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onaa-ohokthen · 3 years

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So @nonasuch 's post on the topic combined with college fall semesters coming up made me think of laundry. I'm in a group chat with mixed nationalities and there have been a fair amount of discussion back and forth about Landry Habits, so here's my guide to How to Laundry.

(worth noting: my mother was a nurse, trained in the 60s when more attention was probably paid to issues that may not get as much today, and taught me accordingly, both laundry and other household tasks. when I was very young, she still washed sheets in 90 c, at least when someone had been sick. She didn't buy clothes that had to be washed cold. but she may have taken things a bit far.)

Temperature:

Generally, hot water equals 60 degrees Celsius, warm 40, and cold 30. Unfortunately, last time I checked, American washers often don't have a heating element and you're left with whatever your water heater gives you for hot, and the temperatures may be less precise.

Like Nona said in her post, you'll save your clothes and make them last longer by washing most of them in cold water. However, I've also seen some people say they was everything cold, which is just not hygienic, you guys. My rule, which is abbreviated CCAF and should perhaps most politely be summarized as "genitalia, butt, and feet", means that underwear, socks, sheets, and towels are always washed hot. These days, masks go in hot too. My partner has t-shirts that I sometimes wash warm when they start to smell. Tights is my exception from the CCAF rule; I either hand wash them or wash them cold.

(consider, obviously, if your Fancy Underwear can handle hot wash first. I solve this problem by only owning cotton underwear.)

Some things have to be washed cold, like functional activewear. If you have issues with activewear starting to smell while waiting to get laundered, you can rinse them out immediately after wearing and let hang dry completely before putting in the laundry basket.

Detergents:

Depending on your washer, you may not have complete control over which detergent you choose, some washers are liquid HE (high efficiency) detergents only. If possible, use unscented detergent, there's no reason to add perfume to something that sits against your skin (and sometimes mucosa) for hours on end, but obviously if your favourite is scented, go right ahead. What's most important is to NEVER use more than the directions tell you, the washer will have issues rinsing it out. You may be able to go lower, but it depends on your washer and detergent, and the size of your landry it may be worth it to go with a more eco friendly detergent, but check reviews first.

Also consider using an enzyme cleaner like oxyclean or another oxygen based cleaning agent as a booster on soiled, smelly, or troublesome laundry. It is NOT bleach, so won't leave bleach stains, and will form hydrogen peroxide in water which means it will break down blood and other protein-y stains. There is a an oxy spray for pre-treatment of stains, but I prefer soaking the item in oxy powder and water, following directions on the packaging. Other pre treatments you can use is a little detergent directly on the stain, or, for grease stains, hand dish soap (literally its job is to break down kitchen grease).

Fabric Softener:

No. Fabric softener leaves an oil film on your laundry and makes it harder to clean later, and more perfume that sits against your skin for hours. Avoid.

Drying:

Tumble drying is very hard on fabrics but obviously helps with speed of drying. I usually follow the same rule for temperature with the skin dryer: hot wash goes in the dryer, cold wash gets hang dried. This will extend the life of your band t-shirts, jeans, dresses, etc. and especially bras, a ton. You can dry on a line on your balcony or garden if you have one, or buy a collapsible laundry rack at a place like Lowe's, Ace Hardware, or IKEA and dry them in your house. Drying time varies between a few and 24 hours depending on humidity and temperature. Most items can be hung, some heavy knitted items like sweaters should be dried lying flat to avoid stretching. Hang things with room for air to pass between them and avoid folds as much possible to assure fast drying. If you have to tumble dry more delicate items, use a lower temperature to minimize wear.

re dryer sheets, I stopped using them altogether. They're bad for the environment, deposits more oil and perfume on your clothes, and cost money. I know some people use wool balls or similar items instead to avoid static, but I can't promise they'll work. The easiest way to avoid static is to hang dry synthetic fibers (ie not cotton or linen, you should never tumble dry wool as it will shrink) and only let the dryer run until it's done (which is easier said to than done with timed dryers in community settings.)

