Stains will melt away from clothes if you avoid ‘one big mistake’

The season for Christmas and New Year parties is upon us. With this comes plenty of festive cheer, fun – and all sports of spills.

From red wine to gravies, eggnog and more, Christmas treats can last a lot longer on our clothing than we may like. If you find yourself at the mercy of a  stain at your Christmas party, there is one crucial mistake a lot of people make. If you spill your wine down yourself, you must never ever use hot water to try and get rid of it. 

Salah Sun, Head of Product Management at Beko UK, said: “The biggest mistake is reaching for hot water straight away. Heat can set protein-based stains, like gravy or cream, making them much harder to remove. Make sure you always rinse stains in cold water first and then choose the right cycle for the fabric and stain type.”

Depending on what you’ve managed to spill, the treatment will be slightly different – but hot water is always a no go. 

If you’ve managed to get red wine on yourself, Salah said: “Blot the area straight away with a clean cloth, but avoid rubbing, as this can spread the stain. 

“Sprinkling a little salt or baking soda can help absorb the liquid before rinsing with cold water. If possible, keep the fabric damp until you can wash it properly, as once a stain dries, it becomes much harder to remove.”

If it’s gravy you’ve dropped, then cornflour can be very helpful. Salah said: “Cover the stain with baking soda or cornflour to soak up any grease before gently brushing off and dabbing with cold water. Tending to the stain quickly can help stop the oily residue from sitting on the fibres of the fabric for too long and setting.”

Another common spill is chocolate, which if not treated properly can stain brown and oily.

 Salah said: “Gently scrape off any excess chocolate, then rinse the fabric from the back with cold water to help push the stain out. Pre-treating with a small amount of liquid detergent can also help break down the oils in the chocolate before washing as normal.”

With any stain, you should always avoid rubbing as this can push stains deeper and set them in the fabric. Instead, try gently blotting. When it comes to wash time, Salah said: “Don’t skip pre-treatment, putting stained clothes straight into the wash often leaves residue behind.

 “When washing, avoid overloading the machine so water and detergent can circulate properly.”