How to wash Old Unused Cotton bedding?
enduring
8 years ago
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enduring
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Old (but Unused, in Box) Canning Lids
Comments (18)I also have never pressure canned jam, but I do use a boiling water bath. I don't even have to spend time sterilizing my jars if I process them for 10 minutes, and that actually saves me time. The NCHFP does say that it's better to sterilize the jars and process for 5 minutes, because the longer time sometime compromises the jell/set of the product. My Grandmother used to use paraffin, which was messy and time consuming and not consistent, and even she started to do her jelly in a boiling water bath, and that was at least 50 years ago. I know some of my elders (and I'm 64) used to just turn jars upside down and call it a seal, but they had some bad seals and some that didn't seal, others that were fine. If you want to eat that jar of jelly right away because it didn't seal, that works, but I want mine to actually seal and I think 10 minutes in boiling water is a small amount of time and effort to make sure that happens. This is what the NCHFP has to say: "Some other methods of sealing jars call for inverting a closed, filled jar of hot product for anywhere from thirty seconds to one hour. (Inverting is turning the filled jar upside down on its lid.) While this inversion process can be successful in producing a sealed jar, it works best with very hot product. Individual variation in practicing this procedure or unexpected interruptions can result in delays between filling jars, getting lids screwed on, and inverting the jars. If the product cools down too much, the temperature of the product can become low enough to no longer be effective in sealing jars or preventing spoilage. When the inversion process does work, the vacuum seals of filled jars still tend to be weaker than those produced by a short boiling water canning process. A larger amount of retained oxygen in the headspace may allow some mold growth if airborne molds contaminated the surface of the product as the jar was filled and closed. More complete removal of oxygen from the headspace also offers some longer protection from undesirable color and flavor changes with some types of fruit products. A weak seal may be more likely to fail during storage. The canning process is therefore a more foolproof method of making jams and jellies that will not spoil." Everyone has to make their own decisions, know the risks and make an informed decision as to whether those risks (whether health wise or loss of product or extra time) are significant enough to impact their procedure. I'll just keep on spending that 10 minutes with a boiling water bath, but you certainly may do whatever you wish. I make long cooked jam and jelly without any additional pectin, so I just don't find it to be that much work or so time consuming that it's egregious, and I've made thousands of batches of jams and jellies in the 55 years or so that I've been canning. Annie...See MoreCotton bedding suggestions needed for DD with eczema
Comments (28)oceanna: Thank you for passing along the related thread. Poor little baby! I was very lucky with all my three babies that they did not have these problems--probably because I breastfed and delayed introduction on solids, esp. dairy which is where my problems were. I was able to clear my food allergies through NAET, when about 5-years ago I suddenly became sensitized to many foods, and today eat whatever I want. I think I cleared my DD also through NAET, but with environmental/chemical sensitivies we have not had much success. We've been dealing with this for over 2-years now and have tried many different things so while my goal is still to uncover and correct the root of the problem we found it was like layers of an onion, you peel one away only to find another. It's been a long road for DD and she gets very discouraged, esp. when I alter her diet too much and with little improvement. My DH and I did look at the food intolerances for the different races and blood types and found it quite fascinating, though going that route would be a last resort which we could possibly try over the summer. Right now she is on homeopathy, which aggravates her condition in the short term, so I don't want to change too many things at once. With my DD she has more scabby patches from scratching in various stages of healing. Probably the worst trigger though are her shin guards--she plays competitive soccer and is in spring season. I do not have the heart to pull her out so can relate to the comments about exercise induced asthma. In fact, DD has a few girls on her team with that condition and always tells me she is glad she only has eczema as at least she does not have to sit out due to an asthmatic attack in a game. On the bedding front, I was able to find some bedding in both Pottery Barn Kids and PB teen which is Oeko-tex certified plus some all cotton duvet inserts (both summer and winter weights) from Cuddledown, depending on if she prefers a duvet or quilt. I plan to show it to her this weekend and am crossing my fingers she'll find something she likes....See MoreHow do I wash an old or antique quilt?
