How To Remove Ice Cream Stains

For most, ice cream is a summer treat; the sound of the ice cream van brings joy and the temptation to buy ice cream during an evening walk is too much to resist. However, with every dessert, spillage on clothes is common and ice cream is no different. If you’re worried about your favourite top being ruined, no stress! We’re here to teach you how to remove ice cream stains!

Treat the Stain Immediately

The trick to removing ice cream stains is to treat them right away to avoid the stain settling into the fabric. If you freeze now, the ice cream stain will dry; making it difficult to remove!

Read Label Instructions

As usual with any clothing material, read the instructions to make sure you aren’t handling it incorrectly. Every material needs different care.

Scrape off the Ice Cream

Get a spoon or butter knife to scrape off the ice cream and then turn your clothes inside out and put them in cold water to make sure there is little ice cream left. It’s worth noting that you must avoid using hot water because ice cream is a protein product.

Place Clothes In The Washing Machine

Once you’re done scraping off the ice cream stain, pour laundry detergent into the stain and then soak in cold water for 15 minutes.

Afterwards, put it in the washing machine. It is highly recommended you choose a cool wash setting for better results.

Put In Dryer

Once the washing cycle is complete, either put your garment on the clothesline or dryer but first double-check if the stain is completely gone!

Extra Tips

Ice cream is commonly eaten outside on a picnic or at the beach. If ice cream drips on your clothes outdoors, go to a nearby toilet or bathroom and use soap and cold water to treat it. It may not do the job immediately but once you are home, place it in the washer!

Encountering ice cream spills is inevitable but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying your summer and your ice cream! Now that you know the best way to remove ice cream stains, you will be better prepared next time!

If you need a hand, book a service with Laundryheap and we’ll cool off your ice cream worries and remove the ice cream stains!

Visit Laundryheap’s website to book a service or download the free app on iOS or Android!

May 23, 2022
by oliverrani Leave a comment

How To Remove Egg Stains

Eggs, whether for breakfast or as chocolate Easter eggs, always look good on a plate but they don’t look good on your clothes. If you’ve spilt eggs on your clothes, no stress! To egg you on, we’re going to guide you on how to remove egg stains from your clothes!

What You’ll Need to Remove Egg Stains

Before we get cracking, these are the list of supplies you will need to remove the egg stains:

Spoon (or a butter knife)
Brush
Water (salt is optional)
Liquid Laundry detergent

Instructions on Removing Egg Stains

After you’ve got all your supplies ready, it’s time to rescue your clothes!

Firstly, use your spoon to remove the egg stain from the outside of your clothes. Don’t worry too much about the inside of your fabric for now. Scraping the stained part to remove as much of the egg as possible. This also works with a butter knife.

When you’ve done scraping with a spoon, proceed to rinse your egg-stained clothes with cold water and start scraping the egg-stained part to soften it.

Additionally, we strongly advise against using hot water. Eggs are protein; hot water will only cook the protein and will damage the fabric!

After you’ve used a spoon and finished rinsing your clothes, we recommend putting a laundry detergent (read the label first) on the egg-stained part for better and cleaner results. Simply pour a detergent directly onto the egg stain and using the same brush as before, spread it out. It’s important to stay patient as egg stains do need care and attention.

Fourthly, you will need to load your egg-stained clothes into the washing machine. To make the cleaning process more seamless, don’t rinse off the liquid detergent.

However, before you do load, always read the labels on your clothes for better care.

Moreover, place the correct amount of liquid detergent into the washing machine. If you feel unsure about the correct dose, use a pre-treat cap to guide you.

Start your washing machine with the regular cycle and the hottest temperature (depending on the instructions and labels on your clothes.

After your cycle is finished, unload to check if the egg stains are removed. If you’re happy with the results, start to dry your clothes!

Yes, you will have an egg on your face when you realise there are egg stains on your clothes but you are now equipped with a guide to remove egg stains next time this situation occurs!

If you need help to get remove the eggs, book with us, choose a collection day and we’ll have your clothes returned to you within 24 hours! No stress, no hassle and no more egg stains!

For any other laundry chores, visit Laundryheap’s website to book a service with us or download the free Laundryheap app on iOS or Android!

