Some food stains are worse than others to get off. Here is the the
List for the worst stains – and how to deal with them.
1. Food stain: Banana. Most likely culprit:
Babies – banana is excellent baby food, but the resulting spills,
spits and sick-ups result in black-grey stains down the fronts of all those
pale, pastel garments. Removal method: Some people swear by pre-wash stain
treatments, others suggest using glycerine to treat the stain before
washing, while others suggest bleaching the stain with lemon juice and
leaving it in the sunlight. One of the more unusual suggestions for
removing banana stains from baby clothes is to rub the banana pulp (before
the stain sets) with the inside of a banana peel.
2. Food stain: Tomato sauce (including baked
beans). Most likely culprit: Everybody, but especially the ones who prefer
having sausage with their tomato sauce, not tomato sauce with their
sausage. Removal method: Scrape off as much as possible, then rinse
immediately under cold water. Using white vinegar or glycerine as a
pre-treatment can also work. Also consider trying a biological washing
powder and a hot wash (if the fabric can handle it).
3. Food stain: Curry, especially the ones
with tumeric. Most likely culprit: Me – I love curry. Removal method:
Scrape off the excess as soon as possible. Then pre-treat the stain with
glycerine and wash using a warm wash (to break down the oils), preferably
using biological washing powder.
4. Food stain:
Beetroot. Most likely culprit: The ones who hate beetroot
and remove it from their filled rolls… and put it down on the
tablecloth (not again!). Removal method: Splash on a little soda water as
soon as the spill happens, sponge off the excess and then wash (as soon as
possible) as normal.
5. Food stain:
Cherries. Most likely culprit: Everyone. Removal method:
Soak in cold water as soon as possible. Use
natural domestic
cleaner like vinegar or lemon juice as a bleach (if you use lemon
juice, put the item in the sun to let the bleach work), then wash,
preferably in biological washing powder.
6. Food
stain: Chewing gum. Most likely culprit: My pre-teenagers.
Removal method: Ideally, banning chewing gum. Realistically, putting the
item with the gum in the freezer and letting the gum harden. Then scrape
off the hardened gum. Any residue can be tackled by blotting and soaking
the area with meths or some other alcohol. You can also buy specialised
chewing gum remover in some places.
7. Food
stain: Egg. Most likely culprit: Children who like boiled
eggs but haven’t realised that the further in you put your spoon, the
higher the yolk rises; clumsy or novice cooks. Removal method: Scrub off
excess egg. Then soak in cold water (hot water will set egg stains). Wash
in cold water.
8. Food stain: Red
wine. Most likely culprit: Those who overindulge. Removal method:
Immediately, pour on white wine, soda water or salt to get the stain away
from the fabric. If using white wine or soda water, blot up the excess
– salt should be brushed away. Rinse well in cold water until the
stain has gone. Don’t use soap, as this will set the
stain.
9. Food stain: Tea. Most
likely culprit: Chipped teapots. Removal method: Rub a paste of baking soda
and water on the spot and leave it to sit for about quarter of an hour
before washing.
10. Food stain:
Soy
sauce. Most likely culprit: My husband. Removal method: Rinse
well under cold running water as soon as possible. Rub the fabric against
itself until the stain as gone. Don’t use soap – it will set
the stain – but you can use washing up detergent to move the stain
along.
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