Stain removal can be a chore in itself, but there are ways to make the job easier. In general, it’s always good to clean a stain as quickly as possible, before it dries and sets. If you’re out and about, this is easier said than done, but one way to keep a stain from drying as quickly is to use an ice cube to moisten it. Once a stained piece of clothing has been through a wash cycle, be sure to check to see if the stain is gone before drying. If a stain goes through the dryer, it is much harder to get out. That being said, here are 10 stain removal hacks everyone should know.
Tomato-based stains, such as ketchup, can be removed with this hack: make a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water, and rub it into the stain. Once the stain is saturated, run the article through the wash as usual.
Grass stains are something every mom will go to battle with at one point or another. Because they are organic matter, a solution with enzymatic properties works well to get the stains out. One great stain removal hack for grass stains is to pour white vinegar on the stain until it is thoroughly saturated. Allow the stain to soak in vinegar for 30 minutes, and then launder as usual.
If you’ve gone the rounds with an ink stain, you know how tough they can be to remove. Here’s a hack you probably haven’t even thought of: milk! Soak the ink stain in milk, then wash.
Grease stains: those subtle but annoying shadows on your clothes that you never seem to notice until it’s too late. Sound familiar? Well, the trick to cleaning them might not sound familiar, but get ready to try it. If you have a can of Coke, just add the entire can to the wash load. That’s it.
If you don’t have a can of Coke, try a bit of good ol’ baking soda. Use a toothbrush to work the baking soda paste into the oil stains. As the soda absorbs the oil, it will get clumpy. Add fresh soda as needed, working into the stain until it stops clumping. Now add a little Dawn dish soap to the stain and throw it in the washing machine.
For blood stains, all you need is a simple bottle of hydrogen peroxide. Saturate the stain with hydrogen peroxide and let it sit for 10 or 15 minutes, then launder. Note: you may want to test for colorfastness first.
How many shirts have you thrown out because of those annoying yellow underarm stains?
Well, no more. Try this hack: saturate the stains with hydrogen peroxide. Then, make a paste using baking soda and dish soap. Work it into the stained areas with a toothbrush. Once the paste has been worked into the stains, let it sit for one hour before tossing the shirts in the wash.
If you attack a coffee stain while it’s fresh, just a little cold water will probably get it out. However, those set-in stains can be hard to deal with. Try this stain removal hack for older coffee stains:
Mix some powdered laundry detergent with a mixture of half white vinegar and half water. Work the mixture into the stains with a toothbrush. After scrubbing, rinse and air dry to see if the stain is gone. If necessary, repeat this step before laundering.
To remove sunblock stains from clothing, pretreat with a laundry stain remover, and launder it in the hottest water temperature that is safe for the particular fabric.
Baby wipes will remove those pesky white marks that deodorant leaves on your shirt. Try it!
To get liquid foundation stains out of clothing, try shaving cream. Rub it into the stain and then launder. Before drying, check to see if the stain came out. If not, reapply shaving cream and add a little rubbing alcohol for an extra boost.
Leave a Reply