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Sometimes, your clothes are at the mercy of stains, and removing them is a tough job, tedious even. Stains are made up of minute particles and substances that are sticky and hard to remove. When they find their way to the surface of the fabric, they stick to the minute fibres of the cloth. This makes them much harder to remove. However, if you know a few techniques at hand, you stand a chance to make your clothes stain-free and spotless again. Some of these techniques might work, and some won’t, so it’s just a matter of experimenting, which we have already done for you! Read this guide to know whether your technique works well for your stain-ridden clothes.
Common stain removal techniques
We picked some of the most trendy and traditional methods people are using for the stain removal process, and we tested to what extent they work. Check out the nine techniques we explored.
1. Using a concentrated wash
Some stains are just stubborn and can’t be removed with a normal wash in the washing machine. They need a concentrated formula to separate them from the sticky stains. To get such a concentrated cleanse, we tried the advanced formula, i.e., Surf Excel Liquid Power Concentrate, for the maximum results, and we were delighted by the outcome! This concentrated formula ensures 2X clean and superior wash with its deep stain-removal technology. It is specially designed to remove the toughest of stains in just three simple steps. All we had to do was load the clothes, put ½ cap of power concentrate and start the machine. Safe to say, this formula is one of the best and most effective we found for removing all kinds of stubborn stains.
2. Utilizing household ingredients
There are various household products that can be used to remove stains from clothes. Let’s find out if they actually work!
Baking soda
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Baking soda is by far the most popular household stain-removal agent. It works well on stains due to its alkaline property, which helps tackle stains, such as grease, gravy, oil, and more.
White vinegar
Distilled white vinegar found in many households is often used where stains are concerned. Its acidity attacks the stains when applied to them and can be washed off with a normal washing cycle.
Salt
We tried salt, the natural remover, on grease spills, and it worked wonderfully. When you are out for lunch and spill some gravy on your outfit, you can sprinkle salt on the fresh stain and give it some soaking time. Once soaked, blot the stain with a damp napkin and voila! The stain should be gone within 15 minutes. For a quick remedy, salt is your go-to solution.
GSC Tip: Salt also works on fading colours! Just add a little salt to your washer with every cycle and bring back the lost colours of your favourite fabrics.
3. Rinsing the stain repeatedly
For a light stain, rinsing may or may not work, depending on the type of stain. However, for stubborn stains, water is not enough to break the bond between the stain particles, such as grease and ink and the fibers of the fabric. Repeatedly rinsing the stain does not work on tough stains, so we tried an alternative method, which worked wonderfully! We washed the stain with Surf Excel Matic Power Concentrate, which provides superior wash and faster stain penetration with its deep stain-removal technology removing tough stains in machines itself! Not just that, it also left an intense long-lasting fragrance.
This combination of long-lasting fragrance with 2x power ensures a delightful laundry experience for all!
4. Soaking the stain overnight
People usually soak the stain-covered cloth overnight to remove the stains. We observed that the stain was easy to remove with this method as compared to an unsoaked stain. The science behind it is that the water allows the sticky particles to separate from the fibres of the cloth. This means that the stain is loosened from the fabric in order to remove them easily. After soaking them overnight, they can be put into the washer to remove the stain completely. Presoaking can work on numerous stains, such as food particles, ink stains and more.
5. Freezing the stain
Freezer and stains; here’s a match we didn’t expect! We tried freezing stains of chewing gum and iron. We all know getting rid of chewing gums is a heavy task, and when it sticks to your favourite clothes by accident, you can’t help but want to remove it asap. Keeping them in the freezer solidifies the gum and makes it hard so that it can be removed easily later. Similarly, when iron-stained clothes are exposed to the freezer, it can result in the lightening of the stains and even removing them altogether! Yes, even we were surprised!
6. Brushing off the stain
If substances spill on your clothes and you’re trying to get rid of them by brushing them off, then we recommend not to. Solid stains, when spilled on the surface, tend to form a thick layer. This layer, when dispersed onto the fabric as a part of a hasty solution, can result in the spreading of particles at the unaffected clothing parts, creating a much larger stain. To remove the excess stain, make sure not to brush off the stain but scrape the surface and then blot it with a napkin or a cloth. Scraping and blotting prevent the spread of stains and remove the excess layer effectively.
7. Spraying alcohol to remove the stain
We used alcohol-based products to try removing the stains and we were able to remove stains to a great extent. Products such as sanitizers or hairsprays can get a stain out, especially ink stains. You can keep the scrubbing to a minimum as the alcohol does most of the stain removal without much agitation. Simply apply alcohol on the clothing area affected by the stains and wait for a few minutes. Complete the removal process by tossing it into the washer so you can get spotless fabrics! It can also remove stains such as grass, lipstick, gravy and more.
GSC Tip: A colourless and scent-free alcohol solution works best to remove stains as compared to the coloured solution, as the coloured ones may leave a stain of their own behind.
8. Beating the fabric
Some might carry out the good old beating of the fabric till the stains come out. The idea is not to beat the fabric but to agitate the clothes so that the water gets a good passage and forcefully loosens the dirt and stains adhering to it. But it can only take you so far and cannot get rid of the toughest of stains. Rubbing the stained fabric on the washboard also agitates the fabric to loosen the stain significantly. However, this method cannot be used for delicate or expensive clothes as the quality of the fabric may suffer through harsh treatment.
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