Pinteresting Solutions: Reviving your favorite shirt

I can't wait to tell you about today's Pinteresting Solution! This must be a week for laundry related posts because it's all I seem to be able to focus on right now...probably because that's all I've been doing for the last week. Vacation and laundry don't mix. There's loads of it to catch up on...no pun intended.

I read about this solution months ago and have wanted to try it ever since. But I've been a little nervous because it required taking a razor to one of my favorite shirts. But I'll tell you what...am I ever glad I mustered the courage! This one is a keeper! Here it goes:

PINTERESTING SOLUTION: USING A RAZOR TO REMOVE BALLS FROM A SHIRT

You know how some shirts tend to accumulate those tiny little lint balls all over? I have a yellow shirt that I LOVE. But it's one of those shirts that accumulates those tiny balls and it makes the shirt look run down and old.

So this tip suggested taking a razor and running it over the shirt. The shirt remains in tact while the razor pulls the small balls off. It leaves your shirt looking new again. So after mulling it over I finally decided to take the plunge.

And guess what?! PERFECTION! It did a wonderful job! But here's some tips that I suggest:

Here's my shirt before the experiment:

 

(Look at all that balled up lint. Sad!)

Now go find your husband's favorite razor (sorry, Honey! I guess you're never meant to have a sharp razor!). I suggest as new a blade as you can get and one that's preferably a four-blade razor.

 

 

 

Now determine the direction of the shirt's grain - which way are the threads running? This is the way that you're going to pull the razor. Don't go against the grain to reduce risk of holes or snagging. You can see in the picture below that the grain in my shirt is running the width of the shirt. I have the razor placed the way I'm going to pull it. You'll also notice to the right how the lint is starting to accumulate in the lower corner. Make sure to pull it off every so often and just tap off the razor over the trash can or sink. Don't get the razor wet...all that lint will become a wet sticky mess on the razor.

 

 

 

Pull the lint that's starting to build off as the razor pulls it to the side.

 

 



I found that I did this worked best on a flat surface, being very careful to not let the fabric fold or bunch. Go slowly. You can also do this while wearing it. Just be careful.

 

As you can see above - HUGE DIFFERENCE! I'M IN LOVE WITH THIS!

 

Try it at your own discretion and tell me what you think!

 

What's your favorite way to revive your favorite piece of clothing?

 

Happy Cleaning!

 

The Queen

 

 

CleanCooking: Laundry Soap

I woke up this morning and looked at the piles of laundry that needed done. I went to start a load and oh, no!!!! Out of laundry soap! But lucky for me, there was no need to run to the store and I'm going to teach you how to make your own laundry soap today!

What I find amazing about the following ingredients that we're going to use is that they're all-natural detergent boosters! Wonderful! What I find interesting about store-bought detergents is this: if they're so great for cleaning your clothes, then why do they need detergent boosters?! It doesn't make sense! So why not go straight to the booster source that's all-natural, cheaper, and does a better job?!

I had everything I needed to make this laundry soap lying around the house...honest! Most of these things can serve as multi-purpose cleaning agents and they're great things to pick up when you're at the store next time. An added bonus: this will make a HUGE batch of soap for a fraction of the cost.

Here's what you need (this card can be saved and printed off. It's a 4 x 6):

Gather all the items together.

Empty all the contents of the Borax, Washing Soda, and Baking Soda in a large container.

 

 Mix it all up with a spoon of your choice. I prefer a potato masher!

 



Now add about 20 drops of essential oil if you'd like. I prefer lavender oil when it comes to laundry detergent. It's a very pleasant, soothing scent. Continue to stir so that all the detergent is coated  in the essential oil and you don't have small pockets of oil. At this point your detergent should smell amazing!

Now start a load of laundry. Here's my favorite laundry combination for getting a load really clean and fresh!

Depending on load size add 1/8 to 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide in place of bleach.

Add 1/8 to 1/4 cup white vinegar in place of fabric softener.

 

Add 1/8 to 1/4 cup of the laundry detergent that you just made.

There you have it! Start your load and it comes out beautifully! No more need to waste your money on laundry detergents that are pricey and ineffective!

I promise that even your largest load setting will get clean with 1/4 cup of this detergent! It lasts a long time which I love and there are several other uses for the detergent if you're short on the following:

 - Sink or shower scrub
 - Toilet scrub (you can use Eucalyptus oil instead of lavender for added antibacterial properties!)
 - Fixture Cleaners
 - Dish Detergent (Use 2 TBSP in detergent compartment. I would eliminate essential oil for washing dishes.)

Also keep in mind that this works in HE washers. You don't need all that "fancy-schmancy" HE detergent! Just use this! This detergent also keeps your washing machine in better shape...no chemical build-up or detergent residue. It's a win-win! Another positive is that this tends to be gentler on sensitive skin. We are no stranger to eczema and allergies in this house and things like this detergent help keep things at bay. Detergent is on some of the most intimate parts of our lives: underclothing, clothes, bedding, blankets, towels, etc. So why not be as nice to your skin as you can?!

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

What's your favorite detergent or laundry tips?

Happy Laundering!

The Queen