Easter Aftermath! Stains Galore!

Well, if your sitting on the couch legs up with a tummy ache then Easter was a success between the ton of chocolate eaten and the family bbq's, Easter can add not only a few kilo's but also some stains on clothing that will be remembered for many more Easter's to come.

Chocolate

Chocolate is a combination stain - a bit of an oil stain, a bit of a dye stain. Begin by rubbing heavy-duty liquid detergent like Murchison-Hume Heirloom Dishwashing Liquid or a paste of powdered detergent and water into the stain. Wash garment as usual with an all-fabric bleach like Pure Oxygen Whitener. Check for stain before drying. If it is still present, repeat steps BEFORE drying. Always read the care label.

Easter Egg Dye

The first thing to do is find the stain quickly and flood with cold water. Then wash in cold using a non chlorine bleach or a cup of white distilled vinegar in addition to your regular laundry detergent. Check for the stain. If it remains, do not put the garment in the dryer. Allow the stain to soak overnight in a solution of non chlorine bleach and water until the stain is gone. Again, check the care label!

Easter Lily Pollen

First, NEVER rub the pollen with your hand or a cloth. You will only push the dye deeper into the garment. Take the garment outside and shake off the pollen. Or, use a piece of tape to pick up the pollen grains.

For washable garments ( Check your care label), soak the garment in cold water for at least 30 minutes and then rinse thoroughly; repeat these two steps until most of the stain has been removed. You may also add some Pure Oxygen Whitener to the soaking water. If the stain is still present, apply a spot stain remover to the area and wash the garment in the hottest recommended temperature for the fabric.Check the area again before drying the garment – if the stain remains, repeat the stain remover and wash treatment.

Egg Stains

Fresh protein stains can be removed by soaking and agitating or rubbing the stain in cold water before washing. These stains contain other ingredients but protein needs treatment first. Never use hot water because it cooks the protein making the stain hard to remove.

If the stain is dried or old, scape or brush off any crusted matter, then soak in cold water using a liquid detergent like Murchison-Hume Heirloom Dishwashing Liquid with color-safe bleach like Pure Oxygen Whitener. After pre-soaking for 30 minutes and launder in warm - not hot - water with detergent. If stain remains, soak an additional 30 minutes, then rewash.

Ham

Grease-based stains should be pretreated using a solvent-based stain removal product, like Cinderella Stain Remover. If you don't have a solvent-based pretreater, apply heavy-duty liquid detergent like Murchison-Hume Heirloom Dishwashing Liquid to the stain and work it in by gently rubbing.

After pretreatment, wash the garment as usual in the hottest water appropriate for the fabric using the recommended amount of detergent for a regular load. Inspect the garment before drying and repeat treatment if necessary.

Grass Stains

To remove grass stains, first pretreat the stain with a heavy-duty liquid detergent. Rinse well and then soak the garment in a solution of warm water and all-fabric nonchlorine bleach Pure Oxygen Whitener for at least one hour. Launder as usual.