Benefits of Vinegar

Another 'Laundry Tips' Post.

I've been wanting to do another 'Laundry' post. But it always seems to get pushed off. Or I have something else I'd rather post. So today I'm going to do another one. (Not sure how many more I'll have.)

A while ago I started using Vinegar as my liquid Fabric Softener. And it works wonderfully!!! I read about it here.

Get cleaner laundry! Add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to the last rinse. The acid in white distilled vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, yet strong enough to dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents. Besides removing soap, white distilled vinegar prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew.


 And then later I read somewhere, but forget just where right now, how it works to not have to use fabric softener/anti-static sheets in your dryer, if you use Vinegar in your rinse water when washing. So I tried it, and YES, it WORKS!!! I have not purchased any dryer sheets for along time now. And I NEVER have any static in my clothes when I dry in the dryer.

My washer has a cup holder for putting the liquid fabric softener in, so I just put 1/2c. or so in of Vinegar, fill the rest of the way with water, and let it come out when it is suppose to. -During the rinse cycle.-

Did you know the lint in your lint traps, on your dryer, are bits of your clothes being chewed up by the dryer?? I never really gave it much thought before a man came to our place to do a water test and we were talking about our water and the hardness, ect. And he was saying how a dryer actually is very hard on our clothes.

So hanging your clothes to dry is the best thing to do. For one it saves wear and tear on them, (They get enough wear and tear just by being worn.) in the winter it adds much needed moisture to the air, and it will save you lots of $$ by not using your dryer. And less you think I only wash on sunny days, and never use my dryer anymore!!! Remember-we are FARMERS!! We have to do wash on an almost daily basis, I don't have that option.

::More benefits of Vinegar in your Laundry Room::

• Keep bright colors from running. Soak clothes in full strength Vinegar for 10 minutes before washing.
• Get stained white socks and dingy dishcloths white again. Add 1 cup white distilled vinegar to a large pot of water, bring it to a rolling boil and drop in the articles. Let soak overnight. (I haven't tried this one, but I want to.)
• 
  Attack spaghetti, barbecue, or ketchup stains with a white distilled vinegar and water solution.
• Forgot that you left wet laundry in the machine and it now smells moldy? Pour a few cups of white distilled vinegar in the machine and wash the clothes in hot water. Then run a normal cycle with detergent.
• Eliminate manufacturing chemicals from new clothes by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the water.
• Remove deodorant stains by lightly rubbing with vinegar then washing as usual.

It works great for me. What ways have you found to use it in your Laundry Room??

You can find more tips and uses here.
1001 Uses for Distilled White Vinegar
131 Uses for Vinegar

You can use vinegar for MANY more things then just the laundry room!!! Just google it and you will be amazed at the things you can fine. From weed killers to being used as a medicine.

Linked to Works for Me Wed.

Trash Can Tip

You ever get tired of emptying the trash can?? Tired of pulling out bags and putting a new one back in?? Here's something I have been doing for a while now. I read it in the book, "Time-Saving Tips For The Busy Mom" by Carrie Grubbs- Life Changing Seminars.

Whenever I take out the bag, I add 3-6 more trash bags, one inside the other, until I can't get any more in. Then on days I am in a hurry, there is another bag waiting. All I do as I am putting the trash bags in the trash can, is poke small holes with a pin along the top, to let out air. It will take a bit to get all the air out of the liners. But once the first bag is full, the next is waiting, fitting snuggly to the side of the trash can.

Another thing you can do is just place your box of bags or even a handful of them, on the bottom of your trash can. Then you are not wasting trips to get a bag from where ever you store them.

I find it a great time saver, as I don't push off changing the full bag, because all I have to do is pull, tie and throw out.

Stuffed Suitcase??

Luggage

This past week-end we had the privilege of going along with a few families from our Church to do some street ministry and spend time witnessing in Soup Kitchen in the Twin Cities. As always, with 3 boys, I take plenty of clothes along. (Or at least try too. I forgot some shirts for Jevan.) Over the past couple of years I have been experimenting with packing, and what the best way is to do it with the least amount of space. I don't like having any more pieces of luggage then I have to to haul in where ever we are spending the night. Not to mention saving space in the van as well. (We were VERY loaded this week-end. I needed a stroller, snacks, breakfast foods, pack-n-play, as well as all the other things that go with when traveling.)

