Clean Up, Clean Up...

Here at Little Orso we not only like to share things to buy with you, but we also want to help you take care of the items that you already have.  That is why today's feature is all about how to clean up difficult situations, and hopefully save your precious items.

*How to clean Stuffed Animals-
(this is an old Orso Family Trick)

-Wipe or pull off any items that are stuck to their fur.
-Take off any clothes or additional accessories.
-Put the animal inside of a pillow case, and then tie the case shut with a rubber band (I use a hair tie).
-Turn the washing machine onto "delicate", and set the temperature to "warm/cold" or "cool/cold".
-Once the cycle is done, take the animal out and fluff up it's fur....then lay it on a clean towel to air dry. It usually takes a day or two, depending on temperature.


**Getting Baby Food Stains out of Clothes-
(with help from ehow.com )

-Blot excess food and liquid with a white cloth or paper towel.
-Remove excess dried food by gently scraping the stain with a metal spatula or butter knife. (Do not excessively rub the clothing unless the material is durable and tough. Forceful rubbing may cause the stain to spread and may damage the color, fiber and finish of the garment.Avoid rubbing the stained clothing with a dark-colored cloth or terry towel. According to the Iowa State University Department of Foods and Consumer Sciences, using such types of material may increase staining effects. Also, fresh stains should never be rubbed with bar soap, which may set stains and prevent removal.)
-Pre-soak fabrics in liquid laundry detergent and cold water. Allow the clothes to soak for a minimum of 20 minutes.
-After pre-soaking, machine wash the clothing in cold water.
-Remove clothing from the machine and inspect for remaining stains.
-According to Good Housekeeping, if stains are still evident, use a pre-wash stain remover and launder the clothing again. Test stain removal products on a hidden area or seam of the clothing to ensure that the color and finish of the garment are not affected before treating the entire stain area.


***Removing Protein Stains (Formula and Breast Milk) From Clothes- 
(with help from about.com )

-For protein stains, including formula, breast milk, most food stains, leaky diapers and spit up, you'll need a small amount of an enzyme cleaner, such as Wisk or Era Plus, and a soft-bristled brush.
The enzyme cleaner will digest the protein of the stain.
-If there is any remaining stain on your baby's clothes, treat with an all-purpose stain remover, such as Shout or Spray N Wash,
-Then launder in the regular cycle.


**** Removing Head Lice From Clothes and Furniture 
(with help from wiki how )

-Wash your clothes in hot water. The water must be at least 130ºF/54ºC. This will kill the lice and its eggs.

-Dry the clothes in the heat. In a dryer, dry for at least 20 minutes on high heat. If hanging outdoors, it must be a hot and sunny day.-Iron any of your clothes that can be ironed. The hot temperature will also kill the lice and their eggs.

-Treat clothes that cannot be washed. There are several possibilities for clothing that cannot be washed by hand or in a washing machine:

-Dry clean clothing that can be dry cleaned - it's courteous to warn your dry cleaner first though!

-Put clothing that cannot be washed or dry cleaned in a plastic bag and freeze it for at least 3 days. Or, place the clothing into a dryer on high heat for 20 minutes minimum.

-Alternately, leave clothing in a sealed plastic bag in a room for 2 weeks.

-Clean other linen and fabric items. Clothing is not the only that thing that has to be cleaned. Make sure that you clean all of your bedding, and vacuum your carpets thoroughly.

-You can buy lice spray to kill lice that may be on furniture


*****Removing Vomit From Your Car-
(with help from ehow.com)

-Remove the vomit from the interior of the vehicle. Put on some rubber gloves if you have them, and use paper towels to pick up as much of the vomit as you can.
-Next, mix 1/4 cup of ammonia and 1 cup of warm water in a bowl or bucket. Take a washcloth or sponge and dip it into the ammonia and water mixture. Squeeze out the excess water and scrub the stained area with the sponge. Clean the entire stained area.
-After cleaning you will need to rinse the stained area. Take a clean sponge soaked in warm water and dab the stained area with the sponge. Go over the whole area with the sponge.
-Now take a clean white towel and dab the area to lift up some of the water.
-Once you have dabbed the whole area with the clean towel, the stain should be removed.
-If not, repeat step number one and let the cleaning solution soak into the stain for about 5 to 10 minutes. -Then repeat step number two.
-Let the vehicle interior air dry or use fans to speed up the drying process.

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 We hope that these tips come in handy!!
...But that you never heave to use some of them (like head lice).  I have heard that washing your hair with Tea Tree Oil keeps your hair from attracting them in the first place:)