Conference moira::parenting

    I have heard of making a paste of Biz and water, and brushing it
    on to the stain.  Someone in V.2, I think, created a paste of
    automatic dishwasher detergent and something else, and she claimed
    it even took out baby formula stains....does anyone remember this?
    I would like to have the method so I can pre-treat some of the
    kids' stuff before I wash it and lend it to my cousin for her baby.

    
    
    
    
    I have used hydrogen peroxide many times.  After you finish
    cleaning the child's wound, you can get the blood off the
    child's outfit as well.
   
    Last year I was able to save my ski parka that was covered
    with blood.  Now you cannot find a single stain on the parka.
    
    Found this trick in Heloise Helpful hints book.
    
    
    Jeanne
    
    

    re:  Simple Green
    
    	This stuff is Biodegratable and non-toxic.  Great for use and my
    sons toys he gets real grimmy.
    
    Virginia

    How about tips for handling the following stain:
    
    	- large, red magic marker stain on a white cotton polo shirt.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Freddie

>    How about tips for handling the following stain:
    

	Bleach ?

    I was trying to remove stains from one of my daughters tops, I soaked
    it in Clorox 2, with no results. I then added some regular Clorox
    bleach. It had some kind of chemical reaction, which looked like 
    a science experiment, but the stain did come out.  The top had flowers
    on the sleeve and it didn't even ruin the colors.
    
    Now this is something that I would not recommend all of the time, and
    always make sure the area is vented, in case of fumes, but if the 
    stain seems hopeless, give it a try!

    RE: blood stains...
    
    Another useful trick is to simply suck on the blood (I know, sounds
    sick) but the enzymes in your saliva breaks down the blood and it
    disappears quickly. There are limits to how much blood I'll tackle
    at a time but for really good blouses with a tiny bit of blood, the
    saliva trick works great.
    
    Jodi- 

    I have never heard of this, and I have never tried this ....so with
    that said................
    
    A friend of mine told me on Sunday that she was going to use EASY OFF
    on some grease stains on her son's shirt......I must of given her a 
    strange look because she told me an own of a second hand clothing store
    had told her about it.  Apparently you spray a bit of easy off (yeah,
    the oven cleaner!) on the spot and then wash the article as normal...
    
    Anyone ever hear of this?  Sounds a bit strange to me, don't know if
    I'd try it.  I'm not comfortable with spraying the clothing with oven
    cleaner...........
    
    Regards,
    
    Kathy

There are two kinds of Easy-Off, the old lye-based kind and the new non-caustic
kind.  The new kind used to be marketed by Arm and Hammer, but Easy-Off bought
the rights from them or something like that.  I'd be wary of using the old
kind on clothes (or ovens for that matter), particularly since I believe
lye weakens fibers.

    GREASE STAINS:
    
    	I use baby oil.  Rub it in until the grease moves around (will
    	come off on your hands)  Has to really be soaked into the stain.
        Then pour a little of your detergent WISK, for example, or you can 
        use DAWN) on the oil and wash as usual.  You will not even know 
        the stain was there.  I've done this on silk.
    
    	re: oven cleaner....new one on me.....wouldn't imagine that the
            chemicals would be good.....baby oil works great on
            black grease....even if you've already washed it.
    
            BOTTOMLINE: grease takes out grease
    
    
    BLOOD:
    
    	A little warm water takes it right out.  Can't be too hot or too
    	cool....just rub it a little...learned this when I was a little
        kid.
    
    	re: sucking it out.....probably just your warm saliva taking it
            out...nothing to do with the compounds
    
    

    I've used the saliva trick on other organic stains that wouldn't
    come out with just warm water. 
    
    --bonnie

    i remember reading about using milk on blood stains...while away with 
    other couples there was a car accident.  HOURS later back at camp i 
    used milk on a girlfriends coat absolutely covered in blood and you 
    would never even know it looking at it.  She couldn't get over it the 
    next morning, she was just going to throw it away.  
    
