The winter clothes are coming out of storage, the Shabbos tops are back in rotation, and tzaharon is sending home a fresh collection of orange marks.
A few good products can take care of the stains that turn up most often. Keep them near the washing machine, and you'll know what to reach for the next time shoko spills.
Popcorn fingers, fried schnitzel and oil splatters call for dish soap. Work a little into the stain, rinse, and wash according to the garment's care label. If your dish soap is colored, dilute it with water first. Colored soap can leave a mark, especially on light clothing.
An oxygen-based laundry powder is useful for dull whites and stains from coffee, tea and wine. For diaper leaks, rinse away the mess and soak the washable garment in a solution prepared according to the package directions, then wash. Check the care label and use water safe for the fabric. If a yellow shadow remains after washing, try hanging the garment damp in the sun.
Food spills, grass stains and mystery marks on children's clothes are candidates for a pretreatment spray. Apply Vanish and wash according to the directions on the bottle. Don't leave the spray on longer than directed. Vanish or Oxygen left sitting on clothing can cause yellow marks or damage fabric.
This American spray is especially good on grape juice. It can take the mark off in seconds. It's also a favorite for shoko and other food spills. If someone is coming from the States, ask them to bring a bottle along. Follow the label and test a hidden spot first.
When a diaper leak or tomato sauce leaves a faint yellow or orange shadow after the wash, hang the garment damp in the sun and check it as it dries. Sun can fade colored fabric, so keep an eye on it. White garments deserve a look now and then, too; yellow marks can occasionally appear after sunning.
Blood: Start with cold water and a little bar soap or laundry detergent. Rinse, gently work in the soap, rinse again and wash. Hydrogen peroxide, sold in pharmacies as מי חמצן, is another option for stubborn blood stains; test a hidden spot first because it can affect color.
Shoko: Wet the mark and gently work in a regular bar of soap, then rinse and wash again. This has worked on a shoko stain that survived several washes.
Tzaharon sauce: Pretreat with diluted dish soap and wash. If a pale orange mark remains, try hanging the damp garment in the sun.
Permanent marker: Diluted dish soap has been recommended for a fresh stain. Hand sanitizer is another suggestion; test a hidden spot first. Whiteboard marker can be stubborn, and a professional cleaner may be the best first stop for a favorite dress.
Makeup: Try diluted dish soap on oily foundation. Makeup remover is another option; test it first and wash the garment afterward to remove any residue.
Paint: Sintabon, in a red package, has been reported to remove marks believed to be paint. Test a hidden area first. For a delicate coat, bring it to a cleaner.
Dust and playground dirt: Let loose dirt dry, then brush off what you can. Work a little laundry detergent into the remaining mark before washing.
Gray crawling marks: A soak with a color-safe oxygen product can help. Follow the package directions and check the garment's care label.
Yellow storage marks: Start with an oxygen-powder soak and wash. If a mark remains on a white garment, try the sun and check it as it dries.
Color that ran onto whites: Look for a laundry color-run remover and follow its directions. Check the garment label before using it.
Sweat smells: Baking soda or white vinegar has been suggested for lingering odors. Check your machine's instructions before adding vinegar, and keep it away from bleach.
Some readers also mentioned St. Moritz oven cleaner for difficult stains and paint thinner for paint. We haven't tested either on clothing. They aren't laundry products and can damage fabric or create chemical hazards, so we'd take the garment to a professional cleaner instead.
Check the stain after washing. If it's still there, treat and wash the garment again before using the dryer or iron: heat can make the mark harder to remove.
Read the garment and product labels, test a hidden spot, and use one treatment at a time. Rinse it out before trying another, and never mix bleach with other cleaning products.
Have a product that saved an outfit? Send us the name, the stain and the fabric.
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