Fix-It Fridays: Loose Buttons and Coffee Stains

I encounter a few common problems every day from missing buttons on my shirt to folding bed linens. Though these problems don’t mark the end of the world, they can be bothersome and its best to get them out of the way if you can.

For example, one of my pet peeves is a loose button in the morning. Imagine your morning, dressing up for work and pulling out the day’s shirt and finding the buttons loose or missing. It’s not a great thing (especially if you’re a bit OC).  I usually end up pulling out another shirt, but a bit annoyed by the fact I couldn’t wear what I had set out to wear. Nonetheless these things can be avoided. Some suggestions:

• Have sewing day. It sounds tired and boring, but I think it’s a matter of an hour to sort through your closet, check the buttons of your shirts and repair them. Spending that extra time to do repairs won’t kill you and spare you from a horrid morning.
• Another way, is before you hang or store your clothes in the closet, do the inspections and take out those that needs repair. Then, you can set a day to repair them. Putting them aside prevents you from thinking you can wear them.

Other problems related to clothes and laundry is stains on your favorite clothes. I’m a heavy coffee drinker. I drink about 5-8 cups of coffee a day, so there’s a high probability I’d get some spilled on my clothes.  To remove coffee stains, Real Simple suggests:

• Washables: Stretch fabric over a bowl and, from a height of about one foot (gravity helps), pour boiling water from a kettle. Follow with an application of an oil solvent (like K2r and Carbona, available at drugstores) if the coffee had milk in it. If it had sugar, treat with glycerin or a combination solvent like Shout and let sit for 30 minutes. Finish with a regular wash cycle.
• Nonwashables: Apply a gentle detergent and very little water. Rub to form suds, then rinse. Use an eyedropper with diluted vinegar to lighten any remaining stain. Rinse with cool water. If the coffee had milk in it, finish by applying oil solvent, then rinse with cold water.

Another site, HowStuffWorks, suggests that for Cotton and Linen you can follow the following steps:

• Blot up excess.
• Pretreat (the method of applying a stain-removing agent directly to the stained area before laundering) with Shout Liquid Laundry Stain Remover, then launder immediately.
• If that is not possible, soak the stain in a solution of 1 quart warm water and 1/2 teaspoon dishwashing detergent for 15 minutes.
• Rinse well with water.
• Next, sponge the stain with rubbing alcohol.
• Rinse and allow to dry.
• If the stain remains, use an enzyme presoak (follow directions on label).
• Rinse well with water and dry.
• Launder as soon as possible.
• Another method that has worked:
• Stretch the stained area over a bowl and secure with a rubber band.
• Pour boiling water through the stain from a height of 2 to 3 feet. Stand back to avoid splatters.
• Although cotton and linen can stand boiling water, some of the finishes and colors used on the fabrics might be damaged by such harsh treatment.
• Be sure to test on an inconspicuous corner first. (If coffee contained cream and any greasy stain remains, follow procedures to Remove Milk and Cream.)

There are other little things that can be bothersome, but I’ll leave that for next week.  I do hope some of these suggestions work for you. For the removal of other stains, check here. And for removal of coffee stains on different surfaces check here.

Until next week, have a great weekend. See you!