The summer season often leaves not only pleasant memories on clothes, but also persistent marks from cherries, blueberries or currants. Many consider such contamination to be a death sentence for the fabric, however timely response and the right means at hand can completely remove the pigment. The main rule is to act quickly, before the juice has time to be deeply absorbed into the fibers and oxidize in the air.
Emergency assistance with boiling water
The simplest and most effective method for fresh stains on dense natural fabrics – this is ordinary boiling water. This method is ideal for cotton and linen, but requires caution.
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Stretch the stained area of cloth over a bowl or pan.
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Water the stain a thin stream of boiling water straight from the kettle.
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Pour water until the trace of juice completely disappears.
It is important to remember that soaking the entire item in hot water can fix the pigment, so you need to act locally and only with running hot water.
Acid against pigment
If the stain has already dried out a little or the berries were too dark (blueberries, blackberries), they will come to the rescue acids. Lemon juice or vinegar perfectly dissolves natural dyes, returning fabrics to their original appearance.
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Mix table vinegar or lemon juice with water in a 1:1 ratio.
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Moisten the contaminated area generously with the solution.
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Leave for 15-20 minutes, then rinse in cool water.
Can be used for white items hydrogen peroxidebut you should be more careful with it on colored fabrics so as not to discolor the design along with the stain.
Dairy products
An unexpected but effective way to combat berry marks is to use fermented milk products. Kefir, curdled milk or whey contain acids that have a gentle effect on fabric fibers. The item needs to be soaked in warm kefir for several hours. This method is especially good for delicate fabricswhich may be damaged by boiling water or aggressive chemicals. After soaking, clothes should be washed normally.
Salt for quick fixation
If it is not possible to wash the item immediately, first aid is the usual table salt. It absorbs some of the moisture and pigment, preventing the stain from spreading. Sprinkle salt thickly on the dirt and rub it in lightly, leaving it for a while. This will not remove the stain completely, but it will make subsequent washing much easier.
Timely processing and proper selection of products depending on the type of fabric can save even your favorite clothes from bright berry marks.
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