Dirtiest time of the year? Save on keeping clothes clean

Muddy rugby or football kit as the season kicks off, Halloween, Bonfire Night, walks in the rain and mud, Christmas and New Year all in the space of a few months, means that stains are inevitable.

While I do try to cover stains, it’s a pain, so I have over 10 school shirts for the boys, two pairs of trousers each and enough clothes so that they don’t have to rely on me washing stuff every day…but that doesn’t stop me getting a little bit mad when the pile of stained clothes gets bigger.

I did a little test recently and compared stain remover and detergent boosters Vanish to ACE Gentle and they both did the same job. As ACE Gentle is significantly cheaper, I asked the guys at ACE Gentle to share some advice on how to quickly remove stains, so saving favourite or much used garments for another day:

Softly blot stains

Don’t rub or scrape the stains as this will cause further penetration of the marks. Gently blot the stain with water and lemon juice (squeeze the lemon from a drink in an absolute emergency!).

Dry stains

Dry stains such as those from log fires or cigarette ash are best removed without any liquids so don’t rub or get clothing wet; simply tap the mark to bang the particles off.

Check care instructions

Always check the washing instructions on the garment’s label – for example, it may not be recommend that underwired or padded bras or delicate knickers go in the washing machine. It is also wise to observe the washing temperature, as it’s tempting to put whites on a hotter wash, but synthetic fibres will become grey if washed too hot.

Wash whites together

Avoid washing white garments with coloured items. Coloured fibres can transfer resulting in dull white lingerie.

Pre-treat any visible stains

ACE works well on oily stains, such as fake tan and sun tan lotion; follow the instructions on the packaging by gently dabbing both sides of the stain with ACE Gentle then wash as normal.

Red wine

To remove wine stains from clothing when out partying, immediately apply salt and dab cold water on the area. Then blot with a napkin until the stain disappears. Once back at home apply a stain remover, such as ACE Gentle, and wash as normal.

Remove makeup stains gently

Getting makeup on an outfit needn’t ruin it. Dampen the stain with warm water and blot with a little white vinegar (most establishments will have this).

Following these easy and quick stain removal tips, plus a wash with ACE, makes light work of the eight most common stains – food, drink, cosmetics, grease, outdoor, body soils, enzymatics and spread dirt – even on delicate fabrics, and helps you to love your clothes for longer.

ACE Gentle Classic (1L) retails at £1.99 and is available from Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and selected Asda stores.  A 700ml bottle is available from Poundstretcher, Poundland, 99p Stores and Poundworld.