Jelly is a tasty and refreshing dessert. Just one bite of is enough to make us want to have more and more. As fun it is to eat, it’s not so fun to clean up once jelly drips on your clothing. It can be quite the wobble! However, don’t let alarm bells ring just yet because with a few tips and tricks, you can remove jelly stains from your clothes.
Fruit and berry stains are a common occurrence. Whether you’re dealing with a spilled berry smoothie or a splash of fruit juice, these stains can leave unsightly marks on clothes, linens, and tablecloths. However, with the right techniques and a little know-how, you can easily tackle these stains and keep your clothes looking fresh and stain-free. In this guide, we’ll walk you through step-by-step instructions on how to remove fruit and berry stains.
Whether it’s fresh tomato in a salad, tomato sauce in a burger, or tomato paste in a pasta dish, tomato is a delicious and diverse fruit. If you spill it on yourself, these simple steps will help lift the stain in no time.
Fresh tomatoes are pesky so don’t be surprised when you cut into one and its juices fly onto your clothes. Don’t panic though, because fresh tomato stains are incredibly easy to remove.
To begin removing your fresh tomato stain rinse the stained area with cold water. This will help push out as much of the stain as possible and begin loosening the remaining stain from your clothes’ fibers. Make sure that you are using cold water to rinse the stained area as anything warmer will set the stain into your clothing.
Once you have rinsed as much of the stain away as possible, dampen a clean cloth with cold water and apply a small amount of dish soap to it. Dab your stain with the soapy cloth, making sure that you are dabbing and not rubbing. Continue dabbing until a strong amount of dish soap has been transferred to your stain.
Next, use your fingers to work the dish soap into your stain. Be firm but not rough whilst doing this as the aim is to penetrate the stain with the soap not cause damage to your garments’ fibers.
Once you are satisfied that the dish soap has been adequately worked into your stain, rinse it off with cool water. As soon as you have rinsed off all of the soap, launder your clothing as you usually would. When your clothing has been washed, check to see if the stain has been lifted. If it has, then you can dry your garment, but if it hasn’t then you must repeat the stain removal process.
Dried tomato stains are slightly trickier to remove because they have already set into the fibers of your garment. They aren’t impossible to remove though.
To begin removing a dried tomato stain rinse the stained area with cold water. Before you begin rinsing your stain, turn your garment inside out so that you are rinsing it from the back. This will help the water to penetrate the back of the stain directly, loosening and removing it from your garment.
Once you have rinsed your stained area, apply a small amount of laundry detergent directly to the stain and leave it to sit for 15 minutes. During this time, the laundry detergent will penetrate the dried tomato stain and begin to loosen it from the fibers of your clothing.
After 15 minutes have passed, take an ice cube and rub it over the stain for roughly 1 minute. The ice cube will help to work the detergent further into your stain. By the time the ice has melted it should look like your stain has completely, or at least partially, disappeared.
Once your ice cube has melted, use a clean cloth to gently dab at the area, allowing you to better see if there is any remaining stain. If there is a stain remaining, spray the area with vinegar and blot at it with a cloth. Continue doing this until the stain has completely lifted.
Finally, launder your garment as usual and dry.
Tomato sauce makes pasta delicious but won’t make your clothing taste any better. When you notice a tomato sauce stain, act quickly for the best results.
To begin removing your tomato sauce stain use a spoon to scrape as much of the sauce from your garment as possible. Be careful when doing this as you don’t want to push the stain further into the fibers of your clothing, or spread the sauce to other areas of your garment.
After you have removed as much of the sauce as possible, make a paste from 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1-2 teaspoons of cold water. Once you have made your paste, lay it directly over your stain and use a toothbrush, or your fingers, to rub it in. Make sure that you are rubbing hard enough for the paste to penetrate your stain, but not too hard to damage the fibers of your garment. After rubbing the paste into the tomato sauce stain, leave it to sit for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, rinse the paste from the stain using cold water. Make sure that you are rinsing from the back as this will aid in loosening and removing the stain from your clothing. Continue rinsing until all of the paste has been removed.
Next, work in a drop of dish soap with your fingers. Dish soap is particularly good at tackling greasy stains, so it will help to lift the remaining stain not reached by the laundry detergent.
