Just call me Susie.

Homemaker, that is.

What was I doing last night at 9.40pm, you ask? Watching Idol? No, that's what I should have been doing! Instead, I was on Round 2 of Operation Stain removal.

Mark arrives home yesterday evening with the pizza we ordered for dinner and a huge orange grease stain across one of his favorite polo shirts, which also happens to be white. The stain was at least 6 inches long and right across the belly where he had put the pizza box up against the front of him.

This white shirt is not a good thing for Mark. He somehow manages to get something on it at least every other time it's worn. However, it's usually a small, fairly inconspicuous stain that I have to get out, not BRIGHT orange grease right across the front middle of the shirt!

I make him take the shirt off right then. I bring it to the laundry room and attack both sides of the stain with Stain Stick. I let it sit for... about 20 minutes to a half-hour, and then I washed it in warm water. At that point, the majority of the stain had come out, but you know grease stains, they're stubborn! Some of the stain could still be seen and like I said, I don't think it could be in a less conspicuous place.

At this point, Mark was ready to throw in the towel, but ::pats self on back:: I was not.

I THEN take the wet shirt into the kitchen. I've heard of a trick for getting grease stains out and I was going to try it as a last ditch effort. So, with Mark standing on giving me the side-eye, I squirted liquid dish soap on the stain, dumped baking soda on top of that to make a paste, and then scrubbed the area with a clean toothbrush for a good 10-15 minutes.

At that point, I couldn't visibly see the stain anymore - mostly because it was covered in my makeshift paste - so I tossed the shirt back into the washer, crossed my fingers, and let it go through another cycle with warm water.

20-30 minutes later, I pulled the shirt out and after careful inspection under normal light and also held up to direct light, I was unable to see anything out of the ordinary!

The stain is gone and I'm very pleased with myself :D

P.S. We're leaving for the beach tomorrow morning! SQUEE!!!!