The Cleaning Crew / Useful Remedies & Regimens for Washing & Cleaning

[ndv]

I'll keep the introduction to this topic short and simple.     So you wanna start making your own cleaning detergents, or learn a new washing regimen to keep your Garments, Rugs, and other textiles 'Dope Fresh' and preserve the shape and color?  I hope this topic can help you.

So basically to start this off and hope I do not turn this into an on going Chop Suey intro.   I like to keep my white tees "bright white" as "they" say and in the same or near the state of condition at the time of purchase.  And that pretty much goes for all of my clothes and shoes, I like my stuff clean and fresh as so it appears to be brand new.   One of the things that help me in achieving this, is that I always read the care labels when I get new stuff, as the care labels are the proper recommendation and guideline.

Pretty much when it comes to machine washing, I always, always, wash my jeans inside out  and in cold water, and never machine dry.   All of my shirts from T-Shirts to Button Downs I hand wash (Soak in Cold Water, including white tees).   I never dry clean anything unless it's a suit.   There are reasons I stop dry cleaning.    As this is probably a good time to explain why.  When it comes to clothes I drop money, and at times I mean drop money.    So with that beings said, I also take care of my things and I definitely refuse to hand over a shirt to a dry cleaner, for 1. Doesn't care / Just Doing My Job.  2. The chemicals used in Dry Cleaning are the worst thing for dyes to be honest.   Plus most if not all dry cleaners these days do not clean on site anymore and out source the cleaning process,  and so everything is shipped to a cleaner and everything is cleaned at bulk, not by care label and this practice alone fades the dyes.

The reason I do not machine dry my jeans and shirts is because of the calcium in the water, and over time of repeatedly washing and dry the calcium builds up and begins to weaken and break down the fibers and also again, begins to fade the dyes.  Of course a water softener helps with calcium but you also have to factor in the chemicals used in the soap.  Again, the depending on detergents (chemicals) alone at a repeated regimen begin to build and up overtime because washing machines do not rinse thoroughly and still leave detergent behind which is immediately being transferred to a heat source (dryer).  So, I with that being said.  I have come accustom to alternative practices by research and/or experimenting to retain color, brightness, shape/form, and fit.

Products I use and only use:  Dr. Bronner's Lavender Soap, Terra Wash +Mg, Hydrogen Peroxide, Baking Soda, and Shout.

Jeans/Jackets/Coats:  Machine wash in side out and in cold water with Terra Wash +Mg  I not longer use detergent.  Hang/Air Dry everything.  No machine dryer.

Shirts and Tees:  Hand Wash in cold water, never machine wash.  Basically I soak in a sink for 24hrs.  Sounds crazy, but bright white is bright white.

If I do not have a stain I need to treat then the following steps are all that I do as a normal wash cycle and my white shirts stay crisp white regardless if they are a plain Tee or Graphic tee.   I can attest  the below method works because I have a few white shirts for over a few years now, and people in my daily rotation are amazed that the shirts are still brand new white!

1.)  Make sure your sink is clean.  I fill my bathroom sink with cold water
2.) Add 1-2 tablespoons of Dr. Bronner's Lavender Soap.  *Do not use the Peppermint or any other  kind as these varieties will cause yellowing.
3.) Add 1/4 cup of Hydrogen peroxide *The hydrogen peroxide is not only a natural whitener, but it also breaks down natural enzymes ( body oil and sweat) which get removed around the neckline and prevent build up which causes yellowing.   
4.) Mix the water with you hand just to get things mixed and even.
5.) Dip repeatedly a few times or submerge the Shirt and leave to soak for 12-24hrs.

6.) After 24hrs. I drain the sink. And rinse the shirt under the running water of the tub.

 7.) Squeeze Rinse *Never twist rinse, this will ruin (stretch) the shape/form all while stressing the fibers.
8.) Air dry flat and inside out. 
9.) Iron Inside out.


For Stain treatment:

 

I use this same method for colors as well.

 

If you have a stain (food or something) pre-treat with Shout or equivalent stain treatment.  Spray and let it sit for a day before washing...  I always was inside out and Iron inside out.

