Homemade Laundry Stain Remover?

[sounderella]

At my house we go through a lot of laundry stain remover due to DS who's 2 yrs old. I know stain remover isn't that expensive but with him, it starts to add up. Does anyone make their own stain remover? Please share!

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Hydrogen peroxide is often very good on stains from fruits and vegetables. Have you noticed how banana actually gets worse, turning black in the laundry? Well putting hydrogen peroxide on it first will remove the banana stain. Strawberry stains disappear in an instant right before your eyes. However, as with sodium hypochlorite bleach, you need to test a bit of the article of clothing first. Hydrogen peroxide will also bleach some (though not many) colored fabrics.

I admit to occasionally using a bit of automatic dishwasher detergent in the laundry. That is because dish washer detergent contains phosphates. Most USA states have made phosphates illegal in laundry detergent, or severely cut the amount of phosphates permitted. Yet phosphate ions zap stains and general dirt very well. For some reason electric dishwasher detergents are not held to the same legal standard. So I keep a box on hand and add a bit (no more then one would put in the dishwasher) to particularly soiled clothes. I'll soak the whole load for a half hour or more before continuing the wash. If you read the ingredients on the boxes you will see that name brand detergents such as Electrasol usually contain the highest amount of phosphates, but even within a given brand there are percentage differences from product to product.

One can also buy straight TSP, trisodium phosphate, but it is fairly reactive and is one of those things you do want to keep out of reach of your kiddo.

If you choose to use either dishwasher detergent or TSP, I would ask you to do it only rarely as the states had good environmental reason to restrict phosphates from entering the wastewater.

Another thing that probably is under used for stain removal is simply a very long plain water soak. Plain water will remove some stains if the garment is left in it for five or seven days. You can change the water daily if you like in order to keep it from becoming smelly. But if you have the option to not use a garment for a week, a long water soak often works.

[PrincessPerky]

very helpful post.
Thanks

[meatloafkend]

I have heard of a little lemon juice mixed with salt.

[gamecock43]

Alot of great tips!

[Coleroo]

we've never used a separate stain remover.... I just let strait up liquid detergent sit on a spot for a few hours, then wash in a regular cycle. Its worked for everything from spit-up to afterbirth (dog, not mine...lol). For blood, my mom always swears by letting it soak in ice. She also uses baking soda.

[Gailete]

I use shampoo (cheap) and rub it in food stains when I slop on myself. Shampoo is formulated to clean greasy hair so why not greasy clothes. I also will use dish detergent for the same thing. I just depends on if I'm up or down stairs which I use. I don't think I have ever bought a pre-treater for clothes even when my boys were little. I did use bibs on them when they were eating an that helped.

Gail

[PennyPrincess]

Not really a stain removing product, but I keep an old toothbrush in the laundry to try to work the stain remover into the worst stains. seems to help.....

that's very interesting about the dish detergent, great tip