Back-to-School Stain Solutions

Heading back to school can be a mix of emotions for both kids and their parents. Excitement and fear are often the most common as kids head out on their own and parents hold their breath that everything goes well. Remind kids not to “sweat the small stuff”, as the experts say, and repeat it to yourself when they arrive home with those inevitable back-to-school stains.

We’ve pulled together a little cheat sheet of stain solutions to help keep your child’s clothes stain-free all year long.

INK    

Avoid the urge to scrub the stain clean. Instead, head to the refrigerator for some milk. It may sound strange but milk is great for loosening stains. Soak it overnight and then wash it the next day

PAINT   

If the paint is dry, use a hard-bristled brush to brush off as much of the paint as possible. Spray with water, then blot with rubbing alcohol. Repeat the steps until removed. Soaking the stain in vinegar overnight will also work.

GLUE   

Let the glue dry completely. Once dry, use a butter knife to gently pry as much of the glue as you can from the fabric. Soak in warm water, then dab with a microfibre cloth to help lift it off the fabric. If this doesn’t work, try dabbing with a little nail polish remover on a cotton swab.

JUICE

Add half a teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent and a tablespoon of white vinegar to a litre of lukewarm water. Soak the garment for 20 minutes. Rinse. Sponge with rubbing alcohol, using light motions from the center to the edge of the stain until removed.

GUM    

Put the garment in a bag and seal it tight. Now toss the bag into your freezer and leave it there for at least 2 hours. Once the gum has hardened you should be able to gently peel it off.

PRO-TIP:   

Don’t spot-clean any stain with hot or warm water as it can set the stain. And, always dab, don’t rub. Rubbing can spread the offending mess further. As you dab, work from the outside towards the centre, keeping it contained.

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