Laundry - general mucky stains

What do their mums use to get rid of any stains?

Is it left to the grans to get the clothes clean?

Since reading about it on Transfer and discovering that you can get them in Germany, I have tried soda crystals. I only knew of them for de-staining a teapot before,which is what my mother used to do. I think she also used to boil hankies with them. But soda crystals really do get rid of even baked in tea stains on a teapot.

I followed the instructions on the packet which was to dissolve the crystals in very hot water and leave for 30 mins then soak the clothes overnight then wash. My first attempt was with very badly stained seat covers, and it worked wonders.

From what people have reported here on GN, soda crystals are brilliant for loads of things and even good for the washing machine. And cheaper than Vanish, and probably less detrimental to the environment, to boot.

" Transfer" should of course read "Gransnet"

I soak items, if necessary for a few hours in the powder Vanish then the washing machine with more Vanish and I also try to hang clothes outside because sunlight removes many stains. Curry is my nightmare.

My lovely DIL says they can’t get the children’s school polo shirts white but says “so what ?” Does it really matter ?!

I’ve found it depends on the fabric. Pure cotton can be soaked in bleach, diluted and generally gets rid of stains on white clothes.

Mixes of polyester and cotton. Stains are more difficult and tea doesn’t seem to shift very easily.

Polyester only. I rarely buy this as it is so uncomfortable to wear.

All stains should be treated immediately they are made. DD has taken to re-dying coloured clothes because of fading after treatments.

I sometimes find that using washing up liquid and treating front and reverse of stain at the same time works.

Liquid glycerine may be the answer. Rub it into the stain, leave for 10 minutes and then wash as normal with liquid detergent. This works for grass stains and is recommended for all types of stains.

i often treat it with products from behind too if it is food
that way the stain goes out the way it came from

Vanish plus bicarbonate of soda, spray on the vanish then rub in bicarb and leave for 5 /10 minutes,works for me.

OK, a few good ideas on here. I feel as if I'm fighting a war against stains (and then I feel like an advert for saying it!).

By the time you've tried all these tips, you'll have worn holes in the clothes!

But at least the stains will have gone.

My daughter buys white polo shirts from Asda as they are guaranteed to stay white. I think drying clothes in a dryer as opposed to outside line drying can make some white clothes look quite pug.
I follow a tip given by an aunt to my mother on how to keep white socks or tights really white. Put socks in a bowl, put some blue washing powder such as Daz on top and then a kettle full of boiling water. Leave to soak for a few hours before washing in the normal way. No more grey socks.

Grass stains on DS's synthetic cricket whites and cotton top always used to have liberal puddles of Ariel rubbed into them and cool machine washed.

Rub ordinary household washing-up liquid onto the stains as soon as the child takes the clothes off

Fold the clothes up and leave them until the washing-up liquid is completely dry.

Then wash on the wash cycle you usually use with the same amount of laundry soap as usual.

If the stains have not been completely removed, repeat the process.

I have removed even the most obstinate of fruit stains in this manner.

Blood is another thing which can stain. Recently I have suffered lots of mozzie type bites - mostly on my arms and legs and I obviously must scratch them in my sleep and have had spots on the sheets. I find running them through a cold wash and then a normal hot one with soda added to the washing liquid gives a good result.

My 3 kids all had white cotton blouses/shirts for high school with thin navy pin stripes so I couldn’t use bleach. They came home with all manner of stains - Vanish worked well for some, citric acid for others, isopropyl alcohol for some or amazingly oven cleaner for others.