 Nature's Way
with Alan Hayes
Safe, Simple Laundry Solutions
If a survey was done of most people's laundry cupboards, they would no doubt be found to be cluttered with an array of products that promise to do almost anything. Sadly, most of these products would be those that cause the highest levels of domestic pollution. However, it is possible to wash your clothes clean, safely wash delicate lingerie and woollens and treat those annoying spots and stains without resorting to harmful chemical products.
Bicarbonate of soda, for instance, is a mild alkali, useful for neutralising acid stains. Soak the stained fabric in warm water containing 2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda, leave for 1 hour, then rinse well. Grease can be removed by pouring hot water on stains and covering with dry bicarbonate of soda. It can also be used to remove perspiration stains from the underarms of shirts and blouses. Just soak the stained garment in a solution of 2 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda and 18 cups of cold water. Leave for 1 hour before washing.
Bicarbonate of soda also makes an effective water softener that will do the same job as those expensive brands. Simply add a handful of the bicarbonate of soda to the wash water.
Woollen garments will retain their natural softness by washing in a solution of 1 tablespoon of borax to every five litres of warm soapy water. Rinse well. To dry clean them, heat a mixture of 1 tablespoon each of flour and salt in the oven until fairly hot, then rub this mixture on the soiled areas of the garment. Fold it over and leave for 24 hours. Shake to remove dry-cleaning paste.
To preserve the natural softness of woollen blankets, add 1 tablespoon of glycerine (for each blanket) to warm soapy water. Wash on a gentle cycle, rinse well (adding a drop or two of lavender oil to the final rinse), spin, then air dry.
For protection against moths when woollens are stored away, add a few drops of eucalyptus or lavender oil to a face washer and include it in the final rinse.
By adding half a cup of white vinegar to the final rinse cycle you will remove all traces of detergent or soap from your clothes, or to eliminate fluff or lint on your sheets add 1 cup of white vinegar.
Delicate fabrics and lingerie will retain their newness by washing them in the following fabric wash. Boil 1 cup of finely ground bran in 1 litre of distilled water, in an enamel or stainless steel pan, for 20 minutes. Stain through muslin or cheese cloth, squeezing all liquid from the bran, and dilute as required. Wash garment by hand in the solution, then rinse.
To whiten your whites, add half a cup of borax to the normal wash cycle then hang the clothes in the sun to dry. Their brightness will rival that given by any commercial product.
These laundry solutions are environmentally friendly, safe, and inexpensive, and will do the job just as well.
Alan on the Web – www.itssonatural.com
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