Also:

invest in a small in-laundry bag for items like masks, bras, and tights to keep track of them and prevent them from getting stuck and stretched out. Ideally, bras and tights should be hand washed in gentle detergent or soap flakes, but I'm often too lazy, so they go in cold in a bag.

if you know someone who claims jeans don't have to be washed at all, ignore them. It's true that they can be worn without washing for longer than you think (as long as you wear underwear and don't fall in mud) but sweat and dead skin flakes will accumulate. Wash your jeans every now and then.

feel free to add

#laundry #how to

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familylifescsaping-blog · 5 years

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All About Lemon

All About Lemon Video What is a Lemon? The lemon tree, which is an evergreen, originated in China or Northeast India and can grow to be around 20ft (or 6 meters) tall.

Lemon Orchard It produces lemons (aka citrus limon) that are a popular fruit due to their versatility in drinks and in both sweet and savory recipes. However, instead of the traditional steam-distillation process, its essential oil is obtained from cold pressing the rind of the fruit. It takes approximately 75 lemons to make one 15ml bottle of lemon essential oil, or about 250 drops. And of course, as usual, we’re only talking about Young Living’s essential oils. You can tell with the aroma of this one, that you’re ONLY getting lemons in your bottle. It smells AMAZING. So, Why use Lemon and Lemon Vitality Essential Oils? Lemon has many wonderful properties that are a great addition to a healthy lifestyle, including the naturally occurring constituent limonene, which is known for its cleansing properties. As a result lemon is a key ingredient in many health products and essential oil blends. It also contains other key constituents such as Alpha-Pinene.There are multiple research studies that are available to the public detailing its benefits. Pub Chem When taken internally, lemon vitality has antioxidant properties that can support a healthy immune system. It supports the nervous system and keeps your system alert with its potent properties. It can also balance pH levels to the alkaline state. Remember, if your body pH is low, your body will be acidic and so you will have less of a response to essential oils. And diseases thrive in an acidic environment. It’s very insightful to delve into other culture’s historic usage of lemon, so I highly recommend you do a little research. Click here for a starting point. The aroma of Lemon also revitalizes and lifts the spirit. When you diffuse this essential oil you’re also getting a bright aroma that can tackle strong odors. So, How To Use Lemon Essential Oil Aromatically Lemon is a wonderful air freshener, but you can take it up a notch by adding 6 drops of lemon and 6 drops of purification into a glass spray bottle with distilled water. Shake it up and use it in the bathroom as an air freshener. As I’ve mentioned several times before, there are endless combinations you can come up with to diffuse. Here are some that include lemon, which I regularly diffuse: The most popular is probably LLP, which contains 3 drops each of Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint. Running low on the Raven blend? No problem, I combine 3 drops each of Lemon, Wintergreen and Eucalptus Radiata, especially at bedtime. It’s summer, so try this one to help you get in the right mood: 1 drop of Lemon, 3 drops of Lime and 4 drops of Stress Away. And here’s one I’m diffusing right now for the first time, which has: 2 drops of Lemon, 3 drops of Grapefruit, 3 drops of Orange and 1 drop of Bergamot. Now, How To Use Lemon Essential Oil Topically

Safety Alert # 1 To avoid photo-sensitivity, some essential oils such as citrus oils, should NOT be applied to skin that will be exposed to direct sunlight or ultraviolet light for several hours. This is why you don’t normally find people bathing in lemon essential oil. Having said that… if you have blond hair there are plenty of recipes to brighten the look of your hair that contain lemon. If you happen to find me handling fish after a successful fishing trip, there would be no doubt that I would be using a couple of drops of lemon oil on my hands and rubbing it in throughly at the end of the day. How To Use Lemon Vitality Essential Oil Internally Lemon vitality, which comes in your Premium Starter Kit is a very simple and straight forward essential oil to use internally. Add it to your NingXia Red shot for an added boost, or practically any other drink you like. Typically it’s added daily to my glass of water or glass container that I sip from throughout the day when out and about. Water now has flavor for me without any harmful ingredients, and is actually doing me some good.

