Summer Stains 101: Cleanups Made Easy

There’s a lot to love about summer: the smell of freshly cut grass, barbecues for dinner every evening, and ice cream cones being a suitable snack at any time of the day. But one thing we don’t love is the summer stains that come with it. We’re talking grass stains on your kid’s new trousers or sticky BBQ sauce on your partner’s new white shirt. Tackling summer stains can be tricky, but with the right approach, it doesn’t have to be.

We’ll show you our top tips for cleaning those pesky summer stains, including a step-by-step method and best practices, so you can be confident tackling any stain that comes your way.

Why Sprays Often Miss Summer Stains

Spray-and-wash stain removers are a convenient method for removing stains and can work well on small, non-set-in marks. They typically work best on fresh stains such as those from spilled coffee or melted chocolate. If you’re dealing with tougher, dried-in stains, it’s highly likely that a spray-and-wash treatment just won’t cut it. 

Common summer stains include sweat, grass marks, and sunscreen residue—all types of stains that can quickly bind to certain fabrics and make them difficult to remove. In this case, the stains would benefit from soaking instead of tackling them with a quick spray solution.

How Soaking Speeds Up Stain Removal

Soaking is one of the most effective—yet underrated—stain removal processes. Soaking allows the water to gradually break down and loosen the proteins, oils, or tannins that may be present. Allowing the item to soak reduces the need for incessant rubbing, which could, in turn, damage the fabric of your clothing. Certain things, like grass marks or blueberry stains, can be especially hard to remove, and in this case, soaking is necessary.

Instead of wasting time using and repeating the spray-and-wash method, give the stain a quick soak in some cool water along with your laundry detergent sheets or liquid detergent of your choice. Freddie detergent sheets are formulated without dyes, phosphates, parabens, brighteners, or 1,4-dioxane, and are designed for everyday stain care while avoiding plastic jugs.

What You Need for a Soak

• Large container, basin, or sink.
• Cold or lukewarm water. Use cold water for sweat or grass stains, and warm water for oily or greasy stains.
• Rubber gloves.
• A measuring scoop.
• Stain treatment—either a liquid detergent, detergent sheets, or a homemade solution, such as vinegar and baking soda.

Step-By-Step Soak Method

Once you’ve gathered up all your supplies, it’s time to get stuck in! We’ve laid out a 7-step approach that you can follow to finally get rid of those stubborn stains. 

1. Check the Product Label

Before you begin, it’s essential to review the care instructions on the label. Check the composition of the garment, as well as the wash instructions. Some fabrics, like wool, are very delicate and can’t be used with many stain removers, as they can easily lose their shape.

2. Fill the Basin with Water

Once you better understand the composition of the item and know what the stain is, you can fill your container, basin, or sink with cold or lukewarm water. Avoid using hot water—this can set the stain in the fabric. 

3. Choose Your Stain Remover

If you’re using laundry detergent sheets, place a sheet into the container and allow it to dissolve. You could also use an enzyme-based detergent or vinegar, depending on the type of stain you’re dealing with.

4. Add Your Garment

Once your stain remover has fully dissolved evenly in the water, add in your stained garment. Ensure the container contains enough water to fully submerge the item.

5. Leave It to Soak

Now you can leave the item to soak in the solution—anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours. You can check regularly to see what progress it’s making.

6. Give It a Swish

Make sure the garment has enough room to move around in the container and give it a swirl to gently agitate the stain. Stirring occasionally keeps the water solution circulating and helps to break up the stain.

7. Rinse and Wash

When you think the stain has sufficiently faded, remove the item from the container and wash it as normal. Once washed, check that the stain is fully removed before drying, as heat can set the stain in place.

How to Avoid Color Bleeding When Soaking Clothes

A very common concern when soaking clothes is the possibility of colors bleeding. If you’re worried about colors leaking or bright colors fading, here are some of our top tips:

• Separate colors: If you’re soaking multiple items, make sure you’re soaking similar colors together. 
• Do a patch test: Try wetting part of the fabric with the water and detergent solution to see how it reacts. If the color starts to bleed, you’ll need to carefully limit soak time or soak on its own.
• Use cold water: Hot water will cause dyes to run more easily.
• Use a gentle detergent: Freddie laundry detergent sheets are gentle and don’t contain harsh chemicals like some other liquid detergents.
• Don’t overdo it: Don’t leave the item soaking for hours on end if you’re not 100% sure about how it will react. Test before soaking, but you should also continue to check on the item in case it begins to bleed.

Best Practices for Stain Removal Beyond Soaking

If soaking isn’t for you, there are some other stain removal approaches you can try. 

• Spot-treating: You can attack the stain directly with a stain remover of your choice.
• Use gentle products first: Avoid using anything with toxins, chemicals, or bleach, and instead start off using gentle products. If the stain persists, you can try using something stronger.
• Try targeted stain removers: Enzyme-based removers, a vinegar or baking soda solution, or lemon juice are just some of the stain removers you can use instead of soaking.
• Avoid over-soaking: Regularly check the garment to ensure you’re not leaving it in for longer than necessary, and that you’re not damaging the fabric.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Get Rid of a Stain That Keeps Coming Back?

If you find yourself with a stain that returns even after washing, it’s likely that residue is still left behind or the stain has set into the fabric. Try pre-treating it with an enzyme-based detergent, or make up a baking soda paste at home. You can then wash the item again using cold water.

How Long to Soak to Get Stains Out?

This will vary depending on the type of stain you’re dealing with. For everyday stains, soak for anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. For more stubborn stains, soak the item overnight. If you think it still isn’t lifting, soak with an enzyme detergent for a more targeted approach. 

How to Get Rid of a Stain in 5 Minutes?

Act fast! Immediately blot the stain with a cloth—don’t rub! This can make the stain worse and push it deeper into the fabric. Gently dab the stain. You can use either dishwashing liquid, vinegar, baking soda, or a liquid detergent, depending on the type of stain you’re treating. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then rinse. Repeat if necessary and then wash as usual.

What Is the Quick Soak Method?

This is where you fill a basin with cold water, add in your detergent sheet or stain remover, then immerse the item of clothing in the water for at least 30 minutes. You can gently agitate the stain by moving the fabric around in the water. You can then proceed to wash as normal.

Ready to Try Buy Freddie’s Laundry Detergent Sheets?

Summer stains can wreak havoc on your clothes if you’re not prepared. One of the most important things you can do when dealing with a spillage or stain is to act fast! No matter the stain, gently blot as soon as it happens, and follow up with our 7-step soaking method for the best chance of stain removal. If you’re still not sure what detergent to use, Freddie has a range of laundry detergent sheets that help manage common laundry needs and simplify wash day.