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Washing Machine Odors

This question was submitted from Ester

“My washing machine has a “wet stink” like you get on wet clothes if they’re left folded or crumpled for awhile. I’ve run a couple of loads of laundry with bleach, but the washer’s still stinky. What can I do to get rid of the odor?”

  • The first thing to do is to check to there are no mechanical problems with the washer.
  • Be sure there are no drainage problems or any problems with the actual operation of the cycles. Bleach should in fact kill any mildew so there may be a problem with water not draining completely from the washer or the drainage system.
  • We have also heard of people running a load with a cup or two of white vinegar to rinse out the machine.
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Wicker and Rattan

Wicker and rattan furniture can either be made out of natural or man-made fibers. Each is treated differently . For natural wicker, avoid over using water for man-made it is the opposite.

  • Since most wicker is varnished or painted, regular cleaning simply involves dusting or vacuuming and an occasional light cleaning with a sponge, warm water, wood soap (such as Murphys Oil Soap) and a soft brush for between the weaves.
  • Do not over-wet and dry as soon as possible with a dry cloth.
  • You can give some protection to wicker with a light coating of aerosol furniture polish.
  • Outdoor wicker, more likely to be man-made, can take a more rigorous cleaning. You can use more aggressive cleaners and brushes. However, after hosing off try to dry the piece as quickly as possible  set it in the sun or near a fan.

Precautions:
If your wicker furniture creaks excessively then the fibers may have dried out and need some moisture restored. You can simply wipe it down with a damp sponge.

Also, over-exposure to sun, rain and the elements will shorten the life of wicker considerably.

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Yellow Stains on Sofa/couch

This question was submitted from Gunner.

“I got a used couch (dark blue) and there are yellowish stains on the arm rests and end of the seats. Could you help me?”

The yellowish stains on the upholstery are most likely human skin and oils ground into the fabric fibers after a significant amount of use. The staining is more prominent because of the dark blue color of the fabric.

You would find that if the fabric was brown or beige in color that this type of staining would be less visible.

The solution is to have the upholstery professionally clean by an IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning & Restoration) certified carpet and upholstery cleaning company. They will have the appropriate cleaning/fabric knowledge, chemicals and equipment to effectively handle this soiling condition.

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Water Heaters

How to Flush Out Your Water Heater

  1. Locate and shut off the power source (circuit breaker or fuses) for electric water heaters only; but leave the water supply on. Gas and LP supply valves for non-electric heaters can be left on.
  2. For natural gas and propane (LP) water heaters, make a note of what the temperature setting is and then turn the thermostat (large red dial on the front of the control) to the lowest setting (pilot). If you plan to use the water for other purposes, turn the heat off ahead of time and allow the water to cool (overnight) before draining. Open a faucet closest to the water heater, like the bathroom.
  3. Attach a garden hose to the drain cock located at the bottom of the heater. The drain cock usually looks like a regular hose bib (garden faucet) or a round dial with a threaded hole in the middle. (The drain cock may be hidden under a removable cover.)
  4. Extend the garden hose to a place where the water can safely exit the heater (e.g. a drain, a driveway, etc.). This water is perfect for watering the yard with, once cooled. If you plan ahead, the water can be cool and usable.
  5. Open the drain cock to allow the water to exit the heater. Caution: the water leaving the heater will be hot and under normal household water pressure. Also note that if the drain cock is made of plastic and the heater is several years old, it may be difficult to open and may break easily if forced.
  6. After five minutes of flushing, fill a bucket with the still flushing water.
  7. Allow the water in the bucket to stand undisturbed for a minute and see if the water is clear or if any sand-like material settles to the bottom. If the water is clear and no sand-like material is observed, go on to step 8. If the water is discolored and/or sand-like material is observed at the bottom of the bucket, repeat steps 5 and 6 until the flush water is completely clear and free of sediment.
  8. Close the drain cock and remove the garden hose.
  9. Turn on the electrical circuit breaker or return the gas control to the setting it was previously at and allow ample time for the water to heat back up.

Enjoy the clean water and the longer-lasting, more efficient water heater!

