Tackling laundry stains with Jill of All Trades

This week our Jill of All Trades, Jill Washburn, tackles tough laundry stains. As always, she does it "the JOAT way", which means without harsh chemicals. What you'll use depends on the types of stain that you have.

First, Jill starts with ink stains. She always uses rubbing alcohol with ink. Jill prefers the stronger 91 percent kind. It should start to work right away, but it may take multiple applications to get all the ink out.

For natural stains, things like fruits, vegetables, chocolate, juices, wine, Jill says use hydrogen peroxide. She actually puts a sprayer on a bottle of peroxide and keeps it next to the washer. And, any nurse can tell you that peroxide is also great for removing blood and bodily fluid stains.  

Vinegar will also help with some of those natural stains. Jill says vinegar also works with sweaty, grimy stains and is great at eliminating odors. Is all of your tech fabric workout gear kind of stinky? If you can't get the smells out of them, put them in the washer, let it fill, add your soap and a gallon of vinegar. Let it swish for a minute, and then let it sit; the longer, the better! The vinegar needs time to work away the build-up in the fabrics.

For some of the toughest stuff, like latex paint, Thieves Oil or Thieves Oil laundry soap can be magic. 

Jill uses the ones from Young Living, but you may find others that work for you. Jill says to treat paint stains with the Thieves Oil laundry soap and let it sit for a while. Then, gently start to work it with your fingernail or a soft toothbrush. The paint should start to break down and loosen.

After you treat the stains, toss your garments in the washer and wash as usual. Check them before putting them in the dryer. Don't dry until you are satisfied with your results. It may take multiple rounds of treatments to eliminate a stain.

Thieves Oil laundry soap can also be used in combination with any of the above-mentioned products on any stain. Jill says that these tips have saved her many, many times.

Jill says that some basic ground rules apply:

1.     The sooner that you can get to a stain, the easier it will be to get out.
2.     Don't put the garment in the dryer until the stain is all the way out. Heat helps lock it in, so it'll be tougher to work on after a trip through the dryer.
3.     It may take multiple treatments to remove the stain.
4.     You may need to rub the product in with your fingernail or an old soft toothbrush.
5.     It may take combinations of the above-mentioned products to get a particular stain out. Don't get discouraged. Just keep treating it.
6.     Last, but not least, give it time. Some of these treatments take time to work.

PROJECT RATING: Easy to Medium+ (depending on the stain)

To see how Jill does it, click on the video player above.