Mustard Stain Removal from Clothes

While biting into your favorite snack from your neighborhood hot dog vendor, you manage to get a dollop of mustard on your brand new shirt, thanks to your clumsiness. After cursing yourself and your luck, the next obvious thought in your head is about removing the stain.

The reason that mustard stains so badly is because this condiment when commercially-produced contains turmeric as an additive which is a yellow dye. Though difficult to treat, it is possible to remove stains. If the stain has been on the cloth for a while, then you may need to first get rid of the crust or excess mustard with a blunt knife or any other such similar item. Scrape of any excess before you use one of the methods given below.

The method that you will need to use depends on whether the stain is a fresh stain or whether it has been allowed to dry on the fabric for quite a while. The older the stain, the more difficult is the process of removing stains from clothes.

If you have just stained your clothes and have the time and opportunity to wash the cloth, then you can use this method. First and foremost, blot the stain by dabbing it with a cloth or a tissue paper. Do not rub the stain as that may spread it. Now rinse it in cold water and then wash it with a bar or a detergent of your choice. Allow it to soak in the detergent and let it sit for as long as twelve hours. Use a bleach solution on the clothes if necessary. Wash it according to your normal laundering routine.

Another effective method is to use a hairspray or a gel. Apply liquid detergent to the stain and let it sit. Now wash it. Apply either hairspray or gel to the stain and then apply the liquid detergent again. Again allow it to soak and then rinse the cloth. Your stain will have vanished.

Make a solution with three portions of liquid soap and one portion of rubbing alcohol. Place a piece of cloth that is capable of absorbing this solution under the stain beforehand. Apply the solution that you have prepared, to the stain and allow the cloth to sit for ten minutes. Now wash and rinse the shirt with hot water before you treat it to your normal laundering routine.

Make a solution of one cup of water, one teaspoon of liquid soap, and half a teaspoon of white vinegar. Again use a piece of cloth as an absorbent material under the stain before applying the solution. Allow the stain to soak the solution and let it sit for at least 20 minutes before washing it out with hot water.

One of the best products that you can use is a commercially available enzymatic cleaner. Just follow the instructions on the label, as mentioned by the manufacturer. This will definitely get rid of even the most obstinate of stains.

No, you did not read that wrong. Mustard can be used as a remedy to remove mustard stains but it is not a foolproof method. If you know what the exact type of mustard on your clothes is, then you can cover the stain with the same type, let it sit for a couple of minutes and then wash it off. This method may work because the ingredients in the fresh mustard may revive the old stain, which will make it easier to remove. But as mentioned earlier, this is not a completely safe method.

If none of the options and tips given above work out, then you need to give your creative side a nudge and come up with ideas to reuse a ruined piece of clothing in a new way.