When we stain our clothes we go into panic mode. We want to get the stain out as fast as possible and in the easiest way. This, however, can lead to us making the situation much worse. These are some of the most common stain removal faux pas to avoid. 

• Leaving it 
• Rubbing not blotting
• Using hot water
• Not spot testing 
• Using too much solution 
• Throwing bleach at the situation 
• Drying before checking 

Leaving it 

Although tempting, the worst thing to do when you notice a stain is to leave it. The longer you put off pre-treating a stain the more it will set into the fibres of your garment, making it much more difficult to remove when you do get round to lifting it. Instead, as soon as you notice a stain, treat it. This will save you a lot of time and effort. 

Rubbing not blotting 

One of the worst things to do when treating a stain is to rub rather than blot it. Regardless of what the stain is, rubbing will only set it further into the fibres of your clothing, making it more difficult to remove. Blotting, on the other hand, gently lifts as much of the loose stain as possible without forcing it into your garment. 

Using hot water 

As a rule of thumb, never use hot, or even warm, water on a stain. Hot and warm water will only cook your stain into your clothing, making it much harder to remove. If your stain is protein-based, such as milk, hot water will curdle the protein and make it near impossible to lift. Instead, use cold water to flush out and soak stains, unless it is specifically mentioned that hot water should be used. 

Not spot testing 

If you don’t spot test before using any stain removal product then you risk permanently staining your garment. A spot test is when you apply a small amount of the stain remover to a hidden area on your garment, such as an inside seam, to test if it will cause any permanent damage, such as bleaching, to your item. It is a fool-proof way to avoid causing damage in the stain removal process. 

Using too much solution 

It may seem logical to use as much stain remover as possible to lift your stain, but the opposite is in fact true. Using a lot of stain remover on one small stain can cause irreversible damage to your clothing, and may not even lift the stain. Instead, use the suggested amount of remover and complete the full stain removal process. If this doesn’t work continue repeating the process until your stain is lifted. 

Throwing bleach at the situation

Bleach is a very powerful cleaning agent and can be very effective at removing stains. That being said, it can also cause lasting damage to your garment. Before attempting to lift your stain using bleach first look for alternative methods that use less harmful products. If you can’t find any alternative treatments, make sure that bleach is the safest option for your clothing- this is especially important if your stain is on coloured clothing. Finally, if bleach is safe to use on your stained garment, only use a small amount. Bleach is incredibly powerful and only a small amount is necessary to lift stains. 

Drying before checking 

Once you have completed a stain removal treatment and washed your garment, check that the stain has been completely removed before drying your item. If your stain has not been removed you need to repeat the stain removal process. Drying your garment will only cause the remainder of your stain to set further into the fibres of your clothing, making it harder to lift. 

The easiest way to remove stains, and avoid making any stain removal faux pas, is by letting Laundryheap take care of your stained items for you. Book your Laundryheap order today by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app.