16 Tips To Remove Stains & Keep Kids Clothes Clean

When you purchase an item of designer children’s clothing, you should always check the label to see what advice the manufacturer gives.

Usually, the label offers advice on how to store, clean, dry and iron an item of clothing, and following the advice given by the manufacturer is always the best advice to follow. 

As well as advice on what to do, the label often offers advice on what not to do as well. If the label says ‘do not tumble dry’, then follow the advice to prolong the quality of your item.

Hand-wash precious items

Hand washing clothing is the gentlest way to wash clothes.

Therefore instead of using a washing machine, hand washing increases the longevity of clothing by preserving the item's quality. Intricate stitching and detailing is commonly found on designer children’s garments, and hand washing is the best way to preserve these gorgeous details.

You can also hand wash clothes at a much safer temperature than washing machines use, as using hot cleaning temperatures can damage clothing in the long run.

Treat stains as soon as possible

The reason you should treat a stain immediately is to stop the stain from ‘setting’.

‘Setting’ is when a substance forms a bond with a fabric, meaning that no amount of washing and cleaning will be able to fully remove the stain from the fabric. 

Therefore, addressing the stain as soon as possible with the correct cleaning method will help maintain the quality of the clothing item.

Air dry clothes to extend their lifespan

Air drying clothes increases the lifespan of clothes, as using the alternative tumble dryer can increase the amount of wear and tear clothing has. 

Air drying is also more environmentally friendly by saving electricity, as well as saving money and reducing creases and wrinkles on clothing.

Take care whilst ironing

Ironing is not bad for maintaining the quality of clothes when done correctly. 

However, a small mistake such as leaving the iron in the same place for too long, or using a dirty iron, could have a very detrimental effect on your children's clothing.

If your ironing technique isn’t to scratch, then it may be worth investing in a steam iron to take extra care of luxury, designer items.

Clothing storage

When your child isn’t wearing their new piece of clothing, you need to keep that item in storage.

Whilst there may be a temptation to hang gorgeous pieces of clothing on exposed clothing rails, there’s a reason that wardrobes are essential to maintaining the quality of clothing.

Too much UV exposure from light can negatively affect the colour of clothing, meaning that the gorgeous colour the item had when purchased may fade if not stored correctly.

We recommend that a cool, dry and dark place is the perfect place to store designer children’s clothing.

If you’re holding onto a gorgeous item for a younger sibling, then storing the clothing in a vacuum and dust-proof bag is key to maintaining the quality of the item, ready to be worn by the next generation.

Wash clothing inside out

Whether you’re hand washing or using a washing machine, we’d recommend that you wash designer children’s clothing inside out.

This is to protect the detailing, design and colour that is visible when an item is worn, and the inside of the clothing item takes the brunt of the cleaning force.

Wash at low temperatures

Washing clothes at low temperatures is great for numerous reasons.

Firstly, washing at a lower temperature means there’ll be less wear and tear on the clothes you’re washing, meaning that they will stay at a higher quality for longer.

There are also environmental benefits to washing at a lower temperature, as it helps to cut down on CO2 emissions. If you’d like to read more about sustainability in the fashion industry, check out our guide to ethical kids clothing today.

Wash clothes as little as possible

We understand it’s a challenge with children’s clothing to not wash them often. However, unless something isn’t visibly dirty or is in need of a wash, we recommend waiting until an item has been worn 3 times before washing it. 

This will help to maintain the quality of the item and make it last longer, as washing clothes can be damaging to stitching and colour quality.

Tips for removing stains from children’s clothes

The skill to remove the toughest of stains from children’s clothes is an essential part of your parenting arsenal. Here’s how the Kathryn's team would recommend removing them, whilst ensuring the items aren’t permanently damaged during cleaning. 

Removing Grass stains

After playing outside in the summer, children are prone to getting grass stains on some of their favourite items of clothing. 

Firstly, we’d recommend rubbing a washing liquid into the stain and letting it settle for a few minutes to have an effect on the stain. After, follow the item’s label for its usual washing instructions, and see if that does the trick.

If you’re still left with a nasty grass stain on the clothing item, then you could try the white vinegar and baking soda method.

Cover the stain with white vinegar and rub the stain, and then leave it to soak. After about half an hour, make a thick paste by mixing together white vinegar and baking soda, and immediately rub the paste on the stain. After, follow the item’s label for its usual washing instructions and your grass stain should have disappeared!

Removing tree sap stains

When children are playing outside, there’s a possibility they may return home with a tree sap stain on their favourite item of clothing.

To remove this stain, rub a washing liquid into the stain and let it settle for a few minutes. After, follow the item’s label for its usual washing instructions.

If any tree sap is still visible on the item following a single wash, try using rubbing alcohol and wash again.

Removing chocolate stains

Most children love chocolate, but it can be a nightmare for parents to remove it from their children’s favourite clothing!

Firstly, remove as much of the chocolate as possible, so the only chocolate remaining is what has been stained into the clothing item.

Next, rub a washing liquid into the chocolate and let it settle for a few minutes. After, follow the item’s label for its usual washing instructions.

Remove paint stains

It’s important to know that there are a few different types of paint stains, and knowing which paint your child is using is essential when removing stains from children's clothes. 

We’d also recommend that you have suitable ‘painting’ clothes for your child, so they don’t ruin any valuable items.

Acrylic Paint

Rinse the paint stain with warm water, then sponge it with a mixture of washing liquid and warm water.

Repeat this until the stain has been removed, and then wash the clothing item as per the label’s instructions.

Water-based Paint

While the paint is still wet, wipe off as much paint as possible. Try to avoid contaminating other areas of the item that don’t have paint on them during this.

Next, rinse the item with warm water and rub the paint out of the item. Make sure you act quickly to remove the paint, as leaving it to dry will mean permanent damage to your item.

After this, follow the item’s label for its standard washing instructions.

Oil-based paint 

This is the trickiest paint to remove, so we’d advise that you don’t allow your children to paint with oil-based paints. 

If your child was to get an oil-based paint stain, then place the stain face down on paper towels and pour an oil-based paint thinner through the fabric. Next, put a stain remover on the stain and put it in the washing machine following the label instructions.

Remove mud stains

Children love to play in the mud and splash around in muddy puddles throughout the day, however, the kind of stains mud creates can be a pain to remove!

It’s best to wait for the mud to dry before attempting to remove the stain from the item and brush off as much of the dried mud as possible. Then rub a washing liquid into the chocolate and let it settle for a few minutes. After, follow the item’s label for its usual washing instructions.

Remove fruit juice stains

A popular drink for any child is fruit juice, which unfortunately can leave a colourful stain across their favourite clothing if spilt. 

To remove a fruit juice stain, soak the area in cold water for half an hour, and then sponge the stain with white vinegar. Leave the vinegar to work its magic for another half an hour, and then wash the item as you usually would.

Remove oily, greasy food stains

Your little one may drop oily or greasy food on their favourite clothing item and get a nasty stain on it. 

As soon as you notice the stain, remove any excess bits from the item and cover the area with baking soda. After 15 minutes, scrape the baking soda off the item and wash the item according to the label instructions.

Buy quality children's clothing that lasts longer

One key step to making children’s clothing last longer is by purchasing quality clothing.

Kathryn’s stock some of the biggest names in designer children’s fashion, offering the best quality children’s garments on the market.

Designer brands such as Chloe, Fendi & Stella McCartney Kids are known for their high-quality range of clothing, meaning with the right care they will look fantastic forever.