We’ve all had those days when we’ve been caught in the rain, splashed by a driver going through a muddy puddle, or slipped on the ice and landed in a snowbank. While none of these things are particularly enjoyable, they don’t need to mean disaster for your clothes.
We probably all know to not fold (or crumple) a wet or stained item and put it in a drawer. The best case scenario is wrinkles, but it’s much more likely the item will mildew. There’s more to rescuing your clothing from a damp, mildewy death than hanging them up.
Throwing everything into the wash as soon as you get home isn’t as bad as stuffing them in a drawer, but this can damage your items and doesn’t always fully remove any stains.
Here’s a how-to guide to rescuing wet clothes from leaking colour and salt stains.
Colour Bleeding
Several times I’ve had dark wash jeans leak onto lighter shirts when the jeans get wet. It’s one of the side effects of growing up in a province that gets a lot of snow in the winter and a lot of sun in the spring.
Jeans that have been washed several times can still leak dye onto other fabrics, especially if they are an extremely dark wash. This is because most companies dye their denim using a synthetic indigo dye, which lasts longer than its original natural form.
Pre-treatments will be your BFF for getting denim dye out of whatever item it has soaked into. First, lay the item flat on a hard surface that won’t be impacted by the pretreatment, such as the top of the washer. Apply a gel or liquid pretreatment such as Oxi Clean to the area. With a soft scrub brush, work the treatment into the item. Let it sit for up to an hour.
Don’t have a pretreatment? In a pinch, white vinegar makes a good stain remover on white items.
After the pretreatment has had time to set, throw the item into the washer. Use the hottest water the fabric can stand. Check the tag to see what that is. Set your washer to a regular wash cycle.
If the item is white, add chlorine bleach. If it is a colour, use colour-safe bleach such as Clorox 2 Laundry Stain Remover and Colour Booster.
For hand-wash only items, follow the same steps, but instead of using the washer fill a clean sink or large bucket with hot water. Gently rub the bleach into the fabric and let it sit for up to twenty minutes.
When the wash cycle is done, check the item to see if the stain is gone. If so, dry it as usual. If not, repeat the steps above.
Salt Stains
These develop from doing pretty much anything outside in the winter and spring. Whether they show up as high-tide marks on your pants or splashes on your coat, these white marks are not a good look.
To get rid of them without damaging the fabric, soak a soft cloth in warm water. Gently dab at the marks until they aren’t visible. Blotting the stain will get the salt off without pushing it further into the fabric.
Hang up the item to air dry. Do not put it in the dryer as the heat will set the stain. Once the item has dried, use a soft brush - such as a clean makeup brush you don’t use anymore - to lightly brush the dried salt off the fabric.
If you can still see any salt, dilute one tablespoon of white vinegar in four cups of warm water. Use your soft cloth to gently wipe the fabric with the mixture. From here wash and dry the item as you usually would.
Do you have go-to stain remover method? Let us know in the comments.