Safety Alert # 2

Always use Lemon, and other citrus essential oils in glass or stainless steel. They eat away at petrochemicals. So in a plastic water bottle, they are effectively eating away at the plastic, and you do NOT want to be drinking that. The whole point is to be flushing nasty chemicals out of your body, NOT adding more to it. To make this point…I’m going to show you what happens when you add one drop of lemon essential oil to the bottom of a styrofoam cup.

I’ll leave it alone and show you the results in a couple of minutes. You can even put Lemon vitality into a vegetable capsule - a common combination is equal parts of Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint vitality essential oils. You’ll find us doing this one mainly in the spring time. But you can easily combine lemon vitality with other vitality oils of your choice. Once you’ve made the capsule either swallow it immediately or put it in the freezer for a couple of weeks, otherwise you’ll quickly make an oily mess. Now, even though Lemon is a wonderful summer smell to me, it’s great to take internally during the winter. How about this warm spicy apple punch: Combine 2 quarts apple cider (or juice), 2 cups orange juice and 1 cup of pineapple juice into a large pot and let it simmer over a low heat. Then add the following vitality essential oils: 5 drops of Lemon, 4 drops of cinnamon, 1 drop of clove and 1 drop of nutmeg. This recipe makes approximately 10 cups, and you serve it warm. Now, something for the adults…Winter Whisky: Warm up 1/4 cup of honey and add 3 shots of whisky and 6 shots of water, where 1 shot equals 1 oz. Then add your essential oils: 6 drops of Lemon, 2 drops of the Thieves blend and 8 drops of Orange. Or make a lemon martini with 2 oz of vodka, 1 oz of simple syrup, 5 drops of lemon vitality essential oil and 1/4 oz of lemon juice for an added tangy twist. You can even add it to a turmeric infused honey for a boost during the colder seasons. Take 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric and add it to 1/4 cup of raw honey. Then mix in 2 drops of Lemon vitality and cover as you may store this at room temperature. Stir the contents before each use and take 1/2 teaspoon several times a day. Or simply add 1-2 drops of lemon vitality to a teaspoon of honey and put it down the hatch. I like to add a couple of drops of Copaiba as well for added benefits and to soothe some of the heat from the lemon. We commonly use Lemon vitality in our kitchen. It adds a bright and dynamic flavor to many dishes we cook from around the world. Why not add a drop or two to savory foods like fish, chicken, vegetables, noodles, rice and pasta, or sweet foods like pastries and cakes. What about adding a drop next time you have a plain or vanilla flavored yogurt? Or add 2-3 drops when you want to give a lovely fresh twist to your salsa. It’s very convenient to use instead of zesting or juicing. My husband nearly always uses it when creating vinaigrettes or marinades. It really does add a bright taste to summer salads and grilling. Back to our styrofoam cup…

