I am the undisputed laundry queen in my household…maybe in the entire world. There is no stain I cannot conquer. Literally. I recently got permanent marker out of a white sweatshirt for one of the gymnasts I coach. One day at practice I noticed she seemed very upset. When I asked why, she showed me the soiled sweatshirt.
“Let me take it home and wash it for you,” I said. “I’m a whiz at removing stubborn stains.”
“But, coach, it’s PERMANENT marker. You’ll never get it out.”
“Trust me.” And she did.
I took the sweatshirt home, worked my magic and returned it to her the next day in pristine condition.
“Coach! I can’t believe it!” She was amazed.
“I know.” When it comes to laundry, I am amazing.
I discovered my exceptional talent for removing laundry stains more than two decades ago, when my sons began playing travel baseball. We don’t have normal dirt here in Georgia. We have red clay and by the time the players paraded across the infield to shake hands at the end of every game, their uniforms were covered in stubborn red clay stains. My oldest son, in particular, used to get so filthy that he earned the nickname Rusty. You get the picture.
Anyway, no self-respecting baseball mom is going to let her player show up to a game with red clay stains. Whatever happens during the game is acceptable, but that uniform better be clean for first pitch. It took me a few years to discover Fels-Naptha, but I finally did. It’s been my secret stain-fighting weapon ever since and if you’re wondering what any of this has to do with ballroom dancing, I have two words for you: fake tan.
Whether your favorite method for tanning is body make-up, sunless tanner or professionally applied spray tan, the stuff ends up all over your costume and is very difficult to remove, especially from delicate fabrics. Enter Fels-Naptha.
Fels Naptha has been around since 1893. It is a yellow bar soap that was first manufactured in Pennsylvania by Fels and Company. It originally contained Naptha, a liquid hydrocarbon mixture. but was replaced with a safe alternative, terpene hydrocarbons, when Naptha was discovered to be carcinogenic.
To remove stubborn fake tanner stains, rub the soiled areas with a wet bar of Fels-Naptha until a thick white foam develops. You can use a soft bristle laundry brush designed for delicate fabrics (available on Amazon) to gently scrub extra-stubborn stains that linger in built in bras and panties or under the arms of dresses with sleeves and on men’s shirt cuffs and ring-around-the collar.
Allow the soapy garment to rest for five minutes and then rinse the area thoroughly with cold water until all the soap is gone and the water runs clear. Repeat until all stains are no longer visible. Lay flat to dry.
To brighten the Dancing Doc’s white smooth shirts that dull over time, I dissolve one cup of grated Fels Naphtha ( I use a cheese grater, but you can also use a food processor) in a sink full of warm water, soak the shirt for one hour and toss it in the washing machine on delicate cycle with an extra rinse. I store the remaining grated Fels Naphtha in an airtight container for later use.
Fels Naptha is great for removing LipSense and other long stay lip stain, foundation, chocolate, coffee, red wine and ink, all of which have somehow managed to end up on one or more of my costumes at some point along my dance journey. It is also an effective home remedy for treating poison ivy skin rash. Simply wash the skin directly with the bar and rinse. Doing so removes urushiol which is the allergen that causes the itchy rash.
Fels Naptha is available in the laundry section of most grocery stores, at Walmart and on Amazon.
Stay tuned for more Hints & Hacks from the Housewife to make your ballroom dancing more joyful!