Dirt Scrape off excess dirt and pre-treat affected areas with detergent. Wash in cold, and then warm water. For clay or other ‘red’ dirt that contains iron, try rubbing in dishwashing detergent and soaking overnight.
Deodorant If the deodorant has been sitting for a while, you should apply diluted white vinegar to the affected area, allowing it to sit for approximately half an hour. Rinse vinegar from the fabric and apply prewash stain treatment. Launder in the hottest water the fabric allows.
Coffee & Tea Soak in warm or cold water immediately. Brush area with a paste of baking soda and water. For a tough stain, spot treat with borax or vinegar after soaking.
Chocolate Soak in lukewarm water. Brush area vigorously with a paste of baking soda and hot water. For a tough stain, spot treat with borax or vinegar to remove any remaining chocolate.
Candy Scrape the excess candy material off the surface of the fabric. Rinse in cool water to dilute the stain, and coat stain in detergent without rubbing it in. Allow to sit for several minutes and then launder as normal.
Fresh Blood Treat the blood stain as quickly as possible, giving it as little chance to set as possible. Do NOT rinse with hot water, which will only set the blood stain. Instead, flush blood with cold water and then soak in cold water for a half hour. Apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide to the stain directly to treat stubborn stains.
Dried Blood Scrape off all dried blood. Create a soaking solution of cool water and detergent, and soak for at least 30 minutes. After soaking, treat stain with stain removal spray and launder in cold water.
Baby Formula Run fabric, inside out, under cold water to flush out as much of the formula as possible. You can use baking soda to neutralize the acid from baby’s spit up as well, preventing yellowing stains.
Adding Detergent Avoid over soaping. ¼ cup of liquid detergent is usually all you need, but check packaging. If using a pod, place in drum NOT the dispenser, and load before adding clothing.
Loading Washer Load loose and even, about 2/3 full. Close the door when done loading. Overfilling will result in dirty clothes.