13 Laundry Hacks for Summer Stains

by | May 30, 2017 | Trending

Get rid of all those summer stains like sunscreen, BBQ sauce, sweat & more!

Summer Stains

The summer is perfect for spending time outdoors, barbecuing with the family, and working out. However there are so many messy stains that come with the summer. From sunscreen to bug spray, wine to ice-cream, grass to blood, the summer stains are pretty much endless, but we have created this handy list of laundry hacks to help you get out all those nasty-stubborn summer stains.

1. BBQ Sauce

Removing A Barbecue Stain From Fabric– Tip via: Stain-Removal 101

  1. Scrape off any excess barbecue sauce from the fabric.
  2. Run the fabric under cold running water (not warmer water), letting the water run over the back of the stain so it does not spread it further.
  3. Pretreat the spot with liquid laundry detergent, barely rubbing it in, but more like just coating the stain, and then let it sit for several minutes.
  4. Rinse well.
  5. Use a white cloth to sponge white vinegar onto the BBQ stain, and then rinse thoroughly.
  6. Repeat steps 3-5 until you have removed as much of the spot as possible.

Image via: St Croix Cleaners

2. Sweat stains

How to remove sweat stains from shirt- Tip via: Pop Sugar

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide

Directions:

  1. Most think sweat stains are caused by sweat, but they are actually the result of a reaction between aluminum-based antiperspirants and your body. To attack the discoloration, soak the shirt in a bowl filled with the vinegar and two cups warm water. Soak for at least 20 minutes.
  2. Mix together the baking soda, salt, and hydrogen peroxide until it forms a paste. Remove the shirt from the vinegar water and gently squeeze until the shirt is just damp. Lay flat on a towel-covered work surface and coat the stains with the mixture. Hydrogen peroxide is a natural whitening agent, and baking soda and salt work together to lift the stain. Let sit for at least 20 minutes.
  3. Toss the shirt in the laundry with a load of whites and wash. Voilà! Now you can take off your jacket and raise your arms proudly without worrying about flashing nasty stains.

Image via: Cleanipedia

3. Salt Water

Don’t let the ocean water stain your car seats or furnature. Salt water removal tip via: E-How

Instructions–

  1. Vacuum the stained area well to remove any salt residue.
  2. Re-saturate the stained area with warm water. Use a towel to soak up the water. Repeat until the area is mostly dry.
  3. Inspect the stained area for traces of the saltwater stain. If you can still see the white salt residue, repeat Step 1.
  4. Pour equal parts vinegar and warm water into the spray bottle. Spray the stain generously and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Use a clean towel to blot up the vinegar-and-water solution

 

Image via: Buzzfeed

4. Suntan Lotion

How to remove sunscreen stains– Tip via: Kid Spot

The oils, colours and active ingredients in sunscreen cause stains in clothing – many of which don’t appear until after a garment is washed. Ideally, you should apply sunscreen and let it dry completely before getting dressed. If you do get it on clothing, here’s what to do.

  1. First of all, remove any excess with a spatula, blunt knife or a spoon.
  2. If any liquid remains, blot it with a dry cloth.
  3. Sprinkle the stain with bi-carb soda or cornflour to absorb any excess oils and leave for 30 minutes.
  4. Brush off any excess powder, then rub the stain with a colour-free dishwashing liquid. Leave this to absorb for five minutes.
  5. Soak in a mix of dishwashing liquid and water that’s as hot as the fabric allows for 30 minutes.
  6. Rinse the stain well with hot water.
  7. Launder as usual.
  8. For old or stubborn stains, combine bi-carb soda and water, leave to dry, then brush off and launder as usual.

Image via: Img Soup

5. Iced Tea

Tea Stain Removal From Clothing And Other Washable Fabric- Tip via: Stain-Removal 101

  1. Presoak the clothing in a solution of liquid laundry detergentand cool water (approximately 2 tablespoons of detergent to one gallon of water) for at least thirty minutes (if the tea stain is very old it may need to sit overnight).
  2. Pretreat the stain with a laundry prewash stain remover.
  3. Launder in the hottest water the fabric will allow to get out the tea stain, and eitherchlorine bleach if the fabric will allow it, or color safe bleach if not.
  4. Hint: Make sure the stain is gone after washing, but before you place it in the dryer or you may set the stain. Repeat if necessary.

Image via: My Fox Chicago

6. Foundation

How to remove foundation from clothing– Tip Via: Pop Sugar

Clean it up:

  1. Add shaving cream to the stain.
  2. Let sit for 20–30 minutes.
  3. Wash as usual.

Image via: Style Caster

7. Grass stains

Follow these 3 easy steps to remove grass stains– Tip via: Real Simple

  1. Pre-treat the grass stain- Apply a pre-wash stain removal treatment to the stain and let sit for about 15 minutes. For a more natural approach, use a solution made of one part white vinegar to two parts water.
  2. Lightly scrub your stain- Use a toothbrush (or a rag or nailbrush) to work liquid into the area.
  3. Launder with like fabrics- Finish with a wash using an enzyme detergent (most standard laundry soaps are enzyme-based), which will break down proteins and lift the stain from your garment.

