As the weather warms up, we’re transitioning our closet from winter’s heavy and dark knits to light and airier pieces. Whether you're spending your sunny days picnicking, running around with the kids, or having a friendly soccer game, it can often mean more stains to deal with! Thankfully, you don’t have to resort to harsh, toxic stain removers to lift the stains out, whether they’re grass stains, spilled wine, coffee, or blood (we won't ask why!). We’ve got the guide to easily removing tough stains on all fabrics, from your favourite light-wash jeans to light summer dresses.

Pre-Treat the Stain

Made with natural ingredients and free from dyes and synthetic fragrances, the WOW Stick uses the power of nature to lift stains out of all fabrics. The WOW Stick contains lemongrass and sweet orange essential oils, which work in combination with the cleansing ingredients to combat any odours caused by the offending stain. You’ll be surprised at how powerful this little stick is!
To use, just wet the stained area of fabric, and then rub the WOW Stick onto the stained area. Agitate the stain under water, and repeat until the stain begins to fade.

Wash

Nellie’s Oxygen Brightener uses the oxygen to penetrate stains, stripping away dirt, odour, and grime – perfect for getting out these pesky stains! The Oxygen Brightener’s chlorine-free formula is colour-safe, septic safe, hypoallergenic, environmentally-friendly and biodegradable, so you can forget about toxic ingredients! Use the Oxygen Brightener along with the Laundry Soda for the ultimate stain-fighting clean. All you need is a tablespoon for a small-sized load, or 3 tablespoons for a large load. Use 3 tablespoons for super-stained clothing. Use on whites and brights, but not your favourite black jeans.

Dry

Dry your clothes as you normally do – hang dry on the clothes line, or toss into the dryer with your favourite Lamby Wool Dryerballs or Flyerballs! We love to use the Scented Wool Dryerball in Simply Fresh to give a subtle, beautiful scent.
No more stains, and all without using harsh chemicals. Your skin, your clothes, and the planet will thank you!

No matter how you go about it, laundry is a regular part of life. Even more so if you have kiddos running around and getting dirty! While many might hang our clothes on a line to dry, the majority of us choose the convenience of the dryer. One of the most toxic things we do on a regular basis is use fabric softener or dryer sheets. These products are full of nasty chemicals! Exposure to such toxins is linked to skin irritations, neurological disease, cancer, hormonal imbalance. Yikes!
Chemicals infiltrate the clothing we wear, which in turn gets on to our skin and is absorbed by our bodies. There are reports that show the occurrence of brain disease is growing, as well as the levels of industrial chemicals being found in human bodies. Some suggest the two are linked! Using alternatives to these products is a great way to avoid increasing the amount of chemicals being absorbed by your body.

Soft Laundry with no Toxins

Don’t worry, you can still have super-soft and scented laundry, without subjecting your body to horrible toxic chemicals thanks to Nellie’s Lamby Wool Dryerballs and Nellie’s Flyerballs! Both are made with 100% pure New Zealand wool, so no nasties! They reduce drying time by helping dry your clothes faster, so you’re saving energy and money. They also reduce wrinkles, all while softening your clothes. Plus, they’re chemical free and will last about 2 years. What’s the difference between the original Lamby Wool Dryerballs and the Flyerballs? The wings on the Flyerballs are designed to help float through your dryer to separate fabrics, shortening drying time and reducing static.
If you prefer your laundry to have a fragrance, the Scented Wool Dryerballs are infused with pure essential oils and available in Citrus, Lavender, and Simply Fresh. The scent will last about 50 loads, so you can enjoy the chemical-free natural scent. We recommend tossing one scented wool ball with your four unscented wool balls to enhance your drying experience.
 

Like most things in life, laundry can come with a learning curve! If you’ve ever shrunk a shirt in the dryer or discovered detergent residue on your favourite jeans, you know what we’re talking about. What’s the deal with laundry detergent stains? Keep reading to find out!

Can Detergent Stain?

Technically speaking, no. Laundry detergents are formulated to leave clothes clean (some with more chemicals than we think necessary, you can read about that here). However, some detergents can leave spots or residue on clothes, especially with improper use. The good news is you can get those spots out relatively easily if you wash the garment immediately!

How to Remove Detergent Residue from Clothes

If you have a detergent mishap and the spot doesn’t come out after re-washing the item, you’re not hooped just yet. Try this six-step routine:

1. Rise the spot under hot water to remove as much residue as possible.
2. Gently wring out the excess water from the item and lay it flat.
3. Apply household rubbing alcohol to the spot, being sure to cover the entire affected area. We recommend spot-testing on an inconspicuous spot of the fabric first though!
4. Let the spot soak for at least 10 minutes. The longer the better!
5. With warm or hot water, rinse the fabric. This should remove the spot. If not, repeat the above steps!

