Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and many of us will be umming and ahhing about which of our fancy outfits to wear. But what if disaster strikes and you find your nicest dress, shirt, leggings or pair of trousers marred by pesky stains?

If so, don’t worry, because we’re here to help! Read on for our top tips and hacks for removing stains to get your favourite clothes ready for Valentine’s Day. You’ll be wowing your date or partner in no time!

Just add water

If you manage to somehow add a fresh stain to your clothing while you’re getting ready, resist the urge to start rubbing away at it. Instead, remove the item of clothing and quickly hold it under a tap with the cold water running. This might not necessarily work on heavier or deeper stains, but immediately rinsing small spillages before they have a chance to dry can get rid of them in a matter of seconds!

Wash without delay

For heavier stains, simply throw the stained item of clothing into the washing machine and run a cycle with some detergent. Even heavy stains will be removed far more easily if you manage to get them in the wash as quickly as possible. And, if the spillage has started to dry already, simply soak the item in some cold water for an hour or two beforehand. This will help to soak the stain and make it much easier to wash out.

Don’t be harsh

When removing a stubborn stain that’s already dried on, it’s important to approach it with caution. After all, you don’t want to end up making it worse! One top tip is to avoid harsh chemicals such as bleach that can ruin and discolour your clothing. The last thing you want is to add another unwanted patch alongside the stain… or even worse, ruin the item of clothing entirely!

It’s on the label

Funnily enough, something many of us forget to do when it comes to removing stains is simply reading the care label. Almost all items of clothing come with a care label that tells you how to clean them, and it’s important to heed these instructions. Far too often do we panic and use unhelpful methods, when really we could have removed the stain with minimal stress and trouble just by doing exactly what the label tells us to do!

Vinegar for the win

Using white vinegar is an age-old method for removing stains and one that’s always worth a try! By mixing white vinegar with water and giving it time to soak into a stained piece of clothing, you can remove the stain entirely without damaging the item. We know, it’s a miracle! Just make sure you do a little bit of research beforehand. The ratio of white vinegar to water varies depending on the cause of the stain, and you don’t want to accidentally overdo it!

Leave it to the experts

And of course, you can never go wrong with a straightforward stain remover. Fortunately, there are many options out there, both stain-specific and multi-purpose. For example, some stain removers are made specifically for ink stains, pen marks and so on, while others are multi-purpose and can tackle a wide range of stains. You can also choose which stain remover is best for you depending on the colour of your stained garments, allowing you to have both stain-free whites and spotless coloured clothing too!

With these top tips for removing stains, your Valentine’s Day outfit should now be ready for you to strut your stuff!

While you’re getting ready for Valentine’s Day, why not also read our blog post on sheet-softening tips too? You can never show your bedding too much love, that’s for sure!

Tags: Laundry, Laundry Tips, Stain Remover, Valentine's Day