Special care for special items

  • Fluff fluffy stuff with a sports shoe

When drying a feather-filled item – whether a pillow, donna or parka — toss a clean old sneaker or jogger into the tumble-drier (the less smelly, the better). The soft-soled shoe will make a bit of noise, but will fluff up the item nicely as it bounces around.

  • Speed-dry a wet blanket

Make a soggy blanket fresh from the washing machine look warm and welcoming again in no time. First, put two large towels in the tumble-drier and let them heat for 20 minutes. Then throw in the blanket and let the towels soak up the moisture. Take the blanket out when it’s still damp and drape it over the backs of two chairs (ideally, garden chairs out in the sun) or two parallel clothes lines to air-dry.

  • Prevent runs in pantihose

Runs in a pair of pantihose can ruin the look of the sharpest outfit, so take action before wearing them. Wash new pantihose, let them dry and then soak for 3 hours in a solution of 4 litres water and 2 cups (360g) salt.

  • Salt your new jeans

Nothing’s more comfortable than a pair of jeans, but it can take a little time before the stiffness of new denim wears off. Hasten the process by throwing a new pair of jeans into the washing machine with 1/3 cup salt. They’ll feel softer the first time you pull them on.

  • New life for soiled whites

It’s a sad day when a favourite white shirt or blouse just can’t be seen in public anymore — yellow stains, a dreary cast and a seemingly permanent ring around the collar. But all is not lost. Perk up the garment by working a paste of vinegar and bicarbonate of soda directly onto stained and soiled areas, then hang the garment outside in the sun for a couple of hours. If the collar remains soiled, pour a capful of 3 per cent hydrogen peroxide along the ring. Now wash in hot water as you normally would and welcome your favourite shirt back into the cupboard.

  • Kettle-clean a felt hat

To deep clean wool felt hat, fill a kettle with water and bring to the boil. Carefully hold the hat above the steam, rotating it as necessary. Brush with a dry toothbrush, then let it dry.

  • Wash silk in hair shampoo

Use a protein-based hair shampoo and cool water to hand-wash silk garments; the protein will feed the protein in the silk, giving the garment body and making it last longer.

Credit: Reader’s Digest

Picture Credit: Google