Summer Laundry And Stain Fighting Tips From Tara Aronson

Summer time is probably the most beloved season of the year. Ice cream from the ice cream truck, BBQ's with family, and running around at the park or playground are just a few of the things everyone loves about the summer. I know we love cooking out and going swimming more than anything. We try and take full advantage of the nice weather the season has to offer.

Unfortunately, summer also seems to be the messiest season of all, too! (At least for my family!) With 2 toddlers and a 12 year old, summer can really take a toll on our clothes. It seems like someone is always dripping sauces on their clothing, popsicles and ice cream melt into messy, sticky goo that seems to coat everything in sight, and grass stains magically appear on bums and knees.

It almost makes me feel like tossing all of our clothing in the trash and buying entirely new wardrobes. Wait...I did say almost....

You see, I have learned how to fight back against stubborn stains by utilizing some great tips from expert Tara Aronson, who has partnered up with Frigidaire!

5 Summer Stain Tips or Frigidaire by Tara Aronson

Smudges, drips, drops and smears – no matter what their source, the key to keeping them from ruining your favorite shorts or T-shirt is to take quick action – before it gets a chance to dry.


For most fabrics, this means blotting up the excess or rinsing the discolored area with cold water (hot can set a stain.) Don’t rub: this spreads the spot and grinds it deeper into the fabric.


Summer spills are especially tough. Here’s how to remove the five most common:

1. Crayon.
Scrape off as much of the colorful surface as possible using a plastic picnic knife. Apply laundry detergent directly on the stained area. Gently rub the detergent into the fabric then let sit several minutes. Launder using the hottest water the fabric can handle - or the Sanitize setting of your Frigidaire Affinity washer. Dry as usual.

2. Iced coffee.
Sponge the stained area with cold water. Apply a pretreater to the blight. Wash as usual and air dry.

3. Grass.
Prewash the garment in warm water in your washing machine –the Rinse & Spin cycle on your Affinity washer – and a laundry detergent containing enzymes. Launder as usual (normal setting) with detergent and chlorine bleach if safe for the fabric. If the garment’s care label instructions advise against it, use oxygen (color safe) bleach instead. Dry as usual.

4. Juice.
Soak for a minute or so in cold water. Remove excess water, and then apply a pretreater directly on the stained area. Wash with detergent as usual. Air dry. Do not place in the dryer until the blight is completely gone – otherwise the stain is likely to set.

5. Chocolate (or chocolate ice cream).
Prewash the garment in warm water with a laundry detergent that contains enzymes using the Affinity’s Rinse & spin setting. Launder as usual, using the washing machine’s Normal setting. Dry as usual.


And here are some bonus tips from Tara for cleaner, more long-lasting clothing:

1. Immediately rinse or blot away spills on your clothes with cool water to prevent stains from setting.
2. Read fabric care labels before you wash. Your clothes will last longer if you know how to treat them.
3. Sort laundry by color, wash cycle needed, and water temperature required. The Frigidaire Affinity’s Permanent Press cycle washes with warm water and less agitation, resulting in less wear and tear on your sturdy jeans, khakis, and sweaters; the Delicates cycle uses cold water and light agitation to gently clean swimsuits, workout clothes, and lingerie.
4. Before washing stained garments, pretreat or prewash the spot using the Affinity’s Rinse & Spin cycle. If at first you don’t succeed, wash, wash again.
5. To keep snags and lint to a minimum, zip zippers, button buttons, empty pockets, and brush away lint before tossing duds in the hamper.
6. If your clothing is heavily soiled, your load large, or the water cold, add extra laundry detergent. Use the Affinity’s Heavy Duty cycle for sturdy but really dirty items like jeans and towels; choose the Sanitize setting to use the hottest water available to get rid of germs and grime as thoroughly as possible.
7. Check wet garments for remaining stains, and re-treat as needed before drying. Heat will set stains.
8. Dry only full loads. Tumbling a handful of garments prolongs the drying time by reducing the tumbling.
9. Fold shirts and T-shirts to prevent wrinkling. If the shirt has buttons, button it at top, middle and bottom. Lay facedown. Fold both sides of the shirt so they meet in the back, with the sleeves aligned with the side folds. Fold the tail up to the cuffs, making a straight line at the bottom. Then fold in thirds crosswise. For T-shirts: a child’s T-shirt needs only one crosswise fold in half; an adult’s should be folded into thirds.
10. Fold shorts and pants by aligning the inseams and outer seams of the legs and fold so that a crease forms at the front center of the legs. Fold in half or in thirds, depending on the size of the garment.

SPECIAL SWEEPSTAKES AND PROMOTION:


In the upcoming Disney film, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, Jennifer Garner plays a mother who embarks on the ultimate adventure in clean when a son magically springs to life in her garden. At this moment, her character understands what every mother knows: life is full of messy adventures.

To celebrate magical moments like this, Frigidaire, makers of the Frigidaire Affinity® front load washing machine that delivers a better clean, has set out to help get families out of the laundry room quickly and on to the things they love to do.

Also, when people visit Facebook.com/Frigidaire and share their personal Adventures in Clean, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children, as part of its $750,000 commitment to the cause. It’s simple to share your Adventures in Clean – just upload a photo and the online app turns it into your very own movie poster! Plus, to help spread the word, everyone who participates will be entered for a chance to win a new Frigidaire Affinity® washer and dryer featuring Ready Steam™.



***Disclosure: As a member of One2One Network, I am entered into a drawing for writing this post. As always, all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***