Grass stains are some of the most difficult to get out of clothing. Some of the following tips may greatly assist you in getting out those set-in grass stains, prior to washing the garments as instructed on the garments’ labels:
For Washable Items:
1. Begin by dabbing the area with a water soaked sponge. After the water, use rubbing alcohol on a sponge to dab on the area. Allow the alcohol to dry. Refrain from using rubbing alcohol on any clothing made from wool or silk. For clothing made of acetate, dilute the alcohol 3 parts water to 1 part alcohol.
2. Sponge the alcohol treated spot with cold water, then treat the stain with liquid detergent. Rinse out the detergent and allow it to dry.
3. If the stain is still visible, soak the garment in a mixture of warm water and one tablespoon of a stain-removing enzyme product (like Era) for 30 to 60 minutes. After soaking, rinse the garment out completely and launder again in hot water, with a bleach that is safe for the fabric and the color of the garment.
4. For white clothes only: as a last resort, bleach the the stain by adding hydrogen peroxide directly to the spot and allowing it to dry. If the grass stain is not completely gone, treat it again with hydrogen peroxide.
For Items That Must Be Dry-Cleaned
1. For optimal results, it is imperative to take the garment to the dry cleaners as soon as you possibly can. Make sure to point out where the spots are located on the clothing.
2. If you need to remove the stain yourself, dab the affected area with white vinegar on a clean sponge, then water. If this does not remove the spot, apply a paste of an enzyme product. Do not apply an enzyme product to garments made of wool or silk. Leave the enzyme product on the area for 30 minutes, then dab the enzyme with a warm, damp sponge.
3. You may also wish to try a paste consistency mixture of baking soda and water to the stain. Work in a small amount of white vinegar with a clean sponge. The bubbling of the chemical reaction between the baking soda and the vinegar may work to get the stain out.
Please note that you should not use any type of alkalis, like ammonia, alkaline detergents, or degreasers on grass stains. The alkali will react with the grass stain, and can permanently set it in. Also, there are some clothing fabrics from which grass stains cannot be removed, no matter the type of cleaning method you use. It is also important to be aware that chlorine bleach can change the color of fabric, potentially causing irreversible damage to the piece of clothing. You should check the garment for colorfastness prior to using any type of chlorine bleach to remove a grass stain. If you do use chlorine bleach, the spot should come out within 15 minutes of bleaching, if it takes longer than the 15 minutes, the stain cannot be removed with bleach.
