There’s nothing quite like biting into a juicy n’ freshly made hotdog slathered in spicy mustard – that is, until you spill some mustard directly onto your favorite clothing. Most people panic as soon as they see the mustard spill, because they know that mustard stains are notoriously difficult to remove. But, that doesn’t mean that they’re impossible to remove. It’s just a matter of following the right steps to remove the stain rather than letting it set.
What Makes Mustard Stains So Tough to Remove Anyway?
There are couple of direct reasons why mustard stains are particularly tricky to remove:
- The vinegar in them, which is an agent that naturally opens up the fibers of your clothing.
- Then comes the turmeric, which makes the mustard yellow, and is a highly pigmented staining agent that can easily become permanent if you don’t know what you’re doing.
What is the Process of Removing a Mustard Stain from Clothing?
With getting a mustard stain out of clothes, it’s all about acting as quickly as possible. The sooner you notice and take action, the more likely it is that you can remove the stain completely.
Step #1: Scrape Away the Excess
Mustard does dry pretty quickly, so if you need to, you can scrape away the layer of dried mustard on top of the stain with the back of a knife, not the sharp side. This will make it easier to clean the stain, and also prevent the stain from permeating deeper into your clothing’s fibers.
Step #2: Blot, Blot, Blot
You’ll then want to blot the material where the stain has occurred. This will minimize the amount of mustard that gets a chance to actually absorb into the fibers of your clothing. Keep blotting, and even flipping over what you’re using to blot once one side becomes saturated with mustard.
Step #3: Give It a Cold Rinse
Now, you’ll want to immediately rinse the clothing article in cold water. Hot or even warm water can permanently set the stain, cooking the turmeric into the fiber so that it will never come out. Cold water is therefore critical. Rinse it for as long as it takes to see the stain fade.
Step #4: Apply a Stain Remove or Detergent to the Stain
Now, you can apply a stain remover product or a laundry detergent directly to the stain and let it sit for about 5 minutes before using a toothbrush to scrub away what’s left of the stain. Just make sure to use an ammonia-free formula – ammonia can cause the turmeric in the mustard to create a permanent stain.
Final Step: Launder
Now, you can wash the clothing article as you normally would, assuming that there is no mustard stain left. Here is where you can use Grab Green 3 in 1 Laundry Detergent Pods, Grab Green 3 in 1 Laundry Detergent Powder, Grab Green Bleach Alternative Pods (if applicable as an extra layer of cleanliness), and/or Stoneworks Laundry Detergent Pods, to attempt to get that mustard stain off your clothing for good.
