Summer time is finally here. Along with the sunshine and carefree days come those pesky stains of the season.  Well, here are some stain-fighting tips for the top 5 stains of the season, so you can think less about how to get those annoying stains out, and more about the fun you’ll have making them!

1)      MUD:  There’s something about kids making mud-pies that’s magical to them, but instills the fear of God in me.  “We are making HUGE chocolate cakes, Mommy!” my daughter tells me as she stirs the mud batter…onto her shirt.  Here’s how to get those stains out so your kids can keep on “cooking”:

ON THE GO: dislodge any loose dirt or mud.  (In my case, I have scraped off the mud chunks with an old ice pop stick found in the backyard…which gives you some perspective on my desperation in that moment…as well as the fact that there are old ice pop sticks strewn about my backyard….)  Then rinse it out with cold water.

AT HOME: Presoak in warm water with laundry detergent for at least one hour.  (Realistically, it takes at least an hour to get mud out of my kids’ ears, fingernails and hair…so this timing works out) Then wash as usual with detergent and with 3/4C Clorox Regular-Bleach for whites or Clorox 2® product for colors.

2)      BERRIES:  After eating raspberries and strawberries, my son Max pretty much looks like he could audition for a pint-sized production of a vampire movie:  he’s sucked someone’s blood and it’s now carelessly dribbling down his shirt.  To get that berry juice out of his clothes:

ON THE GO: You can prevent the stain from setting by flushing it with cold water and then sprinkling some salt  on it (Yes salt!) and rinsing again.

AT HOME: Soak 15-30 mins in a quart of cool water with a tablespoon of vinegar and ½ teaspoon liquid laundry detergent. Rinse thoroughly and launder in warm water with detergent.  Don’t forget to add ¾C Clorox Regular-Bleach for whites or Clorox 2® product for colors.  (Shameless plug for our Clorox product!)

3)      GRASS: You want your kids to go “green” but you didn’t mean on their shirts.  Here’s how to handle:

ON THE GO:  This is one of those situations where the sooner you begin the “treatment” (I know, I’m talking like it’s a spa service or something!), the better your chance of success.

AT HOME: Presoak at least 30 mins in warm water that contains enzymes which helps to loosen dirt and break down grass stains.  Before washing pretreat it with Clorox Bleach Pen Gel for whites or with Clorox 2 product for colors.  (If you’re lazy like me, grab one of those Clorox 2 packets and just throw it right on top of your clothes before you wash them). Launder as usual at the hottest recommended setting.  Repeat as necessary before you stick it into the dryer…those grass stains can be stubborn little suckers.

4)      KETCHUP:  Bring on the backyard BBQ!  Unfortunately while ketchup and hotdogs go hand in hand, those hotdogs don’t always stay in my kids’ hand.  So here’s what to do when you look up to see that ketchup has suddenly “leapt onto” your son’s shirt.

ON THE GO:  Carefully scrape away as much of the ketchup as possible with a spoon or butter knife.  Rinse the stain from “back to front” with cold water.  What do I mean “from back to front”? That means attacking stains from the inside of the shirt outward to protect the fabric against damage like pilling.

AT HOME: Gently rub a little detergent into the stain and let it sit 5-10 minutes.  Then launder as usual with ¾C Clorox Regular-Bleach for whites or Clorox 2® product for colors.  (See a pattern for plugging Clorox laundry products yet?)

5)      BEER:  Finally, to deal with all these summer stains, you may need to take a couple swigs of beer.  Here’s what to do when your shirt gets as much beer as you do:

ON THE GO:  Blot the stain with paper towels.  If possible to do so without looking like you’ve just entered a wet T-shirt contest, try to rinse out your shirt with cold water “back to front.”

AT HOME:  Wash with detergent on the hottest recommended water setting.  Ok, one final time: Add 3/4C Clorox Regular-Bleach for whites or Clorox 2® product for colors.  Don’t stick in the dryer until you’re sure the stain is gone.

That’s it!  Now go out and enjoy making those summer stains, knowing that with a little bit of knowledge and prep, you can make sure you keep the summer memories but lose the stains.  For more tips, download our handy (and free!) Clorox® myStain app.  It provides stain removal tips for these summer stains and more. The app is available for iPhone®, iPod touch® and Android™ mobile digital devices and you can download it now by clicking here