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How To Remove Mildew Stains

Nobody likes mildew on clothes. Not only does it bring a bad smell to our clothes but it can cause damage to your clothes if left there for too long. To help keep your clothes protected, we’ve put together a guide on how to remove mildew stains.

remove mildew stains on shirt

Read The Care Labels

First things first, always read the care label on your garment to ensure you are following the basics in regards to knowing what temperature to wash with and whether it’s suited to be tumble dried later.

Pre-Treat With a Laundry Product

There are different ways to remove mildew stains and each way is effective for different reasons.

Generally, white vinegar is the most effective way that can be diluted with water and then applied directly to the affected area. If you’re dealing with tougher stains, you can use full-strength vinegar. Whichever vinegar you use, make sure you give it time to soak.

Alternatively, you can also use bleach to remove mildew stains. However, this is perhaps a risky method because you are risking fading the colours of your clothes and damaging delicate fabrics. We recommend you only use bleach on white sheets.

The third option is borax which is available in both power and liquid form. This is a less risky method when compared to vinegar but like anything in laundry, make sure you read the instructions carefully and pre-treat effectively.

Wash In Hot Temperature

Once you’ve pre-treated your garment with a laundry product, you can start the washing machine cycle. Ensure you wash at the highest temperature.

Dry Your Garment

Afterwards, line dry your garment outdoors and make sure the sunlight is setting on it as it does eliminate mildew.

We hope our guide has provided you with valuable information!

If you are busy and don’t have time to do the laundry, you can get in touch with Laundryheap to tackle your laundry for you!

Our professional team will remove mildew stains from your clothes and keep them looking as good as new!

100% free delivery and top-quality cleaning guaranteed!

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To learn more about Laundryheap, visit our website or download the free app on iOS or Android.


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Pre-treatment alternatives

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

The best way to remove stains is to pre-treat them. If you don’t have any pre-treatment products, pre-treat your stains with these alternatives. 

  • Baking soda
  • Lemon/lime
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Corn starch 
  • Salt
  • Dish soap
  • Laundry detergent 

Baking soda

Baking soda is particularly useful at pre-treating odorous wet stains, such as coffee. The powdery consistency sucks up the wetness of the stain, whilst absorbing the odour, leaving your clothing with an odourless and smaller stain. Make sure to always brush off the baking soda before washing your garment. Alternatively, you can make a baking soda paste by mixing two parts baking soda with one part water. Spreading the paste over your stain will help to loosen it from the fibres of your clothing. 

Photo by Kaboompics .com from Pexels

Lemon/lime

The natural acidity in lemon and lime acts as a natural bleaching agent. Squeezing lemon or lime juice directly over the stain will begin bleaching it, making the stain lighter and easier to remove in the wash. Be warned that using lemon or lime juice on coloured clothing may cause discolouration, so use with caution or only on white clothing. It is particularly effective on yellow underarm and rust stains. 

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Hydrogen peroxide

Similarly to lemon and lime, hydrogen peroxide is a natural bleaching agent. Simply pour or spray a small amount of the solution on to your stain, and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. The hydrogen peroxide will begin to break down and lift your stain, making it easier for it to be completely lifted in the wash. After 10 minutes, wash your garment as you usually would, and observe as your clothing becomes completely stain-free. 

Image by Duncan Creamer

Corn starch

If you have an oily or greasy stain, immediately sprinkle corn starch over it. Make sure that your stain is completely covered by the corn starch, and leave it to sit for at least 10 minutes. The small particles that make up the corn starch will begin absorbing the stain, lifting it from your garment. If you catch your stain quick enough, the corn starch alone may be enough to lift your stain completely. If not, wash your item as you usually would. 

Image by JaBB

Salt 

Salt works in a similar way to corn starch, particularly on red wine stains. The particles that make up the salt absorb the stain, leaving a smaller and more manageable stain behind. Sprinkle your red wine stain with a liberal amount of salt, the cheaper the better, and leave it to sit for at least 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, brush the salt from your garment and observe whether your stain has reduced in size and become lighter. If not, you may want to apply more salt and leave it for longer. 

Photo by Castorly Stock from Pexels

Dish soap 

Dish soap is manufactured to tackle greasy and oily substances. To remove stains using dish soap, squirt a small amount directly onto the stain, and use your fingers, or a soft-bristled brush, to rub it in. Leave it to sit for 10 minutes, before rinsing it from your stain, and washing as you usually would. 

Photo by Vivaan Rupani from Pexels

Laundry detergent 

Laundry detergent is specially formulated to lift dirt from clothing, which makes it a great pre-treatment. You can use laundry detergent in the same way as you would use dish soap. Rub a small amount directly onto your stain, leave it to sit for 10 minutes, and then rinse it from your garment. It’s best, and easiest, to use liquid laundry detergent. Alternatively, you can make a paste from powdered laundry detergent and water which you can spread directly onto your stain. 

