Stains are an eyesore, but you don’t have to throw away the clothes damaged by them.
Discovering a stain on a favorite article of clothing can be frustrating, to say the least. Especially when you scrub and wash it, but it refuses to disappear. However bothersome, it would be a mistake to toss the damaged item in the garbage.
According to the EPA, the amount of clothes sent to the landfill every year is rising. You can help decrease those numbers with an eco-friendlier choice, like removing the stains and upcycling. Here’s the down-low on getting stains out of clothes: how to remove 10 types of stains.
Gum
Chewing gum is by far one of the stickiest stains you’ll encounter. Scrubbing it with hot water won’t do the trick. Lucky for you, there’s something you can do to get rid of it.
After you’ve confirmed the garment is colorfast, soak it in hot vinegar for one to three minutes. This will help soften the gum for you to remove it completely. Repeat this step until it’s gone.
Once you’re satisfied with the removal, you’ll need to wash it in the usual cycle. Make sure you have the temperature set to the hottest setting. This will help you erase the stain completely.
Grass
Whether you got grass stains from playing in the yard or cleaning up after your sick dog, these green marks can be erased. To begin, you’ll want to apply detergent or stain remover to the affected areas. Once they’re covered, begin vigorously rubbing the treatment into the fabric.
Don’t rinse the cleaning solution. To finish, you’ll throw the garments into the washing machine without washing off the treatment. If there’s still green leftover, you can apply diluted vinegar directly to the problem areas and wash as normal.
If you’re worried about future problems with grass stains due to an ill dog, consider something different. You can use CBD for dogs with nausea to decrease the risk of scrubbing multiple stains from your clothes.
Mud
Mud is an unfortunate stain that can happen to anyone. Whether it’s on the hem of your pants or splattered across your chest, this brown stain can ruin your style. This stain is cleaned best when it’s done immediately after it dries.
Once the mud has hardened, you can start by brushing off as much as possible. Using a mild detergent and water, rub the fabric to create suds. Rinse and inspect for any remaining stain.
If there’s anything remaining, use one-part white vinegar and one-part water before washing with enzyme detergent. If the clothing can’t be washed in a washing machine, you can hand wash the stain with a tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap and a cup of water. Finish with a cold-water rinse.
Grease
This is one stain you don’t want to set in. If possible, you should rinse grease off your clothes immediately with cold water. To loosen it, you can gently rub it with a dish soap that works on grease, like Dawn.
The next step is to apply and rub a stain removing detergent to the affected areas. Saturate it completely and leave it for a few minutes. This will help you wash it out.
After the waiting period, throw it into a normal load of laundry. Set the temperature to the hottest setting and wash on the usual cycle. Repeat, if necessary.
Red Wine
Things happen when you’re drinking and having a good time. Thankfully, you don’t have to excuse yourself for the rest of the event to run home and change. If you’ve spilled red wine on your outfit, here’s something you can do right then and there.
If you’re one for being prepared, then you might have this quick fix on hand. A travel-size stain remover can help you erase red wine marks before they have the chance to set in. Use salt to soak up the stain before applying the remover.
If you don’t have access to a stain remover stick, you’ll still need to use a handful of salt to absorb it. After the grains turn pink, soak the clothes overnight in cold water with an enzyme detergent. Your clothes should be good as new in the morning.
Fruit Juice
Fruit juice isn’t as bad as red wine, but it can still leave a visible stain. Lucky for you, there’s an easy fix.
The first step is to rinse the garment in cold water. This will dilute the stain. After a few minutes, you can move onto the next step.
Apply a detergent to the stain and let it sit for twenty minutes. Without rinsing the cleaning solution, throw the item into the usual wash cycle. The hottest temperature setting should help eliminate the juice completely.
Coffee
Spilling hot coffee on yourself is bad enough, having to deal with the stain left behind can feel like a nightmare. However, you can erase the mark with a few items.
To begin, run cold water over the coffee stain. Apply detergent to it and rub the fabric gently using your hands or a toothbrush. Once it’s rubbed in well enough, let it sit for a few minutes.
The final step is as easy as doing your normal laundry. Without rinsing off the detergent, wash the item on the usual cycle. Setting it to the hottest temperature should finish removing the coffee mark.
Chocolate
It’s no surprise that eating chocolate is more fun than cleaning it from your clothes. Unfortunately, sometimes that pair come hand in hand.
If you’ve discovered chocolate on yourself, there are a few tips that can erase the stain.
The first step is to remove any excess chocolate from the garment. You’ll want to pretreat it by pouring a safe detergent directly to the stain.
You can use a toothbrush to work it into the fibers before letting it sit for five or ten minutes.
When the waiting period is over, you can throw it into the washing machine like normal. Wash on the usual cycle, but make sure the temperature is as hot as possible.
Blood
If you have blood on your clothes, you’re probably not having the best day. You can use the following information to turn your day around. Or, at the very least, save your clothes from the reminder stain.
Soak the bloodied item in cold water and gently rub at the stain with your fingers. If there’s a lot of blood, the water will turn pink. This is a sign that the water needs to be changed out.
Rinse, blot, and soak the item in cold water. Use a stain remover on the remaining mark and allow it to sit. To finish, wash as normal.
Sweat
There’s not much you can do about the amount you sweat. Deodorant and cooldowns won’t always be able to save you from stinky perspiration stains. Here’s how to deal with this common problem.
Begin with a prewash stain remover. Follow the directions and allow it to sit for the recommended time. Wash it in the hottest setting allowed with an enzyme detergent and oxygen bleach.
To remove the smell left behind by perspiration, wash the items with an odor control detergent. By removing the stain and the odor, your clothes will be good as new. They’ll smell fresh and clean too.
What You Should Know About Getting Stains Out of Clothes
To get stains out of clothing, your best bet is to approach it swiftly and correctly. The faster you soak and pretreat it, the sooner it’ll go away. Just make sure you test the fabric before treating it to avoid more damage.
Start with a discreet area of the garment and test it using the cleaning solution recommended. If there’s no fading or running colors, you should be able to move onto the first official step of the removal process.
When you’re struggling with a stubborn stain that won’t disappear completely, it might be time to pull out the heavy-duty products. Enzyme detergents can eliminate stains easier than regular detergents. According to research, products with enzymes are more effective at removing organic matter.
Time to Eliminate Stains
Dealing with stains isn’t something anyone wants to do. However, most people will have to tackle this frustrating issue head-on at some point in their life. Thankfully, getting stains out of clothes has never been easier.
There are natural products you can access to remove stains and avoid the possibility of creating new ones. Which means that you can keep more clothes in your closet and less in the trash. That’s great news for eco-friendly fashionistas.
Now that you know how to remove an array of stains, you can keep browsing our site to read more about fashion trends and tips.
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