Separating a baby kangaroo from its mother’s pouch and removing a stubborn stain from clothes - these are better said than done. It is almost natural to get a dress ruined with grease stains, a shirt ruined with tea stains, and kids’ clothes ruined with blood stains (they get a lot of injuries while playing). These are barely some examples. One can get a stain at the most unexpected places. Not all of these stains are stubborn. Some go away with one wash, while others leave their prints on the fabric. Imagine someone guessing the food item from the stain on the cloth. That would be embarrassing (no one would do that, though!). Removing stains from clothes requires a lot of scrubbing, if you do not know the hacks. Hacks make everything easier.
Read this guide to differentiate between types of stains and learn the most effective hacks to remove them.
Types of Stain and How to Remove Them
Yes, stains have different types, and some of these cannot be removed even with the most expensive detergent (it needs to be mixed with a few other ingredients). Follow some expert tips to remove stains instantly.
1. Tea Stains
You are enjoying your morning or evening tea peacefully, and suddenly the cup slips. Two things happen at this point - you burn yourself and get a stain on your clothes. Both your clothes and you need some cold water to save yourself. What would the cold water do to the stain? It helps to remove the stain without setting it. Cold water is used for removing most beverage stains.
Now, if the cloth is washable in the machine, rub some liquid detergent on the stain for prewash stain remover, before putting it in for a wash. If the cloth is not washable at home, rub some vinegar on the stain and flush it with cold water.
2. Grease Stains
“Did you feed some curry to your clothes, too?” That is a mocking question asked by that one sarcastic friend whenever someone in the group gets a grease stain from food. Kids, too, love to wipe their hands directly on the clothes instead of the hand towels hanging a few metres away. These stains do not go quickly, mainly if the fabric already soaks the grease. So, before panicking, rush to the pantry and cover the stain in cornstarch. It will soak the grease before the fabric. The remaining stain can be washed away as usual. Removing stains from clothes has never been this easy.
The second option is to dab the spot with a paper towel until it is free from oils and wash it off with dish soap.
3. Blood Stains
When kids start learning how to ride a bike, they fall and get injured. They run to get a score in cricket and fall. That is a part of the game. The injuries will heal, but the stains might not (if not treated immediately). Not only kids but adults, too, get blood stains sometimes. Worry not! There are several ways to remove stains caused by blood. If possible, soak the stain in cold water immediately to avoid letting it set into the fabric. Scrub off the stain with detergent, and it is gone.
To remove dried blood stains, the cloth must be soaked in warm water before pre-treatment with liquid detergent. Wash the cloth as usual.
Other Types of Stain on Clothes
1. Cosmetic Stains
Wearing clothes after putting on make-up can be a task, especially when the outfit is white. The stain is not visible on the outside, but the inside might be covered with traces of foundation, blush, lipstick, kohl or powder because make-up can smudge. It is better to remove cosmetic stains as soon as possible; they may come off with typical scrubbing.
The stains that are treated hours later need more work. Start by soaking the fabric in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes. Treat them with stain remover and liquid detergent.
2. Ink Stains
Ink, the best friend of students and writers, can become a foe when it stains a perfectly ironed shirt or a new t-shirt. Before it spreads, use a paper towel to soak up the ink from the cloth. Now, there are two hacks to solve the problem. The first one is to use denatured alcohol and the second one is to prepare a complicated mixture.
To perform the first hack, place the stained spot on a lid and treat it with alcohol until the stain completely fades. For the second hack, mix one tablespoon of glycerin, one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid, eight tablespoons of water, and 1/4th teaspoon of vinegar. Apply it to the stain and wash it away.
3. Nail Polish Stains
Smudge fresh nail paint before it dries and it will surely stain the clothes. To treat this stain, scrape off the wet nail paint with a spoon, ensuring it does not smear. Now, place the stain on paper towels and soak it with nail polish remover. The paper towels will absorb the nail paint. Repeat, if required. If the hack does not work, the cloth might need dry cleaning.
4. Paint Stains
Painters have a history of messy palettes and stained clothes. The painting might look flawless, but the room and the clothes say otherwise. Oil-based paint stains can be removed with thinner. Water-based paint stains require warm water and a lot of dishwashing soap.
5. Juice Stains
Something like spilling juice on clothes or tables happens to busy people, who reach out their hands to grab the glass while focusing on some other stuff. These stains are super easy to remove. They need a long bath in cold water, and treatment with diluted vinegar.
6. Chocolate Stains
A chocolate stain does not necessarily have to come from chocolate bars. It can also come from chocolate pastries, melted cupcakes and chocolate doughnuts. Still, every stain is a problem that needs to be solved. The products required for removing stains from clothes are vinegar and enzyme-containing detergents. Cover the stain with these products and wash it off.
Stain Removal Tips and Guidelines
Stain removal guides consider the 3 Ps of stain removal before moving on with the work. Those are Promptness, Patience and Perseverance. So, before starting the process, identify the depth of the removal challenge with these two points:
1. What is the fabric of the cloth and what is the nature of the stain?
2. Has the stain settled inside the fabric (if it has dried or not)?
Now, consider these tips to complete the challenge:
1. Act as quickly as possible, and do not let the stain set in.
2. Before treating the stain, run it under cold water or dab it with a paper towel to remove the excess substance.
3. Remember not to put the cloth in for drying until the stain has been completely removed. The heat from the dryer might cause the stain to set in permanently.
4. Avoid the use of hot water on fresh stains.
Stain Removing Substances
Using the correct product for removing stains from clothes can reduce frustration to a greater extent. The process requires strong products such as:
● Chlorine or oxygen bleaches
They brighten and whiten the fabric while breaking the connection between the fibres and the stain.
● Cleansing enzymes
Detergents and other pretreatment products are infused with cleansing enzymes to remove any oil-based stain.
● Vinegar
The non-washable fabrics require vinegar to let go of the stain. Soaking the cloth in diluted vinegar might help brighten the fibres.
Conclusion
The water-based stains acquired from tea or coffee, juice, ketchup, soft drinks, milk, blood, ink, and water paints are some of the most accessible stains to remove with minimal effort.
The oil-based stains, acquired from curries, chocolate, mayonnaise, butter, deodorant, cosmetics and oil paints are relatively harder to remove and require re-cleansing. To save effort, dry cleaners are the best option.
FAQs
What is the most important rule of stain removal?
The most important rule of stain removal is instant treatment. Soak up the stain in cold or hot water, scrub it with detergent, or use vinegar, but do everything as soon as possible.
What are the two methods for removing stains?
The two methods for removing stains are chemical treatment (through chemical agents) and physical treatment (through hot or cold water).
How to remove stains from woolens?
To remove oil-based stains from woolens, use an ammonium hydroxide-containing detergent. To remove water-based stains, use diluted rubbing alcohol and vinegar.
Which acid is used to remove stains?
Oxalic acid present in detergents is used in removing stains from clothes.
Which stains are easier to remove?
Juice, chocolate and cosmetic stains are easier to remove than others. They require cold water and some scrubbing with dishwashing liquid.