You’re getting stains out of your kids’ clothes all wrong and it’s ruining them
WHEN it comes to being a parent, having to deal with stained clothes is part and parcel of the job.
And while there are tonnes of stain removal products on the market, they can sometimes end up ruining your kids' clothes if you use them on a stain they're not meant for.
Instead, your method of removing the stain should be based on the type of stain it is.
Here, we run through some of the most common childhood stains, and how to get them safely out of your kids' clothes.
Mud
For older children, mud is arguably the most common thing to stain clothes.
And when you try and remove the stain is as important as how you do it.
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The best way to remove mud stains is to wait until the mud has dried - trying to get wet mud off is a whole lot harder.
Once it's dried, use a blunt knife or a brush to try and get as much of the mud off as possible.
After that, take a tablespoon of baking soda and apply it to the stain.
Pour a teaspoon of lemon juice over the top.
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It will start fizzing - leave until it's stopped and then rub the fabric together so that the stain is completely covered.
Leave it for 10 minutes before washing as normal with your regular detergent.
Poo
One of the most common things to stain babies' clothes is, somewhat unsurprisingly, poo.
If your baby has a poonami, the first thing you need to do is scrape off the excess with a tissue.
Once you've done that, rinse it with water, before using a mild detergent, such as Fairy Non Bio, to rub into the stain.
Soak in warm water for an hour or so.
Whilst we're all trying to keep our energy bills down, when it comes to dealing with poo-stained clothes, you need to put them on a higher temperature wash.
The NHS recommends a temperature of 60 degrees to ensure they're properly disinfected.
Once you've washed the clothes, with your normal baby laundry detergent, pop them out in the sun to dry - the sun is one of the most powerful, natural stain removers.
Baby food
Weaning can be a messy process, especially if you go down the baby-led weaning route.
And while parents try and use bibs and mats to keep their children's clothes clean, there are always annoying bits that make it onto the fabric.
One of the best ways to remove baby food stains from clothes is to use baking soda.
Simply mix together four tablespoons of baking soda with 60ml of water to make a paste.
Then rub that paste into the stain and let it sit until it has completely soaked in.
Once you've done that, pop it into the washing machine and wash as normal with your usual baby detergent.
Grass
A more common problem in the warmer months, but grass stains can be an absolute nightmare to get rid of - especially if they're on white clothes.
It's recommended you use a biological washing detergent to try and get rid of these green stains.
Rub the liquid into the stain and then soak in warm water.
Once you've done that, wash as normal, but using the bio liquid as your detergent.
After the wash has finished, double check the stain has completely disappeared BEFORE putting it in the tumble dryer or hanging it up to dry.
Dried on grass stains are much harder to remove.
It's also important not to use an ammonia or alkaline-based detergent, as this can also permanently set the stain.
Blood
While we all do our best to prevent them, accidents happen.
And, on occasion, they can result in blood stains on your child's clothing.
To get these stains out, it's recommended to use something like Napisan.
Soak the garment in warm water and Napisan, and then use it alongside your normal laundry detergent as well.
If you don't have any Napisan, you can also try the baking soda paste again - and follow the steps listed above.
Crayon
When your child starts colouring, it's likely that they'll use crayons to begin with.
And while they're fabulous for creating bold, colourful pictures, they're a nightmare when they get onto clothes.
Surprisingly, WD-4O is one of the most effective ways to remove crayon stains from kids' clothing without ruining it.
Simply place the stained item stain-down on top of a stack of kitchen towels.
Spray liberally with WD-40 and leave it for five minutes.
Then turn it over and spray it again.
Once you've done that, rinse it well before rubbing in some liquid detergent and rinsing again.
After that you can pop it in the washing machine, and watch the stain disappear before your eyes.
Paint
Another creative stain, and one that can also be difficult to remove.
Getting rid of paint stains completely depends on the type of paint it is.
If it's a water-based paint, begin by scraping as much of the paint as possible off the fabric with a knife.
Run the stain under warm water, and then use a liquid detergent to apply to the fabric.
Use a soft brush to work the detergent into the stain.
Wash as normal, and repeat the process if the stain does not come out.
Meanwhile, if it's an oil-based paint, it's a good idea to check the back of the can to see what solvent is recommended.
If a paint thinner or turpentine is recommended, it's a good idea to test it out first on an inconspicuous part of the clothing item to ensure that it doesn't ruin the fabric.
If it's all good, place the garment stain-side down onto a stack of kitchen towels.
Saturate a cotton wool ball in the solvent, and then apply to the stain.
The paint will hopefully transfer from the clothing to the kitchen towels, so you may need to swap them for a new batch from time to time.
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You can use a toothbrush to help you work the solvent into the stain and, for particularly stubborn marks, you can turn the item over to work at it from the front.
Once the stain has gone, rinse thoroughly and wash as normal.
