Today tackling a mountain of laundry can be as easy as tossing items into the washing machine and letting it take over. This simple process differs from our great-grandparents, when clothes were beaten or trodden in water to try to get rid of stains and dirt.
While everyone is certainly thankful laundry is no longer done this way, it can still be a tough job. The work is harder when faced with stubborn stains. However, most people make it a lot harder than it needs to be.
1. Neglecting to Treat Stains Before Washing
Often people think detergent alone will get rid of a tough stain. The key to success is to pretreat stains with products designed to lift the stain before you put it in the wash. Follow the instructions for timing before washing the garment, then launder as usual.
2. Excessive Use of Detergent
While choosing a quality detergent is the right first step to clean laundry, you can also use too much of a good thing.
The suds from the detergent can get caught in the clothing or other items, especially if you add too much detergent to the load. Doing this prevents the stain from coming out, and the area can ultimately look worse as this increases the stain.
Add the directed amount of detergent. If the clothes do not seem clean enough, try to cut the amount of detergent typically used in half to find out if that fixes the problem. A little more can always be added to adjust the level of cleanliness.
3. Scrubbing Away at Stains
It can be tempting to scrub hard on a stained area, and it is a common mistake. Dab instead of scrubbing to allow the spot to soak. Rubbing agitates the fibers, and can release the dirt, but is also likely to damage the surrounding fabric.
While the stain might be gone, the area will be left looking fluffy or faded. In the worst situations, the spot will be damaged and the stain will still exist.
4. Ignore the Stain
The faster the stain is treated, the more likely it can be removed. It is particularly important to catch certain stains quickly, such as red wine, coffee, and other colored liquids. Ignoring the stain gives it a chance to cling and bond with the fibers in the item.
With this type of stain, stop everything and find a way to rinse it with clean water immediately to dilute it and help minimize its potential impact. Then the stain can be dealt with properly when the right items are around.
The exceptions to this rule are candle wax and mud. Both should be allowed to dry first and then they come off easily.
5. Failure to Test
A combination of the right detergent sheet, effective method, fresh sponge, and clean water are most likely to deliver the desired results. Before trying any stain removal, take a few minutes to test the solution on a small, unnoticeable area of the garment. Look for spots inside or where a tuck exists to do this preliminary testing.
Pre-testing a stain removal strategy ensures it will not damage the material. After all, the clothing is only useful when the stain is gone!
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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