Save Money by Saving Your Clothes

Like many of you with children, I spend a large amount of time trying to get stains out of clothes (last night my middle child and his friends were literally rolling down a muddy hill for “fun”).  Of course, there are also the times when I lose my ability to eat and have the spaghetti stain on the new white shirt.  Or how my children like to wait until I have my coffee halfway to my mouth before they jump on my lap.

With just a few simple steps, most stains can be removed and you can save yourself from needing to replace that white turtleneck!

CANDLE WAX: First, gently scrape off excess wax. If the wax is still soft, freeze the garment to harden the wax and then begin scraping. Spray the stain with a pre-wash stain remover. Placing the stained garment between clean paper towels, press with a warm iron to transfer the wax onto the paper towels. Replace the paper towels as necessary to absorb more wax, and also to prevent transferring the stain to other places on the fabric. Wash the item. If the stain still remains, spray with a pre-wash stain remover, and rewash, being sure to follow care label instructions for the safe use of bleach. Dry only after the stain has been removed.

CATSUP – Apply a pre-treater to the stain. Use an eyedropper and diluted white vinegar (equal parts water and vinegar) to bleach any remaining stain. Finish with a regular wash cycle.

COFFEE – Begin by sponging the stain with cold water and pretreat with a stain remover product. Next, create a soak solution (1/2 the amount of liquid detergent for a full load, per gallon of water). Soak the item for 30 minutes. Following the soak, wash the item in warm water with a detergent and air dry. Repeat if necessary.

GRASS - Begin by soaking the garment for 30 minutes in a bucket or sink with a solution of ½ the recommended amount of detergent (powder detergents work best on grass stains) mixed with one gallon warm water. Weigh the garment down with a white cotton towel to ensure the whole garment stays in the solution. Then launder in the washing machine according to the detergent manufacturer’s instructions. Air dry and repeat if necessary.

INK – Use a pretreatment stain solution to spray the stained area liberally. Allow the solution to soak in, then check the garment care label to launder according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If the ink stain has not been completely removed, repeat the process before drying; otherwise, the ink stain will set into the garment, becoming permanent.

MARINARA SAUCE – Presoak the stained garment in a bowl with a small amount of liquid detergent and a gallon of water. Place a cotton towel on top of the garment to keep it submerged, and allow it to soak for 30 minutes. Check the care label and follow the recommended laundering procedure. If the stain still remains, repeat the laundering procedure before drying.

MUD – Remove as much mud as you can with a soft bristle brush. Rinse item in cold water to dilute remaining mud. Next, wash the garment in warm water with the full amount of detergent per volume of water recommended by the detergent manufacturer. If the stain is not completely removed, try a rust remover product following the manufacturer’s instructions.

PERSPIRATION – For new stains, pre-treat with a liquid detergent and wash as normal. If the stain does not come out, sponge the area with a solution of one tablespoon ammonia and ½ cup water. For older stains, sponge area with one tablespoon white vinegar and ½ cup water. Wash items with a bleach-free detergent in warm water.

For more information on stain removal, check out this video!