Laundry Tips: How to Get Stains Off Clothes
We all have had our favorite piece of clothing stained at one point or another. Stains can retire your favorite garments early if you do not know how to treat them. You can get rid of stubborn stains such as blood or grease on your clothes if you attack them from the right angle of cleaning. One of the basic rules of cleaning is that you never run the stained garment through a hot dryer. The heat makes the stain permanent on your clothes and thus,your frustration level hits the ceiling.
Doing laundry can be laborious, especially if you need to get rid of stains from your favourite clothes. To reduce your burden and make your laundry day more fruitful, here are few tips to get rid of stains from clothes and make them your clothes new again:
1) Check the Clothing Label
Before you start treating your clothes with any stain remover, you must check the label on your clothes. Labels often help provide insight on removing stains from a specific type of clothing. Tags on clothes also guide you through washing the garments using proper technique.
2) Pre-soak the Clothes in Cold Water
Always soak the clothes in cold water before washing them with any detergent. Soaking your clothes will prevent stains from drying up, which willmake them easier to remove. If the stains cannot be submerged, blot them with a wet cloth or tissue. Do not rub the stains against each other as the rubbing will spread the blemishes around the fabric and make them even worse.
3) Avoid Exposure to Heat
Heat makes stains more permanent and difficult to remove. Always avoid placing the stained garments near any source of heat or in direct sunlight.Use only cold water and appropriate solvent when treating it.
4) Do Not Scrub
No matter how tough the stain is, we must avoid scrubbing or applying unnecessary pressure on the fabric to get rid of it. Excessive force may grind the stain deeper into the material, making it difficult to remove.
5) Select the Stain Remover
Based on Fabric Type The labels on fabrics help us determine fabric type quickly. Materials that require extra care while washing often mention the appropriate washing procedure on their tags. Treat them according to the apparent fabric type, info label is found.
6) Fabric Types
Depending upon the fabric type, follow the next set of tips:
Cotton
The best way to treat stains on cotton fabrics is to use commercially available detergents. You can also experiment with light acids like vinegar. Some might prefer using bleach to clean their whites. However, the strong acids in bleach can often damage your clothes faster than you expect.
Woollen
Stains on woollen garments can worsen if you use any strong acid or bleach. It is best to use wool-safe detergents to treat stains on woollen clothes. Since by nature, wool is susceptible to stretching or deforming, it is best to resort to professional help to treat tough stains on it.
Synthetic
Synthetic fabrics are human-made fabrics made of fibers such as nylon, acrylic, polyester, etc. It is always best to use standard laundry detergents when dealing with stains on synthetic clothing. Labels on these types of clothing can be helpful as they show the correct way of cleaning them. Avoid using home remedies to treat stains on synthetics as they might spoil the fabric.
Silk
As much as some might love silk, cleaning it can be tricky, especially if you need to remove stains from it. Soaking silk in cold water helps prevent the setting of stains. However, one must ensure to avoid spot cleaning of silk. Permanent discolouration can take place if individual water spots are left to dry on it.
7) Types of Stain Remover
There are various types of stain remover, some available in your home and some you can get from the stores. Using any of them depending upon the stain and fabric type can help you get rid of almost all stains you might ever come across. We have listed a few of the conventional stain removers as follows:
Salt:
Salt is effective in drawing stains such as blood out. Just sprinkle salt on the stain so that it absorbs the liquid stains and does not allow them to set in. This makes it easier to get rid of them.
Hydrogen Peroxide:
It is quite effective in getting rid of lipstick or gardening stains. Hydrogen peroxide can quickly treat the grass stains on clothes. It also works well in removing underarm yellowing stains on whites.
Bleach:
We all know that bleach is only useful in keeping whites white. Using them on coloured clothing will damage the clothes.
Detergent:
It is the go-to option when dealing with stains on clothes. It is useful in treating most of the stains. Depending upon the fabric and stain type, you can choose the one that suits your need.
Distilled White Vinegar:
It is a safer and less expensive option than chlorine bleach or fabric softeners. White vinegar helps eliminate perspiration stains and odors. It also helps whiten and brighten clothes.
Lemon/Lime Juice:
Fresh lime/lemon juice works as a natural bleaching agent and helps in getting rid of yellow underarm stains or rust stains from fabrics. However, one must be careful to use it on coloured clothing as the longer the juice stays on the fabric, the more the chances of discoloration.
Talcum Powder/Cornstarch/Baby Powder:
They help absorb oily stains. Sprinkle any one of them on the greasy stain liberally and let it sit on the stain for a minimum of ten minutes to absorb the oil. Brush it away and wash the garment as per the direction on the label.
Mineral Spirits or Varsol:
An excellent option to treat tough stains like that of grease, tar, machine grease etc. Use mineral spirits only on sturdy fabrics.
Enzyme Cleaners:
Some detergents come with active enzyme cleaners that can help in getting rid of organic stains like blood, egg yolk, milk, sweat, etc.
8) Apply an Absorbent
Use absorbents like salt, talcum powder or cornstarch to get the stain out of the clothing. Place the absorbent on the stain and let it rest for a minimum of fifteen minutes. Remove and rinse.
9) Apply the Stain Remover
Once you rinse the absorbent, reverse your garment so that the stain is facing away from you. Apply the desired stain remover to the back of the stain. The stain will soak in the solvent and will come up towards the surface of the fabric.
10) Use a Paper Towel to Absorb the Stain
The paper towel helps absorb the stain. Place it on the stain and reverse the garment. This way, the stain will stick to the paper towel and leave the material.
11) Rest the Garment
Allow the solvent to work on your garment by resting it on the paper towel for about an hour. Avoid overdoing it or the stain may set and will put all your efforts in vain.
12) Rinse the Garment
After following all the previous steps, wash your garment immediately in the washing machine or by hand. It will ensure you get rid of the solvent and stain and all you’ll be left with are your clean stain-free clothes.
We hope these detailed steps help you to get stains off clothes by over 90%.Chances are higher if you use the right stain remover on the right fabric at the right time. We believe that the next time you come home with a stain on your favorite clothing, you will not have to worry about it because you now know how to tackle your stains.