    

Hydrogen peroxide is good at removing blood stains.

    How about mildew?  Looks like my daughter tried to help putting away
    her clothes in the hamper and put a wet washcloth in.
    
    Two of her cutest things have mildew.  I've tried Spray 'n Wash.
    Soaking in a mild ammonia and water mixture and the washing.
    
    Any suggestions?

    RE:  Blood stains....a quilter friend of mine told us that if you prick
    your finger while quilting and get blood on your material to suck it
    out.  Your saliva has enzymes that will break down the stain.  She also
    said that it should be the saliva of the person who's blood makes the
    stain.  I've asked my kid to spit on his shirt so I can "scrub" it.  
    
    Next time I'll try Hydro Perox.  Much neater in my opinion!
    
    -sandy
    

    re .14 - mildew
    
    I know that vinegar does a good job on some mildew. I cleaned
    the inside of a plastic bin with straight vinegar and it did the
    trick. Worth a try on fabric (spot test first I guess).
    
    Lucy

    Speaking of mildew....  I tend to put my daughter to bed with wet hair,
    and recently noticed that her pillow has mildew stains.  I know that as
    a kid I went to bed with wet hair, but I never had mildew stains on my
    pillow.  I had a feather pillow.  She has a foam pillow.  Would that
    make a difference?
    
    Debby

    One of the best ways to get rid of mildew is to spread or hang the
    garment out in direct sunshine for a few hours.
    
    --bonnie

    My Grandmother cleaned my mildew smelling, discolored, christianing gown
    for my daughter to wear in Woolite & a little bit of bleach.  It looked
    new when she was done w/ it.  She soaked it overnight.  The smell was
    gone & the color (white) came back in the gown.  I was amazed!
    
    Sonia
    

    
    the only luck I have had with mildew stains (Bibs/shirts that get put
    in the hamper still wet) is to bleach them out....
    
    i keep trying to remember to pick up some stain remover (shout) spray
    to spray these with before they go in the hamper, but keep forgetting..
    
    so...I put all the mildew things to the side for a few weeks until I
    have enough to do a soaking with bleach...
    
    Chris
    

    Talking about christening gown, my daughter has a beautiful satin gown 
    that she has worn very rarely.  The instructions says to either wash it
    in cold water or to dry-clean.  When I washed it in cold water the gown
    just lost its beautiful "lustre".  Any hints on how I can restore the
    gown to its original "lustre".
    
    Thanks,
    
    Jay.

    Murphy's Oil Soap is good at getting out a good number of stains - it
    also works well with ground-in dirt.  I just pour the stuff on the
    stain and throw it in with the wash.

    I have trouble with chocolate stains and spaghetti sauce stains?
    Any advice?
    
    Thanks,
    Anne

    Ours always come out in the regular wash.  We use Tide and dry
    bleach (market basket brand of clorox II).  If they're really
    stained, it might take extra dry bleach.
    
    --bonnie

Does anyone know how to get watercolor stains out of clothing?  My kids have
come home with splash stains from poster paints, watercolors (the kind that come
as a hard cake that you rub a wet brush on), and stains from the water that
the brushes have been dipped in.  I have tried prewashes, chlorine bleach, non-
chlorine bleach, dish detergent, peroxide, and nothing even makes a dent!

Watercolors are non-toxic and washable as far as hands are concerned but watch
out for clothes!

Barb

    this is probably just a little over due, but for -.1, I've had the same
    problem with the so called "water based" markers and such.  The first
    thing I do is hit them with the stain stick.  The brand escapes me
    right now, but it's the little one with a green, blue and white label.
    
    My second effort is to soak the thing overnight, I fill the washer to
    the "low" water level, but put in enough detergent (I use Arm & Hammer
    Brand if it really matters) and powdered bleach (clorox 2) for a full
    load.  Then I soak it overnight, or till the next night and do a
    regular load.    I find if you can catch the stains while still fresh
    they come out better.
    
