Summer spills and stain solutions

One of the sweetest things about the summer holidays are all those seasonal treats… ice cream on a cone, BBQs, entertaining al fresco and a jug of sangria.

And then there are the occasional mishaps – spills, leaks, grease stains, sugary treats melting in the heat, sun cream on your clothes, you name it.

To help save your summer whites and spot clean those mucky smears, home expert and author, Lynsey Crombie, aka ‘Queen of Clean’ shares her top tips to tackle common summer stains…

Sun cream

“Sun cream can be a real pain to get out [of fabric] and the longer you leave it, the worse it gets,” warns Crombie.

“If you’re out and about when the stain happens, you will naturally wipe the stain with a tissue or wet wipe; but heat from the sun and perspiration can activate the grease even more, making it much worse.”

She says to try to blot it gently to absorb as much cream as you can, or if you have a hand sanitiser with you, cover the stain to stop it from spreading.

“Another fantastic ‘old school’ tip – if you’re at the beach, cover the stain with sand to dry out the stain!”

Here’s what to do when you get home…

As soon as you can, rinse the stain from the reverse under a cold water tap, says Crombie. “This way the stain is being pushed out of the fabric and hopefully flushing out as much as the stain as possible.”

White vinegar: “Sun cream has an oil base, so you need something to break that down – one of my go-to products is white vinegar.

“Simply cover the stain in vinegar then leave for 30 minutes to allow it to work, and then wash as normal.

Eucalyptus oil: “Eucalyptus oil has magic stain removal qualities when it comes to greasy marks, and it smells incredible.”

“Coat your stain in the stuff, leave for 15 minutes, then wash as normal. If the staining is bad, then you may need to repeat – but don’t panic as it will come out.

Sunshine: “For light-coloured clothes where the sun cream may have stained the fabric yellow, try hanging your clothes out in the sun to dry after the wash.

“The sun is great at naturally bleaching whites. If the stain is not budging at all, squirt some lemon juice on it first.”

Summer drink stains on clothes

Fun in the sun… summer gatherings often include refreshing cocktails, sangria and spritzers, which can sometimes leave unwanted stains on your clothing, highlights Crombie.

Here’s how to handle these stains quickly…

Immediate action: “If you’re not at home, a quick fix is to spritz the stain with hand sanitiser. The alcohol in the sanitiser can help lift the stain until you can properly treat it.”

At-home treatment: “Liquid laundry detergent and cold water – for clothing, start by holding the stained area under a cold tap, with the fabric turned inside out. This helps to flush out the stain from the fibres.”

Apply detergent: “Add a small amount of liquid laundry detergent directly to the stain. Gently rub the fabric together to work the detergent into the fibres.”

Soak: “Let the garment soak in cold water with the detergent for at least 30 minutes. This helps to break down the stain particles.”

After soaking, she says to rinse the fabric thoroughly under cold water to remove the detergent and loosened stain particles. “Wash the garment as usual, following the care instructions on the label.”

Summer drinks stains on carpets and upholstery

“Blot the stain immediately with a white cloth or paper towel to absorb as much of the liquid as possible – avoid rubbing,” warns Crombie. “This can push the stain deeper into the fabric.”

Mix a solution of cold water and liquid laundry detergent, says Crombie, then dip a white cloth into the solution and gently dab it onto the stain.

“Blot the area with a clean, dry white cloth to lift the stain out. Continue blotting until the stain is removed.”

She continues: “Using a white cloth helps you see the stain as it transfers from the fabric to the cloth. Dampen a clean cloth with cold water and blot the area to remove any remaining detergent.

“Blot dry with a dry cloth to absorb any excess moisture.”

Ice cream

“Ice cream stains can be tackled on the go if you have antibacterial wipes or a handy handbag cleaning pack,” suggests Crombie.

“Quickly blot the stain with the wipes to start lifting it. Once home, apply washing-up liquid to the area and wash on the hottest setting your fabric can handle to fully remove the stain.”

BBQ grease

Grease stains from summer BBQs can be treated by dampening the stain and sprinkling bicarbonate of soda to soak up the grease, says Crombie.

“Corn starch works just as well. Rub it into the stain, leave for 15 minutes, rinse under a cold tap, and wash as normal. Lemon juice can also be effective on grease stains.”

Grass stains

“Grass stains are inevitable in the summer, especially with kids playing outside.

“For cricket or football whites, dampen the stain with cold water and scrub in some white toothpaste using a small soft brush,” says Crombie.

“Leave it on for as long as possible, rinse and then wash. For other items, apply a bit of regular laundry detergent, rub it in with your fingers, let it sit, and then wash as usual.”