This is a featured article
It is inevitable that some clothes are going to become stained. There are many ways in which this can happen, from exercising hard to spilling the red wine.
Stains are part of life, and even more so if you have a family. Living in the modern world is stressful, and that alone can create sweat stains. Plus, children often have little concern with dirt, resulting in grass stains, food stains, or even the stains on their sleeves as they wipe their nose for the twentieth time.
The challenge is to get these stains out instead of throwing the clothes away, but this can be challenging. You can’t just throw it in the machine and hope for the best. There are several things you need to consider first.
Dealing with the stains of family life
The Material
There’s a big difference between a cotton shirt, a polyester one, and your favorite silk shirt. Cotton is generally considered to be the easiest material to wash and remove stains. Simply throw it in the washing machine. White cotton clothing can be washed in hot water but colors should be done at no more than 86°F (30° C) to avoid them running.
In contrast, denim should only be washed on a low temperature and there are many fabrics that should only ever be dry-cleaned. Equally, polyester is pretty flexible in the machine, although lower temperatures are better. But, silk needs mild temperatures and detergents.
It can be complicated to figure out what’s best, but the general rule is that you can put MOST items in the machine.
The Washing Solution
Before you wash, it is important to consider the detergent you are intending on using. There are 2 criteria that are important:
- Material -As mentioned above, the material your clothing is made from will affect the temperature and method of washing it. But, you also need to consider getting a laundry solution that will be gentle on the clothes, while effectively removing the stain.
- Environment –
- Equally, many commercial laundry cleaners are actually damaging to the environment, as well as your clothes. It is essential to choose a detergent that will look after your clothes and the environment while removing stains.
Don’t Let the Stain Set
Perhaps the most important step in removing those unwanted stains is by preventing them from setting. When a stain sets it is effectively bonding with your material. This is likely to make it permanent as the discoloration will be combined with the fibers of your garment.
If you have nothing else to hand then immediately dilute the stain with water. This will loosen its ability to set. It is important not to put pressure on the stain, gently dab it and allow the water or solvent to absorb into the stain. It is also essential not to apply heat to it as this will speed up the setting process.
Ideally, you should keep a selection of environmentally friendly solvents at home, which are suitable for removing stains from different types of clothing. This will allow you to follow the appropriate instructions and get rid of the stain quickly.
No Comments