ApartmentTherapy has put together a list of 10 things you can wash in your laundry machine. Some of the items are a bit startling. If you give it a try let us know how it goes. Don’t put in your best silk shirt/blouse!

Do you take your outdoor shoes off inside?

Having lived in Asia and having a Korean partner I have become more familiar with the practice. I seem to recall that in Thailand shoes are removed before stepping into a place of business even. I don’t typically wear my shoes indoors. But if I’m entertaining I do. I always ask shoes on or off as I enter someone’s house. Here House Beautiful provides a list of why we should take them off. I’d previously posted a list of rules to be followed if you do wear your shoes inside.

The old red wine stain! Not good! Still to this day remember a former friend at my home for cocktails: she spills red wine on a newly acquired Persian rug and just sits there. Not the normal reaction of someone who has just spilled something. Character revealing really! Well, on that note, Apartment Therapy tested 3 red wine stain removal methods. Spoiler alert: not surprisingly the Martha Stewart method was the best, but it is involved.

Some cleaning products are great, and can go a long way to making the task more pleasant. But used the wrong way, beyond getting rid of the scuff, stain, spot, they can damage what it is you’re trying to protect. Here an article by apartmenttherapy on what not to use the magic eraser.

This list is elaborate! And in some instances, you’d need the Canadian version of the product. But that being said having 1, 2, or 3 of these on hand according to your needs would be a good plan. Some stains or should I say most stains work best if you attack them as soon as they happen.

Having recently been introduced to Oxiclean I’d start with that one. I find the powder if diluted can really work. But do take a look at the others.

I’d once read that all you need in your tool chest is WD-40 and duct tape. If if moves and it shouldn’t: duct tape. If it doesn’t and it should WD-40. Well here 15 uses for WD-40 you may not have thought of.

Are you familiar with any?