Stains are familiar to anyone who deals with children, and there are so many sources for tips on stain removal. In this article, we have compiled some of the stain removal tips that Kidia's staff have found useful. All of them have been personally tried and tested.
Stain removal is important for the most profitable resale of clothing. You can read more from our article at maintaining the resale value of the garment.
The most important thing to remember when removing stains is that time is not a stain remover's friend.
Most stains come out better when fresh than when dry, and in many cases it is best to wash the garment at the highest possible temperature to remove stains. Remember, stain removal should be done before the garment goes in the washing machine.
There are lots of little tips for stain removal, we will present them next. If you need more information and more detailed instructions, check out To the Martti League list, where you can find good detailed stain removal tips.
Blueberry and other berry friends
On a trip to the woods, trouser legs and socks turned blue, raspberries moulded on chests and strawberries squashed in laps. When fresh, berry stains can come off with just a hot (boiling) water. So try pouring boiling water over the stained area first. Bile soap can also help - especially if the stain has had time to dry. It's worth letting the soap work for a while and if the stain doesn't come off completely the first time, try again. Lemon juice can also help to fade a berry stain. Did you know that banana stains can also be removed with boiling water and bile soap?
Ballpoint pen with a chick and her boyfriend
Quite a few people have seen the consequences of the work of an artist's son, but how best to get rid of them? Hairspray is a miracle worker here. Spray hairspray on the pencil mark and then wash. All the other stain removal tips (bile soap, sun) might help if hairspray doesn't work, but most of the time it does!
Grass stains
It's all very well to run and play in the grass, but the result is often green knees that are less than the parents' delight. Grass stains are challenging to remove, but try pre-treating them with bile soap, stain remover or laundry detergent. Even bathing in sunlight can fade grass stains.
Carrots, pureed or grated, a mess is guaranteed
The same rules apply to carrot spots as to grass spots. We're not promising miracles, but stain removal is worth a try.
Worn rubber soles
The worst thing about Converse, cientos and other rubber-soled shoes is when you want to sell them to the next buyer and the white rubber is an ugly brown. As a tip, the rubber edges of your shoes can be cleaned with baby wipes, magic sponge or Universal Stone detergent, depending on the severity of the stains. It's worth a try, the transformation can be almost unbelievable!
Fabric shoes are lovely, by the way, because you can throw them in the washing machine (you might want to try washing the insole).
Grease stains
Infuriating grease stains, what would save your favourite shirt? To remove grease stains, try pre-treating the stain with a laundry detergent or hand detergent and then use the hottest possible wash cycle.
Chewing gum
Must freeze! The gum comes off the clothes by freezing and scraping. Afterwards, the grease residue left by the gum has to be treated with bile soap.
Well, what about the poop stains?
Ah, baby mustard cakes in just the loveliest bodysuit! It's a good idea to put the poop-stained clothes in loose water to soak as soon as possible, and you can add a little detergent to the soaking water. If necessary, treat with bile soap and then put them in a hot wash programme as soon as possible. Drying in the sun can also fade yellow cake stains.