How to Prevent Laundry Detergent Stains

The short answer – switch to Nellie’s Laundry Soda! Thanks to our highly-concentrated and quick-dissolving formula, you're not likely to run into this kind of issue. If you're still using a conventional detergent, here's the long answer: while laundry detergent doesn’t technically ‘stain’ clothes, the spotting that comes with overuse or washing issues is totally preventable. Using your detergent, whatever brand, as intended is the best route. For complete instructions on how to best use the Nellie’s Laundry Soda, click here.

When most people think of a product that has the power to lift stains, brighten whites, and disinfect fabrics, most will think of conventional bleach. It might get your clothes looking bright, but you run the risk of dangers to your health and the environment!

What exactly is bleach?

Bleach is a chlorine-based corrosive substance that uses a diluted solution of sodium hypochlorite to turn coloured organic compounds into colourless ones. It’s a corrosive substance that – even when diluted – can cause burns, irritations, and damage home surfaces. Since bleach is strong enough to kill some of the worst bacteria, it makes sense that it poses a risk to anyone that uses it! It can especially be harmful to babies, young children, and pets, as their immune systems can’t fight off the harsh chemicals.
Serious effects of bleach can include skin burns, respiratory problems, damage to the nervous system, asthma flare-ups, headaches, and vomiting. Bleach is not only toxic to humans, but to animals and our environment! Bleach is a known contributor to water pollution. When it makes its way into our water systems, it reacts with other minerals and elements to create a host of dangerous toxins that can take years to naturally break down. Even the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has banned the use of bleach in restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and schools. Shouldn’t we do the same in our homes?
Thankfully, the answer is easy – Nellie’s Oxygen Brightener brightens your whites and penetrates stains without hurting you, your family, or the environment! Thanks to the power of oxygen, our formula strips away dirt, grit, odour, and grime. The chlorine-free formula is colour-safe, septic safe, hypoallergenic, environmentally-friendly, and biodegradable, just like all of Nellie’s products.
How can you use Oxygen Brightener around the house? Click here!

Earth Day is every day for us at Nellie’s. We’re firm believers in using cleaning products that help you keep the environment as spotless as your clothes! Here are 5 ways Nellie’s helps you get that eco-friendly squeaky clean for your whole home.

Lamby Wool Dryerballs

Our eco-friendly Lamby Wool Dryerballs are crafted from 100% pure New Zealand wool to improve tumble drying. They work to soften your clothes, reduce drying time, and static. This means your clothes are dry faster, saving you money and helping the environment. Plus, the tins aren’t just cute – they’re reusable and recyclable! With a slot at the top, they're a perfect piggy bank to keep all that money you’ll be saving on your energy bill. Traditional dryer sheets are single use and can’t be recycled, but your Lamby Wool Dryerballs are reusable for up to 2 years. These natural alternatives are a no-brainer!

Laundry Soda

Get perfectly clean clothes without sacrificing the environment or your washing machine – Nellie's Laundry Soda's highly concentrated formula dissolves quickly in cold or hot water, rinses thoroughly and never leaves a residue. Plus, it's free from SLS, SLES, gluten, phosphates, fragrance, chlorine, and is HE-efficient, meaning you’re using less energy for your washing machine. Our powder formula is eco-friendly, as more cleaning power can be packed into a smaller space using powder.

Oxygen Brightener

Everyone sings oxygen’s praises for maintaining life on Earth, but do you know its second most popular use (according to us)? We do! Nellie’s Oxygen Brightener harnesses the power of oxygen to penetrate stains to strip away dirt, odor, and grime while keeping your colors bright and your whites white. Our chlorine-free formula is color safe, septic safe, hypoallergenic, environmentally-friendly, and biodegradable! So much better than bleach, don’t you agree?

Dish Powder

Did you think we’d stop at just laundry? No way! Nellie’s Dish Powder easily penetrates grease and food particles, leaving every plate spotless without leaving a residue. Our phosphate-free formula gives you an eco-friendly cleaning experience and is septic-safe, so you can wash the dishes without worrying about the environment.

One Soap

We think it’s easier on you and the environment to keep things simple – not only when it comes to ingredients. Why use multiple different soaps when you could use just one? Our One Soap is safe for hands, dishes, dogs – anything you would use a sudsy soap for! Our formula is colour-free, SLS, SLES, and toxin-free and effortlessly strips away food, dirt, and grime, leaving just a sparkling, hypoallergenic clean. Do you like yummy-smelling soaps? The One Soap is available in four options: Peppermint, Melon, Water Lily, and Fragrance Free.