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Give Your Detergent a Boost

Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA

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By Jasmin Malik Chua
Jersey City, NJ, USA | Sun Mar 23 17:21:00 EDT 2008

Shoes in the washer


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Want to give stretch out your laundry detergent? Reduce the amount of detergent you need to use by pouring in some baking soda or washing soda, says the Children's Health Environmental Coalition. Because these minerals soften the water, they increase the detergent's power, allowing you to skimp a little on the suds, while giving you whiter whites and brighter colors.

For liquid detergent, add 1/2 cup of soda at the beginning of the wash. For powdered, add 1/2 cup of soda during the rinse cycle.

To remove rust and mineral discolorations from cotton T-shirts and briefs, add the authors of Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things (2007, Reader's Digest), pour 1 cup of lemon juice into the washer during the wash cycle. The juice's natural bleaching action will eliminate stains and leave your laundry smelling lemony fresh.

See also: ::Beat the Heat, Wash in Cold and ::Ditch the Dryer Sheets

Difficulty level: Easy

 
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