1.)  Make sure your sink is clean.  I fill my bathroom sink with cold water
2.) Add 1-2 tablespoons of Dr. Bronner's Lavender Soap.  *Do not use the Peppermint or any other  kind as these varieties will cause yellowing.
3.) Add 1/4 cup of Hydrogen peroxide *The hydrogen peroxide is not only a natural whitener, but it also breaks down natural enzymes ( body oil and sweat) which get removed around the neckline and prevent build up which causes yellowing.   
4.) Mix the water with you hand just to get things mixed and even.
5.) Dip repeatedly a few times or submerge the Shirt and leave to soak for 12-24hrs.  *If you do have any neckline stains or visible dirt then use the shirt on its self to scrub out the stain and let soak.  You may need to do this a few times.
6.) For heavy stains.  After soaking the shirt, if a stain is still present then this is where I will pull the stained area out of the sink and apply Baking Soda on the stain and use a toothbrush and try to gently scrub the stain out.  And let it soak again.
7.) After 24hrs. I drain the sink. And rinse the shirt under the running water of the tub.  If I was working with a stain, then I do not rinse, I just re-fill the sink with just cold water again and let soak.  Usually I do not have to do this a second time, but depending on the stain you may have to keep treating it so it keeps weakening the stain to completely remove it. 
8.) Air dry flat and inside out. 
9.) Iron Inside out.

I hope my regimen / remedy helps you in the future.  If you have any questions let me know?

There was a site that covered just about every organic and inorganic stain known to man and how to remove it, but it appears the site is not longer around.  So this one here is a good site I use as a basis for stains.  In the meantime, I'll see if I can track this site down.  Unfortunately, i cannot recall the domain name, I have to rely on visual memory.   

 

[Hua Guofang]

I purchase bulk Sodium Peroxide for clothes, kitchen and brewery.

 

Would love to be able to make it or an equivalent myself, not sure it's actually possible though.

[ndv]

^^   @misteraven @crave  @Kults

 

Feel free to add

[ndv]

1 minute ago, Hua Guofang said:

I purchase bulk Sodium Peroxide for clothes, kitchen and brewery.

 

Would love to be able to make it or an equivalent myself, not sure it's actually possible though.

I am not a chemist but I am sure its possible.   I wouldn't mind learning how to make some good household concoctions but it can also be a catch 22 for someone who may not fully understand what they are doing.   Defininately do not wanna learn the hard way, maybe the last you know. 

 

I used to know someone who made their own bleach in their bathtub.  He said it was actually an easy thing to do once you get the hang of it.  Never tried since I rarely use bleach and if so, it was easier to just buy it. 

[misteraven]

Wanted to learn to make soap actually. Was a big fan of the lemon oatmeal Bliss Bar, which is hard to find and also have access to tons of cow fat that just gets discarded. Thought I could maybe work it into some fight club soap hustle. 

[ndv]

2 hours ago, misteraven said:

Wanted to learn to make soap actually. Was a big fan of the lemon oatmeal Bliss Bar, which is hard to find and also have access to tons of cow fat that just gets discarded. Thought I could maybe work it into some fight club soap hustle. 

I am hoping some oonzer chimes in and can help us with that.   Let's see where this topic goes. 

[mr.yuck]

@misteravenid buy the shit out of some lemon oatmeal scrub soap, but only if it has the circle 12 stamped on the front with the phrase "wash yo funky ass foo" around the 12 circle. Think about it.

[misteraven]

26 minutes ago, mr.yuck said:

@misteravenid buy the shit out of some lemon oatmeal scrub soap, but only if it has the circle 12 stamped on the front with the phrase "wash yo funky ass foo" around the 12 circle. Think about it.

Really going to think about it man.

[swif1]

I use distilled white vinegar to help whiten whites in addition to natural oils on the shirt collar and armpit stains (when I used antiperspirant). I'll have to give the hydrogen peroxide a try. I saw first-hand how useful it is to remove stains. 

[KILZ FILLZ]

If you get something on the shirt you’re wearing use an ice cube to clean it up instead of water

[ndv]

@KILZ FILLZ

 

That sounds interesting. Whats the science behind that?  I wonder if it has something to do with temp?

[Elena Delle Donne]

what are everyone's favorite palm oil/palm-free soaps? i've kicked body wash for good. i found one at trader joe's but would like to support someone smaller *cough* @misteraven

Edited September 29, 2020 by Elena Delle Donne

[ndv]

On 9/28/2020 at 7:23 PM, Elena Delle Donne said:

what are everyone's favorite palm oil/palm-free soaps? i've kicked body wash for good. i found one at trader joe's but would like to support someone smaller *cough* @misteraven

Not sure i have ever paid attention palm oil content.  So I cannot comment to that point and I am not close by the bottle to see what ingredients are in Dr. Bronners  but I pretty much have been using Dr. Bronners peppermint pure Castille soap. 

