How to remove stains from our children's clothes?

While waiting to one day accomplish household chores with a snap of your fingers like Mary Poppins, it’s better to know the right tips when it comes to doing the laundry. Whether your little one is an expert at rolling in the grass or a fine gourmet who loves bolognese sauce, we’re sharing all our secrets for removing stains from children’s clothes.

How to remove paint stains?

Does gouache wash out with water? How to remove a gouache paint stain from clothing? How to clean paint and gouache? How to remove a stubborn paint stain? Every parent has probably typed one of these phrases into a search engine at some point. Don’t worry: if your child has done some painting at school or at home, it’s likely water-based paint, and therefore easy to clean. Here’s how to remove paint from clothing:

Rinse the garment under cold water, making sure to remove any excess raised paint, for example with a spoon.

Add a bit of Marseille soap and gently scrub. Rinse with clean water.

For paint that has dried too much, you can use a cloth with a little household alcohol instead of soap, and blot the stain before putting the garment in the washing machine.

How to remove grass stains?

White vinegar is one of your best allies for removing a stubborn stain from clothing. This is especially true for removing a grass stain from your child’s clothes.

Mix a little white vinegar with some water.

Soak a cloth in this liquid, then gently blot the stain.

Let it sit and then wash the garment in the washing machine.

However, be careful—vinegar should be avoided on delicate fabrics!

How to remove pencil marks or felt-tip stains?

Lemon, white vinegar, bleach: there are many solutions to remove felt-tip stains from clothing. Here’s the one that works best for us, especially if the felt-tip stain is on cotton fabric:

If the garment is white, soak a cloth or cotton swab in hydrogen peroxide.

Gently dab over the felt-tip stain without rubbing too hard, then wash the garment in the washing machine.

For colored clothes, do the same with household alcohol.

How to remove tomato sauce stains?

Did your child stain their t-shirt in the cafeteria while eating tomato sauce? Don’t panic, there are tricks to easily remove this type of stain. While those living in sunny regions can try placing the garment under the sun’s rays, some products will guarantee a more reliable result:

If the tomato sauce stain is fresh, you have two options. First, dampen the garment.

Rub with Marseille soap until a thick layer forms, or pour baking soda on the stain. Let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes.

Rinse with clean water and wash in the washing machine.

To remove a stain from a garment that has already been washed, vinegar can be effective. Dab the area with a cloth soaked in vinegar, then rinse with water.

How to remove chewing gum?

Cleaning products are becoming more and more advanced, yet there’s nothing like a grandmother's trick to remove chewing gum from clothing. Place 2 ice cubes above and below the gum, and let them sit to harden it. Then, all you have to do is scrape it off.