Those new school clothes don’t stay looking new for very long. A few days back in the classroom can be enough to bring home grass-stained knees, pen marks on sleeves, paint on cuffs, and whatever was served for lunch down the front of a shirt.
The good news is that many of these stains can be handled without repeatedly running clothes through the washing machine. Noor de Swart, founder and CEO of Super Label Store, says treating the actual stain first is often more effective, especially since school clothes may already be washed several times a week.
Let Mud Dry Before You Touch It
A pair of pants covered in wet mud may look like something you need to deal with immediately, but this is one stain where waiting can actually make cleanup easier. Rubbing wet mud can push it farther into the fabric and turn a small dirty spot into a much larger one.
Let the mud dry completely, then brush or gently scrape away as much of the loose dirt as possible. Rinse what’s left with cool or lukewarm water, apply a small amount of liquid laundry detergent directly to the stain, and allow it to sit for about 20 minutes before washing.
Treat Grass Stains Differently
Grass and mud often show up together on the knees of school pants, but they shouldn’t necessarily be treated the same way. For grass, de Swart recommends rinsing the stained area with cool water and working liquid laundry detergent into the fabric before washing.
For heavier fabrics, an old toothbrush can help work detergent into the fibers, but there’s no need to scrub aggressively. Too much friction can wear the fabric and leave the treated knee looking noticeably different from the rest of the pants.
Blot Pen Marks Instead of Rubbing Them
A little ballpoint pen mark can become a much bigger problem if your first instinct is to rub it. Instead, place a clean cloth or old towel behind the stained fabric and gently blot the ink so it has somewhere to transfer as it lifts.
For some washable fabrics, de Swart suggests trying a small amount of isopropyl alcohol after first testing it somewhere inconspicuous. Dab rather than saturate the material, and keep moving to a clean section of the towel underneath as ink transfers onto it.
Be More Careful With Blazers
A pen mark on a washable cotton shirt isn’t necessarily something you should treat the same way on a school blazer. Blazers can contain lining, decorative stitching, badges, and several types or colors of fabric, all of which can react differently to a stain treatment.
Check the care label before attempting anything beyond basic blotting. If the garment is labeled dry clean only, de Swart recommends leaving the stain treatment to a professional rather than experimenting and potentially creating a larger problem.
Figure Out What Was for Lunch
No single trick works for every food stain because grease, tomato sauce, fruit, and chocolate behave differently on fabric. Start by carefully removing any food that’s still sitting on the clothing without rubbing it further into the fibers.
For a greasy spot, apply a small amount of dish soap directly to the mark and let it sit for roughly 10 to 15 minutes before washing. You don’t need much, just enough to work into the affected area.
Rinse Tomato and Fruit Stains With Cool Water
Tomato sauce and fruit stains are better approached with cool water. When possible, rinse from the back of the fabric so you push the stain back out rather than forcing it deeper into the material.
Follow with an appropriate laundry treatment before washing according to the garment’s care instructions. The sooner you address a brightly colored food stain, the less time it has to sit in the fibers.
Scrape Away Chocolate First
If chocolate comes home on a shirt or pair of pants, remove as much of the solid chocolate as you can before reaching for the detergent. Scrape it away gently so you don’t spread it across an even larger area.
Once the excess is gone, use cool water and laundry detergent on the remaining mark. Avoid immediately throwing the garment into a hot wash and hoping for the best.
Get to School Paint While It’s Still Wet
Many classroom paints are washable and water-based, which makes them much easier to remove when they’re still wet. Rinse the paint under cool water, add a little laundry detergent, and then wash the garment according to its care label.
Once paint dries completely, removal becomes more difficult. Gently scrape away what you can without pulling at the fabric before treating the remaining stain.
Don’t Assume Another Wash Will Fix It
When a stain survives the washing machine, running the entire garment through another cycle with even more detergent can feel like the obvious solution. But, that’s not necessarily the best approach.
Excess detergent may remain in clothing when it isn’t rinsed away properly, while repeatedly washing uniforms at hotter temperatures can contribute to fading and fabric wear. Go back to treating the remaining stain rather than automatically rewashing the entire garment several times.
Check Stains Before Using the Dryer
Don’t assume a stain has disappeared just because you can’t see it clearly when the clothing comes out of the washer. Some food stains are difficult to spot while fabric is wet and become much more noticeable after it dries.
Take another look before putting the garment into the dryer. If the mark remains, de Swart recommends treating it again rather than drying it.
Turn Dark Uniforms Inside Out
Even when there’s no major stain to tackle, frequent washing can take a toll on dark pants, skirts, sweaters, and polo shirts. Turning darker garments inside out before washing can help reduce visible wear on the outside of the fabric.
It’s a small step, but school uniforms and frequently worn school clothes may go through far more wash cycles than the average piece of clothing. Anything that reduces unnecessary wear can help them look presentable longer.
Check Every Pocket Before Washing
This might be the easiest way to prevent one child’s mess from becoming an entire load of laundry’s problem. Get into the habit of checking every pocket before school clothes enter the washing machine.
A forgotten tissue is annoying, but pens, crayons, lip balm, and other items can create a much bigger mess once they tumble around with the rest of the laundry. A few seconds checking pockets can save you from having several new stains to deal with.
Don’t Let the Mess Sit All Weekend
You don’t need to start a load of laundry the minute your child walks through the door, but some stains become more difficult to tackle after sitting for several days. Grass, tomato sauce, paint, and other noticeable marks are worth addressing relatively quickly.
Even if you’re not ready to wash the garment, you can remove excess material and pretreat the affected area. As de Swart points out, dealing with the actual stain early gives the washing machine a much better chance of finishing the job later.
