Working out is Great!
But working out causes some problems, too. Here’s one that was giving me fits.
Smelly workout clothes!
Even after a hot-water wash with our great Biokleen or Seventh Generation laundry liquids, the workout clothes came out of the dryer still smelling sweaty. Ugh.
There were commercially available laundry additives, but I didn’t want to use products from companies that were unconcerned with the environment. Plus I didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg to get the clothes smelling better.
So after a little research and experimentation, this is what I found works the best:
Yes, you see that correctly. Hydrogen Peroxide. For 3 or 4 shirts, I pour 1 cup of Hydrogen Peroxide into a large bowl, add about four cups of water, then immerse the sweaty shirts. Let them soak for an hour or more. Then I just throw them in the wash with other like-colored items, and wash and dry normally. No more smelly workout clothes! Hydrogen peroxide removes blood from clothing, too. Make sure you rinse in cold water because hot water will set the blood stain. (Just remember that hydrogen peroxide is a mild bleach, so make sure you dilute it.)
Here is a site where you can find other uses for this inexpensive product.
Here’s another laundry tip, this time for sweat stains:
Make a thin paste with Baking Soda and water, then rub into the sweat stains. Let sit for about 15 minutes, and then rinse and wash as usual.
Here is a website that explores other uses for Baking Soda.
Sometimes My Hands Just Get Dirty
I really should use gloves. But I don’t like them. When I am gardening, I like to feel the dirt. When I’m cleaning, I like to use my fingernails. When the printer has a problem and ink smears everywhere, it goes everywhere, including my hands. When I’m changing a flat tire on my bike, gloves get in the way. When I am peeling beets… well, have you ever tried cooking with gloves on?
So hands get dirty and sometimes stained. But there is a way to freshen up those hands so that even Rhett Butler wouldn’t be able to tell you’ve been working in the fields.
I always have lemons in my kitchen, and one reason is to keep my hands stain-free. Just cut a lemon in half and then rub it all over your hands. The mild acid in the lemons will remove all of those stains and even the smell of garlic or onions!
Here is a website that has lots more ideas for using lemons–everything from beauty aids to cleaning tips.
No Need to Buy Toxic Chemicals in order to Keep your House Clean!
Lassen’s carries a wide selection of Earth-Friendly household cleaning supplies, which I use and love. But there is one item that every home should have and use as well.
Yup. Distilled Vinegar. My favorite use for vinegar is to clean glass.
Mix 2 cups of water with 1/4 cup of distilled vinegar, and 1/4-1/2 tsp of liquid soap in a spray bottle. Spray and then use newspapers to wipe and dry your windows.
This link has more ideas for using vinegar.
Here is a list from Reader’s Digest of many more household uses for vinegar.
We’re getting ready for Earth Day at Lassen’s (Saturday, April 20, with lots and lots of specials, product demonstrations, raffles, samples, taste testing, and activities!) and we can all help the earth by banishing toxic chemicals from our homes.
Have a happy household this Thursday!
Love, Lassen’s