WFMW--Continued

Well, I posted my Works For Me Wednesdays post and have gotten a lot of excited reviews about people trying my baking soda idea. I hope I don't disappoint!

I just want to clarify (because I'm afraid that if the bloggers try my tip and their laundry isn't stain free I may be kicked off of WFMW forever!!) that the baking soda tip doesn't always remove all stains. In my experience, it's removed blood, breastfed baby poop (you can't even tell the baby leaked all the way up his back kind of poop!), spit up, food stains, etc.

I have found it lightens the armpit yellow caused by the chemical reaction between the deodorant and the laundry detergent, and makes that armpit area softer, if it's been hardened. {Gross, I know.} I can deal with the armpit yellow as long as its light and isn't stiff as a board. Otherwise, the t-shirt goes into the rag bin!

As for how much to use, about a 1/2 cup will do the trick. You can use a measuring cup or just any old cup or scooper laying around. Once you do a load or two, you'll get the gist and figure out how much works for you (pun intended). I have an HE washer so I know that the water isn't always the same for each load, depending on the size. I tailor the useage to fit the load size.

And if by chance I do see that the stain I'm trying to get out is still there, even if it is lighter, then I rewash it next load around but this time, in addtion to the baking soda, I add a scoop of OxiClean. After that, it's a pretty safe bet to say that my clothes will be stain free, and still not faded!

Try it, and get back to me to let me know how it works!

p.s. Memarie Lane--I have never cut down on the detergent itself, but it's probably not a bad idea. Try it and see if you notice a difference. I also use A & H laundry detergent (I like that it's biodegradable, plus it whitens and smells good) and I find that it works just as well as regular detergent with adding the baking soda. If I've got a particularly dirty load, then I just add the soda anyways and I'm pleased with the end results.