Household hints de-stink socks and tighten panty hose

When my son was young, he had the habit of running outside in his white gym socks and, when they got stained, he didn't want to wear them. Or he would wear them so long they could stand up in the corner by themselves. I would soak his socks in bleach and, of course, they fell apart. This got real old real fast.

I discovered a neat little trick after several months of trying different products. If you have this same problem, try this trick. To get white socks clean, soak them for about an hour in 1 gallon of hot water and 2 tablespoons of automatic dishwasher detergent. Pour the socks and soaking solution into the washer and launder as usual. You'll be surprised at the end result.

You can also whiten socks by soaking them in hot water and 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Let them soak several hours or overnight. After soaking, wash as usual.

As a parent of very active children, the odor of smelly socks seemed to be in every room of our home. After some experimentation using different products, I stumbled on this sweet little trick. After washing, take the smelly monsters and place them in a gallon bucket of warm water and add 1/4 cup of baking soda. Let them soak for a few minutes, pour the water and socks into the washer, then spin out the water. Do not rinse! Dry them as usual.

Before we started our business, my wife went to work like most two-income families. She would often wear panty hose. Almost every day she would come home with runs in her hose. This, of course, got very expensive. After doing some research I found that if you take new panty hose, dip them in water, wring them out, put them in a plastic bag and freeze them solid. Remove them from the freezer, let them thaw and dry completely. This will make them last longer.

To increase the elasticity in parity hose, add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to the rinse water.

To wash panty hose, use an old panty hose leg to hold a pair of good panty hose. Just knot the end of the old panty hose leg at the top so the good panty hose won't come out during washing. If you add a fabric softener to the rinse will lubricate the fibers and make the hose last longer and cut down on the electricity. If you're out of a fabric softener, use a hair conditioner. It will work just fine.

If you are allergic to any of the above products, please don't use them. Always test fabrics and paints before using any chemical compounds. Please remember to wear rubber gloves to protect your hands & eye protection for your eyes. If you would like to share a cleaning idea or concept with the reading audience, call Ed at NVVES (255-2266) or send them to Banner County Daily Bee, 310 Church street, Sandpoint, ID 83864, Attn: What Would Ed Do?

Copy written by Edmond E. Madan, certified forensic, fire, flood, mold inspection & remediation contractor. Ed is the CEO of Northwest Executive & Environmental Services, LLC.