Splattered spaghetti sauce on a white cotton tee, grape juice on your kids khakis and your little princess's loose lipstick on her dress—they're the goofs that keep on giving in the form of unsightly stains on your children's clothing. But with speed, the right cleaning agents, and the proper plan of stain removal attack, your children's clothing doesn't need to be sent to the rag pile.

If your stain is on cotton, you're in good shape. Cotton can be easily laundered–it withstands high temperatures and responds well to chlorine or color-safe bleach and a good detergent.

Stain removal masters

Grass: Apply a paste made from an enzyme detergent, like Wisk, and water and let sit in a warm place for 30 minutes. Rinse with cool water and finish with regular wash cycle. Use an eyedropper to apply a solution of one part ammonia or white vinegar and two parts water to bleach any remaining stain. Rinse with cool water. Finish with a regular wash cycle.

Coffee: Stretch fabric over a bowl and, from a height of about one foot, pour boiling water from a kettle.

Lipstick: Apply an oil solvent, like Carbona or K2 and let dry, then brush off residue. Treat with a liquid soap and very little water. Rub to form suds, then rinse with cool water.

Tomato Sauce and Ketchup: Apply a combination solvent like Shout. Use an eyedropper and diluted vinegar (one part water) to bleach any remaining color. Finish with regular wash cycle.

Red Wine: Cover the stain with salt, then stretch the fabric over a bowl and, from a height of about one foot, pour boiling water from a kettle.

So don't sweat it the next time you get tagged for stain removal duty. Just take the article of clothing, read this article, and follow the tips and watch the stain fade away.