From runny to hard-boiled, we all have a preference for how we like our egg yolks – except for on our clothes. Egg yolks can stain clothing with a yellow smear that ruins our favorite garments, and it just so happens to be one of the toughest stains of all-time. But, that doesn’t mean that you need to throw out your favorite piece of clothing. Egg yolk can be removed if you act quickly enough and follow the upcoming directions carefully.
Why are Egg Yolk Stains So Difficult?
Egg yolk stains are particularly notorious because of what they consist of, which is proteins, fats and amino acids, both of which do a great job at setting deep into the fibers of your clothing. Proteins especially can become permanent if exposed to heat – similarly to blood – by “cooking” into the material, and that’s why many people accidentally make an egg yolk stain permanent by immediately throwing the garment through a washing and drying cycle. Of course, the bright yellow color of egg yolk doesn’t help make the stain discreet, either.
Easy Steps for Removing an Egg Yolk Stain
As is pretty much always the case with a stain, the faster you move, the better. So, immediately noticing some of that egg yolk on your clothing, you’ll need to get moving.
Step #1: Get a spoon or a knife, and very gently scrape off any yolk that’s on the surface of the clothing – basically, the yolk that hasn’t absorbed into the clothing yet – and remove it as thoroughly as possible, being careful not to accidentally rub more yolk into the fibers.
Step #2: Take hold of a clean cloth or sponge, and then soak it in cold water before dabbing the stain repeatedly. The cold water can break up a good amount of the egg yolk’s proteins, basically loosening up the stain.
Step #3: Once you do that, go back and scrape more of the yolk off of the clothing, as there is a good chance that more of it has now come up to the surface.
Step #4: Squirt some Grab Green Liquid Dish Soap directly onto the stain, and then use your fingers to gently but thoroughly work it deep into the fibers of your garment. The liquid dish soap can break up the proteins and amino acids, while also taking care of the fats in egg yolk that can leave behind a greasy mark.
Step #5: Let it sit for about 15 minutes before soaking it in a mixture of cold water and more dish soap for 30 minutes.
Step #6: Check the stain and repeat if it’s still there. If the stain is gone, you can launder your clothing as you normally do using Grab Green’s 3 in 1 Laundry Detergent Pods or 3 in 1 Laundry Detergent Powder. If the clothing is very delicate, then use our Delicate Laundry Detergent Pods. Remember, throwing it into a dryer will permanently set the stain, so make sure it’s totally gone before running the clothing through a drying cycle.
Recap: Egg yolk stains are difficult, but not impossible to remove, as the key is taking care of the stain once it happens, to minimize the chance of the yolk fully absorbing into the garment. Fortunately, the actual stain removal process isn’t that difficult, and doesn’t require any specialty products – just some liquid dish soap can once again, do most of the hard work for you.
