Food stains on T-shirts

Short answer: Scrape off anything solid, rinse from the back in cold water and use a little washing up liquid on greasy stains. Then wash at 40 degrees without drying in between, so the stain does not set.

Remove the solids first

When food lands on your top, start by removing whatever sits on the surface. Scrape gently with the back of a spoon or a blunt knife. Rubbing with a napkin pushes the stain into the fabric and makes it bigger. This also applies when an accident hits bestsellers for men at lunch.

Grease needs washing up liquid

Sauce, oil and butter are fat based and do not dissolve in water alone. A few drops of washing up liquid do the job, since it is made to loosen grease. Work it in gently, leave it for a few minutes and rinse with cold water. It works on bamboo sweatshirts for women.

Colour needs cold water fast

Tomato, berries and curry set quickly because the dyes bind to the fibres. Rinse straight away in cold water from the back, so the colour is pushed out rather than in. The faster you are, the less remains. This also goes for bamboo sweat clothes at home.

Rinse from the back

Turn the fabric over and hold the back of the stain under the tap. The water then pushes the stain out the way it came in. Rinsing from the front drives it deeper. Place a clean cloth underneath when dabbing, so nothing transfers to the other side.

Protein stains cannot take heat

Egg, milk and meat juices contain proteins that set with heat, just like an egg in a pan. So always rinse with cold water, never hot. Once a stain has set, it is very stubborn. Cold water keeps the proteins loose so they can be rinsed out before the wash.

Wash without drying in between

After pre treating, wash the garment as usual at 40 degrees. Check the stain while it is still wet. If a shadow remains, treat again and wash once more. Tumble dryers and radiators set any residue, so wait to dry until the stain is completely gone.

When you are out

If it happens at a restaurant or at work, you can do the essentials on the spot. Scrape off the solids and dab with a napkin and a little cold water. Avoid rubbing and hot tap water. Deal with the rest at home, as long as the stain has not been near heat.

Keep the right things to hand

Most of the work can be done with things already in your kitchen. A spoon for scraping, cold water, a clean cloth and mild washing up liquid cover most food stains. Keep them in one place and it is easy to act quickly when something spills.

Frequently asked questions

What is hardest to remove

Curry and tomato, because the dyes bind quickly to the fibres. Rinse at once in cold water, and repeat the treatment if colour is still visible after washing.

Does salt help on a fresh stain

On red wine, salt can soak up some of it, but it is not a solution on its own. Rinse with cold water afterwards anyway and wash the garment as usual.

Should you wash hotter for food stains

No. Heat sets protein stains. 40 degrees is enough if you have rinsed first and treated any grease with a little washing up liquid.