They warned me about sleepless nights, fussy eaters, the terrible twos. But, why didn’t anyone warn me that my laundry would grow in heaps and bounds when I had kids?! Seriously, right from the beginning with poopy-stained onesies to bibs that look like they’ve been tossed in a muddy river to toddler clothes perpetually marked with paint, crayon, marker, grass, pee stains, you name it, finding an item of “clean” clothing without some sort of mark or stain on it is next to impossible. Yet, I scrub ’til my knuckles bleed, I buy brand name stain remover products, I put the clothes through another spin cycle hoping the stains will magically disappear. And, when all else fails, I hear my mother’s voice in my head saying, “Use what you have at home,” and that’s when I start scouring the house for club soda, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, anything and everything that will make my stains disappear.
If you’re like me and stains drive you crazy, here are some home remedy cleaning tips for removing stains using products you have around the house. I have tried and tested these cleaning solutions and they put up a good fight for even the toughest, most impossible stains. Before you test any of them for yourself, remember, the key to treating any stain is to treat it as quickly as possible. The longer you leave any stain, the tougher it will be to remove.
Coffee & Tea Stains: If ever I get around to enjoying a cup of warm coffee, I always inevitably end up wearing it as I sip and dash after my kids. Rub the coffee or tea stain with club soda. If the club soda doesn’t completely remove it, dissolve a teaspoon of borax into a cup of hot water, then sponge the stain with the mixture. Rinse and wash as usual.
Red Wine Stains: The urban legend of using white wine to remove red wine stains is true. If you don’t have any white wine around, try soaking the item of clothing in club soda. You can even simplify this stain solution down to salt and water alone. Use a towel to blot up the red wine as much as possible. Next, apply a layer of salt to the stain and leave it there until it has absorbed the wine.
Chocolate Stains: Reach for the hydrogen peroxide in your medicine cabinet and go to work on that chocolate stain, sponging it as much as needed with the peroxide. If you’ve got some borax kicking around, make a paste by adding a little water to it, then rub the stain with the paste. Toss it into the wash and the stain should be gone in one go.
Berry Stains: We love berries for their antioxidant properties, but the stains they leave on my children’s clothes are nothing to love. Apply some cream of tartar to the stain, then pour boiling water over it. Repeat these steps, as needed, until you’ve removed as much of the stain as possible. Rub in a bit of vegetable glycerin, if you still need to work on that stain, then rinse and wash as usual.
Grass Stains: For all those parents of children who like to roll around in the grass, there’s hope for clean summertime clothes. Wet the item of clothing, then rub cream of tartar right into that grass stain. Next, use equal parts of vegetable glycerin and dish soap and rub the mixture into the stain. Wash as usual.
Blood Stains: Hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and cold water is all it takes to kill those blood stains from your clothing, Dexter! Sponge the stain with hydrogen peroxide then rub some dish soap into it. Soak the item of clothing in cold water overnight and then wash it, as usual, the next day.
Ink Stains: First, rub the stain with a little vegetable glycerin, then apply a paste of cream of tartar and lemon juice to the stain and leave it in for 5 minutes, or more, if needed. Rinse the item of clothing with warm water and repeat as many times as needed.
Collar Stains: Dish soap and baking soda are all you need to get rid of those nasty collar stains. Make a paste from the dish soap and baking soda. Rub it into the collar and then let it sit for about an hour. Wash as usual.
Perspiration Stains: Make a paste by combining one tablespoon of salt and one tablespoon of baking soda with water. Rub the paste into the stain and let it sit for an hour before washing the item of clothing.
Rust Stains: Warm water, Alka-Seltzer, and 3 to 4 minutes is all it takes to return a rusty anything to its natural state. And, all that plopping and fizzing is entertaining for the kids as well.
Grease and Oil Stains: Oil is one of the toughest stains to remove, but it can be done. If any of these solutions don’t work right away, try them again (in worst cases, it takes me 2 to 3 attempts). And sometimes you’ll just have to surrender to the fact that they’ve brought the oil stain down and that you’ll have to live with the smear for good. Nothing, really, that a trendy brooch or stylish scarf can’t hide.
- Cornstarch and Dish Soap — Sprinkle the cornstarch over the stain. Let it soak in for 30 minutes and up to an hour, if needed. Next, rub a dab of dish soap into the stain, then wash according to the label directions. Air dry the item of clothing for best results.
- Hair Spray — I personally don’t use hair spray, but always have a cheap can around to use as a stain removal. Simply spray the oil or grease stain with the hair spray, then wash and air dry the clothing item. It’s amazing how much the hair spray removes the stain almost instantly!
- Shampoo — Okay, I don’t skimp out when it comes to buying good shampoo, but always have a cheap bottle of shampoo (for greasy hair) around to use as a stain fighter. Shampoo gets the grease and natural oils out of our hair and works like a charm on fabrics too. Rub the shampoo into the stain, then wash and air dry the clothing as usual.
- Cheez Whiz — For the record, we don’t ever consume this product on our food, but I read somewhere once that Cheez Whiz fights grease and stains like nothing else. That stain guru was right! Apply the goopy mixture to the garment, then toss it into the wash and it should take the grease right out of that favourite top.
- Coca-Cola — When it comes to stain removals, Coca-Cola is touted as a great one and it’s no joke. Pour some Coke onto a stain, let it soak for an hour or two and then wash the garment as directed. Don’t be surprised if the stain is completely removed in one shot.
- Aloe Vera Gel — Soak your soiled item of clothing in water then rub aloe vera gel into the stain. Wash as directed and air dry.
- WD-40 — We all have a can of this around and for good reason. Among its thousands of uses, stain removal is right up there. Spray the stain with WD-40 and then let it soak for about half an hour, or more, if needed. Next, rub a little dish soap into the stain and wash as directed.
Chaser
We have the clothing stains covered, now a few tips on carpet stain removals.
Photo: mykaul
