Do you know that feeling when a slice of tomato, a sprinkle of ketchup or cooked tomato sauce lands on your favorite shirt? You think all is lost? Nothing could be further from the truth!
The truth is that these stains are not the easiest to remove and they pose a serious problem, but fortunately there are effective ways that are able to save your clothes.
Remember not to rub the stain hard, not to use a dryer, iron or directly put the stained clothes into the washing machine, because then it may be impossible to remove. How to remove the tomato stain? As soon as possible!
If there is still a residue of sauce or ketchup on your clothes and you don’t know how to remove the stain from the tomato, the first thing you should do is reach for a spoon and immediately remove the residue gently but firmly. Do not rub! Then, turn the garment inside out and pour a very strong stream of cold water over the fabric, and finally, wash it by hand using dishwashing liquid or soap. If the stain still persists, we will have to reach for stronger agents, which can be found in every kitchen.
Prepare a paste by mixing 1 teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide with 3 teaspoons of baking soda. If the mixture is too dry, add a little more hydrogen peroxide. Lay out the clothes in a bowl, apply the slurry to the stain and leave it for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse the clothes, put them in the washing machine and wash them according to the instructions on the label.
After rinsing the stain with cold water, sprinkle the salt and rub lightly. After a few minutes, apply hydrogen peroxide and let it dry. This method is most effective on cotton fabrics.
The procedure is the same as in case of hydrogen peroxide. Rub the garment gently with salt, after a while apply lemon juice and continue rubbing. Finally, rinse and wash in cold water. The method will be most effective for woolen clothes.
Place the wet clothes in a bowl, sprinkle the stain with a teaspoon of baking soda and pour a small amount of vinegar on it so that the soda foams up (it is a good idea to use vinegar in a sprayer). Then rub gently and leave until the next day. Then rinse the foam with cold water and put it in the washing machine. You can use this method on any type of fabric, but it works best on synthetic or cotton fabrics.
Baking powder mixed with a bit of water works in a similar way. Gently soak the garment in cold water, apply the paste and leave it for a few hours. Then wash the clothes according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. This method will also work on old stains.
If all the above tips do not bring the desired effect, we can use a method that was successfully used by our grandmothers, that is, hanging the clothes in the sun. Ultraviolet radiation effectively deals with beta-carotene, which is responsible for vegetable and fruit stains (tomato is a fruit!), so we have a good chance that the stain will be less visible or will disappear completely.
If, after applying all home remedies, the stain still does not give up, and we really want it to disappear, we can look for chemical agents available on the market. On store shelves, you will find a wide range of stain removal products, such as: soaps, sprays, powders and gels. However, these chemicals are not very friendly for the environment and our hands, so it is worth thinking before using them.
As you can see, there are many uncomplicated, homemade and safe methods that will help you recover your clothes after an unexpected encounter with a tomato. However, every minute counts, because, as in the case of stains of other origin, a fresh one comes off much easier than an older one. There is no time to lose! Act fast, follow the recommendations above and still enjoy your clean clothes.
