Many people use spa robes but don’t know how to care for them. Before you know it, you need another spa robe as the old ones get worn out too soon. But what if you could use your spa robes for a lot longer? Well, that is possible. You only need to practice some simple care tips and see your spa robes last for a longer period. Plush Necessities has some of the highest-quality spa robes that can serve you for years. The duration that your spa robe serves depends on how you care for it and what you expose it to. Spa robes, like with any other clothes, are easily susceptible to staining. How you clean these stains, will determine the ability of the spa robe to serve you for longer.
Common Stains On Spa Robes
Here are some of the most common stains that spa robes are prone to be exposed to and how you can clean them.
- Blood – this is one of the most common spa robe stains that can prove difficult to remove. Immediately you notice a blood stain on your spa robe, take it off immediately and rinse it using cold water. Let it soak for about 15 minutes then take it off and clean the stained area using an enzyme cleaner if possible. You can also use household ammonia.
- Coffee – coffee is another common spa robe stain. You should soak the stained robe using lukewarm water then gently dab the stain with vinegar diluted in water. Avoid using bar soap or powdered water at all costs. These removers can permanently set the stain.
- Tomato-based – to remove this stain, you need to, first, scrape off any excess sauce or paste using a spoon or butter knife. Afterward, dab liquid detergent onto the stained spot and rinse with cold water.
- Sweat and armpit stains – you can remove this stain by washing the robes using hot water and detergent. But if the stain persists, then you can use an enzyme cleaner. Bleach is also great for the white spa robes but should be used as a last solution.
- Mud/dirt – if, by any chance, mud or dirt stains your robes, you can clean them by soaking and shaking the robe while dipped in lukewarm water. You can use detergent to remove any remaining stains. You can then use a bleaching agent to remove any remaining stains.
- Odors – you should note that not all stains are visible. Your robes can also have odors that persist after normal laundering. For these stains, you can apply calcium carbonate crystals and let it stand for several hours, days if necessary. If there is a stain that accompanied the odor, you can remove it using an enzyme cleaner.
- Wine – ensure you clean any wine stains immediately using warm water. Salt the stain and let it stand for as long as necessary. Afterward, rinse off the salt and dab the stained spot using glycerin or a detergent. Lay the stained spot face down on a paper towel then rinse the spot again.
How to get rid of spa robe stains
The successful removal of spa robes stains depend greatly on the stain removal product and method used. You may be using the right product, but if you are using it the wrong way, then the stain will most likely not be completely removed. Most of the time, the stain removal process of most stains boils down to very simple concepts. Like not applying direct force to remove the stain. You may only end up making the stain stick further and become harder to remove. There are a series of steps that are common with most stain removal as you may have noticed above. The stain removal process is meant to remove the stain from the robe fabric and into something else. When you accidentally stain your spa robes, use the following series of steps to clean them.
- Soak the stained robe in water immediately. The first step is to dab room temperature onto the stained spot and use a bit of tissue paper to suck most of the stain from the robes.
- You can then re-soak the stained spot later on and apply an absorbent like salt, cornstarch or talcum powder on the stain. This process works best when used on smooth fabric robes. This means that it works great on fabrics like cotton knits. Let the absorbent sit for about 15 minutes before you scrape it off and rinse it using water.
- Apply a solvent gently underneath the stain. This will soak through the stain and also drive the stain back to the surface. To mean that you have to place the garment with the stained spot facing down. This helps to prevent the stain from seeping deeper into the robe.
- Place the stained robe on a paper towel with the stained spot facing down on the paper towel. This gives the chemicals in the stain something that they can soak into. It is crucial that you provide the stain with another medium that it can go to. Or else, you will only be spreading the stain thin on the robe. To the point that it may not be visible.
- Let the solvents do their work and prevent the stain from sticking into the fabrics of the spa robes. Remember, not all solvents have the same reaction times. Only make sure that you rinse the rest of the stain off before the solvent also dries on the robes. If the solvent dries, you will end up with a bigger but lighter stain on the robe.
- Rinse the robe one last time using clean water. This will remove any remaining stains plus the solvents on the robe. If you can, wash the robe immediately to ensure that no stains or solvents remain on the robe.