And the lemon is going to continue to eat away at these chemicals. Lemon is powerful and gets down to business. This is why it’s ALSO so good in DIY recipes for the Household Lemon can be added to cleaning solutions to infuse them with a fresh citrus scent, AND it has cleaning power too! Here are some recipes: Furniture Polish: Mix together 1 tsp of olive oil, 1 tsp of water and 2-3 drops of Lemon Essential oil and apply with a soft cleaning cloth. You’ll want to make this fresh each time. If you don’t yet have the AMAZING Thieves Household Cleaner, which also contains lemon (a very important ingredient ), why not use this recipe for a window cleaner. Mix 1 cup of white vinegar, 3 cups of distilled water and 10-15 drops of Lemon EO in a spray bottle for sparkling windows and mirrors. Or, this recipe for a floor cleaner: 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 bucket of hot distilled water and 5-10 drops of Lemon, Tea Tree or Purification essential oils. Of course, I prefer the Thieves Household Cleaner, but in a pinch this is what I would do. Or use 1-2 drops of Lemon essential oil on stains. Let it stand and then rub it off with a clean cloth or throw it into the laundry cycle. However, if you do have the Thieves Household Cleaner, but need a little extra elbow grease for a build up of soap scum, tile grout needs brightening or marker mishaps, I highly recommend this soft scrub: 1/4 cup Thieves Household cleaner, 1 tsp distilled vinegar, 10 drops of lemon essential oil and 1 cup of baking soda. Mix the first 3 ingredients together and then slowly stir in the baking soda. It makes approximately 8oz of paste, and I keep it in small mason jars so it’s ready to go when I need it. For a Dishwasher Detergent I mix together 1 cup of baking soda, 1 cup borax, 1/4 cup citric acid, 15 drops of lemon and 10 drops of orange in a large glass container. Add 1 heaped tablespoon per load. You could add a sachet of uncooked white rice to the container to absorb moisture. I commonly also add a drop of Thieves essential oil blend directly into the dishwasher for the sparkle and odor elimination. Even More DIY Recipes: Use 1-2 drops of lemon to remove gum, crayon, grease spots or oil. A couple of drops also removes the sticky residue from labels. Help keep your fruit fresh by adding 2-3 drops of lemon to a bowl of cool water. Soak the cleaned fruit into the water and stir, making sure each piece of fruit has had contact with the lemon. Drain, rinse, dry and place in a bowl. Of course, you can skip this step if you’ve cleaned your fruit and vegetables with the Thieves Fruit and Veggie soak. You’ll be amazed to see how that cleans up your food. You can also freshen dishcloths before they start to sour, by soaking them overnight in a bowl of water with a several drops of lemon. Also freshen your counter tops by adding 2-3 drops of lemon to a spray bottle of water and spritz your counters Let’s take another look at the styrofoam cup.… There’s no doubt that Lemon does its job!

This photo was taken after the video. So use this as a reminder to use glass or stainless steel containers with essential oils, rather than plastic. Plastic particles can leach into the oil and then into your body one way or another, including if applied via a lemon mixture onto your skin. However, if you must use a plastic container, look for HDPE or PETE that have the recycling symbols 1 or 2 as apparently these are less likely to react. Although, I haven’t done my research on those yet. There are so many more ways you can use a drop of Lemon or Lemon Vitality essential oil, Google it and you’ll be lost for days! This is truly and essential oil no home should be without, and it’s cheaper and better quality than any of the Lemons you can buy in the store. With Young Living’s Seed To Seal Commitment, you know where your lemons have come from. So, now you can go and make the most of every drop of your Lemon essential oil Read the full article

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gethealthy18-blog · 5 years

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Natural Stain Removal Guide (No Harsh Chemicals Needed!)

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/news/natural-stain-removal-guide-no-harsh-chemicals-needed/

Natural Stain Removal Guide (No Harsh Chemicals Needed!)

If your house is anything like mine, laundry stains are a daily fact of life.

For many of us, laundry tops the list of household jobs we’d rather not do. In fact, its often voted the one job we’d gladly hire someone to help with if we could. Especially with small children, stains make laundry even tougher.

Even my most crunchy of friends will turn to conventional stain sticks and sprays to save clothes from being ruined. Yes, even friends who make their own deodorant, toothpaste, and laundry soap still use conventional stain removal methods.

And who could blame them, since many natural stain removal methods just don’t seem to work on tough stains.

Why Use Natural Stain Removal Methods?

When you switch to natural cleaning, you can’t just spray it all with “Shout” and call it a day… so what to do?

Conventional laundry stain treatment solutions are some of the most toxic cleaning products available. They contain harsh detergents, solvents, chemicals like sulfates and parabens as well as a host of artificial colors and scents.

