Stock your laundry room with a few simple, natural ingredients like white vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice to help solve almost any laundering problem. Skip the harsh chemicals and expensive cleaners and stock these natural allies instead.
Vinegar
Add a cup of white vinegar to the wash water every time you wash. It can help in a number of ways:
• Strips residue from detergents
• Whiten and lighten white items
• Remove bad smells from laundry and the washing machine
• Helps soften the water, especially in areas with hard water
Baking Soda
Add a half cup of baking soda to the water when you wash. It helps keep whites whiter and colors brighter.
• Use it to remove bad smells from laundry
• Add it with regular laundry detergent to help boost its cleaning power
• Use it to soften clothes naturally
Lemon Juice
Use once in a while for dingy whites, or as needed for stains — lemon juice is a great whitener and stain remover. (But be careful — don’t use it on colored items!)
• Use it to remove other stains on white clothes
• Create a paste of lemon juice and salt to remove mildew stains
• For really tough stains, apply lemon juice and let dry in the sun
• Use it directly on rust spots. Soak the spot in lemon juice overnight, then wash as usual
