cimarron

Do they still make Boraxo, or do you recommend something else. My mom used to use that but I've not seen it for years...or missed it! Lately have been wanting to use "natural" cleaners, so wondered about that product...or similar. Thank you.

:-)

Quilter4HireAndFun

If you live by a feed store, I am sure you can find this wonderful product called, "Orvus." It is used to cleanly and safely wash animals. It has no harmful products inside and is safe to use on your clothes and all quilting materials. A lot of professional quilt appraisers suggest using this products to clients and museums for quilt care. A little bit goes a very, very long way, and this product is usually sold by the gallons, so split the cost and share with other quilters! I just use a tablespoon or so for a large load. Very cost effective and safe...also environmentally safe, no phosphates.

Gerbie

I agree with bearisgray, I think I would take the rest to the laundry mat and wash the rest all at once. The sooner the better.

Carolyn9

There is a concrete and paint on the market that is water proof. You can buy it at Lowe's and probably any hardware store. My sewing room occasionally gets water in it. We found the leak and are in the process of sealing it. Good luck.

purplefiend

Quilt Queen,
I'm in Round Rock,Tx and we got 10" in that time period.
I'm so glad my house is on high ground and no where near any creeks or lakes. I have friends that got 2' of water in their houses. I was just shocked how much flooding there was.
Sharon Weaver
:cry:

lindainfl

About your water problem with your basement.
I used to live in Ct. what we did was there is a specail kind of paint that is applied to the wals that helps to stop the leaks. It did for us, we had some pretty bad leaks in our basement, got the wall all painted and never did have any more leaks after that. I don't remember what the product was called, but I am sure at any hardware store, they would know. Hope this helps.
Yes, wash your material in some vinegar, that will help to remove the smell. I am guesssing some of the fabric will ravel others might not.

MsMel

I have done this to wash vintage fabric and it worked very well. Even on smaller pieces. Good luck.

mshawii

If you can, snip about a 1.4 inch into the raw edges to prevent the tangles. Even trimming a triangle helps a bit but the snips will help as well. Makes the strings shorter and easier to untangle. Good luck!

danade

Not a reply but a question (I'm not sure exactly how to post this): Does anybody have a Juki Exceed 600 series machine or a Janome Jem Platinum. If so, how do you like them?

Thanks and sorry for putting this in the wrong place.

Danade

cathyvv

Concur with cold water wash and white vinegar. One other thing that you need to do is to look into having a french drain and a sump pump installed in your basement. (I'm assuming that the basement floor and walls aren't finished - but either way you probably need the french drain and sump pump.) That's somewhat costly, but will also prevent mold and mildew, which is far more costly in the long run.

We have an older house where we had to redo the entire basement floor and add a french drain/sump pump. We got estimates between $23,000 with a "2good2btrue clause" that guaranteed we'd get all our money back in 3 years (probably took sales training from Bernie Madoff!) and $8500. We went with the contractor who estimated $8500. He did a terrific job. The contractor advised us to drill weeping holes in some of the cinder blocks of the wall, and to regrade the land on one side of the house. The weeping holes in the wall allow water that comes in from outside to quickly drain to the french drain instead of slowly seeping through the cinder blocks, which works as a food factory for mold! Haven't had water problems since.

Just to make you laugh a bit...while the contractor was prepping the floor, he took the pole that the washing machine drained into out of the floor. He came out of the basement with a puzzled, slightly amused look on his face. He handed the pole to my husband and said "There is no drainage pipe in the floor for this, and it's not hooked up to your plumbing. Your washing machine has been draining into the basement floor for years!"

No wonder the floor was such a mess!