Mum shares the clever hack she used to get rid of stains all over her daughter’s favourite onesie, and it’s totally FREE
WHEN you have kids, you simply can’t avoid them getting stains on their clothes.
From dropped food to muddy smears, it can be a challenge removing any unwanted stains, but a mum has a simple and totally free hack that she swears by.
Kaitlin, who posts under @kaitlingonzo, shared how she uses the sun to “bleach” garments to look as good as new within hours.
In a clip which has racked up 21,000 likes, she held up a onesie that had a yellow stain around the collar.
The mum shared: “Pregnant with my second daughter and didn’t want to let go of this adorable Dino outfit.
“I’m glad I learned about sun bleaching.
“Thank you Mr Sun.”
All she did was lay the oneside on her garden path in direct sunlight.
Four hours later, she returned to the garment and found that the unsightly stain had faded dramatically.
Kaitlin gushed: “I am so glad to see that sun bleaching really works!!! Yay!!!”
Many people were highly impressed with the hack, especially as she didn’t need any pricey products to achieve the bleaching effect.
One person wrote: “This is so stinking cool!! Wish I knew about this sooner. Maybe I could salvage some of my husbands stained up shirts.”
Another added: “I love this app, it’s always a new trick every day.”
And a third commented: “I had a very yellow once white newborn car seat insert that’s almost completely new looking!”
Alex Econs, a garment cleaning expert and the founder of Icon Printing, is also a fan of the hack and shared some other pieces of advice.
“To get your whites gleaming again, try a natural vinegar-based solution. Not only is this method gentle on the garment, but as vinegar is less toxic than bleach, it’s more eco-friendly, too,” he said.
“To make the solution at home, mix half a teaspoon of washing powder with one-fourth of a cup of white vinegar and one-fourth of a cup of cool water.
“Apply this directly to stains, lightly brushing it into any affected areas, and then wash the T-shirt right away.
“When it comes to drying your whites, if weather permits, always do so outside. The sun will naturally bleach any discoloration, lightening any stains and keeping the T-shirt whiter for longer.”
He also shared tips on clothes that have green grass stains.
“Grass is rich in chlorophyll, which can easily be transferred to the fabrics of our clothing, leaving behind rather intimidating-looking bright green marks.
“Rubbing alcohol acts as a solvent to this pigmentation and will remove the worst of the stain.
“Using a clean sponge, blot the stain before allowing a small amount of the alcohol to sit for five to 10 minutes. Then, rinse the fabric with cold water and repeat the process if required.”
How to do a strip wash
Strip washing is where you soak your linens in a tub with detergent for hours, which draws out all the dirt. Some people use different cleaning agents but the method remains the same.
- Fill a bathtub or bucket with boiling hot water
- Add washing powder, laundry detergent or borax – adjust the amounts depending on how much water you’re using
- Add your clothes and let them soak
- Stir every few hours
- Leave to soak for as long as possible, ideally 24 hours
- Remove and rinse in the washing machine
- Dry as normal