Stain Removal Tips for Common Summer Foods

It’s a shame to ruin your favorite summer outfit with stains from delicious seasonal foods. Don’t fret over the glob of ice cream dribbling down your toddler’s shirt. Instead, discover the secrets to removing pesky food stains that children and adults are likely to encounter during the summer months.

From the Garden

Beets: Pretreat the stain by rubbing a liquid detergent or prewash stain remover into the spot. Let stand for a minute or two, and then rinse well under cold running water. Soak any remaining stain in a mixture of cold water and chlorine or oxygen bleach, depending on which is safe for the fabric. Wash the garment in cold water using fabric-appropriate bleach, if necessary.

Berries: If it’s safe to wash the item in hot water, do so with detergent. If the garment cannot be washed in hot water, rinse the stained portion under hot running water before cleaning it according to tag instructions. Note: do not use natural soaps typically found in bar soap, soap flakes, and some detergents, as they may make berry stains harder to eliminate.

Watermelon: Rinse the stain under water as soon as possible to avoid setting. Check the tag and wash the item in the hottest water that is safe for the fabric.

Condiments & Spreads

Butter: Pretreat the stain with a liquid detergent, and let it soak in for several minutes before rinsing under hot water. Treat the spot once more with the same detergent before washing by label recommendations.

Ketchup or Barbecue Sauce: Remove excess sauce and pretreat the stain with liquid laundry detergent. Check the garment’s label and wash in the hottest water permitted. Soak any remaining stain in a color safe enzyme pre-soak and rewash.

Mustard: Remove excess sauce and rinse the stain under cold running water. Pretreat with a liquid detergent, and let it stand for a few minutes before rinsing. Treat the stain once more with the same detergent and launder according to label instructions.

Beverages & Desserts

Coffee & Tea: Rinse the stain in a solution consisting of one part vinegar and two parts water, and repeat as necessary. Treat the stain with an enzyme presoak before washing according to label instructions, especially if you use creamer in your coffee.

Ice Cream: Soak the stained fabric in cold water with an enzyme presoak. Wash the item in warm water, if safe for the fabric. Soak any remaining stain for an additional 30 minutes and rewash, or check the label and wash with a bleach that is safe for the fabric.

Kool-Aid: Use liquid detergent to pretreat the stain for several minutes, and then rinse the spot under hot water. If the stain remains on a white fabric, soak it in a solution of liquid chlorine bleach and water for no more than 15 minutes. Soak colored fabrics with stain remnants in a solution of enzyme pre-soak.

Sources:
Food Network
Good Housekeeping
SheKnows
Iowa State University