Summer is in full swing, and it is glorious. Long days and relaxed schedules invite us to linger at the pool, invite friends over for a backyard barbecue, or play in the park with the kids. It’s also a great excuse to wear that cute summer outfit or trendy beach coverup. But what happens when a glob of yellow mustard hits the front of your brand new white t-shirt?
The Good Housekeeping article “Undo Summer Stains,” lists the four greatest threats to our warm weather wardrobes:
- Grass stains
- Condiment spills (mustard, ketchup)
- Fresh berry spots
- Sunscreen streaks
What should we do if we encounter one of these wardrobe assassins? Cameo Cleaners would like to suggest these four best cleaning practices:
To treat grass stains, you must act quickly. The longer you wait before you treat the stain, the more likely it will become permanent. Stain-Guide.com recommends brushing a white, non-gel toothpaste into the stain using an old, soft toothbrush, then rinsing and laundering as usual.
To treat ketchup or mustard stains, remove as much of the sauce as you can, then blot with cold water. As soon as possible, treat the stain with a mixture of ¼ teaspoon clear liquid dishwashing detergent and ½ cup cold water. Work the pretreat into the fabric with your fingers, then launder in the hottest water possible.
To treat fresh berry spots, rinse immediately with cold water. If you can’t treat the stain right away, sprinkle salt on the spot. Pretreat with a liquid laundry detergent and rinse thoroughly with hot water. Don’t use bar or natural soap on the spot as this will set the stain. If the stain remains, hang your garment in the sun.
To treat sunscreen streaks, Good Housekeeping recommends you scrape off the excess. At home, apply an aerosol-spray stain remover like Shout (these contain solvents for oily stains) or a solvent spot remover like Afta (guardsman.com).” Launder as directed.
Usually, quick action and carefully chosen stain removers can save your summer clothing from permanent stains. If you find yourself with a persistent stain, however, or if you simply don’t want to take a chance with your wardrobe, contact us at Cameo Cleaners. We’d be glad to help.