Woman breathing in the smell of clean laundry

Laundry essentials - be prepared for any stain

Always check the label of the garment that is stained to see if it needs dry cleaning or if a regular wash cycle is in order.
Treat stains immediately rather than leaving them to sit. It is far easier to remove a fresh stain.
As a general rule most stains tend to be water-soluble before they dry. If you can rinse the stain immediately it will usually make removing the stain properly later on a far easier process.
Always carefully check the instructions for using a stain remover before applying them.
Test stain removers on a hidden part of the clothing such as an inside seam to ensure it is suitable for it. Put some on and leave it for five minutes before rinsing it out. If there are any changes to the colour of the garment, then don’t use that product to remove the stain.
Always treat the stained garment from the outside in rather than directly onto the stain itself. Your aim is to remove the stain off the fabric rather than forcing it through it. A practical way to tackle it is to place the garment over the sink facing the wrong way up and pour the stain remover substance onto the material.
Try to remove the stain carefully so that you don’t spread it further over the garment.
Never mix stain removal products together, they may make the stain even worse.

Stain Type	Suggested stain removal strategy
Blood	Soak fresh stains in cold water for 30 minutes and then apply detergent directly to stain before washing. If the blood stain is dry it needs to be pre-treated with a product like a spray-on stain remover and then laundered.
Juice	Soak the clothes in cold water and launder using a bleach that is safe for the fabric in question.
Mud	Let the mud dry and then brush it off the clothes. Pre-treat by soaking with laundry detergent or a cup of water with ¼ cup of ammonia and ¼ cup liquid detergent. Wash on the hottest cycle that is appropriate for the garment.
Paint	Water-based paint needs to be rinsed in warm water, preferably while the stain is still wet. Launder as usual.
Poo	Use cold water and bathroom soap to wash it out. Launder using an all fabric bleach to remove any remaining stain.

Using soap or detergent on a stain is often the quickest way to tackle a stain. It’s important to know the uses for each one. The difference between soap and detergent are as follows:

Soap

A cleaning agent made from oil or fat and it has an alkaline solution.
Soap dissolves in water and will aid with the removal of grease or fatty materials.
It can be used to help with the removal of milk, egg, baby vomit, make-up and mud stains.
It should not be used in the removal of wine stains.