In this blog, we'll provide you with valuable tips on pre-treating stains to achieve the best possible results. Knowing how to pre-treat stains of various kinds before they set in is essential. While using wet wipes for immediate cleaning is helpful, ensuring proper pre-treatment as soon as possible will yield even better results when you wash the garment thoroughly.
What is Stain Pre-Treatment?
When we talk about stain pre-treatment, we mean what you can do to penetrate the stain early in order to prevent it from drying and seeping deeply into the fabric fibres of the article of clothing. Pre-treating a stain is a step you take before you place the garment into the wash – either in the machine or by hand.
Why Is It Important To Pre-Treat Stains
Pre-treating stains can help improve the chances of removing the stain from the fabric completely. If you don’t pre-treat a stain, you run the risk of the stain staying on the fabric for an extended period of time and therefore making it much harder to remove later.
Most Common Household Stains
If you haven’t experienced one or all of these stains in your, or your family’s clothing, we’d like to know where you’ve been living. The most common household stains that we all experience daily, if not weekly, include:
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Grass
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Red Wine
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Oil & Fat
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Blood
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Ink
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Coffee
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Chocolate
You could argue that all the good things in life are stains waiting to happen, right. These are common stains that can be tackled with a great stain pre-treater. Here’s how:
How To Pre-Treat Stains For Best Results
You could argue that all the good things in life are stains waiting to happen, right. These are common stains that can be tackled with a great stain pre-treater. Here’s how:
Grass Stains
Grass is naturally occurring and is a regular feature on most children’s clothes. Grass stains respond best when pre-treated naturally too. Mix two parts cold water with one-part white vinegar and soak the grass-stained article of clothing in this solution for 15 minutes. Wash as per normal in the machine or by hand.
Oil & Fat Stains
Oil, fat, grease and any other fatty stains can be lifted right out of your fabric by pre-treating first. Pour a little bit (approximately a teaspoon) of dishwashing liquid onto the stain and rub it in gently with your finger. Leave to soak for 15 minutes. Wash as per normal in the machine or by hand.
Red Wine & Blood Stains
Both of these types of stains also respond well to a natural approach to stain removal. For these red stains, if the stain occurs when you are out, try to pour a little bit of club soda onto the stain as soon as possible to help dissolve the red pigment on the fabric. If you don’t have club soda, rub some table salt onto the stain. When you get home, mix a solution of two parts cold water and one-part white vinegar and soak the garment overnight. Wash as per normal in the machine or by hand.
Coffee & Chocolate Stains
For these pesky stains, we like to make our own pre-treat stain remover with OMO Hand Washing Powder. Make a paste of half a cup of OMO hand washing powder and add a few drops of cold water until it’s formed a thick paste. Rub the paste onto the stained area and leave for 15 minutes to soak. Wash as per normal in the machine or by hand.
From makeup to hot chocolate, we’ve got you covered with the Ultimate Guide to Tough Stain Removal.
At Cleanipedia, we recommend the use of OMO Auto Washing Liquid which is specifically formulated to give you Unbeatable Stain Removal 1st Time*.
For more clothing care tips and tricks, visit Cleanipedia today.
