Summer is a great time for vacations on the beach, hiking, walks in forests, and of course – all kinds of local and international festivals. Unfortunately, British weather can be a bit moody, and a nice outdoor event can turn into the Great Flood. Well, nobody likes returning home soaking wet, but what most of people really hate is getting their clothes, shoes and carpets covered in mud. Some types of dirt can be tricky to wash, leaving unsightly spots on the fabric.
Luckily, Keen Clean experts are ready to share the best way to remove mud stains without a trace.
Read also: How to Remove Sweat Stains and Save Your Favourite Summer Clothes
Remove Mud from Clothes in 5 Steps
Mud and soil make nasty stains, but they can be removed if you strictly follow the steps below.
- Let the clothes dry completely. This step is very important, otherwise the dirt can spread when you start cleaning it, making the stain even harder to remove. Leave the clothes on a plastic garden chair, or lay them on a big garbage bag and forget them for a few hours.
- Use a plastic knife, spoon or a spatula to gently scrape the excess dried mud without pushing it into the fabric’s fibres.
- Get a stiff brush. Carefully brush away the mud residues from the fabric.
- Spot-clean the stain. Even if you prefer green solutions for washing your clothes, when it comes to extreme situations it is always good to have a good, strong stain removal product. Spray a little water over the spot and apply generously cleaning product on both sides of the fabric. Leave it like this for 10-20 minutes according to the instructions of the package.
- Wash the clothes on a regular cycle. After treating the stains, it is time for the washing machine to do its magic. Use normal cycle as it is the longest with the most agitation making it the best choice for heavily soiled clothes. Don’t use the dryer because if there is any residue of mud, the heat will set it and you won’t be able to wash it off.
3 Steps to Clean Mud from Your Carpet
Removing mud stain from your carpet is tricky – you have to be very careful with the amount of water and detergent, otherwise the dirt will set deep into the fibres and there won’t be a way to get it out. Be patient and follow these steps.
- Let the mud dry completely and scrape it with dull knife. We’ve already explained the importance of this step – if the stain is wet, there’s a risk of spreading all over the carpet.
- Vacuum thoroughly. After drying the mud becomes crumbly, like soil. This is good news because thorough vacuuming will remove all solid residues from the carpet.
- Treat the spot. With some carpets vacuums is enough, but sometimes there is a stain left. Take stain-removing product and apply generously. Let the solution stay as long as necessary and soak it with a clean sponge or a cloth. Repeat the procedure if needed. In the end, you can “rinse” the carpet by dabbing the area with moist towel.
Read more about heavy stains: How to Deal with Stubborn and Greasy Food Stains.
Removing mud stains from carpets and rugs can be a daunting task, especially if you are tired or busy. If you are sick of doing it by yourself you can always hire professional carpet cleaners to give you a hand. And you can always check our blog for more stain cleaning tips and tricks.