    Lyn
    (AKA, Mrs. Clean!)

    This isn't exactly children's clothing but I am desperate.  The
    neighbors cat got into our house and sprayed the upholstery and carpets
    upstairs.  I can not get the smell out.  I haved shampooed it several
    times, tried a textile freshener spray, and now am burning scented
    candles all day long.  As long as the candle burns, I smell mostly it
    but there is still the cat odor in the background.  When I blow out the
    candle, the cat smell comes back in full force.
    
    Any ideas???  Please!!??
    
    Cheryl

    
    Have you tried sunlight?
    
    The chairs we bought second-hand for the computer room had been lived
    in by smokers. I put them ouside on several sunny windy days and that
    cleared the smell.
    
    Try hanging the curtains etc outside. If the furniture is moveable, put
    it in the open air or at least in front of an open window for several
    days at a time.
    
    I have used talc (baby or lightly scented) to remove the smell of
    rabbit urine from carpets. Dust in the talc and leave for a couple of
    days, then hoover carpet. Male rabbit urine is almost as bad as that of
    a tom cat.
    
    I have also used the talc trick to remove the smell of baby vomit and
    urine from a mattress.
    
    Celia
    
    PS Try the feline notesfile as well - no idea of its node address
     

    The only thing that I have found that takes care of this problem is 
    to buy something that is found only through a vets office.  There 
    are several names for it but all of them are some type of enzyme (comes in 
    liquid and spray) that you put on the area and it removes the smell.
    Stop by a vets office, the cost is about 10 dollars.
    
    Works great.  
      
    If you owned a cat it would also be the only things that you could 
    use to prevent them from spraying there again.  8.( jealous over new
    baby cat at home.  
    
    lori  
                       

    Thanks for the suggestions.  I hadn't thought of talc but I was
    thinking that baking soda rubbed into the upholstery might do the
    trick.  What do you think?
    
    I did try putting on of the cushions out in the sun for awhile. 
    Unfortunately, we forgot it overnight and the cat hit it again. 
    AARRGGHH!
    
    I have a spray which is great for keeping animals from peeing on bushes
    and other things.  Would this also work in breaking down the smell?  It
    does work on the neighborhood beasties, including our very male dog. 
    Can't say I like the smell of it too much though.
    
    Again thanks,  This smells AWFUL :-)
    
    Cheryl

Check out the WRO10C::FELINE conference.  They have lots of 
information about this problem.

................beth

    Go to a pet supply store, pet shop, etc.  Look for an ENZYME cleaner,
    like Nature's Miracle or Odormute.  And follow the directions
    precisely. They usually require you to soak the spot, full strength,
    blot it a bit, soak it again, and let it air dry.  It works and will
    save your furniture.  The other methods may disguise the smell for a
    while, but the first hot, humid day you'll notice it again.
    Sarah 

    Thanks for all the help.  I will try the pharmacy today.  They
    typically sell this type of product over here.
    
    but the saga continues...  Today it is very humid and the cushions
    stink to high heaven.  Jurgen is preparing for a trip and laid his
    shirt out on one of them last night without thinking.  This morning I
    had to re-wash and iron all shirts.  I think that cat (much as I love
    kitties :-) and better keep its distance from me for a l..o..n..g
    while :-)
    
    Thanks,
    Cheryl

    
    Have you thought of having the cushions professionally cleaned?
    
    Or hire a VAX (industrial type wet/dry cleaner) and do them yourself.
    
    I managed to get orange juice, chocolate, rabbit urine, baby sick, 
    coffee and wine stains off my pale green sofa cushions using one of
    these the other week. The solution removed all the lingering "animal"
    smells.
    
             Celia
    

    I tried one of the enzyme sprays and, although it lessened the smell,
    it is not sufficiently gone that I want them in the house (they
    currently live outside on the clothes line :-)  I will take them in for
    cleaning this week.
    
