Expert Tips For Treating 5 Common Summer Stains

We all love to enjoy the great outdoors when the warmer, summer weather comes around, but this particular season seems to create more stubborn stains than any other.

From grass stains as the kids play frisbee in the park or kick a ball around in the yard, to sunscreen and ice cream stains, laundry sessions are often a little more intense due to the stubbornness of certain summer stains. It’s also worth mentioning that all of the extra time spent enjoying the great outdoors, might leave you with precious little time to fulfil your cleaning duties, and keep your home as clean as you would like. Hiring a cleaning service during the summer months is a great way to keep on top of cleaning, without having to sacrifice your time in the sun, which, by the way, you definitely deserve!

So, to help you spend less time worrying about stained clothing, and more time having fun in the sun, here are some expert tips for treating 5 of the most common summer stains:

1. Grass

These can be particularly stubborn to remove, but the following solution should help eliminate them successfully:

• Combine two parts of water with one part of white vinegar, to create a cleaning liquid
• Pop the stained items into the liquid and leave to soak for up to 15 mins
• Then, dab at the stain to help lift it off before placing it in the machine and washing it as usual, with detergent

2. Grease

Equally stubborn, grease stains are a common problem to deal with following picnics and barbeques during summer:

• Use paper towel to blot the stain
• Then, apply dishwash liquid directly onto it
• Allow the liquid to soak into the affected area for up to 5 minutes, before running it through the washing machine

3.Sunscreen

A must for all skin types and colors when the sun is at its most intense in the summer, sunscreen is essential, but can create stains that are tricky to get rid of when it spills onto clothing:

• Blot the stain with paper towels or a dry cloth
• Then, apply corn starch directly to the stain to absorb any oil remaining, for up to half an hour
• Once the thirty minutes are up, remove any remaining powder and rub a little detergent into the stain
• Soak the item in hot water and detergent for half an hour, before washing as normal in the machine

4. Ice cream

There’s nothing more delicious and refreshing in the heat of the summer sun, than an ice cream, but if you don’t get to it before it starts to melt, you might be left with a sticky stain down your front that’s tricky to get rid of. However, the following remedy should help:

• Gently blot or wipe the stain
• Rinse thoroughly with cold water and rub a little laundry detergent onto the stain, leaving it for up to ten minutes
• Then, submerge the item of clothing in cold water for up to half an hour
• Rinse the item and wash it as usual in the machine

5. Condiments

No summer barbecue is complete without at least one ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise stain! Remove them effectively using the following method:

• Lift any remnants of the stain from the fabric with a spoon or knife
• Then, turn the item inside out and run it under the tap to help the stain shift
• Apply a little laundry detergent to the remaining stain, rub it gently, and allow to sit for up to five minutes
• If necessary, apply some more detergent before washing as usual in the machine

Now you’re summer-stain ready, you can enjoy everything that the season has to offer without worrying about ruining your favorite items of clothing! And, if you take advantage of a local maid service, you can even enjoy coming back to a spotlessly clean home at the end of a fun-filled day in the sun!