It’s just about that time of the year when we settle back into our gardening routines, preparing for a long and bountiful season ahead. And, that also means that it’s time to take out those gardening clothes, that we can wear comfortably while getting deep into the soil for our various gardening tasks.
Gardening clothes arguably get dirtier than the rest of the clothes in our wardrobes. After all, gardening is anything but a neat and tidy hobby. Soil, grass, mulch, leaves, and whatnot all end up on our clothes, and we wear them knowing we don’t have to be careful about staying clean. So, of course, the process of washing them requires some special care. Even if you don’t need your gardening clothes to look brand new, you probably want them to be presentable enough and free of stains.
Removing Stains on Gardening Clothes
First off, we need to talk about stains. After all, gardening is a dirty business, and stains like mud and grass can remain if they’re not treated properly. If you’re wondering how to clean muddy clothes, grass-stained clothes, or generally soiled clothes, we’re going to answer your questions by going over the most common gardening stains, and what to do about them.
Prepping Your Clothes for Stain Removal
Before getting ready to clean your stained gardening clothes, you’ll need to do a bit of prep work. Mainly, you’ll want to remove any “solids” from the clothing – leaves, mulch, and the like. If your clothes are dirty, we recommend grabbing a brush and brushing away any dirt on the surface. The same goes for grass. If the clothes are muddy, allow them to dry before addressing the stain, since it’s much easier to remove dry dirt than wet mud.
Removing Dust and Dirt from Clothes
To begin, let’s talk about the simplest stains to remove: dust and dirt. Dust and dirt are the majority of what will end up on your gardening clothes, whether it’s wet soil, or the drier dirt and on the ground while you’re kneeling down.
So, how do you get garden dirt out of clothes? Either way, in most cases, you can just launder clothes that are soiled like you normally would, after soaking them in water for about 30 minutes. Soaking them will help lift away a lot of that dirt and dust, so that a standard wash cycle in the washing machine can be totally effective at getting those clothes looking clean again.
Effectively Removing Grass Stains
Grass stains are trickier, because the stain is more likely to set. Grass is a protein, and proteins are more likely to become permanent if not addressed quickly and properly. First, soak the stain in cold water, and then use a solvent-based stain remover and gently scrub the stain away. Grab Green Bleach Alternative Pods can act as the perfect stain remover for grass stains, when dissolved in water. After that, you can launder the article of clothing as you normally would.
It's important that you don’t use warm or hot water on a grass stain, because otherwise, the proteins can permanently stain the fibers of your clothing. Cold is the way to go, and if you need to apply the solvent a second time to really get the stain out of the clothing, then go ahead and do so.
Removing Pollen
Pollen is an extremely common allergen that’s most prevalent in the spring. Because of the irritation pollen can cause, you wanna deal with it as quickly as possible. Dust yourself or shake yourself off before going indoors, to track as little as possible. Then, immediately wash your clothing before the pollen settles into the air and your home.
Removing Rust Stains
If you’re dealing with rusty tools, then there’s a chance that you’re going to get some of that rust on your clothing. Thankfully, some lemon juice or vinegar will take care of that stain, which can be blotted onto the stain directly before you soak the garment in a solution of either natural stain remover, plus water. Don’t put rust-stained clothes into the laundry or dryer until you’ve treated the strain – otherwise, it will set.
Can You Wash Gardening Clothes with Other Clothes?
Ultimately, we do recommend that you wash your gardening clothes separately from the rest of your laundry. Because of the dirt, debris, and dust that may end up on your clothes, all of that soiling can end up in the laundry water during your cycle, causing your washing machine to be less effective than usual. Gardening clothes can accumulate a whole lot of dust and dirt – more than you think – which could interfere with cleaning all of your other garments.
Do You Need Special Detergent for Cleaning Gardening Clothes?
You might be wondering if there’s some type of cleaning product that’s best for gardening clothes, and heavily soiled clothes in general. While there isn’t a specific detergent that’s ideal for garden clothes specifically, we do always recommend taking your detergent seriously overall, in terms of its impact on your health, and the environment.
The majority of commercial laundry detergents are loaded with toxic chemicals, allergens, irritants, and ingredients that cause harm to the environment. Overall, we strongly urge you to look for a better solution to your laundering needs, to ensure that you’re supporting a healthier ecosystem, while avoiding ingredients known to be harmful to one’s health.
Grab Green’s Alternative
Want to tackle gardening stains head-on, with natural, nontoxic, and eco-friendly ingredients that you can feel good about? Great, because Grab Green Home is proud to offer a wide range of laundry products, all of which contain EPA-approved ingredients, and are free of toxins and known chemical irritants like dyes and synthetic fragrances. Grab Green formulas can handle the heavy-duty needs of your gardening clothes, with a variety of choices to accommodate different kinds of stains and soiling, as well as different materials and colors. Our products are certified eco-friendly, and far better for you and your family in terms of your health.
Gardening Season is Around the Corner – Keep Your Clothes Clean!
Gardening season is about to be upon us, so now is the time to consider the best practices for keeping those gardening clothes clean. Besides, we know that stains like grass and dirt can be a pain, but having the right products can keep your gardening clothes looking clean and fresh, so that you’ll be able to enjoy them for longer.
Explore our selection today, and simply choose from a fantastic array of formulas for all of your different gardening clothing items!