Susan Says: Springtime Fresh

 

Spring cleaning also means freshening up clothes that may have been stashed away in storage all winter. Clothing that had been relegated to storage may require some restoration to pristine condition for spring. Here is a trouble-shooting guide:

• Underarm Stains: According to Steve Boorstein, founder of ClothingDoctor.com, as told to First for Women Magazine, "Even if you washed your tops before packing them away, traces of sweat and deodorant can remain." The result:  yellowed armpits.  During storage, the acids in sweat react with the aluminum compounds in most deodorants, slowly causing the fabric to yellow.  The remedy:  Dampen the area, then sprinkle on unseasoned meat tenderizer (containing papain or bromelain) or a powedered detergent and work into a paste.  Let sit for one hour and rinse with cool water.  According to Boorstein, "The enzymes in meat tenderizer eat away at the perspiration, lifting the stain."

• Off Odor:  Any smell, whether from mothballs to cedar blocks, tends to intensify in storage, particularly if the source of the odor is oily in nature (mothballs), since oil-based chemicals are poorly soluble in water and won't rinse out in the wash.  The remedy, according to Boorstein, is to toss five pieces of activated charcoal into a paper bag and tape shut.  Place this cachet and the clothing in a plastic bin (to avoid staining; do not let the bag touch the clothes) then cover the container and leave overnight.  By morning, the clothing should be free of odor.

• Faded Colors:  If your clothing appears to be duller, it may be due to exposure to light.  Even light from a fluorescent light bulb can cause a break down in color pigments. Such things as leftover chemicals (body oil or chlorine from your water) can also degrade the garment's dye. The remedy:  Wash the garment in a like-color load.  According to Boorstein, "If you launder a faded black shirt with a black towel or jeans that you know bleed in the wash, some of the color may transfer onto the dull garment."  If that fails,  Boorstein advises buying Rit fabric dye.

• Insect Holes:  Linda Cobb, author of "Talking Dirty Laundry with the Queen of Clean," addresses the problem of bugs such as moths and silverfish attacking high-end fabrics such as cashmere.  To mend the damage:  Turn the garment inside out and gently stretch the hole over a tennis ball. Using matching thread, weave a circle around the perimeter of the hole to reinforce gnawed on edges.  Then make vertical stitches to sew the top to the bottom, picking up the open loops from the stitch of the fabric.  Tie off the thread and gently press with a steam iron. To avoid the problem after my own cashmere sweater was lost to moths, I used a sachet purchased at Bed Bath and Beyond in my closet - it kept the moths at bay.

• Stretched Out Cuffs:  If your sweater cuffs had lost their shape before you packed them away, the problem only intensifies in storage.  Remedy:  According to Cobb, dip cuffs int very hot water for about five seconds, then use a hair dryer on a hot setting and blow dry.  The combination of hot water and air will shrink cotton or cashmere fibers so the cuffs return to their original shape.

• Wrinkled Clothing: Here's how to get rid of set in wrinkles in half the time:  Place a large sheet of aluminum foil under your ironing board cover; lightly spritz garment with water and press. The conductive foil will retain heat and warm up the backs of the garments while you press the fronts.  Result: Neatly pressed garment in 1/2 the time!

• Creased Clothing: Here's how to eliminate creases in folded sweaters or tee shirts: Tumble dry with a slightly damp heavy towel for three minutes on delicate setting.  Remove while warm. To keep garments crease-free while in your closet, ideally, hanging garments should not touch one another.  Since that's pretty impossible for most people to achieve, keep a garment steamer handy.   Use the steamer to erase creases in lighter fabrics (silk and viscose).  The moisture fluffs fabrics which helps the material retain its drape.   For best results, let your steamer get really hot (101 degrees) and then point the nozzle six inches away from a garment on its hanger and slowly work your way down.  For linen and cotton garments, however, it is best to use an iron as the material requires the pressure of the iron.