There's a new helpful household hints sheriff in town.
While researching ideas on the Internet for the never-ending mulberries (I'm seeing mulberries dancing in front of my eyes when I go to sleep. Should I be concerned?), I came across an article that said mulberry juice cannot be washed out of clothes. Well, pardon ME, Mr. Fancy-Pants Academic, but you are WRONG. While it is true that mulberries are some seriously messy sumbitches (my cuticles are stained black at this very moment--Cuticles of the Undead), the juice is actually quite easy to get out of fabric. So, courtesy of the MiL, from whom I learned this nifty trick, here is the way to remove any berry stain (strawberry, raspberry, whatever) from your clothes:
Pour boiling water over the stain.
That's it. No, really. It just disappears, like magic. It's very cool. Just be careful not to pour the boiling water over any of your fingers that might be holding said clothes. Hypothetically speaking, of course. Ahem.
And here's my other fun domestic magic trick. And also, my only other fun domestic magic trick. This one I got from the All-Knowing Internet. You know how when you wrestle with your Christmas tree, you get pine (or spruce, or whatever tree you have--I KNOW they're not all the same, okay A.?) sap all over the damn place? Take it from me--it doesn't wash out of clothes in the washing machine. But it is easily removed with rubbing alcohol. Once again, it's like magic. It just comes off. I should imagine nail polish remover would work too. Try to remember this come December.
Unless you're Jewish, in which case, I'm sure Heloise has some good hints about removing menorah wax.
If wax from your menorah is getting stuck on your clothes, you have a lot more problems than how to wash it out. Trust me.
ReplyDeleteAh-hah! Well, sadly I rarely have reason to get berry juice all over myself: berry season lasts about a week in Texas, it seems. (Margarita season, however, lasts from March to October.) Good trick, though.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is how to attack a washer full of wet, forgotten, mildewy laundry (a more common problem in my life): Re-wash the load with 2 cups of white vinegar, then wash again with laundry soap and dry as normal. Works like a charm.
Credit where credit is due: I learned about the boiling water from MY Mil.
ReplyDeleteCall me Heloise, then. Put paper towels above and below the wax, then iron the spot with low heat, no steam. The wax melts and absorbs into the paper towel, which is more absorbent than the fabric. Might take a couple tries to get it all. This also works when the kids knock a candle onto the carpet.
ReplyDeleteDear MIL: Does the boiling water trick work on anything else? Red wine? Mustard? We're a little stained around Mayberry and I was just wondering.
ReplyDeleteMayberry Magpie
Stains, stains, go away--for wine, I use club soda if I have it, or baking soda and water, or boiling water. All seem to help. One can't pour boiling water over every fabric, but I've had good luck with all of the above. For mustard or curry (which contains the staining agent, turmeric) I launder and then soak in oyxgen bleach. White vinegar is also good to try on lots of things. Good luck! Oh, and here's a good one--if a RED candle has exploded on your clothes, do what drew kime recommends, and get the rest of the stain out with mineral spirits.
ReplyDeleteExploding candles? What is this, Spy Vs. Spy? (Man, I hope at least one other person in the world gets that reference.)
ReplyDeleteLOVED this post! One question: What if you're Muslim? Um, Buddhist? How 'bout Mormon? I guess that was three questions. :)
ReplyDeleteI got iodine all over my pants. I thought for sure they were goners, but I used lemon juice and salt, and they were as good as new! Magic!
ReplyDelete