Image via: Treasured Garment Restoration

8. Fruit Juice and Kool-Aid

How to remove fruit juice from fabric– Tip via: Good Housekeeping

  1. Pretreat with a heavy-duty laundry detergent.
  2. Rinse thoroughly with cool water.
  3. If the stain is still present, soak in a solution of 1/4 cup of bleach (use chlorine bleach, if safe for the fabric) and one gallon of cool water.
  4. Soak for at least 30 minutes.
  5. Launder

Image via: How to Clean Stuff

9. Rosé and Red Wine

How to remove red wine from your clothes– Tip via: Real Simple

  1. Blot the stain- Drape the stained fabric over an empty bowl, centering the stain within the rim. Using a clean, dry cloth, dab at the stain to absorb excess liquid. Don’t rub, which can set the stain.
  2. Pour cool water on stain- Be sure you cover the entire stain with water.
  3. Cover with salt- Saturate the stain with a generous amount of salt and let sit until the salt begins to absorb the stain (it will start to turn pink). The sooner salt is applied, the easier it will be to lift the stain.
  4. Boil water and pour- Slowly—and carefully—pour boiling water onto the stain from a height of about six to eight inches. Let sit until the stain lifts.
  5. Soak in vinegar mix and wash- If the stain doesn’t come out after following the steps above, soak the cloth in a solution of one part vinegar to two parts water. Once the stain lightens, launder the item as usual.  Avoid putting the cloth in the dryer until the stain is completely removed. The heat will cause the stain to set.

Image via: Everyday Life

10. Ice Cream

Here’s how to remove ice cream stains- Tip via: Housekeeping 

  1. Treat ice cream stains as soon as possible for the best results. Put the stained fabric into cold water for 5-10 minutes or longer if the stain is dried. Avoid hot water which will set a protein stain.
  2. If you can still see any remains of the stain, rub detergent into the stained area and soak in room temperature water for 1/2 an hour. Rub the stain gently every 3-5 minutes.
  3. After rinsing the clothing, add a stain remover stick, gel, or spray to the stained area. Allow it to sit for 7-10 minutes.
  4. Repeat the soaking and stain remover steps until no ice cream is left in the clothing. You want to be sure, because once the fabric is dried it will be nearly impossible to remove the stain. Wash the clothing according to the fabric directions.
  5. For Dried Stains: Remove as much of the stain as possible using a spoon or dull knife. There is no need to have any extra ice cream to remove above what is soaked into the fabric.
  6. Rub liquid laundry detergent into the stained area, and allow the stain to soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
  7. In order to allow the liquid detergent to fully penetrate the stain, gently rub the stained area between your fingers every 3-5 minutes.
  8. Now that you’ve gone above and beyond for a dried stain, repeat the steps listed above for fresh stains.

Image via: Mega Sennik

11. Dirt and mud

How to remove dirt and mud stains– Tip via: How to Clean Stuff

What You Will Need-

  • Plastic knife or plastic spoon
  • Small nail brush or toothbrush
  • Liquid dish soap (such as Dawn or Ajax), or laundry pre-treatment product (such as Shout or OxiClean)
  • Washer
  • Laundry detergent
  • Bleach (optional, depending on whether the soiled clothes can tolerate bleach)

Steps-

  1. If the stain is wet mud (as opposed to dried dirt), allow the mud to dry completely. DO NOT attempt to wipe away mud that is wet or damp as this will spread the stain and possibly grind it into the fabric fibers.
  2. When the mud is dry, gently scrape off the excess with the plastic knife or spoon, being careful not to grind the dirt into the fabric.
  3. Gently brush at the dirt/dried mud with small brush or toothbrush.
  4. Put a few drops of liquid dish soap onto the stain, and rub it into the stain with your thumb and forefinger.
  5. Add a drop or two of water to the detergent/stain spot and briskly rub with brush or toothbrush on BOTH sides of the fabric, using circular motions.
  6. You may need to repeat these steps several times before the stain is completely gone.
  7. In the alternative, treat the stain with laundry pre-treatment product of your choice, as per the directions on the package.
  8. Wash the garment following all care guidelines on the tag.
  9. When cycle is completely finished, check the clothes carefully for any sign of the stain. If the stain remains, repeat steps 4-8. NEVER dry clothes in a dryer if a stain remains as this will set the stain, which will then be nearly impossible to remove.

Image via: The Gemini Geek

12. Blood

How to remove blood stains from clothes– Tip via: Real Simple

  1. Wet the stain with cold water- If the stain is fresh and still wet, soak fabric in cold water immediately.
  2. Rub with soap- Rub the stain well with a bar of soap, lathering gently. For light-colored fabrics, dab with a hydrogen peroxide, which acts as bleach.
  3. Re-soak the stain with a pre-treatment stain remover- If the stain has already dried, spray with stain-removal solution. Let it soak in.
  4. Dab on diluted ammonia- Apply a small amount of diluted ammonia to the area with a cotton swab.
  5. Launder fabric- Machine-wash the fabric using an enzyme detergent (most standard laundry soaps are enzyme-based), which breaks down protein stains. Make sure the blood has lifted before putting fabric in the dryer, as the heat will set the stain.

Image via: Wiki How

13. Grease

How To Remove Grease Stains– Tip via: The Kitchn

What You Need–

  • Petroleum-based liquid dish detergent
  • Washing machine

Instructions-

  1. Cut the grease: Apply the dish detergent directly to the grease stain.
  2. Rub in: Rub the detergent in to saturate affected area, and let it sit for a few minutes.
  3. Wash: Wash the garment as instructed on garment label.
  4. Enjoy new, revived duds: Rejoice in victory over grease stains and enjoy wearing your clothes stain-free once again.

Image via: Mom Venture

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