Spray&Wash alternatives?

[spiralmg]

Are there any really effective pre-wash stain treaments like Spray & Wash that are natural? I have been using a combination of enzyme stain remover and Dr. Bronner's soap when necessary before washing, but I feel like all my clothes have stains on them (i.e. oil spots, tea splashes etc.). WHen my mom uses Spray & Wash, everything comes out. But I want to find a natural alternative...Thank you mamas in advance for your suggestions, routines, etc.

[Spastica]

I do one of the following:

- Pour some detergent on the stain directly.

- I pack on a paste of baking soda and water on my stains. For oily stains, I spray full strength white vinegar first.

- I just bought some OxiClean, which works well too on whites and stains(spankin' white!). OxiClean is eco-friendly. Use gloves when handling.


I have read on the Dr. Bronner's site that Dr. Bronner's is a bit weak for laundry and needs to be boosted with baking soda. Perhaps you can combine your enzyme cleaner, Dr. B's, and some baking soda.

[pamom]

Try using whatever dish washing liquid you use. Dawn tastes grease stains out of clothes, but it is not natural.

[Attached Mama]

Ecover - available at a natural foods store - works awesome!

[fremontmama]

We like Oxiclean too. It doesnt seem to be too bad as far as ingredients go. And it seems to be really effective. I was buying the spray bottles of it, but realized I could by the little jar of powder and mix a 1/3 of a scoop with water and it was just as effective that way, but waaaaayyyy cheaper. I think the spray bottle was costing me $3.99 and the jar of powder I bought cost about the same. But 1/3 of a scoop mixed with water fills the old spray bottle, so I imagine I will probably get about 20-30 times (or more) the amount as before. Wow!

[Spastica]

Fremontmama:

I've heard that keeping the solution of the powdered OxiClean in a spray bottle more than a few hours renders it useless, have you noticed that to be the case? (it's like flat Coke, all the oxygen power is gone). I suppose the sodium carbonate that is still left after the sodium percarbonate (which releases the hydrogen and oxygen bubbles) goes away still works...


What do you think?

[fremontmama]

Hmmm, I hadnt thought of that......honestly, I havent noticed the effectiveness going away.

Dd the other day thought it would be fun to let her carrot-orange juice run out of her mouth over and over again for some reason and when she finished the juice her light blue dress had big orange stains on it. I helped her take off her dress and sprayed it with the Oxiclean powder solution that I had put together probably a week ago and after washing it almost all of the stain was gone. So it seems to work pretty well even if it has been sitting for some time.

If you decide to do it that way, my only advice would be to not seal the bottle for a day. The first time I mixed up the powder in the spray bottle I screwed the cap on tight, but then the bubbling of it caused the bottle to expand and leak. It was pretty messy.

How's that for a long answer

Short answer is I think it still works really well.

[Spastica]

Yeah, the OxiClean company strongly warns against putting it in the spray bottle and screwing it on, because the entire bottle may burst.

I did put a lot one day in a bottle to get some strength - it overflowed and got really hot, lol.

I'll try keeping a 'flat solution' as you say, thanks!

[fremontmama]

Yeah, the OxiClean company strongly warns against putting it in the spray bottle and screwing it on, because the entire bottle may burst.

I guess that's what I get for not reading the directions

[JoyJoy1975]

How about baking soda in the wash or for blood stains peroxide, also a good old fashioned bar of soap works. I will soak things in cold water overnight for bad stains like tomato sauce ect..

[Amydoula]

Premade stain cleaner I really like Biokleen. If I make it myself I use 1/4 C. vegetable glycerin, 1/4 C. all natural dish liquid and 1 1/2 C. pure water. shake and put in spray bottle.