Once you have adequately worked the dish soap into your stain, launder your item as you usually would. When your clothing is cleaned, check that your stain has been removed. If it has, you can continue to dry your garment, but if it has not then you will have to repeat the stain removal process.
The best way to lift a stain is by letting Laundryheap lift it for you. To book your Laundryheap order today head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app.
When we stain our clothes we go into panic mode. We want to get the stain out as fast as possible and in the easiest way. This, however, can lead to us making the situation much worse. These are some of the most common stain removal faux pas to avoid.
Although tempting, the worst thing to do when you notice a stain is to leave it. The longer you put off pre-treating a stain the more it will set into the fibres of your garment, making it much more difficult to remove when you do get round to lifting it. Instead, as soon as you notice a stain, treat it. This will save you a lot of time and effort.
One of the worst things to do when treating a stain is to rub rather than blot it. Regardless of what the stain is, rubbing will only set it further into the fibres of your clothing, making it more difficult to remove. Blotting, on the other hand, gently lifts as much of the loose stain as possible without forcing it into your garment.
As a rule of thumb, never use hot, or even warm, water on a stain. Hot and warm water will only cook your stain into your clothing, making it much harder to remove. If your stain is protein-based, such as milk, hot water will curdle the protein and make it near impossible to lift. Instead, use cold water to flush out and soak stains, unless it is specifically mentioned that hot water should be used.
If you don’t spot test before using any stain removal product then you risk permanently staining your garment. A spot test is when you apply a small amount of the stain remover to a hidden area on your garment, such as an inside seam, to test if it will cause any permanent damage, such as bleaching, to your item. It is a fool-proof way to avoid causing damage in the stain removal process.
It may seem logical to use as much stain remover as possible to lift your stain, but the opposite is in fact true. Using a lot of stain remover on one small stain can cause irreversible damage to your clothing, and may not even lift the stain. Instead, use the suggested amount of remover and complete the full stain removal process. If this doesn’t work continue repeating the process until your stain is lifted.
Bleach is a very powerful cleaning agent and can be very effective at removing stains. That being said, it can also cause lasting damage to your garment. Before attempting to lift your stain using bleach first look for alternative methods that use less harmful products. If you can’t find any alternative treatments, make sure that bleach is the safest option for your clothing- this is especially important if your stain is on coloured clothing. Finally, if bleach is safe to use on your stained garment, only use a small amount. Bleach is incredibly powerful and only a small amount is necessary to lift stains.
Once you have completed a stain removal treatment and washed your garment, check that the stain has been completely removed before drying your item. If your stain has not been removed you need to repeat the stain removal process. Drying your garment will only cause the remainder of your stain to set further into the fibres of your clothing, making it harder to lift.
The easiest way to remove stains, and avoid making any stain removal faux pas, is by letting Laundryheap take care of your stained items for you. Book your Laundryheap order today by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app.
The best way to remove stains is to pre-treat them. If you don’t have any pre-treatment products, pre-treat your stains with these alternatives.
Baking soda is particularly useful at pre-treating odorous wet stains, such as coffee. The powdery consistency sucks up the wetness of the stain, whilst absorbing the odour, leaving your clothing with an odourless and smaller stain. Make sure to always brush off the baking soda before washing your garment. Alternatively, you can make a baking soda paste by mixing two parts baking soda with one part water. Spreading the paste over your stain will help to loosen it from the fibres of your clothing.
The natural acidity in lemon and lime acts as a natural bleaching agent. Squeezing lemon or lime juice directly over the stain will begin bleaching it, making the stain lighter and easier to remove in the wash. Be warned that using lemon or lime juice on coloured clothing may cause discolouration, so use with caution or only on white clothing. It is particularly effective on yellow underarm and rust stains.
Similarly to lemon and lime, hydrogen peroxide is a natural bleaching agent. Simply pour or spray a small amount of the solution on to your stain, and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. The hydrogen peroxide will begin to break down and lift your stain, making it easier for it to be completely lifted in the wash. After 10 minutes, wash your garment as you usually would, and observe as your clothing becomes completely stain-free.
