This weekend I basically did laundry and watched a lot of TV. Today, for example, I decided not to leave the house (haven’t even been out to the car yet!) so I did “special laundry” in the bathtub.
Special laundry is laundry that is still all stainy and gross even after it’s been through the washing machine. Today it was three of Thom’s work shirts, all coffee-spattered and grimy. It took about an hour (or, conversely, one episode of House MD) to wash them, and now they’re white as the driven snow.
Something about doing the wash (although not the part that eats up your day) is intensely cathartic to me. I love the clean, perfectly crisp, new feeling of something that’s been thoroughly soaped and rinsed. And then the ironing! Ooo, don’t get me started.
Meredith said,
January 3, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Dearest Rain!
You know how to do what I cannot. How can I get yucky clothes truly clean again? I have so much trouble with this, especially white clothes (of the professorial shirt variety) that get ring around the collar or other stainage. Do you use special soap? Very hot water? Bleach? Toxic waste? Tell me please!
Rain said,
January 4, 2009 at 11:14 am
Ooo I am an expert. Take an old toothbrush and pretreat the spots and stains and yellow bits. You can try normal detergent, but I really love this stuff called OxiClean (http://www.oxiclean.com/default2.asp), but don’t use it on delicates. You can also try Biz (http://bizstainfighter.com/) though I believe it’s not as gentle as it used to be. Soaking clothes after you’ve washed them in a bleach solution (read the directions for the ratio) (but only for all-whites) is also really great. Add the bleach to the rinse water and let it soak for maybe half an hour, then rinse clean.
Seriously, I sound like an ad, but I love washing stuff. If you really have any more questions, ask me!
Meredith said,
January 12, 2009 at 9:58 am
Awesomely helpful! Thank you so much. I’m going to do a tub of white shirts this weekend now.
Have you ever made a terrarium?