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Wine Bottles

This question was submitted from Ray

“How should I clean used wine bottles and make them odor free? ”

Try these techniques:

  • Used wine bottles can be cleaned using regular dish soap and hot water. If you don’t have a bottle brush, soak the bottles for a while before washing. You may want to soak in hot water anyway if you want to remove the labels, if you plan to re-use the bottles.
  • If you are planning to re-use after washing, wash in a disinfectant solution. (1 part chlorine bleach 4 parts water)  Fill your sink with the solution and let the bottles soak for at least ten minutes for best results and be sure to rinse well with hot water after disinfected.
  • If you have a bottle which has a stubborn odor try using an enzyme based cleaning solution and soak it for 1/2 hour to one hour to really let the enzyme work at breaking down the organic material and rinse well with hot water.
  • Many micro-breweries have a special disinfecting bottle baths available to you when you come into bottle your home brew at the micro-brewery, so you would just have to clean the bottles before coming in to bottle your wine. That is assuming that the reason you are cleaning your used wine bottles is for that purpose.
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Waffle Iron and Grills

Technique:

  • If the grids or grills are removable they can be soaked in a dish detergent solution to loosen baked on food particles. Otherwise use a soft cleaning brush to remove any stuck particles.
  • Never put the grids into the dishwasher and never immerse the whole appliance directly into dishwater.
  • If the grills are made of unfinished cast iron, dry thoroughly after washing and wipe with a light coat of cooking oil before storing to prevent rusting.
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Algae or Mold From a Water Cooler

Ken asks:  How do I get rid of algae build up from my water cooler?”

If the algae is in the cooler itself you will have to rinse it out with a disinfecting solution. You can get a food safe disinfectant from any janitorial supply store (check your Yellow Pages under Janitorial supplies).

Or you can use a solution of 1 part chlorine bleach and 3 parts water and using a empty water bottle cycle some of the solution through the cooler, it is very important that you rinse the cooler with water very well after cleaning.

If the algae or mold is in the front, use the same solution and spray and wipe.  You may have to use a medium brush or scrubber to remove some of the more stubborn mildew.

For best results you should remove the drip tray and soak it (in the same solution) for ten minutes to kill all mildew residue and rinse well.

If the color of the cooler is dark and you are afraid the bleach will affect the color of the cooler you should seek out the professional disinfectant from a janitorial supply store. The thing to realize about mildew is it thrives in wet dark environments, so be sure that the drip tray is emptied daily to reduce the ability of the mildew to form and grow.

It is always best to test a small area first before cleaning with techniques or chemicals you have not used before on the surface you are cleaning.

Best of luck

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White Spots on My Dark Laundry

Here is a question from Shannon:

“When I wash a load of dark clothes, all the darker clothes end up with white marks on them. If I rub the clothing with a wet washcloth the marks go away almost completely, but this is not a good solution. What’s causing these white marks and what can I do about them?”

Thanks for your question, I believe what is happening is the laundry detergent you are using is not dissolving completely.

This can happen when you are using cool water which is usually the case when we are washing dark clothes. The trick is to start the washer put in the detergent and let the water fill up and then put in the clothes. This way the detergent has a better chance at dissolving.

Also most detergents are best used in warm water since most powders dissolve better in warm water. You could also try a liquid detergent in which case the technique I described above is still recommended.

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Wine Stains on Clothing

To remove alcoholic drinks or wine, first read and follow the care instructions and any warnings on the garment label.

  • Launder with detergent in hottest water safe for the fabric. Do not use soap (bar, flake, or detergents containing natural soap), since soap could make the stain permanent or at least more difficult to remove.
  • Soak tough stains for 30 minutes in 1 quart of warm water and 1 teaspoon of enzyme presoak product.
  • To remove old or set stains may require washing with bleach that is safe for the fabric.  Always check for colorfastness first.
  • If all the sugars are not removed from the fabric a brown stain will appear when the fabric is heated in the dryer or is ironed, as the sugar is carmelized.

For tough Red Wine stains refer to “dye stains” for further help.

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