How to remove difficult stains from clothes
Clothes with white or light-colored areas are difficult to get completely clean. If the white or light areas become so dirty that it cannot be removed in a regular wash, the clothes look grimy and old. Here we show you how to easily remove dirt from heavy outerwear.
Watch the clip below and we will explain how to do it. The stains on these clothes mostly come from grease and soot – both are most easily removed with soap.
You need
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- Superfatted, alkaline soap
- Brush
- Washing machine
- Laundry detergent
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Other stains
Alkaline
- Greasy stains – pre-treat with soap and wash in the machine according to the care instructions.
- Chocolate, greasy food, and splashes from frying are examples of greasy stains.
- Paint stains – soak in soapy water, work on the stains with a laundry brush, then wash in the machine.
- Soot – remove with soap.
- Grass – remove with soap and a brush.
- Resin, tar – apply plenty of greasy soap.
- Dirt marks on a sweater or shirt – pre-treat with soap.
Acidic
- Remove sweat with a little vinegar and water, then wash according to the care instructions. Really difficult stains may require more. If the clothes smell strongly of sweat, you can soak them overnight in water with vinegar before washing them in the machine.
- Berries and fruit – boiling water, possibly with a little citric acid (note that citric acid bleaches textiles)
- Rust – vinegar or citric acid.
SALT
- Remove bloodstains with cold water and salt. Soaking in salt water is recommended.
ALCOHOL
- (e.g. denatured alcohol) You can most easily remove marker, ink, and printing ink with alcohol.