To make your holidays a thing of beauty, don't let stains crash the party

It's summer. It's constantly sunny out, and you’re on holiday. In short, life is good. The time is now or never to get out your favourite clothes for going on picnics or enjoying the beautiful scenery from a magnificent outdoor patio. But all it takes is a wine stain on your favourite T-shirt to ruin it all. Fortunately, we have a few tips for you that will restore your smile and leave your clothing as beautiful as before. Don’t put off removing stains. The quicker you act, the better the results will be. And it's better to use a white or light-coloured cloth to remove the stain.

Tip No. 1

grease stains

Prepare a solution of one-part lemon juice with 5-parts water. Immerse your stained item of clothing in this solution and allow it to soak for 15 minutes. Then rub the fabric together to scrub away the stain. Finally, wash and rinse your item of clothing.

Tip No. 2

fruit stains

The classic summertime stain. Prepare a solution with 25 ml of hydrogen peroxide and 2 litres of water. Soak your item of clothing in the solution, and then put it in the washing machine at maximum temperature.

Tip No. 3

grass stains

On jeans: use Marseille soap if possible. Wet it with water, and scrub your jeans with it.
On cotton or white linen: only scrub the stain with a cloth soaked with lemon juice.
On silk, satin, velvet or wool: soak a cloth with diluted ammonia or rubbing alcohol, and scrub the stain. Then wash your item of clothing in warm water.

Tip No. 4

tomato stains

There's nothing quite as delicious as biting into a sun-ripened tomato. But be careful with the juice. Rinse your item in warm water first and then, if necessary, allow it to soak 1 to 3 hours in a warm detergent solution and then rinse. Then wash it as you normally would.

Tip No. 5

red wine stains

Immediately absorb the excess wine with a paper towel, sprinkle with salt, and moisten the stain with mineral water or lemon juice (if the fabric is resistant enough). Thoroughly rinse your item of clothing, and then wash it immediately.

Tip No. 6

coffee stains

Put a little bit of detergent on the stain before putting it in the washing machine. If the stain is stubborn, using white vinegar, laundry bleach (only on whites) or surgical spirit may help. Egg yolk is also a very effective and original solution.

Tip No. 7

tea stains

Sprinkle a fine layer of bicarbonate of soda over the stain. Moisten a cloth with hot water, and scrub the stain. This 100% eco-solution works on all fabrics except silk. Another alternative is to squeeze some toothpaste onto a clean cloth. Then pat the stain with the cloth until the toothpaste penetrates the fibres. Rinse the fabric with clean water, and then machine wash.

So, do you prefer your holidays with or without stains?