[Elena Delle Donne]

dr bronners is clean in that regard! i'd like to ditch plastic too, even though they use recycled plastic bottles, but that's lower on the priorities list. i feel like plastic in some form is inescapable 

[Dirty_habiT]

Actually read the label on dr. bronners sometime and it'll instantly turn you into a hippy.  That's the true power of the plastic bottle they put it in IMO and a monetary value cannot be placed on that.

[ndv]

6 hours ago, Dirty_habiT said:

Actually read the label on dr. bronners sometime and it'll instantly turn you into a hippy.  That's the true power of the plastic bottle they put it in IMO and a monetary value cannot be placed on that.

It's funny you say that, about the hippy thing and the plastic bottle they use because I read the label off and on because I do not want the water bill to be high if I read the entire label straight through.  Anyhow, but yeah, that's the same impression i got about the plastic.  But I guess sometimes oxymoron's are due to not wanting to drop a glass bottle in the shower or some type of OSHA compliance.  

IDK?

 

But it's nice to know someone else feels the same way about Dr. Bronners.  But the soap is great tho.  

[swif1]

On 9/28/2020 at 8:23 PM, Elena Delle Donne said:

what are everyone's favorite palm oil/palm-free soaps? i've kicked body wash for good. i found one at trader joe's but would like to support someone smaller *cough* @misteraven

Currently using St. Ives body wash ha. Sea salt and kelp. Haven't consumed or used any product with palm oil in a while and I'm happy.

 

I use Hair Food for poo and condish 🥴 Also made the switch to a natural luffa for the shower and gd does it exfoliate. Also have one to wash dishes too 🙂

 

Got it from luffa gardens. They also make their own soap

[One Man Banned]

What you all got for getting spray paint out of clothing?  Montana 94, they list it as synthetic paint.  Best I got is to take paint that matches the color of clothing and try to dab it over whatever color has stained the fabric.

[One Man Banned]

Saw people mention Dr. Bronners above.  I occasionally use the liquid peppermint soap, that mint opens the sinuses, makes your body feel minty cool, really makes the undercarriage sparkle and tingle if you know what I mean.  Also good for a below the belt rinse if you want to give your girl a peppermint stick.

 

Will also say a small travel bottle of that was key for a quick on board wash up after overnight train travel, will bring that with me every time from now on.

[ndv]

5 hours ago, One Man Banned said:

What you all got for getting spray paint out of clothing?  Montana 94, they list it as synthetic paint.  Best I got is to take paint that matches the color of clothing and try to dab it over whatever color has stained the fabric.

 

Honestly, this is a tough one for me.  And the reason being, is that fabric has a tendency to absorb in the fibers and may be impossible to lift and completely remove a paint stain, specially spray paints.  Depending on the fabric and definitely dye used may or may not be suitable to use acetone.  Mineral spirits mayyyyyy, help but don't know?  

 

I would try a small dab of acetone in a conspicuous area and see what happens just with the fabric and dye. If the dye isn't removed, faded then thats whe. I would again, small bad the paint stain and see what happens. 

 

Let us know what happens. 

[metronome]

Anybody have a nail polish out of carpet tip?  My wife had an accident.  We've tried hairspray so far (I think) 

[One Man Banned]

If it's a

2 hours ago, metronome said:

Anybody have a nail polish out of carpet tip?  My wife had an accident.  We've tried hairspray so far (I think) 

This might only work if it's acrylic nail polish but spray ordinary window cleaner on it, google that to confirm.  My lady dropped a bottle of nail polish in the bathroom, shattered and shot red nail polish on the bath mats, tub, floor.  It wasn't looking good, but window cleaner came through like a champ, and with ease.

[metronome]

5 minutes ago, One Man Banned said:

If it's a

This might only work if it's acrylic nail polish but spray ordinary window cleaner on it, google that to confirm.  My lady dropped a bottle of nail polish in the bathroom, shattered and shot red nail polish on the bath mats, tub, floor.  It wasn't looking good, but window cleaner came through like a champ, and with ease.

 

We got lucky-ish, accident happened in the closet.  Will give that a try, thanks!