If you have an oily or greasy stain, immediately sprinkle corn starch over it. Make sure that your stain is completely covered by the corn starch, and leave it to sit for at least 10 minutes. The small particles that make up the corn starch will begin absorbing the stain, lifting it from your garment. If you catch your stain quick enough, the corn starch alone may be enough to lift your stain completely. If not, wash your item as you usually would.
Salt works in a similar way to corn starch, particularly on red wine stains. The particles that make up the salt absorb the stain, leaving a smaller and more manageable stain behind. Sprinkle your red wine stain with a liberal amount of salt, the cheaper the better, and leave it to sit for at least 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, brush the salt from your garment and observe whether your stain has reduced in size and become lighter. If not, you may want to apply more salt and leave it for longer.
Dish soap is manufactured to tackle greasy and oily substances. To remove stains using dish soap, squirt a small amount directly onto the stain, and use your fingers, or a soft-bristled brush, to rub it in. Leave it to sit for 10 minutes, before rinsing it from your stain, and washing as you usually would.
Laundry detergent is specially formulated to lift dirt from clothing, which makes it a great pre-treatment. You can use laundry detergent in the same way as you would use dish soap. Rub a small amount directly onto your stain, leave it to sit for 10 minutes, and then rinse it from your garment. It’s best, and easiest, to use liquid laundry detergent. Alternatively, you can make a paste from powdered laundry detergent and water which you can spread directly onto your stain.
The best way to treat any stain is to let us do it for you. Book your Laundryheap order by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app.
Whether you have scraped your knee or accidentally cut yourself, blood stains are notorious for being difficult to remove. Follow these two methods, and find out how easy it can be to remove blood stains.
As with most stains, it’s easier to remove blood stains when they are fresh.
To remove a fresh blood stain you will need:
Begin removing your stain by flushing it with cold water. Make sure that you’re using cold rather than hot water as hot water will only set your stain further into your clothing.
Once you are satisfied that you have removed as much of the blood as possible via flushing, pour a small amount of washing-up liquid on the stain and gently work it in with your fingers. Be wary of being too rough with your fabric as this can damage the fibers of your clothing and cause the stain to set further into your item.
After working your washing up liquid into your stain, rinse it off with cold water. If you can still see your stain, add more washing up liquid and repeat the process.
When you are satisfied that your stain has been lifted, wash your garment as you usually would. Before drying your item, check that your stain has been completely removed. If it hasn’t, repeat the whole process.
Unfortunately, dried blood stains are a lot harder to remove than fresh blood because they have already set into the fibres of your garment. That does not, however, make them completely impossible to remove.
To remove a dried blood stain you will need:
To begin removing your dried blood stain use a blunt knife to scrape off as much of the blood as possible. Be careful that you don’t push too hard whilst scraping as this can cause rips in your garment.
Once you are satisfied that you have removed as much of the dried blood as possible, apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide directly on top of the stain. Before putting the peroxide on your stain, test it first on an unseen area of your garment, such as an inside seam. Hydrogen peroxide can cause discoloration on certain clothing items, so it’s best to check its effect on your stained item before placing it directly on your stain.
Leave your hydrogen peroxide for 5 minutes, before using a paper towel to blot at it. You should notice your stain lifting from your garment and transferring on onto your paper towel. Be careful when blotting that you don’t push too hard as this could push the hydrogen peroxide and blood further into the fibers of your clothing.
When you have lifted the majority of your hydrogen peroxide, and, subsequently, your stain, use a clean and damp cloth to gently rub the remaining stain until it has completely lifted.
Finally, rinse the remaining hydrogen peroxide off of your garment using cold water. After this, wash your stained item as you usually would. If, after washing, your stain remains, repeat the process.
The best way to guarantee the removal of any stain is by letting us lift it for you. Book your Laundryheap order by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app.
Mouthwash is very effective at freshening breath, reducing tooth decay, and whitening teeth. If you happen to dribble some on your clothing, follow these simple steps as quickly as possible to remove the stain.
Begin removing your stain by lifting any excess mouthwash from your garment. To do this, turn your item inside out and place the stained area under a cold running tap. This will help to flush out any lingering mouthwash and should make the stain easier to lift. Make sure that your tap is cold before placing your stain under it, as hot water will only set the stain further into your garment.
