Getting white shirts clean ... HELP!

[Bildmouse]

Fels Napa bar seems to get everything out. It might be difficult to find but it should be in the detergent section. I used it for white baseball pants for many, many years. My DH slipped at the golf course a few days ago (didn't hurt himself) but he was wearing his 100 anniversary Disney golf shirt. The back was mud and grass stained and I didn't think it would ever come clean. He used Zout before I saw it. It hardly touched the stain. I remembered the Fels bar and we used that with some Dawn dishwashing liquid and it came out looking almost like new.

 

[NotUrsula]

It's Fels-Naptha, and you're right, it does work very well. You can even use it in the washing machine with hot water; you just have to grate the soap.

For those who've never used it, Fels-Naptha is all-purpose soap you can use to wash everything from your laundry to your hands and your dishes. My Dad swore by it for getting engine grease out of his hands, and my mom swore by it for getting sweat stains out of his clothes. It comes in a bar, like bath soap, but will usually be sold with either laundry detergent or kitchen cleansers. I always carry a chunk of it when I travel abroad, because it is really good for hand-washing. Here is a photo of the package from the DialCorp. web page (near the bottom of the page): http://www.dialcorp.com/index.cfm?page_id=25

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Sounds crazy but my mom used to clean my brothers white football pants in Cascade & they always came out white!

I would think other dish detergent brands would work too but we used Cascade!

 

[bdcp]

I got this hint from Heloise over 28 years ago when my oldest was a baby. I used it then on all his borrowed clothing and it cleaned out even the old formula stains.
I use it with my whites all the time, especially socks. It takes all the stains out so they look like new. And my boys still walk around without shoes, even outside in the grass.

Fill the washing machine with the hottest water you can.
Add 1 cup detergent, 1 cup bleach, and 1 cup dishwashing powder (I use Cascade but you can use any type you like)
Run the load through the wash cycle, stop before the spin cycle and let the clothes soak overnight. Finish the cycle in the morning.
You can add softener if you want but I always run the clothes through another cycle of cleaning to make sure I have all the detergent remnants off the clothes, then I use softener.
I hang the clothes out on the clothesline if I can because the sun does whiten clothing more, but the dryer works just as well.
It really works even for old stains. Peggie

FYI. That pretty much won't work today in most newer machines. They dont' hold enough water to soak anything in. I have a topload Maytag Neptune (temporarily had a front load one) and neither one held enough water to soak anything. Also, those that recommended bleach, be very careful with diluting, because the clothes will get holes in them from the bleach. It's tough on fabrics and will "eat" through them faster than normal wear and tear. I don't think there's an easy answer, but synthetics will yellow from bleach and cottons are easier to damage with it. I used to use Amway prewash when my boys were small on grass stains and it got everything out. I now use Zout on stains. It's better than spray and wash, but some stains are just stubborn.

 

[Topper]

I have been having trouble with yellow sweat stains on the underarms of DH's shirts- what will help with this??

Wearing an short sleeve undershirt will prevent this (usually).

 

[DisneyAunt]

Sounds crazy but my mom used to clean my brothers white football pants in Cascade & they always came out white!

I would think other dish detergent brands would work too but we used Cascade!

I can definately attest to using Dish Detergent for stains. As a kid I was the messy one.....and as adulthood came....it didn't change much. I always manage to spill/drop something on my "chest". My mother has always used dish detergent for stains and has taught me well. What I usually do is get the area wet then put a little liquid dish detergent on and scrub until stain comes out.

The other day something in my office broke and when I took the piece of equipment apart.....I somehow manage to rub my "chest" on a greased part. Not only was it grease but it was a really pretty Liz Claiborne pinke shirt I bought for a bargain of $12. Well I thought for sure it was ready for the garbage. I brought it over to mom's for her opinion and guess what.....she got the stain out with dish detergent.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

I asked one of the moms from my sons soccer team (many moons ago) how she kepts her son's soccer shorts so white. She said as soon as they get home from the soccer game, she takes the shorts and soaks them overnight in Wisk. I've become a big fan of soaking clothes overnight (and longer) in wash tubs.

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