Image by ajay_suresh

The best way to treat any stain is to let us do it for you. Book your Laundryheap order by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app. 


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How to remove beetroot stains

Image by Nick Collins from Pixabay

Beetroot is both delicious and it’s vibrant purple colour brightens up any dish. That being said, it is a natural, and permanent, dye, which makes beetroot stains on clothing lethal. Catch your stain early, and follow these steps, to ensure that your stain is lifted and your clothing isn’t dyed forever. 

  • Machine washable clothing 
  • Dry clean only clothing
  • Laundryheap

Machine washable clothing 

To remove beetroot stains from machine washable clothing you will need…
  • Kitchen towel
  • Cold water
  • Laundry detergent 
  • Washing machine 
  • Chlorine bleach or colour-safe bleach (optional)

To begin removing your beetroot stain, soak a kitchen towel in cold water and gently blot at the stain. Make sure that you are blotting and not rubbing the stain as rubbing will only set the beetroot further into your garment. As you blot, you should notice the stain transferring to your kitchen cloth. Continue blotting until you are satisfied that no more of the stain will be lifted. 

Once you are finished blotting, place your stain under a cold running tap. The water should turn a light purple colour as a result of it pushing more of the beetroot from your clothing. Continue holding your garment under the water until it runs clear. 

After dabbing and holding it under cold water your stain may be lifted. If it has not, gently work a small amount of laundry detergent into the area, and leave it to sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, rinse the laundry detergent from your garment, gently rubbing your stain with your fingers to encourage it to lift with the detergent. Continue rinsing until all of the detergent has been removed. 

Once you have removed the detergent from your garment, check to see if your stain has lightened in colour or been lifted. If it has, wash your garment in your washing machine as you usually would. If your stain is still vibrant and visible, repeat the previous steps. 

An alternative solution to lift your stain is to soak your item in chlorine or a colour safe bleach. Submerge your garment in a mixture of bleach and cold water for a minimum of 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove your item from the bleach solution and wash as you usually would.

Photo by Eva Elijas from Pexels

Dry clean only clothing 

To remove beetroot stains from dry clean only clothing you will need…
  • Dry cloth 
  • Damp sponge 
  • Bread (optional)

Begin lifting your beetroot stain by blotting it with a clean dry cloth. Similarly to with machine washable clothing, you must make sure that you are blotting not rubbing the stain. This will help to soak up any excess beetroot liquid and begin lifting the stain. Continue to dab until no more colour is transferred to the cloth. 

Next, dampen a clean sponge with cold water, and place it directly over the stain, making sure that it covers the full area. Do not rub or move the sponge as this can cause the beetroot to set further into the fibres of your garment. The sponge will begin absorbing the beetroot from your clothing, lifting it from your item and on to the sponge. After 5 minutes, check how much of your stain has been absorbed, and, if necessary, re-dampen the sponge and place it back on your stain for a further 5 minutes. Repeat this process until your stain has been lifted. 

If you do not have a clean sponge on hand, an alternative option is to use bread. In the same way as you would use the sponge, dampen the bread using cold water and place it over the stain. The bread will absorb the beetroot from your garment, lifting the stain. 

Once you have used either a sponge or bread to lift your beetroot stain, take a clean, dry, cloth and dab at any remnants of the stain. This should leave you with stain-free clothing. 

Image by Marco Verch Professional P

Laundryheap 

If you are struggling to lift your beetroot stain, or any other stain for that matter, let us take care of it for you. All you have to do is left us know what the stain is and where it is located, and we will do the rest. To book your Laundryheap order head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app.


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How to remove blood stains

Photo by Artem Podrez from Pexels

Whether you have scraped your knee or accidentally cut yourself, blood stains are notorious for being difficult to remove. Follow these two methods, and find out how easy it can be to remove blood stains. 

  • Fresh blood 
  • Dried blood

Fresh blood

As with most stains, it’s easier to remove blood stains when they are fresh. 

To remove a fresh blood stain you will need:

  • Cold water
  • Washing up liquid 

Begin removing your stain by flushing it with cold water. Make sure that you’re using cold rather than hot water as hot water will only set your stain further into your clothing. 

Once you are satisfied that you have removed as much of the blood as possible via flushing, pour a small amount of washing-up liquid on the stain and gently work it in with your fingers. Be wary of being too rough with your fabric as this can damage the fibers of your clothing and cause the stain to set further into your item. 

After working your washing up liquid into your stain, rinse it off with cold water. If you can still see your stain, add more washing up liquid and repeat the process. 

When you are satisfied that your stain has been lifted, wash your garment as you usually would. Before drying your item, check that your stain has been completely removed. If it hasn’t, repeat the whole process. 

