Stains are an unfortunate part of everyday life. Sometimes you spill soda on your white shirt. Other times your antiperspirant stains your favorite workout shirt, or your child slide-tackles an opponent and stains their shorts and socks green. Maybe you’ve accepted them as a permanent part of life, but they don’t have to stay long.
If you’re ready to erase stains, you can either use residential laundry services or roll up your sleeves and get your hands wet.
Pre Soak
Prior to any treatment, rinse your stained clothing in the sink, then soak it overnight in a large sink or container filled with water saturated with two tablespoons of detergent. Never use hot water, because that will “bake” stains into the clothing. After the soak, rinse your clothing under cold water to wash out loosened dirt and bacteria.
Your next steps depend on the type of stain you’re treating.
Organic Stains (grass, dirt, body fluids)
You can remove organic protein stains with enzyme-based stain removers and detergents. After the pre-soak, use a soft-bristled brush or your fingers to rub the stain remover or detergent into the stain. Let the product soak into the stain for at least 15 minutes, then put it through a cool-water washing machine cycle.
Thicker stains can be attacked with another soak, this time in warm water with oxygen bleach. Let it soak for at least an hour before machine washing with a cool-water cycle. Older stains can take longer to remove, so if you’re tight on time, consider using a laundry pick up service.
Blood Stains
Though blood is an organic stain, blood stains can use a little extra help.
If the stain is fresh, you can use hydrogen peroxide. First, pre-test your clothing’s reaction to hydrogen peroxide by dabbing it onto the inside of a hem to see if the fabric discolors. If the clothing is unmarked, you can sponge the blood stain with hydrogen peroxide, then rinse the fabric in cold water. After rinsing, use a soft-bristled brush or your fingers to rub in detergent. This time, rinse the clothing in warm water. Finish with a cool-water washing machine cycle.
If the blood stain is older, begin by washing the clothing with an all-fabric bleach. This might take several hours. If the stain remains, you can spot-treat with a mixture of 1 quart of water, 1 teaspoon of laundry detergent, and 1 tablespoon of ammonia.
Sweat Stains
These stains might be difficult to identify, but they’re often orange-yellow and located on underarms. They’re caused by deodorants and antiperspirants. If the stain is faint and doesn’t feel like it’s set deeply into the clothing, you can use regular detergent coupled with oxygen bleach in a cool-water washing machine cycle.
If the stain is heavier with a texture like cardboard, you can soak the clothing in a sink of warm water and oxygen bleach for at least an hour before putting it through the wash.
Adhesive Stains
Carefully remove excess adhesive from the clothing either by gently scraping with a fork or butter knife, or rubbing gently with a cotton cloth. Rub inward from the outside of the stain to prevent spreading it across the clothing. Be careful not to stress your clothing or you’ll risk damaging it.
Next, soak the clothing in cold water for at least 20 minutes. You can also saturate the water with detergent for extra soaking power. Afterward, wash the clothing in the washing machine as usual. If the stain is hard to remove, the second time you wash, you can add pre-treatment to the stain.
Leave no stain remaining with residential laundry services
Other stains can be removed by combining a pre-soak with spot treatments and regular washes, but to be safe, you’ll want to research specific treatments. If you’re limited on time and would rather leave the stain treatment to the professionals, include your stained clothes in your laundry pile for your next laundry delivery service.
