Methods of Removing Stains from Clothes

A little red wine at a cocktail party or a smidgeon of baby formula spit up after picking up your infant can cause you to think your favorite item of clothing is headed straight for the trash. Some stains are just not easy to remove. Blood, wine and formula are a few of the most difficult stains to remove. With these laundry tips, however, you can remove any stain from any article of clothing in a matter of minutes.

Formula

You’ll need 30 minutes and some sort of cleaning product that contains enzymes. You can find this at the supermarket in the laundry aisle by reading the labels on pre-treatment cleaners. Pretreat your stains for approximately 30 minutes. Then soak your stained clothing in water for 30 minutes to an hour before laundering. Be sure that the stain is completely removed before you dry your clothing, as this can set the stain for food. Some stains might need a second round of pretreatment before they can go into the dryer.

Beverages

Coffee, tea and wine are clothing killers. If you get any on your ensemble, fix the issue by soaking the stain immediately with water – not club soda. If you have a pre-wash stain remover, use it. Otherwise, you can put straight detergent on your stain and leave it for a few minutes. Start your washing machine and toss your item in there with a bit of color-safe bleach – or regular bleach if your item is white. Once it’s finished washing, your stain will be no more.

Blood

If the stain is a new one that hasn’t had time to soak in, immediately soak it in cold water. Do not soak it in warm water, as this is known to cause blood to set in. If the stain is old, soak it in warm water with a bit of cleaner that contains enzymes. Once this is finished, wash your item as usual and watch it come out of the wash looking brand new.

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