How to remove common stains from children's clothing
Kids can be messy. Anyone who’s spent even five minutes in the presence of little ones can attest to that. This means being a parent often involves cleaning up and sorting out the whirlwind that is your offspring. Getting stains out of clothes is one such cleaning task that is required all too regularly. To help you do so without too much trouble here’s our handy guide to removing common stains:
- Grass: Rub washing liquid into the stain, let it sit for five to ten minutes then wash at a high temperature and repeat if required (always follow label instructions though).
- Mud: Let the stain dry as it will be easier to clean and then brush off the excess. Spot clean the area with liquid detergent and use a wet toothbrush to scrub the stain, then wash as normal. And if you’re wondering how to clean suede shoes, use a suede brush to scrub the dry mud off and use a cloth, afterwards, to rub the area gently – avoid excess water and use a nail brush and warm water if the stain is stubborn.
- Chocolate: Use a spoon to remove any excess chocolate, then flush out as much of the stain as possible with cold running water from the back of the stain. Then soak the garment in water with detergent for 30 minutes and wash immediately as usual.
- Blood: Soak the stain in cold water or blot it with a sponge immediately. Then gently rub soap or a salt and water paste onto the stain and rinse it with cold water – repeat the process if necessary before washing normally. Bear in mind hot water and too much heat in the dryer might fixate the blood stain.
- Crayons: Place the stained area between paper towels and press with a warm iron. Switch the paper towels when they get saturated, then wash as normal.
- Syrup: Use a blunt knife to remove any excess then rinse, and rub with liquid detergent. Wait until thoroughly soaked in before putting on a 30-40 degrees wash.
- Ketchup: Run the stain under cold water, apply liquid detergent then soak for around 10 minutes. Wash on normal settings and leave to dry in the open air, but away from the sun.
- Felt-tip marker: Sponge the area, make a paste with laundry powder and water, apply to the stain and leave it to absorb then rinse with water. Wash thoroughly.
- Chewing gum: Chewing gum is best dealt with when dry, so leave the garment in the fridge, inside a bag, overnight, and then it will come out easily when frozen. This can even work for shoes, just place an ice cube inside a plastic bag and press it against the gum until it’s cold enough to be removed. And if the chewing gum leaves a stain just rub it gently with liquid detergent before washing normally.
- Fruit: Scrape off any excess and place the stain under cold running water. Apply liquid detergent or a stain remover to the area and wash in a cold to warm setting.
All of these stains can usually be sorted if caught early enough and treated appropriately. Don’t stress, keep these tips to hand and save more time in the laundry to play with your kids.