Tips & Tricks for Treating Summer Stains

ARTICLE POSTED BY: KATE HORNEY OF BEYOND FIT MOM 

Kate Horney is the founder of BeyondFitMom.com, where she chronicles her life as a Pre & Postnatal Fitness Expert. Kate is a wife & mom who is passionate about helping women live a healthy, happy, and balanced life. For a daily dose of health, parenting tips, and much more, follow her on Instagram at @beyondfitmom.

When summer comes, so do stains!

With two growing boys and our family’s active lifestyle, I’m always looking for a stain solution and spent some time searching for the best methods on removing summer stains….

From grass stains and mud stains, to popsicles and fresh-berry spots, Biokleen has you covered! 

I love the effectiveness of Bac-Out against summer common stains and odors. From regular loads of laundry with my Biokleen Laundry Liquids (we love both the Citrus and Sport) to fighting tougher stains with Bac-Out Stain + Odor Removers, Biokleen helps moms to feel confident to tackle tough summer stains without the harsh chemicals!

GRASS STAINS

Whether it’s from my husband who’s been working in the yard (#dadlife) or my boys sitting in the grass enjoying popsicles, I’ve found the secret to removing grass stains fast… first pretreat the stain with the Bac-Out Stain + Odor Remover.  I love to use the spray and then work the stain remover with my fingers or a soft bristle brush and give it just a little bit of time to work.  Bac-Out Stain + Odor Remover has enzymes in it that break apart the stains before I toss it in the washer with our Biokleen Citrus or Sport liquid and takes even the toughest stains out.

MUD

As a mom of two boys, mud stains are a daily battle.  I’ve learned that you shouldn’t rub mud (because that only pushes the soil deeper into the clothes) so as soon as possible, I grab the muddy clothes and run the stained areas under a tap of running cold water.  Next, I hold the fabric with the wrong side of the stain directly under the tap to force the mud out of the fibers.  If it’s too much to put under the sink (think: an entire soccer uniform covered in mud) I soak the clothes in a laundry room sink full of cold water along with Biokleen Sport.  After that, I spray with Bac-Out Stain + Odor Remover and wash as normal with Biokleen Sport.

POPSICLES AND ICE CREAM

I try to act quickly with a popsicle or ice cream stain… a quick blot of the stain followed by a few squirts of Bac-Out Stain + Odor Remover Foaming Action Spray is all you’ll need to fight the stains from all of your summer treats.  I wash our popsicle covered clothes with Biokleen Citrus Laundry Liquid and add the water as hot as possible to get the stain fully out.

BLOOD

If you’re a mama, you’ve been there…. Whether you’re playing at the park, riding bikes, or just being in the backyard… cuts and scrapes happen!  Luckily, there’s a fast fix if you have Bac-Out Stain + Odor Remover on hand.  Just give it a quick pour and watch it do its work.  Then put in the washing machine on the hottest washing cycle your clothing will take and repeat as necessary.

SUNSCREEN

Most sunscreen stains can be easily removed by pretreating the stain with quality liquid detergent and water. I wash our sunscreen stained clothes with Biokleen Citrus Laundry Liquid and let the detergent sit on the fabric for at least 30 minutes or overnight before doing laundry as usual.  If you have hard water, many sunscreens contain ingredients that when washed in hard water cause a reaction that creates dark brown stains, which are much more difficult to remove.  When avobenzone (commonly found in sunscreen) mixes with minerals found in the water in certain areas, it could lead to brown, rust-like stains. If that’s the case, try Bac-Out Stain + Odor Remover before running your laundry.  Just make sure to check the stain before drying; if it remains, repeat the process.

NEED MORE HELP WITH YOUR SUMMER STAINS? 

FROM MY LAUNDRY ROOM TO YOURS, HERE ARE A FEW MORE HACKS:

1. Treat food stains as soon as possible for the best results. If you can’t act fast, put the stained fabric into cold water for 5-10 minutes or longer if the stain is dried. Avoid hot water (this will set a protein stain) until you’ve had a chance to spray with Bac-Out Stain + Odor Remover.
2. If the stain is wet mud (as opposed to dried dirt), allow the mud to dry completely. DO NOT attempt to wipe away mud that is wet or damp as this will spread the stain and possibly grind it into the fabric fibers. When the mud is dry, gently scrape off the excess, being careful not to grind the dirt into the fabric.  My trick is to gently brush the dirt/dried mud with a small brush or toothbrush.  Then, spray with Bac-Out Stain + Odor Remover and briskly rub on BOTH sides of the fabric, using circular motions.  Depending on how muddy your stain is, you may need to repeat these steps several times before the stain is completely gone.
3. No matter what summer stain you’re fighting:  wash with Biokleen Citrus or Sport liquid.  When the cycle is completely finished, check the clothes carefully for any sign of the stain. If the stain remains, repeat the stain fighting steps above.  Make sure you never dry clothes in a dryer if a stain remains as this will set the stain, which will then be nearly impossible to remove.