Ink, blood and fruit juice stains once again become daily messes when the kids are back in school. We’ve poured through history books to find old-fashioned cleaning methods that still stand the test of time.
Ink will Sink
Although pens and pencils are slowly becoming relics of the past, kids still use ink in the classroom for some tasks, like art assignments. And the more creative your child is, the more likely they are to doodle on their hands, running shoes and jeans. If you’re looking to clean the slate on denim, here’s what you do:
- Pour citric acid (available at the hardware store and some bulk stores) on the doodle.
- Moisten by pouring a teaspoon of water onto the spot. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Turn the kettle on, and once the water boils, carefully pour it over the doodle until spots are gone.
- Machine wash on the coldest water setting, so that ink doesn’t settle into fibres.
Fruit Juice Jumble
By the time your child gets home after spilling berry juice or squishing plum pulp onto their shirt or pants, it will look like a fruit salad! Avoid the temptation to douse the affected area in stain remover. Instead, stretch the stain over a bowl in your sink and carefully pour boiling water over the stain until it completely lifts off. This might seem like a slow process, but with patience every last fleck of fruit will come off!
Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!
School teachers and the office administrators will help your child clean up if they trip and scrape their hands and knees. But the blood and grime will be up to you once your child gets home. Beware: some messes look like wild animal attacks. However, with a little patience, blood stains will disappear. Simply fill a laundry tub or bucket with ice cold water, and a couple tablespoons of table salt. Soak items for 60 minutes, then wring out and toss in the washing machine on its own. Wash on the coldest water setting, so blood and grime don’t settle into fibres.
With back to school season now in full swing, we can lighten your load by providing high-quality and reliable cleaning services to your home anywhere in Canada! Just type in your postal code to find your local MOLLY MAID today!
