Back to School Stain Guide

A new school year means another year of endless loads of laundry. With families watching their household budgets more closely than ever, it’s become increasingly important to get the most wear possible out of new apparel purchases. And even if your child’s school wardrobe is a school uniform, it’s important to know how to fight those back-to-school stains so it will be wearable all year.

For regular cleaning, follow the garment's care label instructions. A stain is a spot or a smudge that remains even after regular laundering. “Paying attention to stains and knowing how to treat them effectively pays off, so children’s school wardrobes can be wearable all year,” says Norma Keyes, Director of Product Standards, Cotton Incorporated. But it is always best to treat spots or smudges on clothes before they are laundered so the spots don't become true stains. This means that it is a good idea to inspect clothes before putting them in the washing machine. If spots are evident, pour some liquid detergent directly on the affected areas. If the spot doesn't come out or you missed treating a spot, go into the stain removal mode.

Our Back to School Stain Guide list of some of the most common school year stains, along with some advice for removing them, so you’ll keep your kids’ clothes at the head of the class.

CHEESE SAUCE

Apply a liquid detergent on the stained area, following the detergent manufacturer's guidelines. After washing by itself with a full amount of detergent, check the treated area; if the stain has not been completely removed, reapply liquid detergent, wash again before drying.

CHEWING GUM

Apply ice to harden the gum, then gently scrape off the excess gum being careful to avoid harming the fabric surface. Pretreat with a stain removal spray. Allow the spray to soak in, then launder according to the care label and the detergent manufacturer’s instructions. Check to see that the stain has been completely removed. If a stain remain, pretreat again then wash the item before drying. Retreat if necessary

CRAYON

Pretreat the stained area with a stain removal spray and follow the steps given from gum stain removal.

GLUE

Soak the garment in cold water for 30 minutes. Apply a liquid detergent, then launder as normal.

GRASS

Begin by soaking the garment for 30 minutes in a bucket or sink with a solution of ½ the recommended amount of detergent (powder detergents work best on grass stains) mixed with one gallon warm water. If the care label allows the use of non-chlorine bleach, use it for soaking and washing according the detergent and/or bleach manufacturer's recommendations. Air dry and repeat if necessary.

INK

Use a stain remover spray, then wash as normal. If the ink stain has not been completely removed, repeat the process again before drying.

MUD

Remove as much dried mud as you can with a soft bristle brush. If clothes have fresh mud, rinse them in cold water to dilute the mud. Next, wash the garment in warm water with the full amount of detergent per volume of water recommended by the detergent manufacturer. If the mud is not completely removed after laundering, try a rust remover product following the manufacturer’s instructions.

PENCIL

Use an art gum eraser to lift off excess; avoid hard rubbing. Spot treat with a stain remover stay or liquid detergent. Launder according to the care label and detergent manufacturer’s instructions.

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