Month: February 2014

Removing ink from clothing

Beth Marrs 3 Comments

Removing ink from clothing requires a two step process.  First you need to remove the oily portion of the ink and then remove the dye portion.

Step 1. Spray or sponge* with a dry-cleaning solvent (example: Aerosol Shout, Spray’n Wash, K2R Spot Lifter) or treat with a stain stick. Then rub with heavy-duty liquid detergent and scrub in hot water.

Step 2. Soak in an all-fabric bleach (examples: Biz, Clorox 2, Snowy Bleach, Vivid) diluted according to package directions. Use liquid chlorine bleach for tough dye stains on fabrics that are colorfast to bleach. Wash in the hottest water allowable for fabric using detergent.

*”Sponging” confines the stain to a small area and keeps it from spreading. To do this, use absorbent material, such as clean rags or white paper towels, and a dry-cleaning solvent, spot remover, or aerosol pretreatment spray. Follow these steps: Pad the working surface with clean rags or paper towels that can absorb stains. Place the stained area or spot on the fabric face down over the padded surface. Dampen a small white cloth with solvent. Use the dampened cloth to pat the stain from the wrong side of the fabric. Feather the edges of the stain working from the outside toward the center to keep the stained area from getting larger. As the stain transfers to the absorbent material beneath the fabric, move the stain to a clean place on the absorbent material so the stain has a clean place on which to transfer. Repeat this procedure until all traces of stain are gone. Launder to remove any ring that might be left by the solvent.

So remember when you get an ink stain that it doesn’t mean you have ruined your clothing.  Follow these steps for a successful result!

Beth Marrs

I graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Adult Home Economics Education. I love to cook and entertain and spend time with my family.

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Consumer Management, Laundry
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Whoops!

Beth Marrs
image
Convex bottom of can after freezing

Have you ever forgotten a bag of groceries in the car during the winter months when you are unloading your car?  If you have you may have wondered about the safety of canned goods that have frozen.  The problem that happens in canned goods is that when liquids freeze they expand.  If you notice that the cans are swollen, and you are sure the swelling was caused by freezing, the food may still be usable.  Put the cans in a container and put them in your refrigerator and let them thaw naturally before opening them.  After you open it if there is anything questionable in the look or smell of the food throw it out.  DO NOT TASTE IT!  If the seams of the can are rusted or burst, throw out the cans immediately.

Beth Marrs

I graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Adult Home Economics Education. I love to cook and entertain and spend time with my family.

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Food Safety
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Cloudy glassware?

Liz Meimann 3 Comments

etchingIf you have cloudy glasses after they come out of the dishwasher it could either be from hard water filming or etching.  To identify the cause try soaking the glassware in undiluted white vinegar for about 5 minutes.  If the film is gone, the cloudiness is from hard water.  If it is not removed,  the glasses are etched.

Etching is a permanent pitting or eroding of the actual glass surface.  It usually appears as shades of blue, purple, brown or pink when the glass is held at an angle toward the light.  As the etching becomes more advanced it starts to appear cloudy or can even look frosted.  Unfortunately there is no way to restore glasses that are etched.

Here are some tips to help avoid etching on your glasses.

  1.  If all of the food is removed from the dishes prior to loading them in the dishwasher it increases the alkaline concentration of the dishwasher detergent and it increases the possibility of etching.
  2. Adjust the amount of detergent according to the level of water hardness.  If you have soft water less detergent is needed.
  3. Having the water temperature too high can also be a problem.  Water entering the dishwasher should be between 120° F – 140° F.

If the vinegar removed the cloudiness here are some steps to keep it from returning.

  1. Use the correct amount of detergent for the level of hardness in your water.  If you have extremely hard water it is very hard to get acceptable dishwashing results.
  2. If the water temperature is too cool it can also cause a film.  Try running the hot water in your sink before starting the dishwasher.  That will clear the cold water from the line.  This is especially important when using a shorter wash cycle.
  3. The use of a rinse aid improves the sheeting action of the water, allowing it to slide off the dishes more easily and not leave water spots.

Use these tips to keep your glasses looking new!

Liz Meimann

I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Food Science at Iowa State University. I love to quilt, sew, cook, and bake. I spent many years gardening, canning, and preserving food for my family when my children were at home.

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Cleaning, Consumer Management
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Wax Stains

Liz Meimann
Dripping Wax on Candlestick
Dripping Wax on a Wooden Candlestick

How many times have you dripped candle wax on different things around the house and been unsure how to clean this stain? The cleaning method depends on the item that was stained. Here is a list of likely objects around the house and how to clean them:

METAL CANDLESTICKS – Pour boiling water over the candlestick. This will melt the wax off of the candlestick. Make sure to dump the water outside, not down the drain. Make sure the temperature of the water is not too hot if the wax is on fine crystal.

