I’m a laundry pro & you can reverse shrinkage with my step-by-step method – plus a way to bring your whites back to life
DISASTERS in the washing machine can quickly lead to despair.
A favorite sweater, shrunken to toddler’s size.
Brilliant white blouses, now the color of dishwater grey.
But hail the arrival of a savior who can help you avoid making similar mistakes.
Laundry pro, Morgan LaLonde, is the brand manager at Whirlpool.
She spoke exclusively to The U.S. Sun sharing her step-by-step method to reverse the effects of shrinkage and bringing your whites back to gleaming white.
When you think some items are past the point of no return, LaLonde, shows you there is hope.
We’ve all been there – a momentary lapse of concentration and throwing clothes in the drier, only to regret it when you retrieve the teeny tiny item half an hour later.
But there is a way of turning back your mistake, said LaLonde.
“For some fabrics, you can reverse shrinkage,” she said.
UNSHRINKING THE SHRUNKEN
Follow these step-by-step instructions to bring your clothes back to their normal size.
- Fill a sink with lukewarm water and add two tablespoons of hair conditioner.
- Place the item in and let it soak for about 30 minutes.
- When the time is up, take it out and wring out as much water as possible.
- Next, lay the item on a towel and roll it up to remove excess water.
- Unroll the towel and stretch the item out as far as possible.
- Let the item air dry.
When it comes to whites, it’s easy to become despondent when the gleaming quality has disappeared, replaced with a dull, grey-ish tone.
But there is hope, said, LaLonde, who shared her tips for bringing back the whiteness.
WHITE IN SHINING ARMOR
“If your white clothes or bedding have lost their bright white appearance, you can help to bring them back to life,” she said.
She suggested adding a whitening agent, oxygen bleach, or bleach-free products like baking soda or vinegar, to your laundry cycle.
But check individual item’s laundry care labels first to avoid further damage.
Tip to remove yellow sweat stains
Yellow armpit stains affects everyone, whether people care to admit to it or not. But there is help at hand. To remove yellow stains from your clothing, experts recommend the following methods:
- Baking soda paste: The pros at The Laundry Cafe recommend mixing one tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide with one tablespoon of salt, and ½ cup of baking soda. Apply directly to the stain with a toothbrush, rub, and let the mixture sit for at least an hour, then wash as normal.
- Oxygen bleach: This method is just as useful for removing yellow stains. Mix one part of oxygen-based bleach with one part of ammonia in a non-metal bowl. Wear gloves during this application. Rub into the fabric with a toothbrush and allow the solution to sit for at least ten minutes before laundering as normal.
- Stain remover or detergent: Stains on collars can be stubborn to remove as armpit stains. So pretreat the area using a solvent-based stain-removing agent or detergent. Work the product into the collar with a toothbrush and allow it to sit for at least ten minutes before washing.
STUBBORN STAINs
Grass stains, blood stains, and grease stains are difficult to remove.
But there are ways of coping with them, said Lalonde.
“They should be treated before clothing goes through a wash cycle,” she said.
“And never dry a garment when you are trying to remove a stain. The heat from the dryer will set the stain, making it much more difficult to clean,” she added.
Lalonde previously told The U.S. Sun how to keep your favorite jeans from fading and shrinking.
And she shared even more tips on how to keep towels soft and fluffy.