Next, pre-treat your stain using liquid laundry detergent. Simply pour a small dose of detergent directly on top of your stain, and leave it to soak for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, gently rub the liquid laundry detergent with a soft-bristled brush to loosen it, and leave it to soak for a further 15 minutes.
After pre-treating your stain, check your garments care label and use the hottest wash setting applicable. Don’t rinse the pre-treatment liquid laundry detergent from your garment before washing it, as it will help with the final removal of your stain.
Once your cycle has finished, take your garment out and fully check whether your stain has been lifted. If your stain remains on your item, repeat the previous steps. If your stain has been removed, you can proceed to the drying process.
You can dry your garment using a tumble dryer or by air drying. If your item has remnants of a mouthwash stain and is white, placing your garment to dry in direct sunlight can help lift the remaining stain.
Once your item has dried, and you are satisfied that your mouthwash stain has been removed, put your garment away, ready to re-wear.
If you have stained an item of clothing and you are not confident with how to remove it, simply book a Laundryheap service and we will remove it for you. When you make your booking, let us know what item is stained, where, and what the stain is, and we will do everything to lift the stain and re-deliver fresh, stain-free, clothing to you.
To book your Laundryheap service, simply head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app.
Gardening, by nature, is a messy task to undertake. That, however, does not mean that your clothing has to be permanently stained by it.
Kneeling in the grass for a long period of time will leave you with a stubborn green stain.
To remove grass stains you will need…
Begin the grass stain removal process by soaking your garment in cold water for 15 minutes. The cold water will soften the stain, and make it easier to lift. Make sure that your water is cold, as hot water will only set the stain further into your clothing.
After 15 minutes, use your hands to rub laundry detergent directly onto your stain. You can use liquid detergent for this, however, powder detergent is particularly effective at removing stubborn outdoor stains.
Once you are satisfied that you have adequately rubbed your detergent into the stain, wash your item as you usually would.
If your stain has not been completely lifted after washing, you may want to consider repeating the process or using rubbing alcohol or hairspray on your stain. The alcohol found in these products breaks down the green pigments in grass stains.
If you are using rubbing alcohol, dab a small amount onto a clean cloth, and gently sponge it over your stain. When you see the colour lifting, rinse your garment in cold water and continue with the usual removal process.
To use hairspray, spray a liberal amount over your stain and wait for it to completely dry. Once it has dried, used a soft-bristled brush, such as a toothbrush, to scrub at your stain. When you notice the colour begin to fade, flush out the hairspray with cold water, and continue with the usual stain removal process.
When it comes to gardening, mud is unavoidable. Luckily, mud stains can be easily removed.
To remove mud stains you will need…
Before beginning the removal process, first, check that the mud is completely dry. Do not attempt to remove wet or damp mud as your stain will only spread.
When your mud has dried, use a butter knife or spoon to gently lift as much of the mud from your clothing as possible. Be careful when doing this as you don’t want to cause rips in your clothing, or set the mud deeper into the fibers of your garment.
Once you are satisfied with the amount of mud that you have lifted, use a soft-bristled brush, such as a toothbrush, to gently rub your stain. This will help to loosen the mud that has set into your clothing.
After carefully brushing your stain, pour a small amount of liquid dish soap over the stain, and rub it in using your fingers. Make sure that the soap completely covers your stain, and is well worked in.
Add a small amount of water to your soap, just enough to make it damp, and use your soft-bristled brush to rub over it. Use a circular motion, and brush both sides of your item to ensure that you are adequately working the soap in. Be careful to not rub too hard, as this can cause damage to your garment. Repeat these steps as many times as is necessary for the stain to lighten in colour.
Once you are satisfied that your stain has lightened in colour, wash your garment as you usually would. If, after washing, you notice that your stain has not been completely removed, repeat the process.
Flowers are a beautiful addition to any garden, but their pollen can easily stain clothing.
To remove pollen stains you will need…
To begin removing your pollen stain, first shake off any lingering pollen. Make sure to do this outdoors and holding the stained area face-down. You don’t want to risk the pollen staining any other clothing.
