Everyone wants their children to run around outside, eat a lot, and grow up healthy.
I'm Maruko Sakura, a writer for children's clothing brand PETITMIG.
However, there is something that cannot be avoided by children running around energetically.
It is "dirt".
Even though they know in their head that their children will get their clothes dirty, there are probably many parents who think that if possible, they should dress their children in clothes that do not get dirty and dirt is not conspicuous.
This time, we will introduce the types of stains that are difficult to remove from children's clothes, how to remove stains, and the tricks of senior mothers to prevent stains.
Doesn't it come off? Types of stains on children's clothes!
Even if you know in your head that "children get their clothes dirty," when they get dirty, you end up thinking, "Ah...".
Since children behave in various ways, the type of dirt will also change.
Now let's take a look at the different types of dirt.
Water-soluble stains such as juice and soy sauce
Simply put, "water-soluble dirt" can be thought of as dirt that contains water .
Therefore, dirt containing water often gets dirty when eating.
[Water-soluble dirt]
- juice
- fruit
- Seasonings such as soy sauce
- water-based pen
- India ink
- Sweat
When you eat, you may accidentally knock down the juice or put soy sauce on your clothes.
Also, everyone sweats.
This sweat is also "moisture", so it will be classified as "water-soluble dirt".
And even if it is water-soluble, you need to be careful with fruits.
Although it is a water-soluble stain, it contains acidity, so the method of removing the stain is different from other water-soluble stains, so please be a little careful.
Oily stains such as meat sauce and mapo tofu
Food that is easy to get dirty during meals, especially food that contains oil, may get on your clothes.
[Oil-based dirt]
- meat sauce
- Mabo tofu
- curry
- chocolate
- crayon
- watercolor paint
Oily stains are difficult to remove, and some people may give up once they get dirty.
However, with proper care, it is possible to remove the dirt.
Insoluble contaminants such as mud and sand
When children play in parks, nursery schools, and kindergartens, they sometimes get dirty with sand and mud .
Insoluble dirt refers to dirt that does not dissolve in water or hot water.
[Insoluble dirt]
- sand
- mud
- Chile etc.
Not only when you play outside, but you also get mud and sand on your school sports club activities.
Some people may think that it is already dirty because it becomes quite stubborn stains.
protein stains
The stains mentioned above are stains that are part of our daily lives, but protein stains also exist.
The most obvious stain is blood stains.
When running around, you may fall and scrape your knees, or cut your fingertips while cooking.
Soils containing proteins are:
[Protein stains]
- blood
- milk
- butter
- egg
- baby feces etc.
Protein stains are an inseparable stain from babyhood.
Take proper treatment as soon as possible to restore the whiteness.
How to remove stains from children's clothes
Above, we introduced different types of dirt.
Broadly speaking, there are four types of dirt, three of which will remain if not removed as soon as possible.
From now on, we will introduce stains that should be dealt with as soon as possible, stains that should be left for a while, and how to remove stains.
How to remove water soluble stains
Remove water-soluble stains as soon as possible .
If it dries out, it will be difficult to remove dirt .
[How to remove water-soluble stains]
- Place a cloth that can get dirty, such as a towel or dishcloth, under the soiled area.
- Tap the dirty part with a wet cloth (like transferring the dirt to the cloth below).
After that, rinse thoroughly and wash in the washing machine.
Contamination "fruit" that you should be careful about even if it is water-soluble
It's the same water-soluble stain, but with one exception.
It is "fruit".
Fruit contains acidity, so it is difficult to remove stains with mildly acidic laundry detergent.
Baking soda + enzyme-based bleach is effective in removing stains from such fruits.
[How to remove fruit stains]
- Mix baking soda and enzymatic bleach in equal amounts and apply to the stained area.
- Soak in lukewarm water at about 40°C for a while.
- then wash in washing machine
How to remove oil stains
The key to removing oily stains is to avoid using water .
Oil repels water, so if you use water first, the dirt won't come off.
Use dishwashing detergent that can remove oil, cleansing oil that removes makeup, and a toothbrush.
[How to remove oily stains]
- Apply detergent or cleansing oil directly to the stained area
- Use a toothbrush to mix the dirt and detergent
- Rinse thoroughly with hot or lukewarm water
* When using a toothbrush to mix the dirt and detergent, work from the outside of the dirt to the inside.
