Going back to school is an exciting time for both children and parents alike. Want to know how to remove pen and paint stains from children’s clothes?
Lots of kids are gearing up to go back to school this month, and the younger the children, the more crucial this time is for families, especially when it comes to washing clothes! Children take part in a whole range of activities and games involving pens and paint at school, and their clothes get dirty easily as a result. So, what’s the best way to remove stubborn stains from your children’s clothes?
How to remove pen stains from children’s clothes
Children certainly have lots of fun with paints, but parents don’t tend to share the same enthusiasm when it comes to removing stubborn stains from their clothes. The first step to removing pen stains from T-shirts and jeans is to use a specific formula to soften stains. This process can be carried out on any type of garment, be it white or dark, synthetic or delicate.
Here’s what to do:
- If the clothing is made of silk, wool or a synthetic material, dab the stain with a cotton wool pad soaked in milk before machine washing.
- If the clothing is made of cotton, use washing up liquid or a degreaser before machine washing at 30°C.
- If the stain is caused by pens containing chemicals, you’ll have to resort to ethyl alcohol, which can be applied using either a ball of cotton wool or a soft cloth. After rubbing the stain, proceed with a quick hand rinse and then machine wash as normal.
- The best solution is to use washable markers so that the stains come out in a normal wash cycle.
If you’re looking for flawless results then try a Hoover washing machine. With its Power Care System, the H-WASH 500 model automatically creates the perfect mix of water and detergent to penetrate deep into garment fibres, ensuring your wash is 20% more effective.
How to remove paint stains from children’s clothes
Going back to school means your little ones will also be using poster and oil paints. And the chance of them coming home with a rainbow coloured stain on their clothes is fairly high. So, how do you remove paint stains from school clothes?
You can wash white and coloured clothes with paint and watercolour stains in the washing machine after soaking them in water and ammonia. If the stain was caused by oil paints, you have two options, depending on the type of stain:
- If the stain is fresh you can rub it with white spirit.
- If the stain is in the process of drying or has dried, soften it with some butter and leave it for a few hours before rubbing it with white spirit. If it’s a stubborn stain, soak it with a solution made up of equal parts white spirit and ammonia.