You can eat blueberries fresh, or you can add them to desserts or snacks. These berries are delicious for your health.
You won’t like it when they stain your clothes. Discover the best ways to remove blueberry stains from clothing.
What causes blueberry stains
Anthocyanin is abundant in blueberries. Blueberries get their deep purple color from anthocyanin.
When eating blueberries, be very careful. Blueberry juice and blueberry pieces will stain your clothes.
The color of the fruit itself is not the problem. The sugar content in blueberries can damage your clothes.
The stain will start to yellow when the sugars from the fruit begin to dry on your clothing. The color will be more difficult to remove if not treated immediately.
Treat blueberry stains immediately. Use the following techniques to remove blueberry stains.
The Boiling Water Technique
This procedure works best on fresh blueberry stains. Use it only on new colors on colorfast, durable textiles, like white clothing, that can stand boiling water.
Hot water will help remove stubborn stains if you act quickly. This method is not suitable for old colors.
What you need to know
Bring water to a rolling boil. While you wait, take a clean towel and dab it gently on the stain. Do not rub or press the cloth into the paint to prevent it from getting deeper.
Turning the garment inside out will allow you to flush out the stain. This will prevent the paint from settling deeper into the fabric.
Place the fabric with stain side down over a large bowl, and secure it using rubber bands. Place the bowl inside a sink or bathtub to prevent spills and help stop splashing.
Hold the teakettle as high as you can above the sink. Pour boiling water into a steady stream to remove the stain. Continue to flush until the stain has been completely removed.
Hang the garment in direct sunlight.
The Lemon Technique
Lemons can also be used to break down the organic compounds in blueberries. You can remove blueberry stains with acids such as lemon juice.
If the stain is older than a week, you can use other methods to remove it.
This is the procedure.
Use a damp towel to wipe the blueberry juice off your clothing. Be sure to blot out as much of the blueberry juice as you can.
Turn the garment inside out and wash the back of the area that is soiled with cool water.
A fresh lemon slice can be rubbed over the discoloration multiple times. Rub the lemon gently on the stain. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Do not wait for the lemon juice to dry on the fabric. The acid in the lemons can cause damage to the fibers.
Keep the colored garments away from the sunlight while the lemon is absorbed to prevent the color of the fabric from fading.
Apply the detergent and gently scrub for a couple of minutes.
The manufacturer’s recommended temperature for rinsing is indicated on the care label.
Repeat steps 1-4 for stubborn stains until discoloration disappears.
Dry the garments in the sunlight.
Enzyme-based Technique
If lemon juice is not able to remove the stain, you may want to consider an enzyme-based stain treatment. Enzymes, which are amino acids, break down natural colors.
The enzymes are different in that they react to discolorations of various types. For plant-based stains such as blueberries, the best choice is a stain remover with pectinase.
To get the best results, follow the instructions below
Fill the spray bottle half full with the enzyme stain removal solution. Spray it on the affected areas. Allow the solution to soak for 15 minutes. Your clothing and the stain will absorb the enzymes and can be easily removed.
Once no visible stains are left, wash your clothes using standard laundry detergent. Use warm water for white garments; use cold water for color. Pay attention to the tags on the fabric.
Dry your garment outside after washing it as normal.
Liquid laundry detergent technique
If the discoloration does not seem severe, you may be able to use liquid laundry detergent. Follow these steps
If your clothing is discolored, wash it in water running to remove the stain.
Apply the liquid detergent directly to the affected area. The stained clothing should be soaked in cold water for 15-30 minutes, depending on how severe the stain is.
After soaking, check for any remaining stains. If necessary, scrub any remaining stains using a soft toothbrush.
Once you have removed all the stains, rinse your clothes in cold water.
As you normally would, wash your clothes.
Hot Milk Technique
You can use milk to remove blueberry stains from delicate clothing.
This is the procedure you should follow to put milk into use
Warm up some milk
Pour the milk into the discolored area.
Let the milk soak for 20-30 min.
Use a brush to remove the spots, and use lukewarm, tepid water.
As you would normally wash.
Baking Powder Technique
You can remove blueberry stains from your clothing with baking powder if you are unsure about its colorfastness.
This is the procedure.
Pour four tablespoons of baking powder over the stain. Add 1-2 tablespoons lukewarm tepid water.
Allocate 10-20 minutes to allow everything to soak. The powder should begin to dissolve and foam.
Use a damp sponge to wipe away the stain gently. Pour lukewarm, lukewarm, lukewarm, lukewarm, sluggish water.
The Glycerin Technique
You can use a solution of glycerin to remove old or dried-on blueberry stains. This technique requires glycerin and cornstarch.
Follow these steps to remove the stain
Use a small amount of glycerin to cover the affected area.
Allow the glycerin in the garment to absorb for 30 minutes.
The garment should be rinsed and hung outside to dry.
If the stain remains after the garment is dried, mix one teaspoon of glycerin with two drops of eucalyptus oil and one tablespoon of cornstarch to form a thick paste.
Allow the paste to dry out in the sun.
Rinse the paste once it has dried.
Apply glycerin to the stain until it is completely gone.
Oxygenated Bleach Technique
As a last option, if all other treatments fail or if the stain is old, you can use bleached oxygen. Apply the highest concentration that your fabric can tolerate.
It is recommended to use this method when dealing with white clothing. Use caution when working with colored dresses.
The duration of treatment is also important. Do not let the bleach solution soak for more than 2 minutes on the garment. Otherwise, you will end up with a garment that is discolored but blueberry-free!