CARPET – Use a dry cleaning fluid, such as Carbona OR call a Professional if you cannot completely remove the spot.

CLOTHES – Freeze or cool the waxy spot with an ice cube, gently rub the fabric together and break off any remaining residue. Finish getting the color and rest of residue off with a dry cleaning fluid such as Carbona.

METAL – If the item is small enough (i.e. pewter candle stick), put it into the freezer. Once frozen the wax will pop right off. You can also pour boiling water over the wax to melt it, but again, be sure to dump the water outside, not down the drain.

WOOD – Scrape off as much of the wax as possible with a plastic card or plastic utensil. If the wax color remains, use mineral spirits to clean, then use a furniture polish or mineral oil to restore the wood to the original condition.

A WORD OF CAUTION! It used to be common practice to try to remove candle wax from clothing (table cloths, etc.) by ironing the wax between two pieces of blotting paper. We now know that this drives the stain deeper into the fabric, making it that much more difficult to remove. It more permanently sets the dye from the candle, making it difficult for the detergent or solvent to reach the wax portion of the stain. 

Liz Meimann

I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Food Science at Iowa State University. I love to quilt, sew, cook, and bake. I spent many years gardening, canning, and preserving food for my family when my children were at home.

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Candy Making Tips

Liz Meimann

melting chocolateSince Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, it’s a good time to think about chocolate and how to work with it when making treats for your valentine. Whether you are making chocolate-dipped strawberries, truffles, or bon bons, there are several things to think about.

One of the most common concerns most of us have when working with chocolate is how to successfully melt it. There are three ways to melt chocolate: 1. in a double boiler; 2. in an oven set to 110 degrees F.; and in a microwave oven.

  •      The safest way to melt chocolate is probably in a double boiler. Keep the water at a simmer in the bottom vessel, making sure the top vessel does not come into contact with the water. Stir often during the melting process.
  •     Alternatively, you can melt chocolate in the oven.  Place grated chocolate or chocolate chips in a metal bowl into an oven set at 110 degrees F. Take out and stir on occasion. This method can take up to an hour to melt.
  •     Though seemingly convenient, melting chocolate in a microwave oven can be difficult. Most microwave ovens heat unevenly, causing some of your chocolate to overcook or burn while other parts remain unmelted. With diligence, you can successfully melt chocolate in the microwave. Use 10 to 15 second increments, stirring in between each increment.

How to store chocolate is another question we often get at work. It doesn’t matter if it is chocolate bark, baking chocolate, white chocolate or milk chocolate, they should all be treated the same. Chocolate should be tightly wrapped and stored away from strong odors since it easily absorbs flavors from food or other products located nearby. Somewhere between 65 and 68 degrees F. is the best temperature for storage, with no more than 50 to 55 percent relative humidity. With proper storage, white chocolate and milk chocolate should last for eight to 10 months. Darker chocolates: bitter, baking, unsweetened or dark, will be good for up to 2 years.

Liz Meimann

I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Food Science at Iowa State University. I love to quilt, sew, cook, and bake. I spent many years gardening, canning, and preserving food for my family when my children were at home.

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Food Preparation, Holiday ideas, recipes
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Oh No! Crayon stains in clothing!

Liz Meimann

imageCrayon stain on your child’s clothing? This is a dye stain so you will spray or sponge the stain with a dry-cleaning solvent (Goof Off or Goo Gone) then rub with heavy-duty liquid laundry detergent before washing.

Did a crayon accidently end up inside a dryer load of clothes? First place the amount of detergent you would use for that size load.

Add: 1 cup water conditioner (Spring Rain, Calgon or Rain Drops) and 1 cup baking soda.

Fill up washer with clothes and water, agitate for 5 minutes. Allow the load to soak for a bit before you finish washing. Check before putting in dryer. You may still have to try a dry cleaning fluid on remaining spots.

Need to clean the dryer?

Unplug or shut off the gas. Use a non-abrasive, non-flammable cleanser (Soft-Scrub) and clean. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Then tumble a load of old rags or towels on regular cycle to remove rest of stain.

Hope that this helps the next time you find yourself with this problem.

Liz Meimann

I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Food Science at Iowa State University. I love to quilt, sew, cook, and bake. I spent many years gardening, canning, and preserving food for my family when my children were at home.

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Cleaning, Laundry, Textiles
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