Please help me with my laundry!!
 UGGHHH!!
Somehow a damp washcloth got tossed into the laundry hamper (had to be me since I'm the only one there - right?? ) and now there is a mildew stain on my new linen dress that I cannot get out with Wisk or Tide. Makes me mad as an old wet hen!! 
What do I do??  I don't want to try Clorox as the dress is beige and I am afraid to bleach it.
Will Oxyclean get it out without staining it worse?? 
 Does anyone have an "old home" remedy?
I KNEW I should've had that dress dry cleaned.  |
|
|
| don't some mildew sprays say they work on laundry too - not an issue here usually but I seem to remember something. sorry not much help. |
| I hate to say it but I think the dress is a goner. Mildew is like mold--once it's there, nothing short of bleach will take it out. You could try sponging it with vinegar or lemon juice. Maybe the acidity will kill the spores. If the color fades, well, you wouldn't wear it with a big ol' mildew stain anyway. Or take it to the cleaners and see if dry cleaning will take it out. The basic issue is the killing of the spores.
How mad does an old wet hen get????  |
| Here are a couple of things I might try:
Shout Advanced, that stuff takes everything out Bleach for colored clothes Ammonia ( it kills the smell for sure, I use the lemon one) Sun light, leave it in the sun, hanging on a clothes line If you resort to real bleach, just bleach the whole thing, not just the spot, that way if it gets lighter, it will get lighter all over I will do more research to see what you can do. ask.com say's Washable Fabrics Rubbing soap onto the soiled area, then washing the article as soon as possible, can sometimes remove the marks. If marks remain after several washes, white linens and cottons can be soaked in a weak solution of bleach. Otherwise, after first testing on the hem, soak in mixture of one part 20 vol. hydrogen peroxide to six parts of water. Watch item carefully while soaking as bleeding of colour can occur. Wash as normal. |
| I used to swear by Shout, BUT now that I have been through newborns, I know a very simple method gets things out 100% of the time. I never have to buy anything extra outside of any detergent.
Soak overnight in detergent. Not one, not two, not four hours... has to be overnight or it doesn't come out. Old stains that have been through the dryer, stink stains, big stains, yellow stains...don't matter. I put the amount for a full load but on SMALL load. Let it shake shake a few times then stop it and let sit. I promise it'll be bye bye and it's the least abrasive! |
| Where do you go when you have a stain to get rid of? Let the Stain Removal Guide point you in the right direction. Start by selecting a stain category. Then, click on the type of stain to learn how to pretreat and launder your garments.
Stain Guide Directions: Mildew Immediately This may have damaged the fabric permanently. Next, Pretreat Soak for 1 hour or overnight for heavy stains in an enzyme pre-treater/water solution made with 1 lid of Sard Oxy Plus Soaker in 7 litres of warm water. Then, Launder/Wash Use Cold Power Advanced Concentrate powder or Dynamo Liquid and wash as the care label recommends. |
Thanks for the suggestions!  You're right - I wouldn't wear it like it is now, so I guess whatever I do to it can't really hurt it at this point.
I'll try your suggestions and see what happens. Paula - "mad as an old wet hen" is about as MAD as it gets. |
| I think I can guess and I am almost afraid to ask what a stink stain is... |
| I'd get a professional involved at this point. Sometimes they have better tricks than we mere mortals do. |
| Having sustained flood damage recently, I've been searching for information on different things. I've not been to any of these sites yet, but I got this list from FEMA, or a link from their site, so maybe.............. well.......... maybe you might find something that will help you. Good luck.
Internet sites on mold U.S. Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldresources.html U.S. Department of Health and Human Services / Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/mold/protect.asp Alabama Department of Public Health http://www.adph.org/IAQ/ Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals - Louisiana Public Health Institute http://www.stayhealthyla.org/mold.php Mississippi Department of Health http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/msdhsite Texas Department of State Health Services http: // www. dshs. statetx. Us/ mouthypf |
| Thanks!
I tried the soaking overnight, Joah. No dice. Still stained. 
On to the next suggestion... |
| Really?! I didn't even think that type of stain was bad. Sorry it ain't budging! |
| Mildew: A mixture of salt, vinegar, and water should remove mildew stains on most fabrics. Use up to full-strength vinegar if mildew is extensive.