Comments (0)First, I would never wash an antique quilt in a washing machine, at least not one which has an agitator as the quilt will get wrapped around the agitator and will more than likely be ruined. I would also never wash a quilt containing wool or silk, nor would I dry clean an antique quilt. Wool and silk are especially fragile. Dry cleaners use strong solutions and are more likely to hurt a quilt rather than save it. Also, there must be no damaged areas--areas where you can see the batting poking out, rips, or places where the dyes (or other things) have eaten through the fabric. These are too fragile to withstand cleaning. Most quilts in good condition (without damage mentioned above),can be cleaned first by vacuuming. You need to get a screen, fiberglass window screening available by the yard at your hardware store works well. Tape or sew binding on the edges to prevent the sharp ends from pulling threads or snagging the quilt. Prepare a large table, or the floor by laying down a white sheet. Place the quilt on top, then the screen on top of that. Take a vacuum which is set at the softest suction possible by adjusting the air flow and hold the vacuum OVER the quilt (not directly on it). The vacuum will suck up dirt without pulling up the fibers. The screen helps prevent any damage to the quilt and holds all the fibers down. Vacuum the entire top of the quilt, then turn it over and vacuum the back side. This often is enough. Some cotton quilts may be cleaned in the following way, but it is important to test the quilt to make sure that the dyes are stable. Test each of different fabrics as follows: take a try Q tip and rub it over each of the fabrics. IF the color transfers, then it is likely it will run. If it passes this test, then dampen the q-tips and rub it on each of the fabrics. If it comes off onto the q-tip, then it will run. If you have come this far without it running, then for the discolored spots, you can mix up a solution of non-chlorine bleach, specifically, I would use oh bother...Oxydol? It is in a blue container...and it is a really good addition to your washing...darling daughter is singing in my ear and I am having a hard time remembering. I'll check in the basement later. Spot treat the areas using a spoon or a piece of muslin to tamp it on. Draw some cold or at most tepid water into the bath tub...put in approx. 2 T of Orvus paste (you can get this at quilt shops, from Clotilde, or from some Livestock supply places (cheapest there....it was originally designed for washing Livestock--it is straight sodium Lauryl Sulfate and is gentlest on your stuff) into about 4 - 5" of water. Buy one of the Woolite or CArbona "dye mops" to absorb dye which leaches in to the water...as a precaution. Lay the screening on top of the water and place quilt on top. Put dye mop on top of that. Pat the water through the quilt, not wringing. continue patting. Do not let the quilt soak as if the dyes go into the water and resettled, that is what contributes to the running of the dyes. Drain off water, and run cold water through until the water comes off clear and no suds. Press water out of quilt. Use towels to blot more water out. Lift the quilt on the screen (textiles are at their weakest when wet) and lay the quilt flat to dry...either on top of a clean sheet laid on the floor or outside. If you are putting the quilt outside to dry, cover the top with another sheet so that nothing falls on the quilt. Inside, put a fan on the quilt. After the top seems dry, turn it over and let the back side dry....See MoreWashed whites today @ 170F, Hygiene Cottons Cycle
Comments (27)fishcow - the BaseWash chemical composition and chemistry is much different than carbonate alkali based anionic detergents. It is slightly acidic PH 4 cationic detergent which controls shrinkage and dye bleed. It contains acidic acid which is quite effective at eliminating bacteria at lower processing temperatures, and the number one cause of lingering odors in tech gear. In conjunction with its ETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOBUTYL ETHER another potent solvent based cleaning agent which is particularly good on oil based soils ,such as body oils, fats, etc. Product also contains Geraniol an alcohol based natural scent. I can't speak directly to NikiWax but the commercial equivalent of this product is excellent for water based cleaning, removal of body fats and oils, controlling shrinkage and dye bleed, bacteria control at low wash temperatures. The product contains no enzymes, no bleach, so pre treatment of stains is a critical first step....See Moreenduring
8 years agoenduring
8 years agoenduring
7 years ago
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