7 pesky clothes stains and how to remove them

The first rule of stain removal is to act immediately (or as soon as you can). This will give you the best chance of removing it completely.

Coffee

Blot the stain with a paper towel, then run it under cold water for 5 minutes. Next, rub the stain with liquid laundry detergent, then rinse. If the stain persists, mix equal parts of vinegar and water with washing powder to create a paste; apply, leave for a few minutes, then rinse.

Berry stains

To remove berry stains on your clothes (or fingers!) rub with a peeled, raw potato to remove, and rinse with water.

Grease

Cover the grease stain with colourless liquid dish soap. Add cold water, then use an old toothbrush to gently rub into the stain. Rinse with white vinegar.  

Ketchup/tomato sauce

Using a knife, scrape away any excess ketchup or sauce, to avoid rubbing it into the fabric. Run cold water through the back of the stain (to push it out). Next, rub liquid laundry detergent into the stain with a toothbrush. Rinse and then dab peroxide (available from supermarkets) onto the stain using a sponge. Rinse again.

Grass

Mix 1-part white vinegar to 2 parts water and apply it to the grass stain. Grab an old toothbrush and lightly scrub the solution into the stain, then rinse.  

Ink/marker pen

Blot the fresh ink/marker pen stain with a paper towel. Next, dip a cotton ball into rubbing alcohol, then dab onto stain with a paper towel underneath the fabric to prevent it from bleeding through. Rinse in cold water.  

You can also try plain white toothpaste; apply it to the ink mark, and rub vigorously. 

After removing the stains, wash as usual.

Paint

Painting session that got a bit messy? If it's water-based paint and still wet, rinse it under warm water and wash as usual. For the oil-based ones, a dab of paint thinner or turpentine followed by a stain remover treatment and laundering should do the trick.

Things to remember:

• Speed is key: Attack those stains pronto! The quicker, the better.

• Blot, don't rub: To avoid spreading the stain and making things worse!

• Cold water magic: Start with cold water. It's the gentlest and won't set most stains.

• No heat allowed: Keep stained garments away from direct heat. No dryers, please!

• Read labels: Check garment labels before unleashing your stain-fighting powers. Some fabrics need extra TLC.

And if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! Stains may require a few rounds of treatment, but it can be worth it, especially if it’s a favourite item.

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