6 tried and tested tips for stain removal

1. Detergents
The simplest way to remove stains is to use a strong detergent. Apply it directly to the stain or pour it into the washing machine drawer along with the washing powder. Some washing machines have a feature to enable extra circulation of water with detergent such as. the Aqua Stream function in Amica appliances, which increases the chance of removing the stain entirely.

2. Cold water
Useful for removing stains such as eggs, ice cream and yoghurt. Just put the clothes into a bowl of cold water and wait 30 minutes. When dealing with dairy-based stains never use warm water, as it may curdle the proteins and make the stain even more difficult to remove.

3. Boiling water
Tea and coffee contain tannins, strong natural tanning agents which are difficult to remove from clothes. All we can do is use boiling water. Put the stained clothes into a bowl of hot water for some time. Avoid adding soap to such stains, as that will only make things worse.

4. Water + washing-up liquid
This is the best combination for removing mixed stains, including those caused by sweets, sauces or cosmetics. Lather the stain with laundry detergent and cold water with some laundry detergent. We can also soak the garment in cold water with some washing-up liquid.

5. Citric acid
Excellent against dried fruit stains. Mix 3-4 spoons of citric acid with a small amount of water and soak the stained clothes in the solution. Fresh stains from fruit can be removed instantly with hot water.

6. Talcum powder and petrol
These are real grease stain killers. All we need to do is sprinkle talcum powder over the stain, let it sit for 20 minutes and brush it off. We can also rub some petrol into the stain. Finally we just need to put the garment into the washing machine and run our favourite programme. Some Amica washing machines support custom programmes based on selected settings. Click here to learn more about the advanced features found in washing machines from Amica.