TresSugar

Removing Wine Stains

DearSugar — Mon, 07 May 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Accidents happen, but when they happen with red wine, someone is bound to get quite upset. If the spill is caught in time, luckily there are ways to remove red wine stains.

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While your first reaction is to want to rub, wash, or even smear the stain, which could set it, the best thing to do, regardless of the fabric or surface, is to simply blot the stain and excess wine immediately with a dry paper towel
If you stain a dry clean only garment or table cloth, do not pretreat the fabric
If you stained a machine washable fabric, after you blot, mix one teaspoon of mild dish soap (Joy, Dawn, etc.) with one cup of hydrogen peroxide in a bowl. Soak a clean sponge in the mixture and blot the stain away. (Best to test a small corner of the fabric just to be safe the peroxide won't stain)
Make sure to place a towel or napkin in between the two layers of your shirt or pants so the wine doesn't bleed onto the stain free side
If your fabric is washable, wash immediately in cold water and air dry. Repeat if necessary. If your fabric is dry clean only, again, don't pretreat it and take it to the cleaners as soon as possible
If you do not have peroxide handy, club soda is another good home remedy. The carbonation has been known to lift stains right up
Pouring white wine over the red wine stain is another good tip. The white wine will neutralize the red. Blot with a thick towel and remember, do not rub or smear the stain
Salt is another proven household remedy that works on both fabrics and carpets. Simply blot the stain and pour salt on the surface. The salt will prevent the stain from setting until you can properly treat the surface
Baking soda is yet another option. Once the wine has been blotted, pour some water on the carpet, cover with excess baking soda, and once it is dried, vacuum

I hope these tips help you the next time you have a dinner party disaster or a spill at a restaurant. Wine Away is a great product sold at most grocery stores that every home should have and if any of you have tips that I have missed, please share below!

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Poor Doggie: Part 2

GiggleSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Poor Stains! First he is tormented with cupcakes he can't have, and now he has to suffer the indignity of watching a pup enjoy milk while he goes milkless. When will the doggie torture end?! The next video I see of Stains, he'd better be tended to by a harem of cute doggies who feed him grapes and supply him with endless cupcakes, cuz this sh*t is cruel! Stains has paid his dues!

Twin Peeps

GiggleSugar — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Carson Daly and Stains the dog! (Thanks to paigeedoodles for sending this suggestion in!)

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The How-To Lounge: Getting Rid of Deodorant Marks

DearSugar — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 09:30:00 -0700

If you wear black clothing, which I am sure you all do from time to time, chances are you have fallen victim to annoying deodorant marks on your favorite top or dress. In this How-To Lounge, I am going to share some tips that I find helpful when I notice white streaks up and down my clothing!

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Although most deodorants advertise "goes on clear", don't be fooled, you still need to be careful with your application before hitting the streets
If you are wearing a tank top or an open necked top, put your deodorant on after you have gotten dressed, obviously deodorant marks on the inside of your garment aren't the end of the world, just make sure not to forget it all together!
Depending on how you put on your clothing, deodorant marks could be hard to see, so make sure you take a good look in the mirror
Try rubbing the fabric of your top against itself. Using the same fabric tends to take the stain right out
Another trick that has been successful for me is using the foam protectors found on your dry cleaner's hanger. Rubbing that blue foam on the stain quickly removes any white streaks. If you are looking for a more chic eraser, try Gal Pal Garment Deodorant Remover Pads. They are reusable and come in adorable packaging!
I have heard that a nylon stocking is a great fast and easy way to wipe the mark clean off your clothes
If you don't mind having a wet spot on your outfit before you go out, dampen a washcloth, add a bit of mild soap, Ivory or Dove, wash the streaks off, and rinse. Repeat if necessary

If you have any other home remedies that I have not touched upon, please share them in the comments below.

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I've Stained My Favorite Pair Of Pants

DearSugar — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:22:19 -0800

Dear Sugar
I have an embarrassing problem that I am hoping you can help me with. I have an amazing pair of pants that I love, but I think my "monthly visitor" ruined them. Do you have a secret stain removing potion you could share with me? I want to save my pants but am too embarrassed to take them to the dry cleaners. Soiled Sandy

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Dear Soiled Sandy
There's no need to be embarrassed, these kinds of mishaps happen to the best of us. Hopefully my grandmother's tried and true secret solvent will be able to help you out. Here are the ingredients:

Fill a glass with one quart of water, one half tablespoon of liquid hand soap and one tablespoon of ammonia. Mix them all together and drown the stain in the solution allowing it to sit until you see some progress in the color of the stain. Then, rinse out your pants in cold water and hang them dry. Hydrogen peroxide is another good remedy, but only use it if the fabric is white. You have to be very careful when using peroxide because it's a bleach.

Dry cleaners come across all kinds of weird stains daily, so I would take it to a professional if my Grandmother's solvent doesn't get you the results that you are looking for. Definitely don't be embarrassed. Remember in the movie The Sweetest Thing when Selma Blair had to take Christina Applegate's "dirty" dress that she borrowed to the dry cleaners?

As embarrassing as it might be, they have experience getting out dried blood stains and I am sure they can help. Just be confident and go during off peak hours. If you are really nervous walk in wearing your largest pair of sunglasses. Good Luck!

Hump Day: Why Do I Get Dry Sometimes?

TresSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0700

Welcome to Hump Day, TrèsSugar's sex advice column. Are you confused about sex? Do you have trouble having an orgasm? Is there something you'd like to try but you're worried it's too weird? Send your questions to TrèsSugar, and our friend Dr. Charlie Glickman from Good Vibrations will offer his sound advice!