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

Dried blood

Unfortunately, dried blood stains are a lot harder to remove than fresh blood because they have already set into the fibres of your garment. That does not, however, make them completely impossible to remove. 

To remove a dried blood stain you will need:

  • A blunt knife
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Paper towel
  • A clean cloth
  • Cold water 

To begin removing your dried blood stain use a blunt knife to scrape off as much of the blood as possible. Be careful that you don’t push too hard whilst scraping as this can cause rips in your garment. 

Once you are satisfied that you have removed as much of the dried blood as possible, apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide directly on top of the stain. Before putting the peroxide on your stain, test it first on an unseen area of your garment, such as an inside seam. Hydrogen peroxide can cause discoloration on certain clothing items, so it’s best to check its effect on your stained item before placing it directly on your stain. 

Leave your hydrogen peroxide for 5 minutes, before using a paper towel to blot at it. You should notice your stain lifting from your garment and transferring on onto your paper towel. Be careful when blotting that you don’t push too hard as this could push the hydrogen peroxide and blood further into the fibers of your clothing. 

When you have lifted the majority of your hydrogen peroxide, and, subsequently, your stain, use a clean and damp cloth to gently rub the remaining stain until it has completely lifted. 

Finally, rinse the remaining hydrogen peroxide off of your garment using cold water. After this, wash your stained item as you usually would. If, after washing, your stain remains, repeat the process. 

Photo by Alex Green from Pexels

The best way to guarantee the removal of any stain is by letting us lift it for you. Book your Laundryheap order by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app.


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How to remove mouthwash stains

Mouthwash is very effective at freshening breath, reducing tooth decay, and whitening teeth. If you happen to dribble some on your clothing, follow these simple steps as quickly as possible to remove the stain. 

  • Remove excess
  • Pre-treat
  • Wash 
  • Check 
  • Dry
  • Laundryheap

Remove excess

Begin removing your stain by lifting any excess mouthwash from your garment. To do this, turn your item inside out and place the stained area under a cold running tap. This will help to flush out any lingering mouthwash and should make the stain easier to lift. Make sure that your tap is cold before placing your stain under it, as hot water will only set the stain further into your garment. 

Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels

Pre-treat

Next, pre-treat your stain using liquid laundry detergent. Simply pour a small dose of detergent directly on top of your stain, and leave it to soak for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, gently rub the liquid laundry detergent with a soft-bristled brush to loosen it, and leave it to soak for a further 15 minutes. 

Wash

After pre-treating your stain, check your garments care label and use the hottest wash setting applicable. Don’t rinse the pre-treatment liquid laundry detergent from your garment before washing it, as it will help with the final removal of your stain. 

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

Check

Once your cycle has finished, take your garment out and fully check whether your stain has been lifted. If your stain remains on your item, repeat the previous steps. If your stain has been removed, you can proceed to the drying process. 

Photo by Liza Summer from Pexels

Dry

You can dry your garment using a tumble dryer or by air drying. If your item has remnants of a mouthwash stain and is white, placing your garment to dry in direct sunlight can help lift the remaining stain. 

Once your item has dried, and you are satisfied that your mouthwash stain has been removed, put your garment away, ready to re-wear. 

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Laundryheap

If you have stained an item of clothing and you are not confident with how to remove it, simply book a Laundryheap service and we will remove it for you. When you make your booking, let us know what item is stained, where, and what the stain is, and we will do everything to lift the stain and re-deliver fresh, stain-free, clothing to you. 

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


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How to remove grease stains

If you’ve managed to get grease on your clothing, don’t panic. Try these quick and easy methods to remove the stain immediately. Remember, it’s always best to treat a grease stain as soon as possible to have the best chance of removal. 

  • Soap 
  • Baby powder, chalk, or corn-starch
  • Salt and rubbing alcohol 
  • Dry cleaning solvent 
  • Laundryheap

Soap 

For this method you will need:

  • Liquid soap- preferably one which states its ability to break down oil 
  • A toothbrush or brush with gentle bristles 

Begin by laying your stained item on a flat, clean, surface. Next, pour a generous amount of liquid soap over the stain, until it is completely covered. Use a toothbrush, or an alternative brush with soft bristles, to scrub the grease stain in a circular motion. Scrub your stain for 5-10 minutes, adding more liquid soap if it’s needed. Once you have completed your scrubbing, leave your garment to rest for 30 minutes. Finally, wash your clothing using the highest temperature your items care label advises. If, after your wash has been completed, your item is still stained, repeat the process.

Baby powder, chalk, or talcum powder 

For this method you will need:

  • Baby powder, chalk, or corn-starch 

Baby powder, chalk, and corn-starch are all fine powders that can fill the crevices in the fibres that make up your clothing, and absorb the grease. 

