General Stain Removal Tips & Tricks
- Wet stains are always easier to remove than set stains
- Consider carrying a stain stick in your purse or car so stains can be pretreated expeditiously.
- Use a proper blotting technique to remove the excess stain before rinsing the area with cool water.
- Never put a stained garment in the dryer until certain the stain is gone. Otherwise, the dryer will set the stain, making it permanent.
Remove Rust Gunk And Buildup Inside A Washing Machine With Kool
The citric acid in lemon or orange Kool-Aid helps break down the buildup in your washing machine. Basically, Kool-Aid powder is a cleaning powerhouse!
Run 1/4 cup lemon or orange Kool-Aid in a regular wash cycle without clothes and repeat as needed.
Psst. If cleaning is your thing, then check out these household cleaning tips!
How To Remove Kool Aid From Skin
This article was co-authored by Chris M. Matsko, MD. Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 313,211 times.
Kool Aid often stains the hands, mouth, and skin. It’s fairly easy to remove Kool Aid stains with soap and water, but if this doesn’t work, you may have to use other means. A variety of household products can successfully remove Kool Aid.
Don’t Miss: Dark Wood Table And Chairs
How To Get Kool
Do you have the know-how to get Kool-Aid out of clothes? Are you struggling to remove Kool-Aid stains? How long does it take to remove a Kool-Aid stain? Are there any quick tricks or hacks to stain removal? What should be done if a dry-clean-only garment is stained with Kool-Aid?
Kool-Aid is the beloved drink of children worldwide and the staining bane of our existence. Try cold water and a clean blotting cloth, ice water and Borax, boiling water, laundry detergent and a baking soda paste, vinegar and a denture tablet, Oxiclean, or a steaming iron to remove the stain. The faster you catch the stain, the better the chances of getting it out.
This article provides solutions to Kool-Aid stains and how to approach many other stains! The techniques shown here will help you understand why Kool-Aid stains clothing, which clothes are easier than others from which to remove stains, and even how to get Kool-Aid stains out of the carpet.
Quick Navigation
S To Dye Wood With Food Coloring:
Don’t Miss: Earth Wood And Fire Fallston
How To Dye Unfinished Wood Using Kool
This post and photos may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. If you purchase something through any link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Any supplies used may be given to me free of charge, however, all projects and opinions are my own.
May 12, 2014
Do you drink Kool-Aid? Do your kids?
I dont drink it, however I do craft with it.
Kool-Aid as a craft supply? Yes!
You can use Kool-Aid as a dye on unfinished wood! It works like a charm!
I purchased this unfinished wood treasure chest box from the craft store to dye with Kool-Aid:
I wanted the box to be a rich purple color, so I emptied 5 packets of Kool-Aid unsweetened drink mix into a glass jar. I slowly added some of the ready-to-drink Kool-Aid and stirred everything up until I was happy with the color.
Tip: For the purple color, the liquid will look almost black. This is ok, as it will dry to a wonderful purple shade.
Using a small foam brush and wearing rubber gloves, I simply painted on the Kool-Aid one section at a time.
I gave the box two quick coats of the Kool-Aid, both inside and out, then let it dry overnight on some white paper towels and a garbage bag, just in case any of the color leaked out.
Tip:For the purple color, the box ended up looking almost black while wet. Again, dont be alarmed as it will dry to a much prettier shade!
Heres a shot of the box drying, so you can see what I mean:
And thats all there is to it!
I love how rich and weathered the wood looks!
Get Even More Stain And Spot Removal Help Here
Are you a stain magnet like me? If so, check out the A to Z Stain Removal Guide which gives directions for how to remove over 100 types of stains from all kinds of surfaces.
In addition, here are some other stain removal guide pages you may need!
Photo of pitcher of Kool-Aid by jeffisageek
Thanks For Visiting My Website: Grab Your Free Gift!
Hi, I’m Taylor, a busy mom with 3 kids, so I have lots of hands on experience with house cleaning, laundry and my fair share of spots, spills and other messy catastrophes. Thanks for visiting my site.
Don’t Miss: Farmhouse Reclaimed Wood Dining Table
Why Dyes Stain Clothes
Dyes are typically transparent with small permeable molecules allowing light to pass through them. A dye can be suspended in oil, water, or alcohol-based mediums. The dyes used on wood products are quite similar to those used for clothing.