Borrowing some wisdom from my grandma’s era and the help of my professional stain creation experts (aka: my children), I compiled a helpful list of effective stain treatments for various types of stains. I keep this list handy for reference when I’m doing laundry. I’ve included a printable version (at the bottom of this post) in case it will be helpful to you too.

Natural Stain Treatment Guide

Removing stains naturally takes a little more know-how and work than using a one-size fits all spray. When used correctly, these methods are highly effective (and you won’t have to keep the poison control number on hand!).

TIP: Always treat stains from the back, rather than the front, to avoid rubbing the stain in more.

Natural Stain Remover Supplies

First, you’ll need the following staples on hand:

Optional, but nice:

How to Treat Different Types of Stains

Ink or Paint Stains: Soak in rubbing alcohol for 30 minutes or (ink only) spray with hair spray and wash out.

Tea or Coffee Stains: Immediately pour boiling water over the stain until it is gone, or if it is already set, scrub with a paste of borax and water and wash immediately.

Grass Stains: Scrub with liquid dish soap or treat with a 50/50 hydrogen peroxide (3%) and water mix

Mud Stains: Let dry and brush off what you can, then scrub with a borax/water paste and wash immediately

Tomato-Based Stains: Treat with white vinegar directly on the stain and wash immediately.

Dingy Whites or Underarm Deodorant Stains: Soak the stain directly in a mix of 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and water for 30 minutes and then add 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide to the wash water. For really tough yellow stains, make a paste of 3% hydrogen peroxide and baking soda and rub into the stain. Leave on for 5 minutes before laundering.

Other Food Stains: Treat with a mix of 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and water and soak.

Grease and Oil Stains: Sprinkle the stain with dry baking soda to remove any loose oil or grease and brush off. Then, soak in undiluted white vinegar for 15 minutes, rinse and scrub with liquid dish soap before washing

Vomit, Urine, Poop, Blood, Egg, Gelatin, Glue, or Other Protein-Based Stains: DO NOT WASH IN WARM WATER!!!!! This will set in the smell. Soak in cool water and then wash with an added mixture of 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide and 1/2 cup baking soda in the washing machine.

If you’re wishing for an easy way to remember all of these treatments, see the convenient printable guide below!

How to Handle Really Tough Stains

When I encounter stains that don’t respond to the methods above, I’ll use stronger products that still contain natural ingredients. My favorite is Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds, which gets an “A” from the Environmental Working Group, and which is an amazing all-purpose natural cleaner.

It can be used directly on really tough stains in a pinch, though I prefer to make a natural stain spray:

How to Make a Natural Stain Spray

The closest non-toxic alternative I’ve found to stain removal sprays is this homemade version. It takes under two minutes to make, and can be kept by the washing machine for easy use.

Natural Stain Remover Ingredients

Natural Stain Remover Instructions

Put the water into the spray bottle.

Add the Sal Suds.

Place lid on bottle and swirl gently to combine.

Spray on stains before laundering to help remove even tough stains.

Other Natural Laundry Tips

On-the-go stain removal:

My homemade baby wipes can be kept in a small Ziplock bag and make a great pre-treat spot remover on the go.

Laundry Booster:

Add 1 tablespoon Sal Suds to a load of laundry as a natural stain-removing booster.

Stop Dryer Static Naturally:

Make your own natural dryer sheets or use wool dryer balls to remove static without the need for disposable dryer sheets. (Tutorials for both here.)

DIY Laundry Soap:

Making your own laundry soap is a great way to save money and avoid artificial fragrances and harsh chemicals. Try these homemade laundry soap recipes, or use this modified version if you have an HE washer.

Here is a printable version of the infographic above: Click to download.

What’s your best natural stain treating trick? Please share below! My kids could put it to the test….

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/3615/stain-treatment-reference/

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