Laundry tips
What I've learned in over 10 years of doing my family's laundry with Mexico's hard water. Short, clear and no jargon.
🚫 Do not mix it with any other chemical product, especially bleach or vinegar
And don't add vinegar to soften your clothes: Alūm One already softens. Use only Alūm One and, if you need it, the Booster.
Alūm One is all-in-one
It washes, softens and removes stains in one step: it has active oxygen and enzymes. No separate fabric softener or stain remover needed.
⭐ The Booster is the extra push, only when you need it: extra-white whites, very tough or old stains, and baby and kids' clothes.
⚠️ First things first: dissolve the powder
For colors and darks, dissolve the detergent (and the Booster) in a glass of warm water and pour it into the washer before adding the clothes. A grain stuck to the fabric can leave a light spot. For whites you can add it directly.
1. How much do I use?
Use the 15 g scoop that comes in your bag. Check your washer: high-efficiency (HE) machines use less water and need less detergent.
| Load | HE washer | Standard washer |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | 1 scoop or a little less 10–15 g | 1 scoop 15 g |
| Medium | 1 to 1¼ 15–20 g | 1½ 20–25 g |
| Full | 1½ 20–25 g | 2 scoops 25–30 g |
| Very full and dirty kids, work, sports | No more than 3 max. 45 g | No more than 4 max. 60 g |
For very dirty laundry you can also add Booster. Otherwise, don't overdo it: more powder doesn't clean better, and on darks it can leave white marks.
⭐ How much Booster? Only when you need it, and always in addition to the detergent.
- Whites and lights: 1 scoop to keep them white · 2 if they look gray or stained · 3 for a full load of extra-white whites.
- Baby and kids' clothes: 1 or 2 scoops for stubborn stains (baby food, diapers, grass, mud, uniforms).
- Colors and darks: you can use it, in small amounts: 2 scoops max and always dissolved.
- HE washer: use the lower amount.
2. By type of clothing
⚪ Whites and lights
Warm water (30–40 °C) · wash them separately · dry in the sun, which finishes whitening them.
🔴 Colors
Cold or warm water · inside out to wash and to hang · wash new items separately for the first 2–3 washes.
⚫ Darks
Cold water and a short cycle · always inside out, also in the sun · just the right dose.
👶 Baby and sensitive skin
Alūm One is hypoallergenic, with no synthetic fragrances (only cedarwood essential oil and a touch of mint) · no softener needed · extra rinse if skin is very sensitive.
Before washing: separate whites, colors and darks · check pockets · close zippers · don't overfill the washer.
3. Stains
🥄 Paste
1 scoop of Alūm One with a few drops of water. Put it on the stain, leave 20–30 min and wash.
🪣 Soak
1–2 scoops dissolved in warm water. For stains or very dirty clothes, at least 2 hours. Then wash as usual.
🌙 My trick: soak overnight and forget about it
At night, load the whites (or very stained light clothes) with Alūm One and Booster together. Let the washer fill with warm water, hit pause and leave it soaking overnight. In the morning just hit start. Whites come out amazing, and it makes your life easier: no need to keep an eye on it.
Why both? Alūm One washes and brings the enzymes; the Booster has much more activator, so the oxygen works harder all night. Use your normal dose of Alūm One and 1 to 3 scoops of Booster, depending on how stained they are.
My routine: at night, whites soaking · the next day, lights and colors (soak 2 to 6 hours with the powder fully dissolved; and if you have time, leave them overnight that night too and they come out perfect; first test that they don't bleed) · for darks, a 20-minute soak is enough, then wash (if very dirty, 2 hours max).
| Stain | With Alūm One | Booster? |
|---|---|---|
| Blood, milk, egg, vomit | Rinse with cold water (hot sets it) and paste for 30 min. | Not needed |
| Grease, food, chocolate, makeup | Remove the excess without rubbing, paste 30 min and wash in warm water. | Not needed |
| Coffee, tea, soda, juice | Cold water and paste 20–30 min. If it's old, soak. | Not needed |
| Salsa, mole, achiote, wine, hibiscus | Cold water, paste and soak 1–2 h. Dry in the sun. | If a shadow remains |
| Grass and mud | Let the mud dry, shake it off and paste 30 min. | Uniforms and very dirty kids' clothes |
| Diapers and poop | Rinse in cold water and soak 1–2 h. The sun removes the yellow shadow. | If a shadow remains |
| Yellow underarms, collars, cuffs | Paste 30 min with a soft brush. | If it's months-old yellowing: soak and repeat |
| Smelly towels | Soak 1–2 h in warm water, wash and dry in the sun. | Optional, for white towels |
4. Didn't come out? Check this
Stains do come out. Usually one of these was missing:
- More time: soak at least 2 hours; for whites, overnight.
- More product: a thicker paste or 2 scoops in the soak.
- Warm water: except blood, milk and egg, which need cold.
- Booster: the reinforcement for very tough or old stains.
- Sun: on whites and lights it finishes the job.
- Repeat: a months-old stain may need 2 or 3 rounds.
5. Drying: my tricks
☀️ In the sun
Whites in direct sun. Colors and darks, inside out.
🧶 Wool dryer balls
In the dryer instead of softener: they soften and dry faster.
❄️ My favorite trick
Once sun-dried, 30 min in the dryer on cool with the wool balls. No gas used, and it comes out soft.
Care
- Silk, wool and leather: don't soak them; follow the garment's care label.
- Don't sniff the bag: the powder is very fine and can irritate your nose.
- Test the paste on a hidden spot if the garment is delicate.
- If you have sensitive skin, wear gloves for paste or soaking. Keep the bag closed, away from moisture and children.
A stain that won't come out?
Message me on WhatsApp and I'll help: 33 3382 8580