Watermelon stains.....UPDATE......post 9

[goosysmom]

I'm so sad.

I had NO IDEA watermelon stained...

Went out with a friend last night to Whole Foods and baby chowed down some watermelon.......she LOVED it.

Came home and took off her dress and tossed it in the washer not thinking I would have to presoak it or do anything with it...it's watermelon.....

Run the washer and when it's done pull things out for the dryer checking as I go......and lo and behold, there's the pretty dress....covered in a browining watermelon stain.

I washed and rinsed on cold. I didn't put it in the dryer....

Of course, it's my favorite dress.

Now it's stained all over the front.

How do I get it out??????

The fabric is not bleachable really...I don't want it white....

darn watermelon.

[~Megan~]

I had no idea that watermelon can stain!

I'd soak it in oxyclean as that is supposed to get our natural stains well.

[mommathea]

Or get a bar of fels-naptha soap. Wet the area and rub the stain with the bar of soap. Fels-naptha gets everything out.

[dex_millie]

Oh that happened to DS with strawberries though. I just soaked it in a small bowl with detergent (this was a white and blue strip shirt) and it came out perfectly clean by just soaking, not even washing. So I would say soak it in some detergent, I am not sure about stains that are still their after washing I have to experiment with that as I have a next of DS shirt w/ a strawberry stain that I put in the washer and it is still their: You would think I knew better from last time what to do.

[sunshine's mama]

thanks.

i'm just happy i washed and rinsed in cold water so......

darn watermelon...who knew.

[llamalluv]

The stain is caused by the sugar carmelizing.

Ramsey County Extension Office:

"Watermelon: Launder with detergent in the hottest water safe for the fabric. Soak tough stains for 30 minutes in one quart of warm water and one teaspoon of enzyme presoak product. To remove old or set stains may require washing with bleach that is safe for the fabric. If all the sugars from a fruit stain are not removed, a brown stain will appear when the fabric is heated in the dryer or ironed, as the sugar is caramelized."

[texmati]

If you are not super opposed to bleach, and the dress has a light colored print--

I've had success with one of DH's shirts by soaking it in a large sink (so large that it could lay flat and kind of float there, it wasn't scrunched up) with a lot of water a teensy amount of bleach. I left it for an entire day.

[sunshine's mama]

whats the pattern like????

is it pale or stark........

i'd say water down some bleach and give it a go.

i didn't know it stained...

[summermay]

Could help to put the clothes in the sun. Similar to carrot damages.

[goosysmom]

Thanks for all the great ideas....

I didn't get a chance to try any of them bc....

DH DID THE LAUNDRY...

I know, I'm still in shock he washed anything but his things but I went to get the dress and it was gone. I asked about it and he said, "oh, i saw it laying here so i threw it in..."

AND IT WENT IN THE DRYER.....



Is there ANYTHING I can do now or should I just tea stain it or something and hope it matches enough....???

[texaspeach]

try oxygen bleah or biz (enzymes and oxygen bleach)

[Baby Makes 4]

The Laundry booster the shaklee sells got blueberry stains that had been through the dryer out of my son's yellow dress shirt! It's miracle stuff!

[Mamato3wild ponnie]

I second the shaklee booster...works wonders if you soak long enough.

[Max'sMama]

I would try washing and sunning it to dry. i am amazed at how many stains come out this way. Including 'set-in' stains.

[acupuncturemomma]

I use oxo-brite (an oxygen bleach--like oxy clean, but without the fragrance and other crap) all the time for set-in, dryer-dried stains. Works like a charm! Just follow the instructions for stains: basically you soak the item for several hours and then launder.

I but oxo-brite at my local HFS. I think Trader Joe's also sells it.

HTH!