Chocolate stains on shirts, marker drawings on the wall and grass stains on the knees... every mother knows the scenario. My two little rascals manage to decorate themselves from head to toe with new stains every day. Instead of panicking (although I admit: I used to do that!), I now have an arsenal of handy tricks ready to tackle every children's stain. Whether it's mud on their trousers after playing outside or a finger-paint masterpiece on the sofa – with a few simple steps, you can get everything clean again. Start the washing machine, grab your stain remover spray and a microfiber cloth, and let's take on those stains!
Clothing stains: from grass to sauce
Grass and mud stains: playing outside is healthy, but oh boy – those green and brown knees afterwards! My golden tip: treat grass stains as quickly as possible. First, rinse the garment in cold water (never warm water, as it sets the stain). Then apply a little liquid detergent or green soap and leave it to soak for an hour. After that, wash the garment as usual. Stubborn grass stains? Use a special stain remover or a little rubbing alcohol on a cloth to dab away the last green marks. Let mud dry first (however tempting it may be to scrub immediately). Once the mud is dry, knock or vacuum off the sand and treat the remaining stain just like grass: cold water and a little soap, then rinse and wash.
Food and drinks: from tomato sauce to fruit purée – children's shirts are basically bibs. For fruit stains (such as strawberry or banana), soak the fabric in cold water with a splash of white vinegar. Vinegar works as a natural bleach for organic stains. Then rinse thoroughly and wash. Tomato sauce or carrot purée? First, carefully remove the excess sauce (don't rub it in, or you'll push it deeper into the fabric) and sprinkle some salt on the stain – salt draws out moisture and pigment. Rinse after half an hour and wash with your usual detergent. And chocolate stains (my personal favorite thanks to a toddler with a chocolate-spread grin): let the stain harden first and carefully scrape it off, then treat it with a little dish soap or gall soap before washing.
Blood stains: a scraped knee or a wobbly tooth that has come out – blood on clothing is nothing unusual. Here too: always use cold water! Place the garment in cold water and add some salt, or soak it in a bowl of milk (yes, really – Grandma's trick). The salt or milk breaks down the proteins in the blood. Then rinse thoroughly with cold water. You'll see that fresh blood stains almost completely disappear. For older, dried-in blood stains, you can use a stain spray and let it soak in briefly before washing.
Is a small stain still visible on white clothes after washing? Then try an Oxi Action stain powder. I use The Pink Stuff Oxi stain powder for white laundry, for example. Adding a scoop to the wash or soaking the garment overnight in this product can even remove the last traces of a stain, without bleaching the fabric. Ideal for those white shirts and bodysuits that need to look brilliantly clean again.
After all that cleaning, you naturally want the clothes to smell lovely too. Add a splash of laundry perfume to your washing machine for a fresh, child-friendly scent. That way, the laundry comes out of the drum not only spotless but also wonderfully fresh – even those gym shirts with a hint of sweat.
Stains on walls and furniture
My youngest once created an entire crayon masterpiece on our living-room wall in just five minutes of silence. Well, the result was rather cute, but that wall... Fortunately, you can save a lot with the right approach:
Children are artists in the making – unfortunately, sometimes on your walls or sofa. How do you remove these creative stains?
Marker and pencil on the wall: If your little one has transformed the wall into a canvas, don't panic. A pencil eraser often works perfectly well on pencil marks. For marker lines, I've had good results with toothpaste (the white, non-gel variety) – spread a little over the mark, rub gently with a damp cloth and the marker comes away surprisingly easily. A paste of baking soda and water can also help: scrub gently and that Picasso is gone. And yes, my favorite pink cleaning helper can come in handy here too: a little The Pink Stuff cleaning paste on a soft sponge will generally remove pencil and marker from the wall without damaging the paint.
Paint stains and clay: Finger paint on the table or chairs? It is usually water-based and can be removed with warm water and soap. If it has dried in the meantime, place a wet cloth over the stain to soften the paint again, then wipe it away. Clay or slime in the carpet or sofa is a notorious problem. The freezer trick helps here: first freeze hardened slime or clay with an ice cube (or ice pack) so it becomes brittle. You can then easily break off or vacuum up the pieces. Dab any remaining stains with vinegar water to draw out the coloring.
