Here are three of the most common ‘Back to School’ stains and how to remove them from your children's garments.
Grass stains
To lift grass stains, soak the area of the garment that has the stain in undiluted vinegar for 30 minutes, then launder it as normal. If you can still see signs of the stain after washing, try making a paste of vinegar and baking soda. Use an old toothbrush to coat the stain, then launder it again.
or
Soak the stain in a solution of water and detergent. Make a paste, apply it and then wash the garment as usual. Make sure you do not place the item in the dryer until the stain has been completely remove – otherwise you will ‘set’ the stain into the garment and it will be super difficult to remove thereafter.
or
If the clothing is white then it may be possible to bleach it (check the garment’s care lable). Use a chlorine bleach solution on the stain but ensure you don’t leave it to soak too long or you'll damage the garment.
To lift grass stains, soak the area of the garment that has the stain in undiluted vinegar for 30 minutes, then launder it as normal. If you can still see signs of the stain after washing, try making a paste of vinegar and baking soda. Use an old toothbrush to coat the stain, then launder it again.
or
Soak the stain in a solution of water and detergent. Make a paste, apply it and then wash the garment as usual. Make sure you do not place the item in the dryer until the stain has been completely remove – otherwise you will ‘set’ the stain into the garment and it will be super difficult to remove thereafter.
or
If the clothing is white then it may be possible to bleach it (check the garment’s care lable). Use a chlorine bleach solution on the stain but ensure you don’t leave it to soak too long or you'll damage the garment.
Ink blotches
Place the garment on a clean dry towel, and apply a solution of 1 cup of rubbing alcohol to 1 cup of vinegar to the stained area. Apply with a rag (of a similar colour) or use a spray bottle until the fabric is thoroughly saturated. Allow the solution to soak in for at least 5 minutes, then pour a small amount of table salt over the stained area. Wait ten minutes then launder as usual,
or
Make a paste by mixing 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Cover the ink stain with the paste and leave for 3 to 4 hours, then brush off the paste and wash the shirt as usual.
or
This may or may not work depending on how strong the stain is and how long the stain has been there. Put non-gel toothpaste on the stain and rub the fabric vigorously together. Rinse with water. Were you able to remove some of the ink? Great! Repeat the process a few more times until you get rid of all the ink. Note: The same process works for lipstick.
Place the garment on a clean dry towel, and apply a solution of 1 cup of rubbing alcohol to 1 cup of vinegar to the stained area. Apply with a rag (of a similar colour) or use a spray bottle until the fabric is thoroughly saturated. Allow the solution to soak in for at least 5 minutes, then pour a small amount of table salt over the stained area. Wait ten minutes then launder as usual,
or
Make a paste by mixing 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Cover the ink stain with the paste and leave for 3 to 4 hours, then brush off the paste and wash the shirt as usual.
or
This may or may not work depending on how strong the stain is and how long the stain has been there. Put non-gel toothpaste on the stain and rub the fabric vigorously together. Rinse with water. Were you able to remove some of the ink? Great! Repeat the process a few more times until you get rid of all the ink. Note: The same process works for lipstick.
Paint Stains
Paint comes in all different types. Unfortunately oil based paint is almost impossible to remove. Poster paints on the other hand are easy – but time consuming.
Poster Paint Stain : Mix a good amount of dish washing liquid on the stain. Add some water and start rubbing. Rub and rinse adding more dishwashing liquid if needed. Once most of the paint has gone, launder as usual as that will lift the remaining paint.
Acrylic Paint Stain: These need to be treated with a solvent. Chances are you have solvents in your home in the shape of hair spray, rubbing alcohol, hand sanitiser or perhaps you have an alcohol-based nail varnish remover. Dab it on lightly using a clean cloth until the stain starts to come away. Launder as usual.
Paint comes in all different types. Unfortunately oil based paint is almost impossible to remove. Poster paints on the other hand are easy – but time consuming.
Poster Paint Stain : Mix a good amount of dish washing liquid on the stain. Add some water and start rubbing. Rub and rinse adding more dishwashing liquid if needed. Once most of the paint has gone, launder as usual as that will lift the remaining paint.
Acrylic Paint Stain: These need to be treated with a solvent. Chances are you have solvents in your home in the shape of hair spray, rubbing alcohol, hand sanitiser or perhaps you have an alcohol-based nail varnish remover. Dab it on lightly using a clean cloth until the stain starts to come away. Launder as usual.
Stain removal can be a tricky thing. We have attempted to be helpful in providing this information however some stain removal, cleaning and laundry techniques may not provide a solution and may in fact ruin the item being treated. As we live in a litigious world, this note is to disclaim all liability for any attempts you make to clean or launder or remove stains based on information within our content.
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