Guest Post

If you have kids, you understand how easily they stain their clothes, in addition to staining your clothes, the carpet and the curtains. Instead of having to go through bottles of stain remover and soaking clothes in harsh chemicals, there are some simple solutions to some of the more common stains children tend to accumulate. These home remedies are inexpensive, safe to have around the home and effective in removing stubborn stains.

Dishwashing Liquid

Something we all have in our kitchens, dishwashing liquid is useful for a number of common clothing stains, most significantly for removing grease stains. Grease stains are one of the most common stains children pick up. When not treated properly, grease stains darken and attract dirt, making them impossible to get rid of. Many people find dishwashing liquid useful in removing other common stains, such as tomato sauce and permanent markers.

To treat a grease stain on clothing, use a small amount of undiluted dishwashing liquid and gently blot onto the stain. With a clean cloth, continue to gently blot the stain away. Rinse well under cold water and you should find the grease stain lifts right out. Continue with washing the clothing as normal.

Lemon Juice

Because of its acidity, lemon juice is a natural bleaching agent, making it a useful and handy stain remover for clothes and other fabrics. Use lemon juice on deep-colour stains, such as grape juice, berry stains, blood, salsa or hair dye. Lemon juice draws the stain colouring from the fabric, without removing the fabric colour. Use it with other household items. Mixing lemon juice with salt to make a paste is a great way to remove salsa stains and baby formula stains. Lemon juice can also be mixed with vinegar, hydrogen peroxide or dishwashing liquid to remove grape juice, berry or ice cream stains.

Not only is lemon juice a natural bleaching agent, it is a useful deodoriser due to the high levels of natural oils a lemon has. Not only can you remove common stains from your child’s clothing, you can also ensure they smell clean and fresh.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide has many uses around the home. It makes for a natural safer alternative to bleach. It’s safe for the environment and contains anti-bacterial and anti-mould and mildew properties. It’s most popular use is to remove blood from clothing, including even dried blood stains. Blood is one of the more difficult stains to remove from clothing and fabric, but a simple application of hydrogen peroxide onto the stain will lift it out. Hydrogen peroxide reactivates the stain. Other common stains that hydrogen peroxide is useful on include tea and coffee stains.

To remove a stain, you apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide onto the stain. Let it bubble a little, and then begin to blot it out. Wash the clothing as normal. If it is not removed with this treatment, you can repeat this until the stain is completely gone.

Rubbing Alcohol

Probably the most useful way to remove ink stains from clothing, fabrics, walls and furniture is to use rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is very effective at removing permanent marker stains, too. It can also be used on blood stains and water stains and can even help to remove chewing gum from clothes and fabrics.

For stain removal, you blot the area gently with rubbing alcohol, then blot the excess away with a clean cloth and wash as normal. Rubbing alcohol is suitable for use on most fabrics.

About the Author: Sonia Thomas is a writer who enjoys finding practical solutions to everyday household problems. From finding useful cleaning solution recipes to sourcing personalised clothing labels for kids, Sonia shares the wealth of practical knowledge she has gathered over the years.