As you move the brush outward, the area of dirt will increase.
And when rinsing with hot or lukewarm water, rinse thoroughly.
Insufficient rinsing can result in "rings" of dirt.
Do not use water when rinsing.
The coldness of the water causes the oil to solidify, so be sure to wash off the dirt with hot or lukewarm water.
How to remove protein stains
To remove protein stains, it is strictly prohibited to use hot or lukewarm water, which is the opposite of how to remove oily stains.
Protein hardens with heat, so use water to remove dirt.
Citric acid and enzymatic bleach are recommended because they have the effect of dissolving proteins.
Baking soda is also recommended, but it has the drawback of being difficult to dissolve in water, so if you only have baking soda on hand, dissolve it before using.
However, if it is difficult to use various detergents, use only "sodium sesquicarbonate" for washing.
Sodium sesquicarbonate is a natural detergent that can be used to wash baby clothes, so it is safe.
[How to remove protein stains]
- Dissolve sodium sesquicarbonate (check the package and add the correct amount)
- Put the dirty laundry in and let it soak for about 3 hours.
- then wash in washing machine
How to remove insoluble dirt
Unlike the above method, it is important not to touch dirt such as mud and sand until it is dry .
Mud and sand particles get entangled in the fibers of the cloth, so let the dirt dry before removing it.
[How to remove insoluble dirt]
- Once the dirt on your clothes has dried, remove it as much as possible.
- Put detergent in hot water of about 40°C and leave it to soak
- then wash in washing machine
[Extra edition] Ingenuity for mothers to keep it clean
Here, I learned from my mom friends how to keep their children's clothes clean, so I'd like to introduce them.
It's natural for children's clothes to get dirty, but if possible, I'd like to leave the dirt to the washing machine! There must be many parents who wish that.
So, although I introduced how to remove the dirt above, many mothers thought that if they didn't get it dirty in the first place, they could save the trouble of washing it.
There's no such thing as 100% dirt-free, but I'd like to introduce you to one of the ways to save time and spend more time with your children.
Wear a kappogi-style apron when eating
When eating baby food, I think that children often wore "aprons (bibs)".
However, many families tend to remove their aprons when it comes time to start eating on their own.
The types of stains introduced above are mostly stains that get on when you eat.
Therefore, there was a mother who would wear an apron (Japanese style) when eating .
As a child, it is natural for children to spill food or overturn cups while eating.
I don't blame them for getting their clothes dirty, but I don't like it when my clothes get dirty, and most of all, I feel sorry for the children themselves because they're surprised and start crying.
That's why I made her wear an apron with sleeves, like a kappogi, so that she wouldn't mind getting dirty. There was a story.
Aprons don't mind getting dirty, and since they're used in the house, it doesn't matter if they don't get dirty. In a sense, it is a forward-looking approach.
If it gets dirty, all you have to do is take it off immediately and put it in the washing machine.
We are introducing kappogi-type aprons, but the mother said, ``If you can protect the clothes your child is wearing and don't hinder your child's movement, you don't have to use an apron.''
So, if you have children's clothes that you gave up on because they got dirty, you might be able to use them as an apron instead.
Tuck your child's jacket into their trousers when eating
Same as above, it is a coping method to do at the time of meal.
Children may lean over when taking something at mealtime.
When you lean forward, the hem on the front may hit the food and get dirty .
The hem part gets dirty, and the trousers worn underneath may also get dirty.
In order to keep the hem from getting dirty, I tucked the T-shirt and blouse I'm wearing over it into my pants and skirt, and it seems to have gotten less dirty.
I thought it wouldn't hurt to give it a try if I could reduce the chances of getting it dirty with just a little ingenuity.
summary
This time, we introduced the types of stains that are difficult to remove from children's clothes, how to remove stains, and the tricks of senior mothers to keep them clean.
Even if you understand that children get their clothes dirty, it's inevitable that you'll think "ahhh" when they get dirty.
However, if you refrain from buying your favorite children's clothes for fear of getting dirty, or if you only wear clothes that don't show dirt, your fashion options will be limited.
It takes a lot of time to clean children's clothes, but you can do it at home as soon as it gets dirty.