To think that "Vanish" contains no stain removing product/ properties whatsoever?

[TheRealAmandaClarke]

And yes, I'm following the instructions.

Was it always this bad? And how did our mothers (ok, or rarely, fathers) get the stains out of our clothes?

DH thinks it would be cheaper and easier to replace their clothes.

Yes, I'm boring. But there's a lot of laundry to do.

Vanish has never ever worked for me.

My DMum swears by it but I'm inclined to agree with you.

Oh, not just me then.

Bicarbonate soda and white vinegar.

I have used this as a paste for years and never been unable to get a stain out...... Unless it's the 'washable' paint they tend to use in school.

I've found that the sprays of any brand are rubbish. But the only thing that did seem to work was the vanish stick. Can't find it so easily these days. There is a vanish soap thing that u rub on that's not bad.

I find the bars excellent, have got many a tomato stain out of a light coloured top by pre-treating and then washing.

I wouldn't fight some stains- carrots when part of puree/stew are particularly bad if dried in. If for a baby, I would just throw away babygros that were stained, or wear them underneath.

Everything else, Vanish works. I haven't ruined anything by staining for years- but I have burned quite a few holes by ironing, so pretty much having given up ironing, this is now a lot better!

Another exception might be red wine, but I don't drink that and neither do the children (!) so our red wine stains are relatively rare!

yanbu
great for stain removing are

• soaking in water/bio powder for a few hours (over night) in a bucket
• rubbing washing up liquid on the stain before washing
• adding a tablespoon soda crystals to the washing powder
• hanging outside to dry
• using bio powder instead of non-bio or liquids (if worried about sensitive skin use an extra rinse)

• preventing stains by using aprons for artwork.

but all that doesn't work for permanent marker stains...

tesco 15p everyday value soap got the black marker pen out of dd's clothes with cold water and gentle rubbing with a finger.

use soap and cold water on the washable paint. it usually comes out, except purple. purple is a bugger. green is awkward but not like purple. (lots of experience of getting paint out of clothes)

Morrisons own brand 'hand/bath' soap works. Along with a nail -brush!

I think it is about 30p

I like Ace bleach

X-posted with susan

those cheap soaps really do work.

YY NoArmani Ace Bleach is really good. Works brilliantly on football kits with grass stains.

Bio tex

I think the best thing is to use your washing powder or some regular soap and get the stain really lathery. Then leave to soak in some more soapy water. Then chuck in washing machine next time you are doing those colours. Preferably wait for a sunny day and hang out as that adds to the stain removal. No specific products just a bit more effort than a spray of vanish which like you say rarely works anyway despite what the adverts say.
(my theory is that they work best when the stain is fresh, but if it's fresh which kind of defeats the point of them as who has them when you are out and about - far better to rinse and clean - baby wipes are good for this as well!)

Thing is, ime the stains will go if dried on the line on a sunny day. But of course it's been raining forever.

Sunshine is your friend. No stain has beaten a week out on the line in the wind, rain and sun

Yes I think that using on bio, as I do, is a bit like washing clothes in warm water and perfume.

Get thee a bucket and learn to soak overnight in COLD water before stains set. Napisan is great for soaking out all kinds of stains from grass to poo.

For pre-wash spot scrubbing & grubby collars
Stardrops from asda - is my go to product
fairy household soap - green bar is what my Mum swears by.
smart price white soap - will do at a pinch.

In the washing machine I like Lidls own brand biological washing detergent. Ariel Gel detergent is good too on stubborn spots

Vanish is utterly useless and a rip off imho.

DS lives in primark joggers and cheap Asda school polos that I dye nice non-schooly colours for him as he's a born again Grot monster. Clothes with a high cotton/natural fibre content are always best as they can be dyed in the machine to cover really bad stains, always worth considering when making expensive purchases.

When doing natural fabric dyeing I use stuff like beetroot and onions with HOT water - the hotter the better. the golden rule is that HOT water sets, and cold water dissipates stains. Never put a badly stained item on a boil wash.

even when it's rainng the sun is strong enough to fade stains ime.
you might have to rewash, but just hang it out for a day or two in the rain will make a difference.

I ordered some zeosoft household laundry soap from Lakeland when I was buying a few bits - just to take the amount up to get the free postage - and it's fab. I used it on a white top last week with an old stain and it shifted it, I lather the item up with cold water and wash in machine and not been disappointed yet. Never used a laundry soap before, my Mum always did, Fairy I think?? Been a great discovery, laundry soap.

I'd be too embarrassed to leave my period pants on the line though, I'll stick with ace bleach

Vanish is rubbish. I just dry on the line, keep the item wet until the stain is gone

Where can I buy ace bleach please?

Agree about vanish. I find Asda stain remover spray (in a blue bottle) does the job on grass / mud stained sports kit.

Soaking in Vanish definitely works on newborn baby poo.