Fab Friday: Hydrogen Peroxide

I am not a great housewife.

More Lucille Ball than June Cleaver, my housewifery is lackadaisical and haphazard, with the majority of my homemaking artistry concentrated in the fields of Dish-Doing and Bent-Over-Toy-Gathering.

In the Department of Fluff-n-Fold, my know-how is most rudimentary. But I have a secret weapon when it comes to stain removal.

Hydrogen Peroxide.

It's no secret that I have a fondness for OxiClean. I am supremely lazy and use the spray version, usually saturating the area and allowing the garment to sit for long, lonely hours before washing.

But once in a while, my beloved OxiClean just isn't powerful enough to fight the legendary staining power of chocolate. When I spy those milky brown streaks embedded in Big J's favorite shirt, I immediately reach for the Hydrogen Peroxide.

Used in conjunction with OxiClean and a toothbrush, I have found HP to be a problem-solver extraordinaire.

I spray the afflicted area generously with Oxi, douse with HP, scrub gently with the toothbrush, and walk away. If the air is particularly dry (not usually a problem in the bowels of my Eastern Michigan basement), I will ensconce the garment within a Ziploc bag. 12-24 hours later, I wash.

And that's it.

Some may laugh and gently shake their heads at my ignorance. "OxiClean contains HP", they think to themselves, marvelling at my foolishness while they flip through the latest copy of the Robb Report and tap out their meerschaums.

I know that. But there's something about the above approach which just works.

While not infallible, 95% of the darkest, most set-in chocolate ice cream/ pudding/ fudgsicle stains have disappeared. I have used the above on stains which were washed and dried and deeply entrenched. Blood, chocolate, and grass stains have all drifted away before the mighty power of the HP.

So the next time you're faced with the remains of last night's popsicle fest besmirching your favorite garment, give it a go.

What do you have to lose?

(Other than the 69 cents you'll spend?)

*Disclaimer: I am not a laundry expert. The above has worked for me, and may or may not work for you. Before you attempt stain removal, check your garment's care instructions. FYI, sometimes the above doesn't work the first time. In that case, I repeat the steps while the garment is still damp from the wash, and allow it to soak for more time. Good luck!