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It's National Sandcastle Day!
There's nothing more satisfying than sitting back and admiring your sandcastle after time spent building it in the sun.
And there's nothing more frustrating than seeing your twin toddlers' cute beach gear covered in identical stains from hours spent playing in the wet sand.
Especially when you have to use double the elbow grease to remove those tough stains from not one but two outfits.
Here's how to get stubborn sand stains out of your kids' clothes.
Particularly challenging stains
There are four main types of stains:
- Greasy;
- Oxidizable;
- Particulate; and
- Enzymatic.
Sand and dirt stains are particularly challenging to remove.
These types of stains are classified as particulate stains. They're made up of miniscule, insoluble mineral and rock particles that get stuck between fabric fibers.
This means the stains can't just be dissolved in water or by treating them with chemicals.
Instead, a particulate stain calls for a high pH solution that can break down the metallic bonds between the sand or dirt particles and the garment.
How to lift deep-set sand stains from toddler outfits
Never try to treat a wet sand stain. Let the fabric dry completely before you attempt to do anything.
If you feel so inclined, you can try to gently remove excess sand if there's a pile of sand sitting on top of the item, but don't rub the fabric to remove particles (that will just push them further into the fabric). Just flip the item upside down or shake it gently, and whatever falls off is less you have to deal with once the material is dry.
As much as you may want to, don't beat the garment against anything to try to get the sand grains out, as that can also push the particles further into fibers and make treating the stain more difficult later.
Once everything's had a chance to dry thoroughly, shake it out again and brush off as much loose sand as you can.
Then, use a mechanical action, like vacuuming or going in with a soft or scratch-free laundry brush like this one to break the surface tension holding the sand particles in place within the fabric and remove as much sand as possible.
When you think you've got as much loose sand out as you can, then it's time to get the fabric wet again.
If the sand has discolored the fabric, pre-treat the stain using equal parts water and vinegar and let it soak for 30 minutes.
If that doesn't lift the stain, you can try soaking it with a detergent booster, like baking soda, washing soda, or a specialized stain remover, like Napisan Stain Remover or Fairy Washing Up Liquid, let them soak for 20 to 30 minutes, and then get ready to toss them into the wash.
For really stubbon grit that you can tell isn't coming out, don't put these items into your washing machine, as it's virtually impossible to get the sand particles out of the drum of your machine.
For really stubbon grit that you can tell isn't coming out, don't put these items into your washing machine, as it's virtually impossible to get the sand particles out of the drum of your machine.
Instead, you'll want to get a bucket of soapy water and agitate it to release the sand that's deeply embedded in the fibers without ruining your main machine. Then, move on to the stain pre-treatment and washing steps noted above.
After everything's been pre-treated, wash the garment as you normally would according to the care label.
Before you dry anything, give it a thorough once-over for any lingering stains, as the heat from the dryer will permanently set any mineral stains that are remaining.
If you aren't sure if there's a slight stain left, you can play it extra-safe and air-dry the item, so that if there's anything left once it's dry, you can try the pre-treatment steps again until the discoloration is completely removed.
Get sculpting sandcastles
Now that you know how to remove stubborn set-in sand stains, you can hit the beach and get building the best sandcastles you've ever crafted without having to worry about the stains that'll be waiting for you after a fun-filled day.
Soak up the sun, soak up the fun!
What was the toughest stain you've ever successfully removed from your toddlers' clothes? How did you get it out? Let us know in the Comments section below or connect with us on Instagram to share your thoughts!
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