To begin this method, sprinkle your chosen powder directly over your grease stain, making sure that the whole stain is covered. Leave your powder to rest for 10-15 minutes so that it has an ample amount of time to completely absorb the grease. After 10-15 minutes, use a toothbrush, or alternative soft-bristled brush, to remove all of the powder. Finally, wash your garment using a cold water setting. If the stain has not been completely removed, repeat the process. 

Photo by Kaboompics .com from Pexels

Salt and rubbing alcohol 

For this metod you will need: 

  • Salt
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • A clean soft cloth 

If you have managed to get grease on a thick fabric, such as denim, making a salt and rubbing alcohol solution is the best way forward. To make your solution, mix together one part salt with three parts rubbing alcohol. Pour your solution directly onto your grease stain, and use a clean soft cloth to rub the liquid into the fibres of your stained clothing. Once you are satisfied that your solution has been adequately rubbed in, leave it to soak for 10-15 minutes. After 10-15 minutes, wash your item has you usually would. If the stain remains, repeat the process. 

Photo by Artem Beliaikin from Pexels

Dry cleaning solvent 

For this method you will need:

  • Dry cleaning solvent 

If you have a grease stain that refuses to come out, you could buy dry cleaning solvent. Typically, these solvents will be spray-on or iron-on liquids that can be applied directly to the stain before washing. These should instantly remove your stain, but, be warned, they can be quite costly.

Laundryheap 

For this method you will need:

  • A phone, tablet, laptop, or computer

When it comes to removing stains, it’s always best to leave it to the professionals to take care of. When you book your Laundryheap service, simply let us know which clothing item(s) is stained and where the stain(s) is. We will take the upmost care to remove the stain(s) in the best way possible, and return your clothing clean, fresh, and stain-free. 

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


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How to remove coffee stains

One minute you’re drinking a coffee, the next, you’re looking down to see a coffee stain on your top. This is how to remove those pesky coffee stains. 

  • Removing coffee stains from synthetic fabrics
  • Removing coffee stains from cotton
  • Using Laundryheap

Removing coffee stains from synthetic fabrics 

Synthetic fabric is any fabric that is man-made as opposed to natural. This includes acrylic, nylon, and polyester. These materials are fairly durable when compared to natural fabrics, so coffee stains are fairly easy to remove. 

You will need…

  • A dry cloth
  • A sponge
  • Warm water
  • Dishwashing detergent 
  • White vinegar 
  • Rubbing alcohol

Begin by blotting the stain with a dry cloth. This will lift any of the excess coffee on the fabric. Remember to blot rather than rub as rubbing will only force the stain further into your fabric. 

Next, create a solution of 1 quarter warm water, half a teaspoon of dish-washing detergent, and one tablespoon of white vinegar. Once made, let your stain soak in the solution for 15 minutes. 

After 15 minutes has passed, remove your stained item from the solution and rinse with warm water. You should notice that the stain is a lighter colour as you wash the solution off. 

Once the solution has been washed off, use a sponge to dab rubbing alcohol onto the remainder of the stain. This will help to lift what is left of the coffee. 

Finally, wash your garment as you usually would. Once washed, if you notice that the stain has not been completely removed, repeat the process again. 

Removing coffee stains from cotton

Cotton, although a natural fabric, is strong. There are two methods that can be used to remove coffee stains from cotton or linen. 

For method one you will need…

  • A dry cloth
  • Warm water
  • Dishwashing detergent 
  • White vinegar
  • A sponge
  • Rubbing alcohol

This method is exactly the same as removing coffee stains from synthetic fabrics. The only difference in this method is that you have to rinse the rubbing alcohol off of your cotton before washing as usual. 

For method two you will need…

  • A rubber band
  • A large bowl
  • A temperature display kettle

Begin by stretching your stained cotton over a large bowl. Secure the material over the bowl with your rubber band. 

After securing your material, boil your temperature display kettle to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Once boiled pour the water over the stain. Be careful whilst doing so, you don’t want to burn yourself. 

If the stain does not instantly disappear, try pouring fresh water over the stain. 

It is important to note that near-boiling water is safe for cotton, however, can damage some dyes that may have been used on your clothing. To avoid damage to your whole garment you may want to pre-test this method on an inconspicuous part of the item, such as the seam. 

Using Laundryheap

The best way to treat any stain is by using a professional dry cleaning service. If you have a coffee stain, or any other stain, that needs to be treated book a Laundryheap slot. Simply select your service and write in the comments which items are stained and by what, and leave the rest to us. 

To book your Laundryheap dry cleaning slot head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app. We are fully operational in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Coventry, Amsterdam, Doha, Kuwait City, Dublin, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Singapore, Boston, New York City, Manama, and, most recently, Rotterdam, and The Hague.