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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

Those bits under the arms of DH's shirts - how to rid?

58 replies

LittleMissMac · 19/03/2008 19:41

I wash DH's shirts at 40 in non-bio, and they all - even the reasonably new ones - get those nasty hard sweaty bits under the arms that just don't shift with normal washing.

DH is allergic to bio powder. What else can I use to rid us of this unpleasantness - is there an amazing natural remedy like bicarb or vinegar?

OP posts:
nannyL · 19/03/2008 20:14

i think white vinegar is that old wives solution

get a squirty bottle, 99p from wilkos and spray it on

cmotdibbler · 19/03/2008 20:16

Soak in Napisan - works total wonders on shirts generally, but since we started using it in the wash, his shirts never get it, and a soak got rid of the existing crustyness

FluffyMummy123 · 19/03/2008 20:19

Message withdrawn

moodlumthehoodlum · 19/03/2008 20:21

Or Milton sterilising fluid. Wouldn't like to try that on a shirt that mattered if it bleached tho'

I wash dh's on a 90 sometimes just to break it up a bit.

Original poster
LittleMissMac · 19/03/2008 20:22

Ah, why didn't I think of Napisan! The wonder powder! I will do a test tomorrow...

NannyL, "old wife" is what I'm increasingly turning into, as the bags under my eyes demonstrate. I do have a squirty bottle and vinegar both ready and willing.

I may do a scientific comparison of effectiveness and will report back. Don't faint with excitement now, girls.

OP posts:
cmotdibbler · 19/03/2008 20:22

Napisan is amazing - best thing I got out of an otherwise very tedious 3 week business trip to Australia which involved 12 separate flights

BibiThree · 19/03/2008 20:24

I am fainting with excitement, dh has gotten rid of many a decent shirt due to under arm crustiness - will get myself some napisan tomorrow!

Original poster
LittleMissMac · 19/03/2008 20:25

cmot, that's an expensive way to get Napisan. Waitrose do it, you know.

OP posts:
MaryBS · 19/03/2008 20:26

What a great idea! Added bonus would be the look on my DH's face when he sees I've bought napisan

FluffyMummy123 · 19/03/2008 20:26

Message withdrawn

nannyL · 19/03/2008 20:26

lol

looking forward to the results of the test...

who was it that put identical stains on old muslins and washed with ecoballs / ecover and soap nuts to see what was best?

Kindersurpise · 19/03/2008 20:26

oh, good tip.

Um, what is Napisan exactly?

cmotdibbler · 19/03/2008 20:28

The expensive and exotic things I bring back y'know - tights and Napisan. Actually it was just the advice to use it - there we were, in a vineyard in Tasmania, talking about laundry stains...

cmotdibbler · 19/03/2008 20:30

Its a non biological nappy sanitiser with added blue bits that seems to remove all known stains.

If you soak in your kitchen sink, it brings plastic sinks up a treat too.

BibiThree · 19/03/2008 20:32

so which one won the stained muslin challenge?
anyone have a link to the thread? am almost giggling with excitement (sad old bat emoticon)

Original poster
LittleMissMac · 19/03/2008 20:32

Funny, it was my mum who recommended it to me, as she had originally used it on my terry nappies... guess where... Yes! Australia, where I was born! There must be something in this antipodean link.

OP posts:
Kindersurpise · 19/03/2008 20:34

Wonder if I can ask mum to buy Napisan, she might think that I am trying to tell her something.

I just googled to see if I can get it here and strangely the first site was www.SucheLove.de, with a personal ad for a woman looking for a woman.

dylsmum1998 · 19/03/2008 20:35

lol bibithree am very excited for the results of this too (not so old bat emoticon)

woodenchair · 19/03/2008 20:36

does it get rid of BO smells too?

PotPourri · 19/03/2008 20:37

I sometimes rub washing up liquid into the underarms (or any other stains on teh kids clothes - tomato sauce etc) and that seems to work well. Guess it is loosening the greasy content, like on your frying pan etc. I use ecover washing up liquid normally

cmotdibbler · 19/03/2008 20:38

We had it on the regular shop long before we actually had nappies to wash. The Oxy Action type in wash stain removers do the same sort of thing, but not as well I think. Am not going to do a test though, as all my muslins are going on Freecycle tomorrow. And vinegar didn't work for me.

And what exactly were they going to do with the Napisan ?

Kindersurpise · 19/03/2008 20:44

I did not look to see what they needed the Napisan for. I lead a sheltered life

Would it help get DH's smelly running clothes nonsmelly again then? After a while they get so minging.

Original poster
LittleMissMac · 19/03/2008 20:46

Kinder, I'd try a soak in Milton for the running clothes. I (used to) cycle, and it's recommended in those circles. I would expect running kit is the same delicious mix of man-made fibres as cycling kit.

OP posts:
cmotdibbler · 19/03/2008 20:49

I haven't tried it on smelly clothes specifically, but I'm pretty sure it would work. Certainly stuff that DH has worn for gardening, and is minging comes out fine.

eekamoose · 19/03/2008 20:49

Wash on 60 degrees not 40. Use vanish spray or the like on underarms and collars/cuffs.

I have a healthy environmental conscience but wash all towels, bedding, tea towels, table cloths, dish cloths, dh shirts and my white knickers at 60 degrees. Oh, and never put knickers in a wash containing table linen or tea towels either. So there.

I am actually the laundry queen of Mumsnet.