Springtime means more parties and company outings…which also means more stains. We’ve survived Cinco de Mayo, now it’s time to battle birthdays, Independence Day, weddings, and Labor Day! Here are some tips for removing common stains from your shirts and uniforms alike:

Barbecue sauce: A common compliment to anything on the grill, barbecue sauce is delicious, but messy. To remove, work from the back of the stain, flushing with cold water. Next, pretreat with liquid laundry detergent, using an up-and-down motion with a soft brush to break the stain up. Rinse well, then dab with white wine vinegar and rinse again. Launder with bleach that’s safe for the fabric. If the stain remains, rub in liquid detergent and soak in warm water for 30 minutes before laundering again.

Deodorants and antiperspirants: As the temperatures rise, these become even more important to our daily routines, but we’ve all had to deal with the pesky white stains they can leave on shirts and blouses. To remove most deodorant stains, simply pretreat with liquid detergent and launder. For heavier stains, allow to stand for 5 or 10 minutes after pretreating and launder using an oxygen bleach (like OxiClean).

Ice cream: Everyone’s favorite…until it ends up on your shirt. Soak stains for at least 30 minutes using a product containing enzymes, soaking longer if the stains are old. Launder using the warmest water that’s safe for the fabric.

Mustard: We love a good hot dog, but a little drip can turn a perfectly white shirt yellow, creating one of the most stubborn stains. To handle mustard stains, flush under cold water first, then pretreat with stain remover. Launder using hot water with bleach, chlorinated if possible.

Mud: With a million different ways to pick up mud stains, chances are someone in your family will get one before the summer is through. To get them out, first brush off as much dried mud as possible. For lighter stains, pretreat with a mixture of powdered detergent and water, or just liquid detergent, before laundering like normal. For heavier stains, presoak with a detergent containing enzymes, then launder.

Grass: Backyard football is a ton of fun, but almost always ends with a grass stain or two. Pretreat the stain with an enzyme product and launder once—sometimes, that’s enough. If the stain persists, launder again using sodium hypochlorite bleach, or oxygen bleach.

When you rent uniforms through American Wear, we take care of stains for you! No matter how deep or dirty it gets, our StarTrac Garment Repair system ensures the process is quick and easy. You can even track the uniform throughout the process. Contact us today to learn more.