    The rest of the upholstery still smells a bit also but it is fading
    now.  
    
    Thanks for the suggestions.  I hope none of you ever gets the chance to
    "experience" this.
    
    Cheryl

    Two thngs come to mind for solutions....no pun intended.
    
    I have tried a product called Nil Odor, which is a very tiny bottle.
    You literally only squeeze two or three drops onto wherever the odor
    is, and it makes it disappear.  Some nursing homes use it to eliminate
    human odor.
    
    Something else, that is new to me, is Simple green, a natural solution
    where a small amount added to a quart of water will clean and
    deodorize.  There is an industrial cleaner I have seen in the
    "warehouse stores" called Citrus cleaner, or something close to that,
    which I think some of the Digital plants have used for cleaning.  You
    end up with an orange-y type of smell after.  Both cleaning solutions
    are supposed to clean "gently".  I haven't tried either of these kind,
    so I can't give personal experience.
    
    Good luck,
    Lyn
    (who owns two indoor cats, and about to adopt a stray to live
    outdoors!)
    

	Does anyone have ideas on removing stains caused by liquid
	iron supplements ?  Emily was over eager to take her iron
	one day, and grabbed at the dropper.  The iron splashed all
	over my white shirt.  I've tried straight bleach twice with
	no luck.

	Karen

    I had a stain on a white shirt that I tried all the usual laundry
    cleaners and stain removers (including straight bleach and Rit), 
    but that stain wouldn't budge.  Since it was right in front and I 
    couldn't wear the shirt anyway, I figured I wasn't going to lose 
    anything trying something new.   So....I got out my Tilex (bathroom 
    cleaner), sprayed some on a piece of tin foil, and using a cotton 
    swab as as an applicator I was able to get the stain out!  I've 
    since worn and washed/dried this shirt tons of times with no damage 
    at all.  
    
    I'm not sure I would have tried this if the shirt really meant a 
    lot to me, but since it was headed for the rag bag I figured "what 
    the heck".
    
    Conni
    
    BTW - the shirt is a cotton knit, 95% cotton, 5% polyester

    
    A product called Iron-Out (I purchased at Agway in Northboro, MA)
    is great on laundry stains ...
    

    Update:
    
    The dry cleaners got the smell out od the cushions at $15 a piece
    (yikes!).  I would have asked the cat owner to pick it up if it had
    been more but they are our best neighbors so we absorbed the cost in
    the interest of good relations.
    
    The cat is now on our s*** list however :-)
    
    Cheryl

    Any advice for pine tree sap (a large mess of it!) on 100% cotton?
    
    Thanks
    
    JR

<    Any advice for pine tree sap (a large mess of it!) on 100% cotton?
    
Fire?

'Course, it would probably mess up the shirt a little.  ;-)

    Well,
    
    If I remember,
    
    Tar can be gotten out (for the most part) by the following steps:
    
    1.  Using an ice-cube to chill it, and picking off as much as possible 
    
    2.  Rubbing vaseline (or something else oily) into the remaining stain
    
    3.  Soaking it with an oil-stain prewash
    
    4.  Washing with the hottest water you can get away with.
    
    YMMV with pinesap.
    
    meg

I saw an add for WD-40 saying it would take it off skin - don't know about
clothes and I haven't tried it on either...

We tend to use Skin-So-Soft as the universal solvent.  I know it will take pine
pitch off skin -- don't know about clothing.

	-Neil

    Hand-cleaner ... dissolves the stuff in an instant.  That goopy stuff
    that you use after working on the car or whatever ....
    
    Hope it's not too late!

    One of the brands is actually called "goop".
    
    H

    Attempting to change my wiggly son, I got a ton of Desitin
    all over an expensive wool skirt.
    
    Any suggestions, other than back to the dry cleaner?
    
    Thanks,
    Tara

    The cleaner is your best bet on a wool skirt.  They have ways of
    getting greasy stuff out that are not appropriate for home use.
    
    meg