Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Shared Thoughts

Sayeh-Woodman
Sayeh-Woodman
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I left it to my other half this week to do the cleaning as my work load was overflowing, he agreed to help with the cleaning, washing and ironing. It was certainly worth letting him help, my goodness! he came up with all sorts of good tips and tricks, and here are some of them…


Stuck in the mud?


Before washing an item with mud on, allow the mud to dry and brush off or hoover off what you can. Once the excess is removed, if the item is washable, soak it in diluted fabric detergent (liquid is better than powder), for an hour gently rubbing the muddy area at regular intervals to shift the mud. You can then wash it in your machine. You may need to soak and wash again if the mud stain is not fully removed or use a stain remover. Water may damage some fabrics so before treating and any mark or stain on our cloths or fabrics check the care label. If in any doubt, seek professional advice. It’s not advisable to apply water to dry clean only fabrics as water may shrink, distort and discolour some fabrics.


How often do you wash your duvet?


Get your duvets cleaned, he did this which I was impressed with! Now is the time to swap your duvet around, with the change of seasons kicking in, so it will be fresh for the next season, you should give your duvet a good wash and clean every 4 months. If washing your duvet at home, ensure you dry it thoroughly as if it is damp it will start smelling. Do not store in a plastic bag as the duvet may sweat causing it to smell or go mouldy, if you do take it to the dry cleaning and they give it back to you in a bag, pop a hole in it so it can breathe.


Are those whites causing you grief?


I am always left amazed me how immaculate men look in their dishdasha. My other half likes his white shirts and this is the secret, when I do them, they don’t come out as clean looking as his load did and hears why…White fabrics should be laundered regularly and not allowed to get too dirty. Once dirt is ingrained in fabrics it becomes very hard to remove, although soaking overnight in a diluted detergent and giving collars and cuffs a good scrub can help. Most supermarkets sell whitening produces many of which contain a bleaching agent, and that’s the trick, so these should be used with care and not on delicate fabrics. Bleaching fabrics is not recommended though as it can turn some cottons pink or yellow if too strong.


I can’t stand ironing, it’s because I don’t like opening the iron board, a fear of getting my fingers stuck, that’s not an excuse of getting out of it, as I do the ironing on the floor! If your cotton linen shirts always look creased after ironing, its because the lin washing in cotton or linen in very hot water can damage natural fibres and cause the fabric to crack. This means the fabric has the appearances of being creased and as the fabric is damaged it will not iron out. Applying steam can rather than direct heat can help improve the appearance of the fabric.


When you’re work load is piling up, welcome and embrace help and learn a few tips on the way!


Sayeh Woodman


sayehwoodman@outlook.com


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