Stains on the sofa or carpet: From juice on the sofa to mud on the carpet – treat the stain according to the material. Fabric sofa? Dab a mixture of lukewarm water and a little dish soap onto the stain (don't rub; clean by dabbing). Then use a clean, damp cloth to remove the soapy residue. On dark fabrics, you can also add a drop of cleaning vinegar to neutralize odors. The same applies to carpet: remove as much dirt as possible first, then dab with soapy water. A mild all-purpose cleaner in a spray bottle is very handy for this; spray it onto the stain, leave it to work briefly and dab dry with a cloth. Difficult stains on light-colored carpet? A carpet cleaner or special stain powder may help, but always test it on an inconspicuous corner first.
Prevention is better than cure?
Of course, it would be ideal if stains never appeared, but let's be realistic: kids gonna kid. Still, here are a few preventative tips that help in our home:
- Put on an apron when doing crafts and eating. A simple plastic bib or craft apron catches plenty of spaghetti splashes and paint stains.
- Always keep a pack of wet baby wipes or cleaning wipes close at hand. You can deal with small spills immediately, before they dry or turn into bigger stains.
- Let them help: My children secretly quite enjoy helping to clean when they make a mess. Giving them a cloth and cleaning up spilled lemonade together teaches them a sense of responsibility too (and saves me work!).
- Tackle stains immediately: The fresher the stain, the greater the chance it will disappear completely. Dried blood or mud is more difficult to remove than fresh stains. So act straight away whenever possible.
- Place cushions or blankets in spots that often become victims. For example, put a cover over the car seat during long snack-filled journeys, or place a play mat on the rug during craft time.
Ultimately, a little mess and dirt are part of a lively family. With these tips, at least you won't have to worry that something will become irreparably dirty – Mom can handle anything!
FAQ
Question: How do I remove grass stains from children's clothing?
Answer: It is best to treat grass stains immediately. Rinse the fabric in cold water and apply some detergent or green soap to the stain. Let it soak in and then wash as usual. For very stubborn grass stains, you can also use a special stain remover or alcohol. Important: do not use warm water before the stain is gone, as it makes grass stains more difficult to remove.
Question: What can I do about marker on the wall?
Answer: Washable markers can often be removed with a damp cloth and a little soap. For permanent marker, household remedies can help: apply non-gel toothpaste, leave it to work briefly and wipe it off, or gently rub with a paste of baking soda. Last resort: apply a little wall paint over it, but usually that isn't necessary. Always test on a small area first to make sure the product does not damage the wall paint.
Question: My child spilled slime on the sofa. How do I remove it?
Answer: It is best to let slime (or clay) dry and harden. Place an ice cube on the remaining slime so that it hardens further. You can then scrape off or vacuum up the brittle slime. Dab the remaining stain with a mixture of vinegar and water. Do not rub; only dab. If necessary, you can then use a fabric spray to remove any remaining stickiness.
Question: How do I remove ballpoint ink from clothing?
Answer: Place the stained part of the fabric on a white cloth or paper towel (on the reverse side of the stain) and dab the ink stain from the front with alcohol (for example, rubbing alcohol or hairspray containing alcohol). You will see the ink come loose and transfer to the cloth underneath. Keep dabbing (do not rub) until no more ink comes off. Then wash the garment as usual. Note: first test on an inside seam to check whether the fabric is colorfast when using alcohol.
Question: Which product works best for all kinds of children's stains?
Answer: Unfortunately, there is no single magic product for every stain, because grass, fruit, mud and so on all have different compositions. But having a good stain-removal product at home is worth its weight in gold. A spray such as the Asevi stain remover is very handy as general first aid for stains, for example. Many parents also swear by gall soap (especially for food stains) and, of course, our all-rounder The Pink Stuff for more difficult surfaces. The key is to quickly grab something suited to the stain.
Call to Action: From spills to art projects – do you also have little mess-makers running around at home? Be prepared! Browse the range of powerful stain removers, handy cleaning products and deliciously scented laundry perfumes on ViralCleaning.nl. That way, you can turn every little accident into a piece of cake – and the kids can keep playing without you stressing about the stains!