Stains and security deposits

Agencies and other headaches, keys and cleaners, running costs and contracts...in short, all the things we spend so much of our time doing behind the scenes.<br>
KathyG
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Post by KathyG »

Mouse wrote:
KathyG wrote:That's why I give them black tea towels! :D
I do that now Kathy after you mentioning it sometime ago.....its just brilliant! They last and last :lol:

Mousie
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Excellent! :lol:
Kathy
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"My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am."
Sam V
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Post by Sam V »

Having today finally received a text reply from my house cleaner after sending her a text telling her I'm getting fed up with the cleaning not being done properly, then sending another text asking her why she doesn't reply to my texts. She has now replied and informed me the problem is that I only supply eco products. How my eco products prevent the same floor area in front of my dishwasher not being cleaned, or water marks on the window sill, and black mould (I can wipe away with my finger) around and under basin plugs shower drain covers, oh and along with hair and veg matter in the kitchen sink drain... I could go on. Anyway, despite supplying all the appropriate products for the appropriate room/task, they only really use window cleaner and limescale remover and that being Ecover Limescale remover, which on checking reviews on Ocado comes in at 5* with 69 reviews, Viakal comes in at 4* with 30 reviews. ...I find it fantastic at removing limescale around my taps with a few minutes soak after my cleaners have left me a nice crust to soak off.

Just saying :D
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Sam V
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Post by Sam V »

Having today finally received a text reply from my house cleaner after sending her a text telling her I'm getting fed up with the cleaning not being done properly, then sending another text asking her why she doesn't reply to my texts. She has now replied and informed me the problem is that I only supply eco products. How my eco products prevent the same floor area in front of my dishwasher not being cleaned, or water marks on the window sill, and black mould (I can wipe away with my finger) around and under basin plugs shower drain covers, oh and along with hair and veg matter in the kitchen sink drain... I could go on. Anyway, despite supplying all the appropriate products for the appropriate room/task, they only really use window cleaner and limescale remover and that being Ecover Limescale remover, which on checking reviews on Ocado comes in at 5* with 69 reviews, Viakal comes in at 4* with 30 reviews. ...I find it fantastic at removing limescale around my taps with a few minutes soak after my cleaners have left me a nice crust to soak off.

Just saying :D
TA lurkers walk among us; the LMH Walking Dead

dont mess in the affairs of cats for they are subtle and will p on your computer.

www.algarvevillatrinity.co.uk
www.facebook.com/villatrinity
www.gardenerscottage.promotemyplace.com
Moonshine
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Post by Moonshine »

Commiserations Casscat. I’m just off to buy Viakal now…

I’m adding a para to the three (now four) pages of typewritten info in the cottage that I put out very prominently for guests. Something like this:

The dangers of sunscreens!
There are some sunscreens, particularly the chemical and/or long-lasting ones, that can stain bed linen and towels. The stains may be unnoticed until the linen is washed, when the limescale in the water reacts with a chemical in the sunscreen and turns the stains yellow/brown. These stains are always very difficult to get out and sometimes, as I know to my cost, impossible. Please therefore make sure to wash off your sunscreen before going to bed!

The exclamation marks are intended to lighten the tone, although as I’ll also put a para about my newly introduced security deposit just above or below the para above, the link between the two should be quite plain.

I don’t mind if guests think that asking them to wash is a bit blunt. After all, I already ask them not to put tampons down the loo as the strings don’t break down in the septic tank, which is even blunter - and they need to know these things.
GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

I wouldn't mind being blunt telling them to wash either. After all, they probably don't use much sunscreen at home and have the problem. And, if you didn't tell them and then charged for stains/stain removal and explained why they would probably say "you should have told us".

