| When you've taken up the challenge of mustard stain | | | | it's fresh and still moist. Immediately blot the stain-do not |
| removal, you must arm yourself with information about | | | | rub it in, because you don't want to spread the |
| the staining agent. Mustard is a thick yellowish-brown | | | | turmeric onto unstained fabric and/or set it even more |
| paste with a sharp taste made from the ground seeds | | | | deeply into the fabric fibers. |
| of a mustard plant (white or yellow mustard, Sinapis | | | | Treat the fabric as quickly as possible with a |
| hirta; brown or Indian mustard, Brassica juncea; or black | | | | commercial pre-treating solution, and wash immediately |
| mustard, Brassica nigra). | | | | according to your normal laundering routine. Hopefully, |
| The mustard seeds are mixed with water, vinegar or | | | | you will have caught the stain quickly enough to avoid |
| other liquids, as well as other flavorings and spices. A | | | | the stain setting in. If not, it's time to move on to more |
| strong mustard can cause the eyes to water, burn the | | | | in-depth measures. |
| palate and inflame the nasal passages. There are | | | | * If the mustard stain is old, first remove excess; if you |
| many varieties of mustard that come in a wide range | | | | find the mustard stain after it's already dried, all may |
| of strengths and flavors. The basic taste and "heat" of | | | | not be lost. The first step is to remove any excess |
| the mustard is largely determined by seed type, | | | | mustard. The crusty portion of the stain needs to be |
| preparation and ingredients. Black seeded mustard is | | | | long-gone before you begin to treat the fabric, or you |
| generally regarded as the hottest type. | | | | risk spreading the stain once it becomes moist again. |
| Mustard, particularly the classic yellow variety, contains | | | | Use a dull knife, the edge of a credit card, a spatula or |
| turmeric. Turmeric is a yellow dye that's present both in | | | | anything that won't damage the fabric, but scrapes |
| the mustard seed itself and in the commercially | | | | easily, to scrape away any excess mustard. Be sure |
| produced mustard as an additive to enhance the | | | | that you shake away all the scrapings so that you |
| yellow color. | | | | don't find smaller yellow dots as an unwelcome |
| Turmeric bonds extremely well with fabric and is a | | | | surprise later. |
| natural disperse dye. Mustard stains must be tackled | | | | * As already mentioned, this method is best done on |
| promptly as older mustard stains are next to | | | | old stains, but be careful and see to it that during the |
| impossible to remove. Because turmeric is a dye, if it's | | | | process of scraping you don't further spread the stain. |
| not treated as quickly as possible, you could be faced | | | | You could afterwards soak the fabric in a solution of |
| with a newly-dyed polka dot on your shirt! | | | | dishwashing liquid and denatured alcohol (mixed in the |
| Before you start trying to remove the mustard, please | | | | ratio of 3:1) for about 15 minutes. |
| be sure to read the labels on anything that you're going | | | | While doing this, the stain might just turn dark, but be |
| to use. The absolute worst thing in the world to put on | | | | assured that it will wash out. Follow the soak with a |
| a mustard stain is ammonia. Ammonia reacts with | | | | hot water rinse. You might have to repeat this process |
| turmeric to set it even more permanently than it | | | | when undertaking the task of mustard stain removal. |
| naturally sets itself. | | | | * For mustard stain removal, bleaching is always a |
| If you use a cleanser with ammonia on the stain, you're | | | | good option, with chlorine bleach being especially |
| officially ensuring that your item will have a lovely | | | | effective, especially if the garment is white. However, |
| yellow adornment for all time. Also, be sure to read the | | | | before using any kind of bleach, the garment care |
| care label on the item. Some treatments that may | | | | instructions must be read, and the fabric must be |
| work on cotton could destroy silk or wool. | | | | tested for colorfastness. If the fabric is not colorfast, |
| Basic Mustard Stain Removal | | | | avoid using bleach. Bleaching leads to an overall |
| * The best time to catch and treat the stain is when | | | | lightening of the colors on that garment. |