I was able to pack all the boys clothes in one duffel bag. They each had 4 sets of clothes, extra shorts, pj's and a bag of pampers, plus the usual socks and underwear. {I was going to take a picture before I left and I forgot. So maybe the next trip, which there aren't any plans for, by the way.} I have learned the best way to pack clothes is fold them in half, for the boys and 3rd's for Delvyn and I, and then put them in accordion style. The fold up, and each child has his own row. You can easily see what each item is, without looking to the bottom of the stack and messing every thing up pulling it out.

I have heard of Mom's putting the child's things in a paper bag and cutting it even with the suitcase. But I take way more clothes then a paper bag would hold. Maybe I over prepare, but you never know with children!! And I don't like having to do wash, if possible. One Mom puts a set of clothes for each child in a bag, one for each day or each child a Ziploc bag. To me it seems like a waste of bags, but I can see the benefit of that too. It would make it easy for Dad to help with finding clothes, they are presorted and ready to go. I've seen suggestions for rolling your clothes, that makes for fewer wrinkles and less bulk. I've not noticed fewer wrinkles or less bulk.

I still like my accordion style. Something I just thought of is packing accordion style, but also putting a set of clothes together, the pants/shirt/underwear/socks, then you are not looking for things to match or a sock missing some where. I might just try that next time. Also Delvyn can easily grab a set of clothes, if you put them in the order needed.

Something else I have learned, is not to wear light colored clothes on a child while traveling. They get so dirty so fast and you don't always change clothes as you go from place to place. Dark colored clothes hide lots of dirt, on Mom and child.

This is something I have found that greatly helps me, maybe you have something that works better. Please share your tips in the comments.

Laundry Tips... (part 1)

Laundry!!! --The task so many dread!! But I don't!!! I never have. In fact I LOVE it!! Strange I know... and I don't know why or how that came about. I do know it was one of my primary jobs growing up, the oldest of 6 children. And I always found a joy and fulfillment in it. Maybe it was in part because I got 'alone time' to think by myself in the basement, and hanging clothes on the wash line. My siblings would never offer to help me.:)

I think it is Very rewarding to wash the mounds and mounds of dirty, smelly wash. And then to pull the damp, clean smelling clothes from the washer. I love hanging them on the line-that snap, snapping sound they make when shaking them sharply to get all the wrinkles out that you can. I love hanging things orderly, by catergory and by owners. I don't know why, but I love looking at wash that goes from big to small. Or small to big. I love taking down the wash that has hung out all day, in the refreshing breezes of summer. And being able to bury my nose in the soft folds of the clean wash, taking a deep, deep sniff of that awesome smell, that you can only get from hanging things outside!!

I have tried many things and ways over the years, for doing laundry... Including set days for washing or doing a load or two everyday. And I have discovered each has a benefit and each works, but on conditions. While growing up, our wash machine and drier was in the basement. We did wash 2x a week. After I got married my washer was outside my bedroom door (in a trailer), so I did wash whenever there was enough for a load. We moved in '05, and my washer was in the basement. Doing a load a day or so, just did not work for me!! I would throw a load in, then in the busyness of the day, forget it was down there. I soon learnt that it was easier to have a set day for washing. I knew I was always to be changing wash that morning. Then, the summer of '08, we moved again.

Now my wash is on my main floor again. (I must say that is the BEST place to have your washer.) And I have tried washing both ways again. And I really don't mind either way. I discovered that it does work better to wash more often in the summer, and only 2/3 days a week in the winter. My boys go through a lot of clothes in the summer, being on a farm they can dirty a set VERY fast!! So right now for the winter I wash Tues. and Fri. Then on Sat. I do whatever odds and ends might be floating around, and clothes we may need for Sunday. I wash towels whenever there is a load. And sheets one day a week-whenever it best suits me. But I am to do it on Mondays. And I love folding the wash- and putting it away. I don't know what it is, but something about seeing those stacks of clean laundry... is VERY rewarding!!!

Linked to It Works-for-Me!!!

 *Stay tuned... for the next few weeks I plan to share more tips-making Homemade Laundry Soap-for pennies a load, how to save on fabric softner-liquid and sheets...and other ways of saving.