Liquid PROS and CONS

Laundry detergent first started being sold in stores in the 1950s and was sold as a powder based detergent to wash your clothes. Powder is easy to use, works well in washers, and comes in a variety of different scents.

PROS

1) Great for stain pre-treaters or spot cleaning (grass, condiments, drinks, etc.)
2) Effective on getting out oil and grease
3) Least expensive

CONS

1) Measurement lines are hard to read therefore leaving you as the consumer using too much or too little. If you use to much a residue can build up on your clothing.
2) Some consumers of the bottles are not recyclable so therefore lots of trash in our landfills.
3) Water is main ingredient in liquid detergent which is why pricing can add up you are paying for the plastic bottle and the water in it.

Pods PROS and CONS

Convenience is the number one reason for using pods. The pods were first trademarked by TIDE however, now there are a variety of brands. They are the fastest growing laundry product on the market today.

PROS

1) Lightweight, require not a lot of storage space
2) Simple to use
3) Premeasured dose of detergent
4) Less packaging

CONS

1) Most expensive for cost per load
2) Designed for the average size load and soil level (how dirty your clothes are)
3) Can't be used for pretreating stains
4) Easy to swallow
5) Outer packaging can't be recycled

POWDER PROS and CONS 

Welcome to another week of Laundry Talk Tuesday...I saw these adorable printable tags on the Better Homes and Garden website this week and it inspired me!

We all get stains whether it be your favorite drink (coffee/tea/wine), lipstick, chocolate, grass or just plain the good ole stains of everyday living and being outside. Everyone sweats and sometimes our shirts can choose those pesky perspiration stains.

I think these laundry tags would be adorable to give a newly wed or someone getting their first house! Grab a basket and fill it with towels, these tags and maybe some detergent and you have the perfect gift plus it is useful!

Ink

Paint

Lipstick

Grass

Blood

Chocolate

Perspiration

Red Wine

Sauces

Welcome to this weeks edition of Laundry Talk Tuesday....Today, I am talking about jean care. We all have that favorite pair of jeans that we love to wear! Whether they are blue, white or black we want our jeans to hold their color and look good for many washes.



 Top: American Eagle, Jeans Wit and Wisdom Nordstrom

Washing your Jeans

People ask me constantly the best way to wash their jeans and ways to keep them from stretching. Colored jeans can sometimes also stain other articles of clothing depending on the dye used when making them.

My best advice is to wash your jeans inside out, especially for your blue and dark colored jeans. Also I like to dry my jeans about 15-20 minutes and then hang them to dry.

Jeans can be hand-washed. If you choose to do this I suggest using a deep sink or a bathtub. Make sure to submerge the jeans fully, use about a cup of laundry detergent and then let them soak for about 15-30 minutes. You want to make sure you rinse them well to get out the majority of the water. When rinsing it is best to fill your tub or sink 2-3 times with clean water. DO NOT wring your jeans this will break down the fibers in them. You want to roll them from the bottom up and then press on them to get the excess water out. If you choose to hand wash your jeans lay them flat or hang dry them.

If you choose to wash your jeans in the washer here are some tried and true tips!!

Use only COLD water!

Washing them often will fade the colors. I suggest wearing jeans 2-3 times before washing. This also will cut back on them stretching.

With your first wash of a pair of jeans throw in 2 spoon-fulls of SALT this will help set the dye.

How to Keep Jeans from Fading

You want to make sure you set the dye in your jeans. Like I mentioned above you can do this by tossing salt into the wash.

Another way to accomplish this is to fill a sink with water, pour in one cup of white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of salt. Make sure to turn the jeans inside out and soak them this way for an hour. Make sure to wash the jeans on COLD!

Wash less often (wearing them 3-4 times)

Spot treat your stains...once you dry your jeans or any clothes for that matter stains are much harder to remove!

 Source: Picture taken by Greg Beason
Source: Picture taken by Greg Beason

You have read the care labels of your clothes and they still seem to stretch and shrink for some reason. Most of how our clothes react during cleaning happens way before you ever purchase them. Some clothes are pre-shrunk and some will shrink after washing depending on your washer and dryer settings.

Every type of clothing fiber reacts differently. Wool, cotton and even bamboo have lots of stretch built into them. Side note if you have never tried bamboo sheets or shirts you are missing out. My husband's favorite brand is Cariloha. We discovered this brand on a cruise to the Caribbean but now they have a local store in Austin, TX.

Source: https://www.cariloha.com/mens/tops/polos/bamboo-performance-jersey-polo-coastal-blue-stripe.html
Loose fabrics type will stretch more when exposed to heat and agitation from a washer. 

What can you do to avoid Stretch and Shrinking?

Welcome to this week's edition of Laundry Talk Tuesday. Today, I am sharing some tips on how to sort your laundry. I am sharing some great laundry hamper for sorting also and just how to prevent your clothes from bleeding/dying and just how much sorting you should do.

Before you start washing your clothes....

Step One

Step Two

Step Three

Step Four

Step Five

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Welcome to Laundry Talk Tuesday...SPRING BREAK is fast approaching for some of us and before long it will be summer. It is so important to use sunscreen while out in the sun whether on the beach, in the pool or just outside playing.

If you have plans to hit the slopes this Spring Break be sure you are wearing sunscreen as well. It is amazing how the reflection of the sun on the snow will have you sunburned in no time.



However, what can we do when we get those dreaded sunscreen stains on our clothes?!?!

Many sunscreens have a chemical known as avobenzone. It is an ingredient that eliminates the harmful effects of exposure to long term UVA rays.

Yes, it is an important ingredient to have in sunscreen for the long days on the slope or poolside however, it isn't good for our clothes. It can cause orange or brown stains that seem to be impossible to remove.

If you have hard water it can only make your problem worse FYI.

First, find a good sunscreen that doesn't contain this product...here are a few on the market right now....
Blue Lizard
Kiss My Face




When it comes time to remove the sunscreen stains DO NOT use...
OxiClean or Bleach
It will cause the stain to appear much worse than it already is.

Some other products to try to remove the stains...
The Works Tub and Shower Cleaner
Bar Keepers Friend or Bon Ami in powdered form
Whink

Be sure to wash the stained clothes with whites or wash them alone so they do not bleach other items in your load.

Hopefully some of these tips help.

Opinion of Classy Southern Texan only....not responsible for any reactions to these products.