The best way to remove stains is to pre-treat them. If you don’t have any pre-treatment products, pre-treat your stains with these alternatives.
- Baking soda
- Lemon/lime
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Corn starch
- Salt
- Dish soap
- Laundry detergent
Baking soda
Baking soda is particularly useful at pre-treating odorous wet stains, such as coffee. The powdery consistency sucks up the wetness of the stain, whilst absorbing the odour, leaving your clothing with an odourless and smaller stain. Make sure to always brush off the baking soda before washing your garment. Alternatively, you can make a baking soda paste by mixing two parts baking soda with one part water. Spreading the paste over your stain will help to loosen it from the fibres of your clothing.
Lemon/lime
The natural acidity in lemon and lime acts as a natural bleaching agent. Squeezing lemon or lime juice directly over the stain will begin bleaching it, making the stain lighter and easier to remove in the wash. Be warned that using lemon or lime juice on coloured clothing may cause discolouration, so use with caution or only on white clothing. It is particularly effective on yellow underarm and rust stains.
Hydrogen peroxide
Similarly to lemon and lime, hydrogen peroxide is a natural bleaching agent. Simply pour or spray a small amount of the solution on to your stain, and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. The hydrogen peroxide will begin to break down and lift your stain, making it easier for it to be completely lifted in the wash. After 10 minutes, wash your garment as you usually would, and observe as your clothing becomes completely stain-free.
Corn starch
If you have an oily or greasy stain, immediately sprinkle corn starch over it. Make sure that your stain is completely covered by the corn starch, and leave it to sit for at least 10 minutes. The small particles that make up the corn starch will begin absorbing the stain, lifting it from your garment. If you catch your stain quick enough, the corn starch alone may be enough to lift your stain completely. If not, wash your item as you usually would.
Salt
Salt works in a similar way to corn starch, particularly on red wine stains. The particles that make up the salt absorb the stain, leaving a smaller and more manageable stain behind. Sprinkle your red wine stain with a liberal amount of salt, the cheaper the better, and leave it to sit for at least 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, brush the salt from your garment and observe whether your stain has reduced in size and become lighter. If not, you may want to apply more salt and leave it for longer.
Dish soap
Dish soap is manufactured to tackle greasy and oily substances. To remove stains using dish soap, squirt a small amount directly onto the stain, and use your fingers, or a soft-bristled brush, to rub it in. Leave it to sit for 10 minutes, before rinsing it from your stain, and washing as you usually would.
Laundry detergent
Laundry detergent is specially formulated to lift dirt from clothing, which makes it a great pre-treatment. You can use laundry detergent in the same way as you would use dish soap. Rub a small amount directly onto your stain, leave it to sit for 10 minutes, and then rinse it from your garment. It’s best, and easiest, to use liquid laundry detergent. Alternatively, you can make a paste from powdered laundry detergent and water which you can spread directly onto your stain.
The best way to treat any stain is to let us do it for you. Book your Laundryheap order by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app.
