How to remove stains from berries, ketchup, ice cream and more? How to make laundry detergent at home? What to do if there are yellow spots under the arms on the shirt? The answers to these and other questions are in our material.
Secrets of fighting stains
Berries
Rinse with cold water or soak for 30 minutes. Cold water removes red, pink and burgundy dyes.
Fat/Oil
Apply liquid bleach containing surfactant (these compounds relieve surface tension), leave for 10 minutes, then rinse.
Mustard
Rub a few drops of glycerin (available in pharmacies) into the stain to neutralize the yellow color. Leave on for a few minutes, rinse with water.
Ice cream
Soak for 30 minutes. in solution: 1 tbsp. l. detergents with enzymes that remove protein stains per 1 liter of cold water.
Ketchup
Final stage
(for all listed contaminants)
Apply stain pre-treater and wash at the highest temperature indicated on the product label.
What not to do?
Before you start washing or cleaning, remember these rules so as not to ruin things.
- USE vinegar on stone surfaces. This can damage materials such as granite.
- USE laundry stain remover on carpets. It will leave a sticky residue and will attract dust.
- WIPE the furniture with a dry cloth, this will spread dust everywhere and scratch the finish of the furniture.
- USE bleach to remove rust stains. It will only set the stains more.
- MIX bleach with ammonia. The compound forms a gas that makes breathing difficult.
- WASH the car with dishwashing detergent. It's too hard for car paint.
What to do if you run out of cleaning supplies
If you run out of:
- CARPET PRODUCTS. Replacement: ¼ tsp. dishwashing detergent mixed with ½ cup warm water. Baby wipes or makeup remover wipes are also suitable for stains.
- GLASS CLEANER. Replacement: 2 tbsp. l. ammonia and 4 cups of water. Mix in a spray bottle and use as a regular cleaner.
- MEDIUM FOR REMOVING STAINS ON FABRICS. Substitute: liquid dishwashing detergent or a few drops of hydrogen peroxide (it's a safe bleach).
- BATH CLEANER. Substitution: Baking soda applied to a damp sponge. However, you should not use soda in large quantities, it can scratch the surface.
- DETERGENT FOR WASHING DELICATE FABRICS. Replacement: Use daily shampoo to wash your hair by adding it to your laundry tub. Wash clothes by hand in cool water.
- TOILET CLEANER. Substitution: 1 cup chlorine bleach. Pour it into the toilet, carefully scrub the walls with a brush, leave for 10 minutes, then flush.
FAQ
Old stains
How to protect a white shirt from yellow underarm stains?
The main thing to remember is that white clothes should be washed immediately, even if they seem clean. Yellow stains from sweat appear on the fabric over time. If the fabric is not treated immediately, it will turn yellow in a week or a month. It is very difficult to remove such old stains. Apply a liquid laundry detergent to the underarm area (the composition of the product should contain enzymes, they destroy proteins). Leave for 15 minutes. Wash only whites separately with bleach at the highest temperature allowed for the fabric.
Sink
How to get rid of bad smell?
It usually stays in a sink equipped with a food waste disposer. Leftover food is an ideal environment for bacteria to spread. You may already know the trick - toss a lemon into the grinder to neutralize the odor, but if you don't have citrus fruits on hand, put some ice cubes in, run the machine to crush it, and then run the water for 15 seconds.
Platform
Wedge wedge sandals. How can I safely clean them?
Take a foam carpet cleaner. Apply it on the wedge, but do not rub, let dry. As it dries, the product will push the dirt out. After that, treat the wedge with a soft brush (for example, an old toothbrush). No need to rinse with water.
Sand
After a trip to the beach, the interior of the car is full of sand. Are there ways to avoid this in the future?
Bring some baby powder on your trip. When you leave the beach, apply it on your hands and feet - the sand will easily crumble. Things that you took with you: folding chairs, mattresses, children's toys, brush with a snow brush. Put a disposable oilcloth or an old shower screen in the trunk.
Fat and soot
Quick way to clean your outdoor grill/BBQ
Clean the grate with a hard iron sponge or foil ball. It is much easier to remove burns and deposits while the grill is still warm. For a thorough cleaning, wait until the grill has cooled down and then treat it with an alkali cleaner
Pets
Fighting hair
Before removing wool from furniture upholstery, spray it with an antistatic agent. Then use an adhesive roller, a vacuum cleaner, or wet rubber gloves.