I did a web search on removing mildew stains form clothes and this came up - vinegar can be used on colored clothes (according to the site) as well, but I would test it on the inconspicuous spots. |
Vinegar - I'm pretty sure I have a gallon of white vinegar at home in the laundry room. I'll try that one next.  |
Ok, if soaking overnite did not work try half cup Biz(color safe bleach) half cup Tide and soak in a "bucket" overnight. Pull out of bucket and check for stain, if its still there, leave it for another 24hrs. Check again. I've left things for up to a week and with the exception of one spot  its worked everytime. |
| There is a product called Awesome that I purchase at the Dollar General. It worked to get ink out of a pair of khaki pants for my son. Not sure if you have Dollar General's or not, but it would be worth a try. |
| Another thought I had was a baking soda and water paste. It takes out pee stains, so ......... I went to check it out and found this instead:
How to Remove Mildew Stains From: Acrylic Fabric, Cotton, Linen, Modacrylic, Nylon, Olefin, Polyester, Spandex Most mildew stains can be removed during regular laundering if they are moistened beforehand. If a stain remains, test fabric for colorfastness. If color doesn't change, cover stain with a paste of lemon juice and salt. On cotton and linen, make a paste from an oxygen bleach (NOT chlorine bleach), water, and a few drops of ammonia. Let paste cover stain for 15 to 30 minutes. Flush thoroughly with water and launder again. |
| MY GOD NOOOOOOO don't say that
BLEACH + AMMONIA = DEATH (clorine bleach and ammonia create clorine gas, which is highly toxic and kills. I don't know what "oxygen bleach" is (and whether or not it would be OK), but I don't want people mixing the wrong type of bleach and killing their family.) |
| Well, the vinegar & water mixture didn't work. Soaked all night and it's still stained.
Is Oxyclean considered an oxygen bleach? I'll go buy some today. I used to keep it onhand, but ran out some time back and forgot to re-stock. The bakingsoda paste I can do. I've got those ingredients. Geesh... |
Quote: Ron
MY GOD NOOOOOOO don't say that BLEACH + AMMONIA = DEATH (clorine bleach and ammonia create clorine gas, which is highly toxic and kills. I don't know what "oxygen bleach" is (and whether or not it would be OK), but I don't want people mixing the wrong type of bleach and killing their family.)....... SORRY!!! I just assumed if someone read the instructions that they "would know" to use the ingredients listed.
As for the difference in the two: Oxygen bleach contains hydrogen peroxide or a peroxide-releasing compound such as sodium perborate or sodium percarbonate. Chlorine bleach usually contains sodium hypochlorite. Just to be on the safe side, please remove my post that refers to the bleach and ammonia combination, as well as this one????? I wouldn't want someone to mix the wrong two ingredients either. Thanks! |
| I found this which may help??
How to Remove Mildew Stains From: Acrylic Fabric, Cotton, Linen, Modacrylic, Nylon, Olefin, Polyester, Spandex Most mildew stains can be removed during regular laundering if they are moistened beforehand. If a stain remains, test fabric for colorfastness. If color doesn't change, cover stain with a paste of lemon juice and salt. On cotton and linen, make a paste from an oxygen bleach, water, and a few drops of ammonia. Let paste cover stain for 15 to 30 minutes. Flush thoroughly with water and launder again. |
| Tammy, just throw the dress away and make Robbie buy you a new one! |
| Not that he would mind, but it's a really cute little sheath that my sister brought be back from her vacation in Cancun last month. I hate to lose it.
I've got the oxyclean and just came back to this thread to get the forumla for the paste to try it. Can't hurt at this point. |
      
HIP HIP HURRAY
I got the stain out!! I'm so glad!! What finally worked?? Not the lemon juice and baking soda paste. Soaking it ALL DAY (15 hours) in plain old OXYCLEAN (no amonia added - tried that too and it didn't work). Now I can wear my dress again!!  |
| Yipeee!!!!!!!! |
| Good news I was actually wondering about that this morning!
yes i live a sad life |
| Oxyclean...great to know...a long soak. |
| yippee skippeee!!!
I am glad your stain came out and the dress is saved. Mind you, "dress" is not the 1st thing that came to mind when you were taking about "cleaning a sheath". I have been a farm girl WAY to long!!!! |
| , one can learn so much from this forum |
got sheep wrote: yippee skippeee!!!
I am glad your stain came out and the dress is saved. Mind you, "dress" is not the 1st thing that came to mind when you were taking about "cleaning a sheath". I have been a farm girl WAY to long!!!! You're funny, Dawn! I should've realized that had a double meaning.
I'm famous for those sort of little slipups. When Robbie and I first started dating, he asked me if I'd seen a particular movie and I replied "No, I haven't seen an adult movie in ages!" (meaning of course, that all I'd been to see were kids movies). I thought he'd turn purple trying not to laugh or make some "appropriately inappropriate" comment. He hadn't known me that long and was trying to make a good impression. Now, he'd have no such complusion. |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|