Today's Question:

"I get really dry sometimes when my boyfriend and I are having sex. I know all about lubricants, but I'm having trouble guessing when I might need help." To read Dr. Glickman's response, read more

There are a lot of reasons why women experience fluctuations in how much they lubricate. For some, it’s just part of the menstrual cycle. Some women lubricate more at ovulation, while others say that’s when they’re driest. Lots of women also report that their vaginal lubrication changed when they got pregnant and again, some say that they became much wetter and others say that they got drier. So while we know that changes in hormones can influence it, there’s a lot of variation in how much and in what direction. It’s also worth mentioning that menopause generally reduces how much lubrication your body will produce.

Lots of medications and drugs also affect vaginal lubrication, even if it’s rarely listed on the bottle or box. For example, allergy medications are formulated to dry the mucous membranes in your sinuses, but they can do the same to the vagina. Anti-depressants, antihistamines, anxiety medications, smoking cigarettes or marijuana, and drinking alcohol can do the same. In general, if a medication or drug makes your mouth or sinuses dry, it could also reduce vaginal lubrication. Unfortunately, most doctors are unaware of these effects or they don’t feel comfortable talking to their patients about it.

I think it’s really unfortunate that we have this cultural myth that vaginal lubrication is proportional to arousal. Many women find that they can be totally turned on while being pretty dry and others might be quite wet while barely aroused. The best thing we can do is learn to separate the two things in our minds.

You say that you know about lubricants, but for the folks who don’t, here’s a little info.

There are pros and cons to the lubricants on the market, and it can take a little experimenting to find one that will work for you. You might also find that a lube that worked great for a long time isn’t working so well anymore. It’s kind of like shampoo or skin lotion - after a while, you might need to change brands as your individual chemistry changes.

Water-based lubricants can be thin and slippery, or they can be thicker gels. They rinse away really easily, making cleanup a snap, but they do dry out after a while. The glycerin-based lubes last a bit longer, but they tend to get sticky when they dry out. You can add a little water or saliva to freshen them up. While glycerin doesn’t cause yeast infections, it can make one worse if you get one for some other reason, so if you’re prone to yeast infections, avoid these lubes. The glycerin-free lubricants don’t get sticky, but they usually don’t quite last as long. They soak in like hand lotion, so adding water doesn’t work; you need to add some more.

Silicone lubricants don’t dry out (so if you spill some on the kitchen floor, be sure to wipe it up) and are hypoallergenic. They’re also waterproof, which is a plus if you want to have sex in the shower but it can make them a bit trickier to clean up and they sometimes stain sheets. They’re also hypoallergenic and have no taste or scent.

Some people like to use oils as sexual lubricants. If you want to give them a try, use something organic and vegetable-based, such as coconut or almond oils. Mineral oils like baby oil or Vaseline actually dry the skin since the body can’t absorb them or break them down. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so it doesn’t go rancid. Keep almond oil in the fridge. And never use oils with latex condoms, diaphragms or cervical caps. Oils will make them dissolve: a condom will break in about 30 seconds if it comes into contact with oil.

A few tips for using lubricants. First, keep the bottle near the bed. You’ll want to be able to grab it when you need it. Second, pump bottles make it a lot easier to add more without fumbling to get the bottle open. Third, if you accidentally get too much lube out of the bottle, don’t put the extra back in. You don’t want to contaminate the bottle with anything that might be on your hand. And lastly, many lube makers offer single-use packets or small bottles. While they cost more per ounce than larger bottles, you can stick them in a pocket or purse pretty easily, not to mention your carry-on bag.

So I think that the best thing for you to do is to keep lube handy and use it when you need it. It takes about 5 seconds to apply and it’ll make sex a lot more fun. And don’t stress about whether it means anything that you sometimes need a little extra slipperiness.

Don't forget to send your questions to TrèsSugar, and our friend Dr. Charlie Glickman will offer his sound advice!

Bus Shelters to Milwaukee Teens: Pregnancy Stinks

TresSugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:00:00 -0700

It’s back to school for teens all across the nation. In Milwaukee, they’re taking this opportunity to make bus shelters bear the awful truth to teenagers: teen pregnancy stinks. How exactly? By featuring the image of a pair of huge, feces-stained diapers that claim to be scratch and sniff.

Actually, it’s only teen pregnancy that stinks, as the fine print will tell you:

This doesn’t really stink. But the consequences of teen pregnancy sure do. And this is just part of the ugly mess you’d be getting yourself into. Get the facts at babycanwait.com.

I wonder if the people who get close enough to read the writing are disappointed they don't get to smell crap? If you want to see what it looks like up close, read more.

Furniture and Fried Chicken: Together at Last!

GiggleSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0700

This commercial gets off to an unimpressive start - take a look at that rat hole they call a warehouse - and it only gets worse from there. "I say, I say, I say" are Frankie and Johnnie selling furniture, dance lessons, or fried chicken? Bad dancing belongs in every low-budget commercial, but I'm still trying to connect the dots between furniture and fried chicken- buy a couch, get a grease stain for free?

Poor Doggie!

GiggleSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:00:00 -0800

This poor dog's only crime is that he likes to eat food on the dinner table. (OK, that is pretty annoying, but still.) So his owners brought in a trainer to teach Stains (yes, that's his name) how to exhibit some self-control. Basically, Stains goes into a zombie-like hypnotic trance when faced with a plate of cupcakes. I know that expression well: It's the same look I get when face-to-face with a plate of nachos or some Southern fried chicken. Poor Stains. With a name like that, it's no wonder you have issues!

What's Grosser?

GiggleSugar — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Adjust your eyes. On the left, a laptop case made of synthetic human skin. On the right, shorts that come packaged in the plastic wrap you buy steak in, complete with fake blood stains, and charmingly named "Human Meat" shorts. Who all but Hannibal Lector wannabes would wear these? And what's grosser?

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