After removing any lingering pollen, take a long strip of masking tape and wrap it around your fingers, sticky side out. Gently press your tape-covered fingers on top of the pollen stain, and pull them back. As you lift your fingers, the pollen will stick to the tape and be removed from your clothing. You may need to repeat this step a few times to notice a significant difference.
Once you are satisfied with the amount of pollen removed with the masking tape, hold your stained item under a cold running tap to flush-out the stain. Make sure that your tap is cold, as hot water will only set your stain further into your garment. When you’ve removed as much of the stain as possible, soak your stain in cold water for a further 30 minutes. Each time you flush and soak your clothing, more of the pollen is encouraged to detach so it is advised to repeat this step as many times as necessary.
Next, cover your stain in a stain remover of your choice. This is the final step before washing and the stain remover will loosen any stubborn pollen particles. Leave your stain remover to penetrate your clothes fibres for 10 minutes, before washing your garment as you usually would.
If your pollen stain persists after washing, repeat the process.
Rust appears when iron is exposed to oxygen and moisture over a long period of time. It is not uncommon to find rust on garden furniture, plant pots, or gardening tools.
To remove rust stains you will need…
When a rust stain occurs, the first thing you need to do is pre-treat the stain. There are several ways you can pre-treat your stain, the first of which is to use table salt and lemon juice. Begin by sprinkling salt directly on to your rust stain. Make sure that the whole stain is covered by the salt. Next, squeeze a liberal amount of fresh lemon juice over the salt. Finally, lay your garment on a flat surface, in direct sunlight. The rays from the sun will help speed up the chemical reaction of the salt and lemon juice, thus speeding up the pre-treatment of your stain.
An alternative pre-treatment to salt and lemon juice is to create a paste from cream of tartar, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide. To make this paste, combine one teaspoon of cream of tartar, one teaspoon of baking soda, and a few drops of hydrogen peroxide. Stir your ingredients together until a paste is formed. Once your paste has formed, apply it directly to the stain, making sure that it covers the entirety of it. Leave your paste for 30 minutes, before thoroughly rinsing it from your garment.
Once you have pre-treated your rust stain using one of these two methods, wash your item as you usually would. If, after washing, you notice that your stain has not been removed, repeat the process, or try using the alternative pre-treatment method.
When you are out in the garden for long periods of time, it’s important to regularly apply sun cream to prevent yourself from getting burnt.
To remove suncream stains you will need…
To begin removing your sun cream stain, apply heavy-duty liquid detergent directly on to your stain. Make sure that you use enough to cover the whole of your stain.
Using a soft-bristled brush, or your fingers, work your liquid detergent into your stain. The detergent contains enzymes that will break down the oils in your sun cream, and make it easier to be removed from your fabric. After working in your detergent, allow your garment to sit and absorb the detergent for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, wash your clothing as you usually would. If you notice that your stain has not been lifted, repeat the process.
If you’re struggling to remove stains from your clothing, book a Laundryheap service and let us remove them for you. To book your Laundryheap service, simply head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app.
If you’ve managed to get grease on your clothing, don’t panic. Try these quick and easy methods to remove the stain immediately. Remember, it’s always best to treat a grease stain as soon as possible to have the best chance of removal.
For this method you will need:
Begin by laying your stained item on a flat, clean, surface. Next, pour a generous amount of liquid soap over the stain, until it is completely covered. Use a toothbrush, or an alternative brush with soft bristles, to scrub the grease stain in a circular motion. Scrub your stain for 5-10 minutes, adding more liquid soap if it’s needed. Once you have completed your scrubbing, leave your garment to rest for 30 minutes. Finally, wash your clothing using the highest temperature your items care label advises. If, after your wash has been completed, your item is still stained, repeat the process.
For this method you will need:
Baby powder, chalk, and corn-starch are all fine powders that can fill the crevices in the fibres that make up your clothing, and absorb the grease.
To begin this method, sprinkle your chosen powder directly over your grease stain, making sure that the whole stain is covered. Leave your powder to rest for 10-15 minutes so that it has an ample amount of time to completely absorb the grease. After 10-15 minutes, use a toothbrush, or alternative soft-bristled brush, to remove all of the powder. Finally, wash your garment using a cold water setting. If the stain has not been completely removed, repeat the process.
