Stain Removal Guide - Part One

From muddy pawprints and coffee spillages to rogue chewing gum and leaky biros, life has a funny way of somehow getting dirty marks and stains exactly where you don’t want them!

To save you and your clothes from disaster, we’ve put together a virtual handbook of quick, easy and natural stain removal techniques for some of the most common accidents you might encounter as a homeowner or housekeeper:

Mud:

As soon as you can after the incident, add a quarter cup of either soda crystals of bicarbonate of soda to a bucket or shallow bath of warm water and soak your muddy clothing in there for around three to four hours.

Once ready, simply take the items out and pop them in the washing machine on their usual cycle, making sure not to let them sit for too long.

Chewing Gum:

Has a rogue piece of chewing gum left you in a bit of a sticky situation?

Don't panic - all is not lost!

To banish the gum, place the affected item of clothing in your freezer for a few hours to allow the gum to harden and become brittle, then gently scrape it off with a butter knife, taking care not to damage the fibres below it.

Put the item in your freezer for a few hours to allow the gum to harden and become brittle, then scrape it off with a butter knife, taking care not to damage the fibres below it.

Crayon:

Follow the same steps as the chewing gum removal guide above to remove as much excess crayon as you can from the item, then sandwich the stained area between two clean paper towels and press with a warm iron to transfer the wax off the item, repeating as needed.

You can then wash the item as normal, though we recommend adding a spoonful of soda crystals into the drum along with it to remove any stubborn residue.

Red Wine:

While you've probably heard of the old "white wine cancels out red wine" trick, we find that using soda water or sparkling water is a great way to naturally lift red wine before it sets.

If you aren’t able to get some in time, though, don't stress. You can apply a paste of equal parts water and baking soda or bicarbonate of soda to the stain instead and leave it for a few hours before rinsing and then washing as usual.

Blood:

From nosebleeds and grazed elbows to papercuts and skinned knees, accidents happen every now and again - especially when you have children running about.

The resulting bloodstains are notorious for being stubborn and difficult to remove, which makes them a little intimidating to deal with, but don't worry; just follow our tips below and you'll have your clothes back to their former glory in no time:

For normal fibres, soak the item in a litre of hot water mixed with a quarter cup of soda crystals before washing as normal.

For fabrics that won’t tolerate higher temperatures, you can soak the item in a bucket of heavily salted cold water instead before washing; either option works well!

Biro:

Have you ever had the misfortune of experiencing that horrible moment you discover your trusty biro pen has leaked in your pocket, spewing sticky ink everywhere?

Never fear - there's a quick and easy way to salvage your clothes: simply soak the item in some milk (yes, milk!) for between three and four hours before washing to lift these notoriously difficult ink stains right out.

If you’ve found this stain removal guide helpful and would like some more laundry hints and tips, keep an eye out for part two in this series when we post it here on our blog in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for some help around the home and would like to talk to one of our team about hiring a member of private or domestic staff, please contact us on +44 (0) 20 7259 6999 or email info@beauchamppartners.co.uk and we will be happy to assist.