Laundry expert reveals how to remove stubborn back-to-school stains that taunt parents

As the kiddos go back to school, new and mysterious stains are bound to appear on their uniforms.

Whether it's dirt, food, grass or pen, there are ways to get those pesky marks off clothes it just takes a good laundry detergent and patience.

Laundry expert Sara Shorter tells nine.com.au the best tool you have when removing a stain is time.

"The sooner you treat a stain, the easier it is to remove, she said.

"Pre-treat with liquid detergent or a stain remover and avoid drying until the stain is gone."

She added checking the care label on each piece of clothing is critical to ensure you don't damage it.

"Always refer to the care label and do not exceed the temperature on the label during treatment."

READ MORE: Cleaner quits over humiliating challenge and TikTok backs her on it

READ MORE: The internet solves 10-year towel stain mystery

READ MORE: Everything I'm adding to cart from Kmart's new living range

Water temperature plays an important part when removing a stain. For stains like cooking oil, butter, grease, lipstick, wax, chewing gum, and dirt or mud, hot water is essential.

However, stains like blood, sweat, dairy and grass need cold water, as hot water can make them permanent.

Shorter told nine.com.au her best tips for the most stubborn common back-to-school stains.

Sunscreen stains

Sunscreen is designed to be waterproof on your skin, but that handy feature becomes a nightmare when it comes to getting it out of your clothes.

Plagued by stubborn sunscreen stains, parents from the nine.com.au lifestyle team begged Shorter for a solution.

She revealed there's an easy fix to the common problem.

"Because it's waterproof, if you put [sunscreen-stained items] into the wash like normal, it makes it very difficult for the detergent to just remove the stain," she said.

"The best thing to do to would be directly apply laundry liquid to the stain... let it sit for 15 minutes before putting it into the wash."

After it's done, take it out of the wash and dry as usual.

Dirt and mud stains

Dirt and mud stains require a few extra steps before you chuck the uniform into the wash.

Shorter says you should let the mud dry fully before trying to remove it.

"Once dry, remove as much as possible from the surface of the fabric," she says.

"It is important to do this gently as to not drive the mud into the fibres (e.g. gently brush dirt away with a dry toothbrush)."

Next, saturate the stain with a good-quality liquid detergent. Shorter recommends OMO Ultimate or a similar product.

"Saturate the stain... then, using a damp toothbrush, rub the stain from both sides of the fabric and the detergent should loosen the mud.

"Only apply liquid to the stain area. Once a significant amount of the stain has been lifted, wash in a normal cycle."

She added to never wash muddied items with other clothes.

Grass stains

Grass stains can also be tricky.

Shorter said the trick to removing them is a detergent with enzymes in it. Apply the detergent to the stain and let it sit for 30 minutes.

She says for tough stains like grass, pre-treating them are sessential.

"Pre-treating is beneficial for removing stains," she said.

"The direct application of the product boosts its ability to lift the stain."

The best part? She says you don't need to buy any additional stain remover.

"You can use your laundry liquid as a pre-treater liquid instead of buying an additional product," Shorter said.

Chuck the garment into the wash and use cold water.

Food or grease stains

She had similar advice for food or grease stains.

Apply detergent to the stain and let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes.

"Use a high-quality laundry detergent with stain removal ingredients," she said.

She also recommended a hack to lighten stains using nothing but the sun.

"For certain sauces, especially if they're a tomato-based sauce, if you dry the clothing with the stain outside, the UV rays from the sun will actually fade those stains," she said.

Chuck the garment into the wash and use hot water (as long as you don't exceed the care label instructions).

Ink or pen stains

For pesky Ink or pen stains, all you need is a bit of rubbing alcohol.

Shorter says detergent alone will not get the job done.

"Ink requires a solvent to help lift it off the fabric. Isopropyl Alcohol or hand sanitiser can do the job," she said.

"It is important to test an inconspicuous area for colourfastness before using the solvent.

"Apply solvent to the stain and blot with a paper towel to remove ink.

"Once no more ink can be removed, pretreat with a liquid detergent and then wash."

Ink stains should be removed with cold water.

Crayon

Crayon stains require quite a bit of intervention before the clothing item can go into the wash.

Step one is scrape as much crayon off as possible. Step two: grab an iron and an ironing board.

"Then place the stain face down onto a paper towel and iron from the back side of the side using a warm (not hot) iron," Shorter explained.

"This is to make the crayon absorb onto the paper towel. Repeat until the stain no longer absorbs onto the paper towel."

"Pretreat stain with laundry liquid and wash with the highest temperature recommended on the care label."

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details