Getting ready for the day and notice an ugly stain on your favourite shirt? We’ve all been there.
No matter how hard you try to keep them clean, clothes always find a way to get dirty, and it seems to happen at the most inopportune times. Now that the nice weather is here, chances are it will happen more often. Whether you’re working on the car in the driveway, playing with the kids in the yard or enjoying a nice barbecue dinner on the deck, you’ll need to be extra careful if you want to avoid ruining your summer wardrobe.
If you’re not so lucky and wind up getting a couple spots on your clothes, you’ll want to act quickly. Of course, some stains are tougher to remove than others, so you might have you work cut out for you. Below is a guide that will help you remove some of the most common stains.
The grass (stain) is greener on the other side… of my shirt
One of the most notorious stains out there is the grass stain. While they might be the result of fun and games, they can be a challenge to remove. We suggest you give these steps a try.
- First, you will want to apply a cleaning liquid to the entire stain. This could be something as simple as laundry detergent, or a solution made from a combination of dish soap, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide.
- Next, you’ll want to work the cleaner into the stain with a toothbrush or cloth. Using a light-coloured cloth will help prevent the cloth from bleeding into your clothes. Let this sit for 15-30 minutes so that it can start to work its way into your clothes.
- Put the garment in the washing machine (on cold water) and run it through a normal wash cycle using detergent.
- If the stain is still there, let the clothing air dry and repeat until it is gone.
- Once the stain is removed, place the clothes in the dryer and they should look good as new!
A stain worth wine-ing about
Nothing ruins a perfect glass of wine, quite like spilling it. If your clothes or carpet is hit in the process, you’ll need to act fast. Otherwise that stain may never come out. Here’s how you can prevent that from every happening…
- Try to remove stain while it is still wet so that it doesn’t set in too much. Grab some paper towels or salt to help soak up the wine. If you use salt, spread it over the entire stain and rub it in with your fingers. For a paper towel, you’ll want to gently blot the stain.
- Head over to the sink and turn on the cold water.
- Turn the article of clothing inside out and hold the stain under the tap so that the water can run through the back of it.
- Take a sponge and soak it in dish washing liquid (mix in hydrogen peroxide if you have any on hand) and gently blot the stain again. This will lift and release the wine particles
- Rinse the item in cold water once more. If the spot is still there, try using a stain removing stick.
- If washable, throw it in for a regular wash and let it air dry.
This stain requires a little elbow grease to remove
Grease stains tend to come from messy tasks like working in the garage or kitchen. While your finished product might have you happy over a job well done, it’ll likely leave you with dirty hands and even worse, dirty clothes. Removing these stains can be tough and will require a little more work from you.
- Start off by placing a piece of cardboard on the inside of your shirt. This will prevent the stain from bleeding into the rest of the fabric.
- Pour some baking soda onto the stain and rub it in with a bristled brush.
- When the baking soda won’t soak up anymore grease, apply dish soap to a sponge and work it into the stain so that it’s soapy.
- Wash the shirt in hot water. Adding some vinegar into the wash will fight off any odours that the grease may have left in your clothes.
If you don’t feel comfortable removing a stain yourself or have dirty clothes that can only be dry cleaned, then Manor Cleaners is your best bet. They will take care of those delicate items for you and keep your clothes looking pristine. Plus, Members save 25% - so you know they won’t take you to the cleaners.
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