Many people don’t know chalk is a great stain absorber. Rub some white chalk onto the stain and let it absorb the oil for a little while. If there is still a mark after you rub the chalk off, try again. When the spot is gone, you are safe to launder your shirt as normal.
Blood Stains
Blood stains on clothing can be very difficult to clean, especially when the blood spot is large. It might be difficult, but it is not impossible. Blood can be tackled with merely water and soap. “For blood stains on clothing, one thing I’ve done is get the clothing wet with cold water and then gently rub it down with a bar of soap,” said Vincent Misch, University of Utah student. “One other thing that can help for light colored clothes and blood is dabbing them with hydrogen peroxide.”
As Misch said, cold water should be used when dealing with stains. Hot water should be avoided because heat will set the stain into the fabric. An easy fix could easily turn into a permanent mistake, so cold water is your best bet.
Cleaning Other Household Items
There are a lot of tips for clothing stains, but what should you do when you need to clean something else? Perhaps a wall or your bedroom?
As students, we regularly use pens and markers for school work and notetaking. Sometimes we get a little too fervent and might swipe the wall accidentally. There’s no need to panic. Most pen and marker mishaps will easily wipe off the wall after a heavy spritz of hairspray.
A spritz of hairspray won’t clean your bathroom, however. Cleaning the bathroom can be made a lot easier with home remedies. Have you noticed your shower head has accumulated hard water discoloration? Try placing a baggie full of vinegar around the shower head and leaving it for an hour or two. The vinegar should get rid of the build up and leave the shower head sparkling.
Speaking of sparkling, the microwave never seems to be. Hardened food particles line the inside, but the cleaning can take a lot of scrubbing and muscle power. Forget the scrubbing and try making a mixture. Place a microwave-safe bowl inside the microwave with equal parts water, vinegar and lemon juice. Set the microwave for 5-10 minutes and wipe down the inside afterwards.
If you’re looking to keep your room clean, wiping it down won’t have the same effect. Michelle Jarest, student at the U, suggests cleaning as you go. “I think [my] main tip would be to pick up things as you use them or clean up right after you’re done doing something,” she said. “That way it’s many little jobs instead of one big one once in a while.” Why do more work in the end when you can create less work in the beginning?
Still can’t seem to get something as clean as you want it? Repeat and try again. Sometimes it takes a few tries to remove the wretched stain. If it still doesn’t work, try something new. You’re bound to find a household remedy which works for you.