Pinterest Hits & Misses, Part 2

It has been almost month since I did my "Pinterest Hits & Misses" post, and of course I have since experimented with plenty more Pinterest finds.  Which means...dun, dun, dun, DUN:  time for Pinterest Hits & Misses, Part 2!  

So Which Pins have been HITS and which ones have been MISSES?

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The Pin:  Caramel in a can!

The Claim:  Though the pin says "caramel", the blog connected to the pin claims that you can make dulce de leche in your slow cooker, all easy peasy.  Just submerge a can (literally, an unopened can) of condensed milk in water in your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours, and voila--dulce de leche.

The Verdict:  A Hit!  I read that the can of condensed milk could stain your slow cooker, so I transferred the milk to a canning jar, and followed the directions. I took it out after 8 hours and it looked gorgeously brown (another benefit of doing it in a glass jar: you can see what it looks like).  I waited a few hours before opening it (to prevent it from exploding in my face), and was thrilled with the results!  I drizzled it over my Chocolate Chess Pie, over ice cream, and I have even eaten it straight from the jar. It is ridiculously delicious!  

My result: dulce de leche!

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The Pin:  Turn a T-Shirt Vintage Soft
The Claim:  Turn a regular shirt into a super soft shirt, by simply soaking it in salt water for 3 days, and then wash.
The Verdict:  Miss.  I was super disappointed about this one. I'm a sucker for soft clothes. My whole wardrobe is a tribute to being comfortable (which is why I have ten times more flip flops than I do heels).  So I was really excited when I saw this pin. I made sure my water was super salty, and I submerged the shirt for 4 days.  I washed it, and it feels exactly the same to me.  The only change I was able to detect was perhaps a slight fade of color. Not the result I was hoping for.

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The Pin:  Clean Glass Showers
The Claim:  Cut a lemon in half, dip it in kosher salt, and use the lemon to scrub the soap scum off your shower doors.
The Verdict:  Miss. Which is too bad, because in the last Pinterest Hits & Misses post, I attempted the Dawn & Vinegar shower cleaner trick, and that also didn't work. So my shower doors are still streaked with soap scum.  One day I'll find the right trick!  This method, however, apparently makes your shower door taste delicious; I found my daughter licking the shower door later that day.

Before and After shots; the "after" shot only looks better because I had to use a wet sponge afterwards to get off the salt, which removed the easier less soap scummy areas.  The main soap scum is clearly still there.

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The Pin:  Clean Sweat Stains
The Claim:  Use baking soda and warm water to remove sweat stains
The Verdict:  A Hit! Since becoming a Stay At Home Mama, fighting my husband's sweat stains on his t-shirts has become a weekly battle. A battle that I lose.  These stains are a mix of sweat and deodorant that penetrate the shirt so much that it leaves it stiff; and even worse, they still smell after I wash it.  So of course I was willing to  give the baking soda trick a chance.  I grabbed one of my husband's "clean" shirts that had bad stains.  I mixed enough warm water with baking soda to make a paste, and rubbed it on the armpit stains.  I let it sit for a few hours, laundered as usual, and set outside in the sun to dry.  Result? Amazing! There was barely any visible stain left, and the smell was completely gone.  I then repeated this method with every single one of my husband's shirts that had stains. However, there were a few where it did not work. I guess the stains on those were just too bad.  Another theory I've been considering is that the baking soda/water paste lost its potency as time went on (it was a few of the later shirts that didn't work).  So to be on the safe side, I recommend applying the paste immediately after you mix it.

Before & After

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The Pin:  Clean Sweat Stains
The Claim:  Yes, this is the same pin as the one above.  It also suggests that white vinegar will remove sweat stains. 
The Verdict:  Miss. Kind of. I used the same t-shirt as the above baking soda method (at the same time), but did vinegar on the other side. I saturated it in white vinegar, let it sit for a few hours, laundered, and sat out in the sun.  The stain had reduced some, but the smell was definitely still there.  The other side--the baking soda side--did remarkably better.

Before & After

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The Pin:  Clean Oil/Grease Stains of Clothes (I can no longer find the pin)
The Claim:  Use dish detergent to get rid of those oil stains
The Verdict:  Hit! I even used a stain that had already sat for a few days, then was sent through the washing machine and dryer. Which means that stain was really set.  I put some dish detergent on the stain, rubbed it in, let it sit for an hour, laundered, and voila--stain was gone.  Take that, olive oil stain!  

Before & After

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The Pin:  Make your Whites Whiter
The Claim:  Wash your whites in HOT water (I actually boiled a pot of water and added it to the washer), bleach, dish detergent, laundry detergent, and borax to get them super white.
The Verdict:  Hit!  I'm constantly trying to whiten my white sheets, and while I've managed to keep them from looking too dingy (using oxyclean, bleach, and/or vinegar), this trick really did make them whiter.

Before & After

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Well, those are all my Pinterest attempts for this month. I have several more in the works, but I haven't finished them yet.  I'll be sure to do a Part 3!  And then a Part 4!  Until then, let me know if there are any that you want me to try out for you!  (And for the record, I do take donations for anyone that wants me to try out that trip to Bora Bora for them).