Banish Stains The Natural And Free Way. (Hints and Tips for Household Cleaning)

Member Name: Rhiana

Product:	Hints and Tips for Household Cleaning
Date:	31/05/09 (527 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Its natural, Its free, It shifts stubborn stains

Disadvantages: It won't work in winter.

I'm far from a domestic goddess, more of a lick and a promise kind of girl when it comes to household chores. However I have do I have a secret weapon when it comes to removing stains from clothing. Having just put it to the test again this morning, I thought I'd share with anyone who hasn't yet discovered this natural and completely free stain removal method.

I discovered this way of banishing stains four years ago now, when weaning my 6 month old daughter. Anyone who has experience of this stage will know that aswell as the fun and excitement of trying out new foods, comes a disgusting pile of once beautiful baby whites stained with orange and red food.

Most manufactured baby food is orange, and kids of all ages love beans, spaghetti, orange juices and ice lollies. But these foods are the bane of the washing basket. Trying different and expensive stain removers had either no effect at all, or faded the mark but never completely removed it. I found soaking bibs and whites in milton worked pretty well, but this also had it's drawbacks. Firstly it stinks. Secondly it will fade any coloured materials, and if you don't get the dosage right, bleach them white. A beautiful baby pink summer dress stained with carrot mash was reduced to a bleached tie dyed rag on one occasion.

But then I noticed something strange. I loved to hang my daughters baby clothes on the line, there's nothing nicer than seeing those bright little outfits blowing in the sun. Bringing them in to iron one hot summers day, I noticed a white top that had a definite dingy orange circle round the neck when I put it out, was now squeaky clean and dazzling white all over. S o what had happened?

The only explanation I could come up with was the sun. So the next day I put it to the test and hung all the bibs out, directly facing the sun light. And it worked, by evening the stains where banished and the bibs as good as new.

Now some of you may have already discovered this natural and free stain remover, so apologies to those. But it does seem that a lot of people don't know, and I have passed my top tip onto many, who have all been amazed and pleased with it's success. This morning I hung my daughters white dress she wore to a B-B-Q yesterday, and got bright orange Calypso lolly down the front. Despite putting it in the washing machine last night, the stain was very much still there this morning. 2 hours in direct sunlight and it's gone.

There are some down sides to this method. It won't work on every stain, grass and ink for instance won't be budged by the sun. But any-one with kids will pleased to know that any red or orange stain, blackcurrant juice and chocolate stains are easily banished. It's also not going to irritate sensitive skins like some washing powders or stain removers can. What's more natural than the sun? And there's nothing more environmentally friendly.

Second negative is it won't work in winter. It needs to be a clear sky, when the sun is hot and bright with the stain directly facing the sun. I have put dry clothes on the line, however, and it has worked equally well. So you can put things aside for a sunny day, all is not lost.

While my stain removal is far from scientific, and without it's flaws, I'm chuffed I discovered this. Kids clothes I once would have given up on have been given a new lease of life.

Hopefully, if the experts are correct, we are going to blessed with a blue sky'd sunny summer. Leave the Vanish on the shelf and give this a go!

I hope this might be useful to some-one out there x

Summary: Another reason to love the sun.