December 24, 2020
by islarussell Leave a comment

The 5 stains of Christmas

Christmas is a time for giving, sharing, and being with those you love. Unfortunately, this can lead to stained clothing. Don’t worry though, because this is your guide to removing Christmas stains.

Mulled wine
Milk
Cranberry sauce
Chocolate
Candy canes

Mulled wine

Mulled wine is the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit, so don’t let a mulled wine stain stop you from having a holly jolly Christmas. As soon as you spot the stain, dampen the area with a small amount of water. Using paper towels, or a clean, dry, cloth, gently dab at the stain, making sure to not rub it. Once the stain begins to lighten and lift, put your item into the washing machine and wash as per the care label instructions.

Milk

Don’t despair if you spill milk down yourself whilst leaving it out for Santa. Begin by blotting the stain with a clean cloth or napkin. Next, mix two cups of cold water with one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid and one tablespoon of baking soda. Rub this mixture into the milk stain using your fingers or a soft brush. Once your stain has been covered by the mixture, rinse it with cold water. If you can still see the milk stain, repeat the process again.

Cranberry sauce

You can’t have a Christmas dinner without turkey, accompanied by lashings of cranberry sauce. Unfortunately, it is very easy to get over excited, and end up with a large cranberry sauce stain right down the middle of your Christmas outfit. If this does happen, act quickly as it is easier to get a wet stain out than a dry one.

Start by scrapping away the excess cranberry sauce with the back of a spoon or a dry, clean, cloth. Try and avoid spreading the stain. Once all of the excess cranberry sauce has been removed, flush the stain with a constant stream of cold water, making sure that the back of the stain is facing the flow of water. You should begin to notice your stain becoming lighter in colour. Next, rub a small amount of laundry detergent directly onto the stain, and wash your garment as normal.

Photo by **RODNAE Productions** from **Pexels**

Chocolate

If you can’t indulge yourself at Christmas, then when can you? If you accidentally smear chocolate on your outfit, simply begin removing the stain by using a knife or spoon to lift the excess chocolate. Next, turn your garment inside out and run a constant stream of cold water through the stain. This will help loosen the stain from the fibres of your clothing. Once you’ve loosened your stain, lather it with laundry detergent, and leave it to soak for 30 minutes in cold water. Finally, wash your item as per the instructions on its care label.

Candy canes

On Christmas Day, you can finally eat those candy canes that have been tempting you from the Christmas tree all month. Candy canes are not necessarily the easiest candy to eat, and when you bite into one, it is easy for them to shatter into small shards. If these shads end up stuck on your clothing, begin by filling a zip lock bag with ice and applying it directly onto the stain. This will cause the shard to stiffen and become easier to remove. When it has become hard, simply pull the shard away from your clothing, being careful not to rip your item.

To treat the stain left behind, dip a clean, dry, cloth in white vinegar and blot the stain. Once it has become damp with white vinegar, leave it to sit for 15 minutes before rinsing it with water and blotting it dry.

Photo by **Pavel Danilyuk** from **Pexels**

Don’t let stains ruin your Christmas. If there are any stains on your clothing that you can’t remove, give them to us. We will pick-up, dry clean, and re-deliver your clothing back to you, stain free, within 24 hours.

To book your Laundryheap service, head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app.

Merry Christmas, from the Laundryheap family.

August 13, 2020
by islarussell Leave a comment

Everything you need to know about colour run stains

When the colours of your clothing bleed together, this is known as a colour run. Colour runs are very common, and this is everything you need to know about them.

Why do colour run stains occur?
The colourfastness test
How to prevent colour runs
How to get rid of colour run stains

Why do colour run stains occur?

The brightly coloured clothing that we buy has been dyed using colour pigments. In order for our clothes to remain a vibrant colour, the colour pigments of the dye must be securely attached to the fabric. Colour run occurs when the coloured pigments have not been adequately attached to the fabric. When these inadequately attached pigments come into contact with water, the dye begins to run and can transfer onto other items of clothing. Colour run stains are most apparent when washing isn’t separated. If a darker item of clothing begins to run, it can be damaging to lighter colours of clothing.

