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AS any parent will know, being faced with mountains of washing is part and parcel of having kids.
There's never a day that the washing machine isn't whizzing - in fact, most days I get more than one load done - and it's a constant battle with the British weather to try and get them dry.
But one of the hardest things about keeping my kids' clothes clean is having to get rid of the multitude of stains that seem to magically appear on the fabric.
Whether my 10-year-old son and six-year-old daughter have been rolling around in the grass, and it's left some tell-tale green patches on their knees, or some strawberry juice has trickled down their chins - there's always a new stain that us mums have to try and conquer.
And with so many different stain removers on the market, it can be difficult to know which one to go for.
So, I tested out five different products on a plain white T-shirt to see which one I'd recommend the most - as well as trying some of the free hacks I've seen online too.
All of the products were applied as a pre-wash treatment, before the garment was put in a 30 degree wash with a standard laundry detergent pod.
£2.99,
This is a product I already had in my kitchen cupboard, as I have found it really useful for getting grubby socks looking white again.
I also tested it out on some of the other common stains, and one of the things I love is just how quickly it works.
You can literally see the bubbles of the mousse breaking down the stain particles, lifting it off the fabric in the process.
Another major benefit is the ease of application - it doesn't splash anywhere, and the nozzle allows you to direct it exactly at the stain.
A downside of this one is that it's just for white clothes, as it contains bleaching agents.
And while there is a similar Ace stain remover spray for coloured clothes available, I haven't tried that one out.
When we tried it on our five stains - grass, ketchup, chocolate, strawberries and felt tip pen - it got all of them out with ease.
£8.50,
These might seem pricey, and, in all honesty, they are more than I would usually spend, at 85p a pop.
However, nothing beats these clever little wipes for convenience.
So convenient when you're out and about
Sarah Bull
If you've dressed your child in a smart outfit for an occasion, you can almost guarantee they'll get something down themselves in a matter of minutes.
But if you've got one of these wipes to hand, you needn't worry.
We tried the wipes on all five stains, and they took the edge off in all instances.
They didn't remove the stain entirely - except in the case of the grass stain.
With that one, I was able to rub the green stain gently a few times, and it disappeared - as if by magic.
And that's the perfect situation to use the wipes for - being out and about and needing to act quickly.
They aren't the product I would turn to if I had a hard to budge stain I was struggling with.
But, they're super useful and convenient if I'm out and about, and away from a washing machine.
ANY parent knows just how pricey it can be to feed the kids - especially if they're a fan of branded, expensive products. But there are a few hacks that can help save you money, as mum-of-two and Fabulous Digital Senior Reporter Sarah Bull explained:
Batch cook
This is a hack that lots of mums, including myself, swear by. One thing I like to do is batch cook a tomato sauce - hiding a load of vegetables inside, including carrots, peppers and onion. Once it's cooled, pop it into an ice cube tray to freeze. Then you can pop out the portions and bag up - ready to use for anything from a pasta sauce to a pizza base.
Home Happy meal
You'd be hard pushed to find a kid who doesn't like McDonald's. But with Happy Meals now priced at £3.89 each, it can be pricey getting them for your children - especially if you've got more than two. But why not try making your own home? Keep the packaging from your last trip to McDonald's and cook up some chicken nuggets and fries in the air fryer. Pop a budget toy in a little bag and serve with a Fruit Shoot for a budget-friendly at home Happy Meal.
Make use of leftovers
If you're savvy enough to plan things in advance, you can make use of leftovers to keep your kids sustained for another day. If you make something like pizza, for example, why not make enough for lunch the next day too? Lots of kids actually prefer cold pizza, and it's especially useful if you make packed lunches for yours.
Get the kids involved
Not specifically a budget hack, but one that I've found always helps encourage kids to eat things they haven't tried before. I've cooked things like fajitas, and put the ingredients all in different bowls, before getting the kids to make their own. While I've put out their favourites - like chicken, cheese and cucumber - I've also popped pepper and lettuce in a bowl. And, much to my delight, they both sampled that in their fajitas. What a score!
Ditch the brands
One thing that can make shopping much more expensive than it needs to be is going for branded products. We always used to be a family that swore by Heinz ketchup, refusing to go for anything else, but with the price of that shooting up, we've swapped for supermarket own brand ketchup and saved loads - especially considering how much of it we get through. If your kids are less than willing to make that swap, why not put the unbranded product in the branded product's packaging and see if they notice the difference?
£3,
This stain remover was a hit with me, largely due to the clever applicator that really allows you to work the product into the stain.
It's also packed full of plant-based, biodegradable ingredients, and is vegan and cruelty-free, so a great choice if you're trying to stick to an eco-friendly cleaning routine.
When I used it, it didn't look as though a huge amount was happening when I first applied it.
However, after a couple of minutes of using the nozzle to work the remover in, the stain started lifting.
And, once I'd washed the garment in a 30 degree wash, the stain was completely gone.
At £3 for multiple applications, this a budget-friendly option too.
£9 (for new customers as part of home bundle containing their top 6 cleaning products)
Another fantastic eco-friendly choice is Smol, who have fast made a name for themselves as one to watch in the cleaning industry, thanks to their innovative use of natural enzymes to clean instead of harsh chemicals.
Because of this, the smol stain gel is a brilliant option if you've got stains on coloured clothes - as it can remove them without removing any of the colour itself.
As with any stain, it's best to work quickly if you can, so once I'd got the stain to work with, I moistened it and then applied some of the gel directly from the pump bottle onto the stain.
I left it for a few minutes, before using my finger to gently rub it in.
I then put the garment in on a 30 degree wash, and once again the stains were completely gone - with not even a hint of where they had been.
£3.29,
If you've got stains on delicate clothes, like the tutu skirts my daughter loves wearing, then the Bio-D bar will be your new best friend.
To use as a spot stain remover, just wet the bar and rub it onto the stain.
It disappeared before my eyes - literal magic
Sarah Bull
I let it sit for a few minutes, then rinsed off - and voila, the stain was gone.
This multi-purpose product can also be used as a general laundry detergent.
Just lather the bar up in a bucket of warm water and add your laundry.
Leave it to soak for a few minutes, then rinse thoroughly.
If required, you can then use the bar as a spot remover on any stubborn marks.
As a regular social media user, I always come across different tips and life hacks online.
One such tip was to use boiling water to remove fruit stains - a clever option if your kids love strawberries as much as mine.
Just boil the kettle, hold the garment over a sink and pour the boiling water straight from the kettle onto the stain.
I couldn't believe how quickly the stain disappeared before my eyes. It was literally magic.
And what's better than a totally free way of getting rid of stains?
Another suggestion I've seen online is to harness the power of sunshine as a stain remover.
I tried this out with a ketchup stain - and left the T-shirt out on a rare sunny day.
However, much to my disappointment, this one was a total fail.
And the stain was just as prominent when I brought the top in as it was when I hung it out.