Damned if you do, damned if you don't!
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Casscat
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Post by Casscat »

How about just saying "FFS shower before you slither between the sheets you filthy bu99ers!!" - maybe on a big noticeboard above the bed :P
GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

Oh, Casscat ............ I'd love to say that to some. And say so much more while I was at it ................... :-)
vacancesthezan
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Re: Stains and security deposits

Post by vacancesthezan »

[quote="Moonshine"]I would like two bits of advice please. What’s the very best, heavy-duty way to get stains out of white cotton bed linen and towels - the very last thing you try before you give up? I’ve tried two machine washes at max everything and one hour of boiling in strong washing soda (much better than something like Vanish), but with only partial success. The stains were pale brown, now they’re pale yellow - presumably caused by something like fake tan. Mouse, if you’re there, you’ve written about tacking this problem, I think successfully. How did you do it?

Soaking needs time. Dont rush it!! We have a soaking bucket that always has something in it at this time of year. We believe that soaking should be measured in days not hours. If it all gets too much then we put things to one side and wait until the end of the season and revisit. You do need plenty of spares though to do this!
Moonshine
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Post by Moonshine »

I've now got my stained pillowcases soaking experimentally in Viakal Plus in a plastic bucket, but please could someone advise me if I've got the right concentration. I've put two tablespoons of Viakal per litre of water. Too strong? Too weak?

Vacancesthezan: yes, thanks, I'll give it a couple of days.

Casscat: that's much better than my namby-pamby para...
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Moonshine I spray it on the spot until it is saturated . ...I've never soaked, so can't help with that one. But good luck.

Mousie
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Moonshine
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Post by Moonshine »

Thanks Mousie. I didn't follow your technique of spraying and putting out in the sun as this week we haven't had enough sun to warm a butterfly, let alone to bleach cotton - unlike the week before last which was when these things got stained. Maybe someone else can let me know if my solution is strong enough, or not.
COYS
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Post by COYS »

Casscat wrote:How about just saying "FFS shower before you slither between the sheets you filthy bu99ers!!" - maybe on a big noticeboard above the bed :P
Can't say fairer than that. Say it as you see it Casscat :)
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires.
Moonshine
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Post by Moonshine »

I thought I should post back here about my experimental soaking of sunscreen-stained pillowcases in Viakal. I soaked them for five days in a solution of two tablespoons of Viakal Plus to one litre of water. The result: the pale yellow stains have turned bright orange! I've only myself to blame for this as it was an experiment, and it doesn't matter as the pillowcases were a write-off anyway, but I thought other people should know. Mousie uses Viakal spray and strong sunshine with success but, this being England, that option wasn't available to me at the time. Vacancesthezan: you say you sometimes soak things for days. What in please? - for future reference.
vacancesthezan
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Post by vacancesthezan »

Moonshine wrote:I thought I should post back here about my experimental soaking of sunscreen-stained pillowcases in Viakal. I soaked them for five days in a solution of two tablespoons of Viakal Plus to one litre of water. The result: the pale yellow stains have turned bright orange! I've only myself to blame for this as it was an experiment, and it doesn't matter as the pillowcases were a write-off anyway, but I thought other people should know. Mousie uses Viakal spray and strong sunshine with success but, this being England, that option wasn't available to me at the time. Vacancesthezan: you say you sometimes soak things for days. What in please? - for future reference.
For general soaking - where we dont know the stain and assuming it is a largish patch rather than just a spot or two we use Vanish (either the pink or white). then anything that still shows stains is treated differently depending upon what happened.

Dont know the product you use however if the stain went bright pink or maybe orange and it was one of "our" sheets we would think it was most likely water resistant sun cream or aftersun. Mr T is king stain remover (washer and ironer) and he suggests trying javel spray next (cleaning product with bleach) which works for us. Not with soaking just leave on neat for a while then a hot wash with normal washing powder. For sheets we have gone back to using powder rather than liquid as we have found it removes stains better. (white only not coloured sheets)

Stain removal is something that takes some trial and error to perfect!! Dont throw these away but put to one side and use later in the year (when it is quieter and you have more energy) to test out different products to see what works for you. Test patches with different products and plenty of washes in between.

It is just another skill that you needn't know you needed!!

Good luck

VT
FaithfulTravels
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Post by FaithfulTravels »

I need to save these directions and keep them on hand. I haven't had to deal with this yet but I'm sure it's coming!
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