The colourfastness test

The most effective way to test if your clothing will run in the wash is by using the colourfastness test. This test should be carried out before you wash your item with any other clothing.

Begin the test by selecting a hidden section of your item, such as the hem or seam. Dampen that section and lay something absorbent on the spot, such as a white paper towel or handkerchief. Next, iron on top of the absorbent material. If the colour from your item bleeds onto the absorbent material than your item is not colourfast and therefore could stain any other clothing it is washed with.

Image by Marco Verch Professional Photographer and Speaker

How to prevent colour runs

The best way to minimise the damage of colour run stains is by washing the same, or similar, coloured clothing together. This will mean that, should your colours run in the wash, there will not be a dramatic impact made to your other items in the wash in turns of colour difference.

It is important to remember that hot water opens the fibres in clothing, therefore encouraging any non-colourfast clothing to run. The best way to combat this issue is to wash your clothing in cold water.

Finally, to prevent colour runs, don’t leave your washing in a wet pile or in your washing machine, whilst wet, for a long period of time. This encourages any non-colourfast clothing to run and potentially stain multiple items of your clothing.

How to get rid of colour run stains

If your colours have run and the stain is noticeable the best thing to do is treat the stain as soon as possible. Put your stained item back into the washing machine, on its own, and wash it again using laundry detergent. As long as you act fast, ideally when the item is still wet, the stain should remove itself. If washing your stained item using normal laundry detergent does not treat the stain, you can find specific stain remover laundry detergents.

If your colour run was particularly bad, don’t forget to put your washing machine on an empty spin to clean out your machine and avoid any damage to the clothes you put in later.

The best way to avoid colour run stains is by letting us launder your clothes for you. Book your Laundryheap service by visiting the Laundryheap website or by downloading the free Laundryheap app. We are now servicing Boston, including Boston City, Cambridge, Somerville and Brookline.

July 13, 2020
by islarussell 1 Comment

The benefits of steaming your clothes

Clothes steamers are perfect for when your clothes need freshening up but not a full wash in the washing machine. The benefits of steaming your clothes do not stop there.

Preserves clothing
Removes stains
Kills odors
Reduces allergens
Removes wrinkles

Preserves clothing

Over-washing causes irreversible damage to your clothing. Each time you wash your clothes the different materials rubbing together in the machine causes fibers to weaken. This can lead to holes and rips that are near impossible to repair. Clothes steamers do not include any chemicals other than water and heat, meaning that they are much gentler on clothing fibers. If your clothes are unstained, using a clothes steamer is a fast and effective way to freshen your clothing without damaging their fibers.

Removes stains

Clothes steamers are particularly useful at getting rid of stubborn stains. Before using your steam cleaner, pre-treat the stain in the most effective way depending on what has caused it. Once the stain has been pre-treated, aim your steam cleaner directly at the stain for around 30 seconds. The heat from the steam will loosen the stain and work with the pre-treatment to remove it.

Kills odours

If your clothing is unstained but odorous a steam cleaner will lift odours and leave your clothes ready to re-wear. When water reaches a steaming level it becomes hot enough to deactivate bacteria that cause odours. If you have a particularly stubborn odour, spray the strongest smelling area with a combination of white vinegar and water, this will help deactivate the bacteria and lift the smell from your clothes.

Reduces allergens

If you suffer from allergies, such as hayfever, a clothes steamer can help alleviate your symptoms. When you use a clothes steamer, the steam pushes through the fibers of your clothing, eradicating any lingering bacteria, dust mites, or pollen. This is particularly helpful during hayfever season when pollen sticks to your clothing after being outside.

Reduces wrinkles

If you hate ironing investing in a clothes steamer could be your saving grace. Hang your item of clothing on a coat hanger and gently run your clothes steamer up and down the garment. The steam will loosen the fibers of the fabric, allowing wrinkles in the material to be released. This will leave you with fresh, un-wrinkled, clothing without the need for an iron.

Save yourself the hassle of laundering your own clothes and book a Laundryheap dry cleaning slot. We will pick up, dry clean, and re-deliver your clothes straight to your door. Book your slot now by visiting the Laundryheap website or by downloading the free Laundryheap app.

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