Admit it; we’ve all done it. We’re all a bit clumsy at times.

We’ve either spilled, sat down in something sticky or rolled around outside without realizing the mess we’ve become. It’s easy to do, especially in the summer, when there are lots of different ways to get down right dirty.

There is no need to panic when these incidents occur, at least not anymore. With increased stain removal knowledge, you can help yourself, your family and your neighbors this summer. Don’t settle for stains (or let them settle…), take some action!

Below is a compiled list of different types of stains along with various removal methods. Take a look. You may want to keep this list handy if you ever find yourself in a “sticky” or “messy” situation (puns intended).

Grass

Grass is an inevitable stain in the summer, especially if you have children who love playing outdoors. These stains are some of the toughest to get out, but people do it everyday. The key is using cleaning solutions that remove the Chlorophyll. Here are some different methods of removal:

Pretreat the stain with a paste mixed with powdered laundry detergent (must contain enzymes) and water. Then, launder in hottest temperature possible. If the stain does disappear, repeat. Make sure you don’t throw your clothing in the dryer until the stain is completely gone!

Rubbing Alcohol is an alternative. When using rubbing alcohol, first, dab the stain in water, then dab with rubbing alcohol. Let this sit for about an hour. Then, launder as usual. If the stain is not removed, repeat.

Another alternative is using white vinegar. Allow your stain to soak in vinegar, like you would with the rubbing alcohol. Launder and repeat if no results are found.

Blood

Blood: something I definitely don’t enjoy seeing or taking out of my clothes. Whether it’s the aftermath of a nosebleed, or various scrapes from sporting practices, there is always hope in removing these stains.

For fresh blood stains, blot and ring thoroughly with cold water. Then, let the cloth soak in very cold saltwater for several hours. Launder and hopefully, your stain will be no more.

If this method doesn’t work, treat the article of clothing with 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Then ring with cold water again and launder. This method is especially helpful if you are trying to treat old, dried up blood stains.

Milk is also a good treatment for old blood stains. If you let the stain soak in milk for a couple hours and launder as usual, you may be surprised. As with most stains, DO NOT throw your stained article of clothing in the dryer until the stain has completely vanished.

Oil/Grease

A wonderful breakfast containing bacon and eggs can go terribly wrong when cooking oil and grease splash on our clothing. With these stains, act quickly as they too can get too comfortable in the fabric when kept there long.

One of my favorite methods of removal uses white chalk. White chalk has amazing absorbing abilities. By rubbing white chalk all over a grease or oil stain and then quickly placing item in the washer, you can remove the stain. Just make sure you have some chalk nearby!

Dish soap is another great agent in removing these type of stains. Once again, if you act quickly and rub your stain with dish show, then launder, you should have appealing results.

BBQ sauce

Barbeque is very enjoyable but extremely messy. You can’t have a summer without at least one good BBQ dinner, but you can have one without a barbeque stain!

There are also many methods of removal for a barbeque stain, many which work on other types of stains previously mentioned.

When removing a barbeque stain, first remove any excess sauce so you are just dealing with the actual stain. Then rinse in cold water. After rinsing, gently rub dish washing soap, liquid, or powdered detergent over top of the stain. Rinse again.

Next, dab the stain with white vinegar, rinse and repeat until you can get as much of the stain out as possible. Then launder your article of clothing. You can also use hydrogen peroxide or lemon juice in place of the white vinegar.

Berry stains

I adore berries. Growing up, we had a fence lined with berries and I have distinct memories of picking them off the vine and eating them. Many times these wonderful delights got all over my clothing. I’m sure my Mom wishes she’d known about these berry stain removal techniques back then!

The first technique is called the boiling method. To do this, you must first, find a pot and boil some water (no, this is not for your cup of tea). Then, rinse the stained article of clothing under cold water. Next, stretch the stained clothing over a heatproof bowl and secure it with a rubber band. Once the water on the stove is boiled, pour it over the stretched out cloth. Crazy, right? There are many testimonials regarding this method.

You can also use lemon as a solution for berry stains. First, you must rinse the stain in cold water. Then soak the spotted area in lemon juice for about 30 mins. Rinse again in cold water and launder as usual.

I really hope these techniques and tips help you with all the craziness that comes with summer time. Be prepared and know ahead of time how to conquer your messes, those stains won’t stand a chance!