For this metod you will need:
If you have managed to get grease on a thick fabric, such as denim, making a salt and rubbing alcohol solution is the best way forward. To make your solution, mix together one part salt with three parts rubbing alcohol. Pour your solution directly onto your grease stain, and use a clean soft cloth to rub the liquid into the fibres of your stained clothing. Once you are satisfied that your solution has been adequately rubbed in, leave it to soak for 10-15 minutes. After 10-15 minutes, wash your item has you usually would. If the stain remains, repeat the process.
For this method you will need:
If you have a grease stain that refuses to come out, you could buy dry cleaning solvent. Typically, these solvents will be spray-on or iron-on liquids that can be applied directly to the stain before washing. These should instantly remove your stain, but, be warned, they can be quite costly.
For this method you will need:
When it comes to removing stains, it’s always best to leave it to the professionals to take care of. When you book your Laundryheap service, simply let us know which clothing item(s) is stained and where the stain(s) is. We will take the upmost care to remove the stain(s) in the best way possible, and return your clothing clean, fresh, and stain-free.
To book your Laundryheap service, simply head to the Laundryheap website, or download the free Laundryheap app.
Christmas is a time for giving, sharing, and being with those you love. Unfortunately, this can lead to stained clothing. Don’t worry though, because this is your guide to removing Christmas stains.
Mulled wine is the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit, so don’t let a mulled wine stain stop you from having a holly jolly Christmas. As soon as you spot the stain, dampen the area with a small amount of water. Using paper towels, or a clean, dry, cloth, gently dab at the stain, making sure to not rub it. Once the stain begins to lighten and lift, put your item into the washing machine and wash as per the care label instructions.
Don’t despair if you spill milk down yourself whilst leaving it out for Santa. Begin by blotting the stain with a clean cloth or napkin. Next, mix two cups of cold water with one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid and one tablespoon of baking soda. Rub this mixture into the milk stain using your fingers or a soft brush. Once your stain has been covered by the mixture, rinse it with cold water. If you can still see the milk stain, repeat the process again.
You can’t have a Christmas dinner without turkey, accompanied by lashings of cranberry sauce. Unfortunately, it is very easy to get over excited, and end up with a large cranberry sauce stain right down the middle of your Christmas outfit. If this does happen, act quickly as it is easier to get a wet stain out than a dry one.
Start by scrapping away the excess cranberry sauce with the back of a spoon or a dry, clean, cloth. Try and avoid spreading the stain. Once all of the excess cranberry sauce has been removed, flush the stain with a constant stream of cold water, making sure that the back of the stain is facing the flow of water. You should begin to notice your stain becoming lighter in colour. Next, rub a small amount of laundry detergent directly onto the stain, and wash your garment as normal.
If you can’t indulge yourself at Christmas, then when can you? If you accidentally smear chocolate on your outfit, simply begin removing the stain by using a knife or spoon to lift the excess chocolate. Next, turn your garment inside out and run a constant stream of cold water through the stain. This will help loosen the stain from the fibres of your clothing. Once you’ve loosened your stain, lather it with laundry detergent, and leave it to soak for 30 minutes in cold water. Finally, wash your item as per the instructions on its care label.
On Christmas Day, you can finally eat those candy canes that have been tempting you from the Christmas tree all month. Candy canes are not necessarily the easiest candy to eat, and when you bite into one, it is easy for them to shatter into small shards. If these shads end up stuck on your clothing, begin by filling a zip lock bag with ice and applying it directly onto the stain. This will cause the shard to stiffen and become easier to remove. When it has become hard, simply pull the shard away from your clothing, being careful not to rip your item.
To treat the stain left behind, dip a clean, dry, cloth in white vinegar and blot the stain. Once it has become damp with white vinegar, leave it to sit for 15 minutes before rinsing it with water and blotting it dry.
Don’t let stains ruin your Christmas. If there are any stains on your clothing that you can’t remove, give them to us. We will pick-up, dry clean, and re-deliver your clothing back to you, stain free, within 24 hours.
To book your Laundryheap service, head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app.
Merry Christmas, from the Laundryheap family.
