Clean Up Our Act

Why is it that the food and drink that we invariably spill on our clothes often turn out to be the ones that stain the most? Red wine, beetroot, cooking oil – greasy pizza stains are seriously hard to get rid of. Once the offending stain is there, most people either cover it in harsh chemicals that ruin the fabric even more or throw it out altogether. In fact, Australians throw out $500 million worth of clothing every year. Some of that (roughly 22 tonnes a day) goes to charities, but only 10% ends up being useable. It’s a terrible waste, considering removing a stain can sometimes be as easy as baby wipes – yes, baby wipes! The Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia (TFIA) recently identified ways to remove stains that aren’t damaging to clothes or the environment. Start by blotting the offending mark with cool or warm water – never rub and never use hot water. A baby wipe can often do the trick better than anything, or use talcum powder to soak up stains like oil. Never throw a stained garment into the wash without treating it first, and don’t whatever you do just throw it out. If you treat it fast enough, you might have just saved your favourite dress from the tip!