Kids come home wearing the messes of the day. Taco Tuesday gone terribly wrong. Sliding into home … and mud. A painting party gone splatteringly well. Stains can strike anywhere, anytime, with causes ranging from ketchup-y fries in the cafeteria to grass stains on the soccer field. In this guide, we’ll provide a few quick tips on how to get stains out of clothes.
When a stain comes home from school, whether it’s mud, blood, or fruit juice, spot-cleaning is your friend. Don’t just throw the clothing into the wash; that could make the stain harder to remove. The washing machine will get its turn, but spot-cleaning always comes first.
What you should have on hand
You probably already have most of the cleaning supplies on this list, either in the laundry room, the medicine cabinet or under the kitchen sink. If you’re missing something, put it on your shopping list. You never know when you’ll need it!
- Distilled white vinegar
- Rubbing alcohol
- Distilled water
- Oxygen bleach (Oxiclean, for example)
- Ammonia
- Laundry detergent
- Stain remover
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Aerosol hairspray
- Cotton swabs
- Soft-bristled brush
- Soaking tub
Common clothing stains and how to remove them
Kids get messy. Always have and always will. As parents, we love to see them dive into a project or game with their whole selves. Our job is the clean-up! In the spirit of the fun kids have and the messes they make, here are a few common stains and how to remove them.
How to remove grass stains:
Did you know that what makes grass so green – chlorophyll - is strong enough to be used as a fabric dye? It’s no wonder that grass-streaked knees and elbows are some of the toughest stains to treat. Spot-clean grass streaks with either a stain remover or laundry detergent. Work it into fabric using your fingers or a softly bristled brush, then wash. For persistent stains, soak overnight in a solution of oxygen bleach and cool water, then wash.
How to remove ink and paint stains:
Pens are for journaling, book reports, and spelling tests. They’re also good for doodling on sleeves and pant legs. To be fair, sometimes pens leak, too. To treat pen ink stains, spray with hairspray, then blot the stain with a damp rag (don’t rub!). Repeat as needed, then wash in the laundry. If it’s permanent ink, place a paper towel behind the stained area, dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol, then carefully draw the ink away from the outside edge toward the center. Replace both swab and paper towel as they get saturated.
For water-soluble paints, rinse the area in warm water, then launder. For oil-based paints, try a paint-specific thinner or turpentine. Then rinse and throw in the wash.
How to remove food stains:
From overly squeezy ketchup packs to melt-in-your-pocket chocolates, food doesn’t only end up in kids’ tummies. And while clothing doesn’t make a good napkin, it does sometimes make an easy one.
Different food stains call for different solutions. For juice stains, soak the clothing in cold water for 30 minutes, treat lightly with distilled white vinegar, then let it sit for a bit. If the stain is from berries, pour boiling water over it (assuming it’s safe for the fabric), then lightly dab with vinegar and soak in cold water before washing.
Scrub chocolate stains with ammonia, then wash as normal. Hit a ketchup stain with liquid laundry detergent and a cold water soak before laundering. Scrape off excess egg particles, soak in cold water, then throw in the wash.
For chewing gum (is that even food?), put the garment into a freezer bag, then freeze for an hour. Once it has hardened, either peel or carefully scrape the frozen gum off the fabric.
Got other food stains? Check here for treatment tips.
How to remove mud stains:
What kid can resist kneeling down in some squishy mud and looking for cool rocks or other muddy treasures? Okay, maybe some kids can resist, but mud stains still happen. Wet the muddy area, then apply liquid detergent directly and scrub with a softly bristled brush. Repeat if it’s really caked in.
How to remove grease stains:
Bicycle chains are covered with grease and love to rub against clean pant cuffs. If and when this happens to your kiddo, a 50/50 vinegar and distilled water solution applied liberally, then treated with laundry soap and water, should do the trick. Make sure the grease stain is fully gone before using the clothes dryer.
How to remove pet stains:
Pets are part of the family, but we sure wish they’d do all their business outside. For pet stains, add a cup of white vinegar to the laundry and wash with heavy-duty detergent on hot. For old stains, soak the clothing overnight in a solution of cool distilled water plus 2 cups of white vinegar, then wash. Line dry outdoors (if possible) to help remove the odor.
How to remove blood stains:
Childhood would be incomplete without the occasional paper cut, scraped knee or bloody nose. For blood stains, rinse as soon as possible under cold water (never hot, which can bake the stain into the fabric) and use a soft bristled brush. Directly apply stain remover or liquid laundry detergent, set for 15 minutes, then wash the clothing in cold water. If the stain persists, soak for 4 hours in a solution of oxygen bleach and water before another wash.
You can also soak the clothing in a solution of 2 tablespoons of ammonia per gallon of cold water, then wash in cold water using an enzyme-based detergent to help break down blood proteins.
When your child comes home with stained school clothes, never fear! There’s almost always a way to successfully treat stains and make your kids’ clothing shine again.