Water-based dyes are long-lasting but can fade over time alcohol-based dyes fade slightly faster, while oil-based dyes tend to fade faster than the others. As Kool-Aid is a water-based dye, you can, unfortunately, expect an effective, long-lasting stain.
How To Approach Stain Removal
Stains are challenging to remove Mustard, for example, is as infamous as Red Kool-Aid. Mustard sets stains with a multilayered chemical reaction when you think youve got the stain out, it can change from yellow to orange or red. The type of fiber, the nature of the staining substance, and the amount of time the substance has been in contact with your clothes directly affect the removal efforts.
While not listed in the techniques below, DO NOT forget the effectiveness of the average stain remover stick or spray .
When removing a stain, tackle the process knowing:
- Multiple sessions are likely
- The process may take longer than anticipated
- Fresh stains have the highest chance of removal
Stains require strong solutions such as chlorine, enzymes, oxygenated bleach, or specialty solvents to break up and clear out the stain.
Chlorine bleach and oxygenated bleach either loosen stain particles from fabric by breaking the bonds between the stain and fibers or rendering the stain colorless via oxidation. Oxygenated bleach is safe on whites and colors, whereas chlorine bleach is used on whites only. Oxygenated bleach can be purchased independently or as an ingredient in a detergent, such as OxiClean.
Be aware all bleaches may damage garments please follow all product directions before using.
Don’t Miss: Wrought Iron And Wood Fence
The Chemistry Behind Stains
Knowing the chemistry behind stains helps you remove them. For obvious reasons, stains have numerous sources. Most stains come from food or spilled drinks, and the type of the food determines the stains traits, strength, and color.
Stains are a chemical reaction between the staining substance and another material. This material doesnt have to be clothing specifically. Wood, walls, concrete, and innumerable others are all affected, but a stains nature is always due to a chemical reaction.
Stains happen when the molecules of a staining substance coat a material and become trapped within the fibers, pores, or cells. This coating forms the unsightly stain, bouncing the visible light waves of its distinctive color. For example, when Hot Red Lipstick is smeared on a blouse, all colors except for the red light waves are absorbed and this is the color that we perceive as Hot Red.
However, the type of fabric or material can change the color of the stain. If were dealing with a natural material like cotton, silk, or wool, the fibers swell with water, and the stain sinks in deeply, resulting in a vivid stain. If the material is artificial, then often water-based substances have minimal effect, while oil-based stains are absorbed.
A materials origin can also affect the stains intensity and hue. This is why Kool-Aid stains natural fibers much deeper than man-made fabrics. Its also why Kool-Aid is easier to get out of some clothes but not others.
Clean Your Toilet Bowl
Kool-Aid drink mix packets come in all sorts of flavors, but the most useful flavor is lemonade, hands down! Packets of the lemonade drink mix contain citric acid, which makes a great cleaning agent in areas where mineral build-up occurs, like in the kitchen and bathroom.
You can use a packet of lemonade Kool-Aid mix to clean your toilet bowl! Just sprinkle the powder around the bowl of your toilet, and use your toilet brush to give it a good scrub.
Related:Unclog A Toilet With These Simple Hacks
You May Like: Round Carved Wood Coffee Table
When To Call A Professional
If the garment is labeled as dry clean only, blot away as much of the drink stain as possible with a white paper towel. As soon as you can, head to the dry cleaner and point out the stain to your professional cleaner to help them choose the proper treatment. The same applies to a stain that damages silk upholstery or vintage clothing and upholstery you need to contact a professional cleaner, or else you are likely to do more damage if you try to remove the stain yourself.
Selecting A Stain Remover
Also Check: Light Wood Coffee Table With Storage
Natural And Homemade Wood Stain
There are many options for naturally derived stains that are long lasting and look great. Some of them are metallic based and some are plant based. Here are some good examples:
Coffee or Tea
Brew some very strong coffee or tea. Allow to cool. Dip a clean rag in the mixture and wipe onto the wood. You might want to use a test piece first to see how dark your wood will turn. You might also need more than one coat to get the desired color.
Water Based Ink
There are many colors of water based inks that will work well for staining . Again, test in an inconspicuous spot first.
Onion Skins
Soak onion skins in warm water to get a nice yellow color. Depending on your wood, the resulting color may be anything from pale yellow to warm amber.
