I live in MS and though its not that GA red-ain't-ever-goin-away clay, I can't get it out of whites to save my poor life!!!!! Another toughie is carrot juice. Please let me know of anything you have tried and had success with! Thanks.

-- Catfish (smallfry@hotsheet.com), November 27, 2001

Answers

If you find amiracle cure for red mud stains please let me know! Well.... don't live in VA anymore but boy, hated red mud! I did have some luck using Wisk Color Safe Bleach laundry soap.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), November 27, 2001.

Have you tried Fels-Naptha as a pre-treatment? We do all our laundry by hand for 9 people, and Fels-Naptha has done the best by far. Add a little Borax and you have most dirts beat!

Fels-Naptha bar laundry soap can still be purchased at most Wal-Marts and other bigger Dept Stores, but if you can't find it, the cheapest on-line place I've found so far is http://WWW.RestorationHardware.Com

If anyone can find it on-line cheaper, PLEASE let me know. We live too far out to get in often, so on-line is a better option for us.

Thanks!!

-- Kevin R (kreffitt@dark-star.com), November 27, 2001.

As I have said before, Go-Jo works wonders. I saw it 'the other day' at Dallor General, although it was another brand, and it was $1 for a tub. It even gives you directions for it's use. I'm in MS also, and the one thing that comes close to the red clay, is the black dirt. Along with a little grease, and it makes a really tough stain.

-- Bear (BarelyKnow@aol.com), November 27, 2001.

My solution to red clay has been to buy towels and wash cloths in a nice terra-cotta color and socks in black. LOL

-- Lynne (boodad@us.inter.net), November 28, 2001.

Greased Lightning - it'll take the hair off a cat, but works great on grass stains, mud, grease, some permanent markers, and other really nasty stuff. I found out about it three years ago when my son started playing football in the GA clay and grass. Sure did help alot. And it is relatively inexpensive, $2.97 for a quart, just spray on the stain, let it sit a few minutes then wash as usual. I get it at Wal-mart or Winn Dixie in the cleaning products aisle. Doesn't take a whole lot to do the job. It's been the only thing I can find that will take out mud stains out of white pants.

-- Cindy (colawson@mindspring.com), November 28, 2001.

Should have put a smiley face after the cat remark (it's an old saying around here).

-- Cindy (colawson@mindspring.com), November 28, 2001.

Found this on another place on the net: "We use a detergent called Our Detergent. It keeps the orange out of our clothes and the washing machine and there is also no need to use fabric softeners, other stain removers or products to eliminate static cling. We do not have a water softening system and have a bad iron problem in our well water so this detergent has been much appreciated by our family.

The detergent is a liquid concertrate, is biodegradable and safe for septic systems. It's not inexpensive if you have to obtain it by mail order but has been worth it for us! We order ours from Mansfield, Ohio - 800-747-3345, but you might be able to find someone that sells it close enough to you that you could pick it up personally."

-- Bonnie (chilton@stateline-isp.com), November 28, 2001.

After particpating in Easter productions that use a lot of fake blood, someone gave me the recipe of 1 cup vinegar with 1 cup of Cascade dishwashing powder. Will take the color out of anything, she used is to take hair dye out of smocks where she works. I also found that Oxyclean mixed with some dish washing liquid in a spray bottle works wonders on fake blood and the like. This is blood that is kyro syrup and lots of paste red/blue food coloring.

AngieM2

-- AngieM2 (ameininger@hotmail.com), November 28, 2001.

Here is another idea. It's very toxic, so don't breathe, but it works! 1/4 cup dishwashing liquid, like ivory, and 1 cup bleach in a bucket, fill the bucket half full with water, stir, and add clothing. Let sit as long as it takes. Of course, the bleach will take out all color, so this can only be done with whites. Mary

-- Mary Fraley (kmfraley@orwell.net), November 28, 2001.

Boy! You guys are really going to put me to work!! :0) I guess now I'll have no excuse to keep out of the mud. Didn't work anyway!

-- Sonya (farmthinkin@gtcinternet.com), December 01, 2001.

BTW, as I reread this thread for the umpteenth time, I just wanted to say, I've used Greased Lightening for lots of other things, for one, it saved my kitchen when my toddler got ahold of some ink pens and scribbled all over wallpaper! I haven't had much luck with the dirt, but am still looking for some of the brands suggested! Thank you guys so much!

-- Catfish (smallfry@hotsheet.com), December 09, 2001.