Whether you're enjoying an ice cream on the beach or a red wine at a nice restaurant, it can be the little treats that really make a holiday special. But one spill can really kill the vibe as you rush around to avoid a permanent mark.
Armed with the right know-how, you should be able to clean up any mess and get back to enjoying yourself in no time. We've put together this holiday stain removal guide to help you do just that.
For washable fabrics, gently scrape off any solid residue with a blunt knife. Spot-treat the affected area with De.Solv.It (not on silk) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Flush with cool water and rub a little liquid washing detergent into the affected area, then machine-wash on as high a temperature as the fabric allows.
You may need to repeat this several times as it's a very stubborn stain.
A fizzy drink is a refreshing treat in the hot weather. If a spillage occurs, don't worry - fizzy drink stains are pretty easy to remove.
On anything washable, after blotting, rinse with plenty of cold running water. On...
Cotton: follow with a 40°C machine-wash, using biological detergent.
Silk or wool: follow with a 30°C machine-wash on the delicates cycle, providing the garment's care label states it is machine washable.
Flush the stained area with cool water. Apply Wine No More! and leave for a few minutes. The stain will turn blue first, then start disappearing. Blot to remove the remaining colour and repeat if necessary, then machine-wash according to fabric type.
If you don't have Wine No More! you can liberally spray hairspray and do a machine wash. For cotton, wash at 40°C with biological detergent. For silk and wool, wash at 30°C on the delicates cycle.
It's seemingly impossible for children to eat ice cream without getting it everywhere - but maybe that's one of the simple pleasures of childhood!
Most flavours contain grease, protein and pigment, but despite this, ice cream is usually fairly easy to remove. Don't use a high wash temperature or you may set the protein part of the stain into the fabric. Rub a small amount of liquid detergent into the affected area, and leave to soak for a few minutes. For cotton, machine-wash at 40°C with biological detergent. For machine-washable silk and wool, machine-wash at 30°C on the delicates cycle.
It happens to the best of us. On the assumption that you've removed any 'solids' and rinsed the garment well at the time with cold water, machine-wash as normal, using biological detergent if possible.
GHI Tip: When you rinse the garment with cold water, add a few drops of disinfectant to tackle the smell. Alternatively, sprinkle the affected area with bicarbonate of soda and leave for a few hours or try a deodoriser such as Febreze.
It's important to act quickly for the best chance of getting out a stain. For cottons, try soaking in an enzyme-based pre-soaking agent. For silk and wool, soak in a solution of a suitable detergent for delicates. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions and check the garment's care label first.