Black Walnut Husks
If youre lucky enough to have a black walnut tree around, you can dry the hulls and soak them in water. They must be dried first to achieve a dark brown color. If they are not dry, the result can be an ugly, murky green. Dilute with water until the right shade is produced.
Steel Wool and Vinegar
Vinegar helps to break down metallic compounds. Place a pad of regular steel wool in a jar and cover with vinegar. Leave for about 24 hours and then remove the pad.
Vinegar also helps to develop the tannins that are present in all woods, producing a darker color after the stain is applied. So apply your first coat, then wait about 20 minutes. Youll see a big change!
Indigo or Woad
Wood Stains Are Expensive And Pretty Toxic Check Out How To Stain Wood Using Kool
Between the artificial colors and refined sweeteners, Kool-Aid isnt super healthy for your kids to drink. Those artificial dyes may not be good for your body, but if youve got some unfinished wood, it makes a great stain!
Laura Kuhlmann at Pet Scribbles shows you how to stain wood using a simple Kool-Aid-based stain. Dont you love how vibrant her finished project looks? You only need a few simple supplies to make your own Kool-Aid wood stain:
- 5 packets of Kool-Aid unsweetened drink mix
- bottle of ready-to-drink Kool-Aid in the same flavor
You May Like: Huntington Woods Pool And Spa
How To Get Kool Aid Stains Out Clothes With Boiling Water
Other likely questions relating to kool-aids stains include
Removing Kool Aid Stains From Clothing
Step 1: Pretreat the clothing or fabric with liquid laundry detergent , coating the stain with the detergent. Then, let it sit for several minutes.
Step 2: Rinse off the detergent and stained area with cool water.
Step 3: If this has not removed the spot continue on to step 4. Otherwise, launder in the hottest water the fabric will allow to get out the stain, and either chlorine bleach if the fabric will allow it, or color safe bleach if not.
Hint: Make sure the stain is gone after washing, but before you place in the dryer or you may set it. Repeat if necessary.
Step 4: If the above method did not remove the stain, create a presoak solution to place the fabric in for at least 30 minutes, and possibly as long as overnight. This presoak solution should contain oxygen bleach and water.
Hint: More suggestions are contained in the article about removing food coloring stains.
Step 5: After presoaking, follow step 3 above and launder as directed.
Recommended Reading: Wooden Ceiling Fan With Light
How To Remove Kool Aid Stains From Upholstery
Step 1: Mix a solution of two cups cool water, one tablespoon dishwashing liquid, and one tablespoon of white vinegar.
Step 2: Using this solution, sponge the stain from the Kool Aid with a clean white cloth.
Hint: For each of these stain removing solutions suggested be sure to get the upholstery only as wet as necessary to remove the stain from the Kool Aid.
Step 3: Next, blot at the stain until the liquid is absorbed.
Step 4: Repeat steps 2-3 until the stains are removed from the upholstery, or at least as much of the stain as possible.
Step 5: Now get plain cold water and a new white cloth and sponge the area to remove the cleaning solution, and then blot dry.
Step 6: If the spot is removed, stop. If not, next, sponge the stain with rubbing alcohol, blotting at the Kool Aid stain until as much of it comes off as possible.
Step 7: Now get plain cold water and a new white cloth and sponge the area to remove the rubbing alcohol, and then blot dry.
Step 8: If the spot is removed, stop. If not, next, mix a solution of two cups cool water, one tablespoon dishwashing liquid, and one tablespoon of ammonia.
Step 9: Using this solution, sponge the spot with a clean white cloth.
Hint: Ammonia can be harmful to some upholstery so be sure to spot test this solution in an inconspicuous area first to make sure you will not harm your upholstery.
Step 10: Sponge the upholstery with the ammonia solution, blotting until the stain is removed.
Make Window Clings From Kool
Pour Kool-Aid into a bottle of school glue and mix thoroughly using a thin, long utensil like a chopstick.
Use the glue to create art on canvas or paper, or try making designs on stretched plastic wrap that can be dried and used as window clings.
Tip: When using more than one color per gel-cling design, allow each color to dry first otherwise, the colors may run together.
This is a little messier than Kool-Aid play dough, but we think its totally worth it.
Want the best deal on Elmers Glue? We have a coupon page for that.
Read Also: Small Things To Make Out Of Wood