Tea spilled on clothes leaves unpleasant marks and stains on them. Such contaminants are dangerous because if the problem is ignored for a long time, they can become ingrained and leave stains on your favorite things that cannot be removed even the most powerful chemicals. This is due to tannin, which is found in tea drinks. Therefore, when fabric becomes contaminated, appropriate measures must be taken urgently. Removing a tea leaves stain is easy if you follow these basic tips for cleaning clothes.
General recommendations
Regardless of the type of fabric and intensity of soiling, general washing tips should be used:
- To prevent tea from spreading over the entire surface of the fabric, you need to blot it with a dry napkin or towel.
- If a drink has been spilled on a colored or silk item, it is first recommended to look at the information on the labels about whether it can be cleaned and washing a specific item in a machine or not.
- Before automatic washing, the item should be soaked with a small amount of detergent, then rinsed in clean water and washed in a washing machine. You can not soak the entire thing, but only the contaminated part.
- Used to remove stains special concentrated products, and in the machine they wash things with ordinary powders of low or medium concentration. This is necessary in order not to harm the fabric.
Washing with household chemicals
It is better to remove old stains from tea leaves with special stain removers and bleaches. They contain special particles that help remove the most difficult contaminants. Among the popular products, many housewives note the following products:
- Bleaches. They help remove stains from clothes and maintain their original appearance. Such products preserve the whiteness of the fabric and prevent the appearance of yellowness and dullness. Many bleaching products contain chlorine, which produces an unpleasant odor and can cause allergic reactions. Therefore, the product should be used in minimal quantities. Popular products include Vanish and Amway.
- Soap for stains. Special bars with cleaning particles that help remove tea stains from clothes. Rub the problem areas with soap, leave the item for 30-50 minutes, and then wash it in warm, clean water.
- Household cleaning products. This classification includes dishwashing or bath products. For example, Domestos. It copes well with stubborn dirt. However, it contains aggressive concentrated particles that can harm human skin. Therefore, such products are used to remove stains on the carpet, curtains or tablecloth.
- Stain removers. They help remove both fresh and old dirt. The products contain components that are harmless to the human body and prevent the development of allergies.
Traditional methods
Traditional methods help to remove a tea leaves stain if it was recently applied. In other cases, it will be difficult to get rid of contamination using home methods. Today, many housewives clean clothes using the following means:
- Salt and glycerin. To remove stains from colored clothes or white things, use a harmless solution of salt and glycerin. To do this, take the products in equal proportions and mix thoroughly until the salt is completely dissolved. The resulting homogeneous paste is applied to the problem area and left for 20 minutes. After this, the remaining product is washed off with warm water, and the item wash with washing powder.
- Ammonia and glycerin. This mixture is used to wash old stains. In the process, you need to mix a spoonful of glycerin and a few drops of ammonia and mix the ingredients. Spread the resulting solution over the contaminated surface and leave for 5 minutes. After this, rinse the item in water and put it in the washing machine on a quick wash cycle.
- Citric and oxalic acid. To fix the problem, you need to mix half a teaspoon of each ingredient and apply the resulting mixture to the problem area, leave for a couple of minutes. After this, the clothes are washed in the machine.
- Lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice helps remove stains from cotton fabrics, as well as silk or linen clothing.For the cleansing procedure, you need to squeeze out the juice of half a lemon, apply it to the problem area, wait until the stain discolors and put clothes in the washing machine.
- Hydrogen peroxide.
Delicate and thin fabrics are cleaned with peroxide. To do this, you need to moisten a clean cotton pad in the solution, squeeze it out and apply it to the stain, hold the product for about 5 minutes. After this, rinse the item in cold water and put it in the washing machine. - Bleaching. Not the safest method of removing stains, which is more suitable for washing carpets, rugs, curtains and tablecloths. For the procedure, you need to apply a small amount of detergent to the affected area without going into a clean area. After 5 minutes of soaking, the contaminated item is sent to the automatic washing machine.
- Glycerol. The product is suitable for cleaning silk and linen fabrics. Before the cleaning process, glycerin will need to be heated in a water bath. After this, it is applied to the affected area of clothing and left for 15 minutes. The soaked item is washed under cold running water and then washed with powder.
- Contrast wash. A similar method is used to clean the clothes of newborn children or people prone to allergic reactions. The contaminated item is initially immersed in hot water and steamed for several minutes, after which it is sent into cold water and also kept for 3-5 minutes. The actions are repeated 3-4 times. After this, the clothes are washed hypoallergenic washing powder.
How to remove a fresh tea stain
Fresh stains are much easier to remove than old ones. In most cases, all you need for washing is a clean sponge, some detergent, and filtered water. Instead of specialized products, you can use liquid soap, shampoos and shower gels. The selected product is diluted with a small amount of water, stirred until a homogeneous paste is obtained, after which the product is applied to the contaminated area and left for several minutes. Now the item needs to be washed as usual. You can even remove tea stains with just boiling water.
Removing stains from delicate fabrics
Clothes made of silk, linen and decorated with lace inserts, sequins and rhinestones need careful cleaning. Standard detergents cannot provide this. They lead to fading of the fabric, the appearance of marks and stains after washing. In such cases, special products for delicate items or homemade solutions are used, which are available in the arsenal of almost every housewife.
For cleansing, you can take lactic acid or glycerin. The products are heated until warm and then applied to the stained area. It is important that the mixture does not fall on clean areas. The washing mixture is left for 10 minutes, then washed off with clean water. Before the procedure, it is recommended to test the chosen method on an inconspicuous area of dirty clothing. This will help avoid unpleasant consequences.
Cleaning Colored Clothes
Removing stains from colored fabric has its own challenges. Many chemical products can cause dullness and decrease in color intensity. Therefore, such things need to be washed with caution. What means are used in such cases:
- Borax. The product is sold in pharmacies. It is applied in its pure form to the stain, left for a couple of minutes, and then the item is put into the washing machine. For ingrained stains, add a few drops of lemon juice to the solution.
Vinegar.
with a universal washing powder.
If you cannot remove tea stains yourself, it is better to take the damaged clothes to the dry cleaner.
- How to remove tea stains from jeans
- If you do not remove tea stains from jeans in time, brown stains may remain on them, which will not disappear even after numerous washes. Fresh stains can be removed with vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. To do this, soak a cotton swab in the selected product, leave the mixture on the dirty area for a while, then remove the residue with warm water. After chemical treatment, jeans should be washed on a delicate cycle.