Not all spa robes stains are as difficult to remove. For some trains, you simply wash and dry clean the affected area and the robe will be as good as new. Then, for some types of robe fabrics like wool and silk, you may need to use nothing other than water.
How best to care for your spa robes
Maybe you are from the swimming pool or the spa or massage room and not looking forward to getting dressed any time soon. That is when a warm, fluffy spa robes come to the rescue. But in as much as these robes work to provide you with comfort and a sense of relaxation, they also need to be cared for. And with proper care, these robes will serve you for a lot longer, and you won’t be pressed to buy a new one every few months. Here are some of the best care practices that you can adapt and use.
1. Use a hanger
It is wise always to use a hanger to store your spa robes when not using them. Whatever kind of fabric your robe is, keeping it in a hanger helps maintain its integrity. It will look like brand new every time you put it on.
2. In between seasons
Different spa robes are made for different seasons. You may, thus, have many different robes, the lighter ones for the warm and hot seasons and the heavier ones for the cold seasons. Either way, you will most likely not be using all the robes at the same time. So, before you store away the robes that you will not be using, ensure you wash them thoroughly. Also, use cedar balls to repel moths and other pests that may attack them when in storage.
3. Pay attention to the label
The labels that are put on the spa robes are there for a reason. Manufacturers want you to get the best from the robes. And this is the best way they can convey their messages. As the robe wearer, it is your responsibility to follow the rules of the manufacturer for the different types of care of the different materials of the robes.
Selecting the most appropriate cleaning solvent for your spa robes
When washing stains from spa robes, you need to be careful the types of solvents you use when cleaning your spa robes. The type of solvent depends greatly on:
- Its ability to dissolve the stain in question and,
- If the solvent is safe to use on the robe, you want to use it on.
Different robe fabrics require specific solvents to be used to clean stains on them. Otherwise, you might end up making the stain worse or ruining the whole robe. To know the right solvent for removing a stain, it is best that you check the label of the solvent. In most cases, this will be your best guide in successfully removing the stain. You can also go by the fabric type if the label does not specify any instructions. You can use these steps to find the right solvents as per your fabric requirements.
- Cotton – this fabric type can endure soaking, heat, and drying. You may, however, try to avoidusing heat for most stains as dry heat can end up setting the stain. If the fabric is white cotton, then you can also bleach it. Chlorine bleach is the best option to go for. The best stain treatments for this type of fabric are light acids like vinegar and lemon juice, and detergents.
- Wool – this fabric material is even much more sensitive to heat than cotton. It, therefore, needsto be treated more gently. You can, however, soak it. But then you will have to lay it flat on the surface as it dries. This helps to prevent distortion. It is recommended that you only use lukewarm (not hot) water and wool-safe detergents when cleaning stains off of this fabric material. Other solvents like bleaches and acidic treatments will only damage the wool permanently.
- Silk – you can use water to remove stains on silk. This is an exceedingly temperamental fabric.You will also have to dry off the wet spots rather than letting it dry off naturally. If not, then the fabric will end up with water spots. And that can be nearly as bad as the stain itself. Glycerin stain remover is another excellent solvent. Effective and natural.
- Synthetics – the solvents used here vary depending on the material. For polyester and rayon,you can simply wash and scrub more harshly then cotton. Oxidizing bleaches such as hydrogen peroxide will, however, destroy this particular fabric. Standard laundry detergent is the best option to use. Dish soap is also great for the grease-heavy stains.
It is, however, wise to test the solvents that you want to use to remove stains from your spa robes on an inside patch of the cloth to check how the fabric reacts it. This will give you a clearer idea of whether the solvent is the best one to remove the stain from your robe.
The common stain cleaning mistakes you should avoid
Nobody ever really knows the exact amount of solvents or detergents to use to remove stains or whether the bleaching agent is enough or less. These are some of the questions that you need answering before getting into the stain removal process. Some of the most common mistakes people make when removing stains from their spa robes include:
1. Rubbing off the stains furiously
If you thought that using brute force would remove the stain, think again. You may only be making the stain much worse. Possibly even wearing away the fabric too. Instead, try and be as gentle and orderly as possible. Dab instead of running to prevent the stain from spreading.
2. Using excess detergent
Using too much detergent is not the remedy for removing all the stain. Instead, some of the excess detergents may end up getting caught in areas like under the collar and lead to bacteria buildup. You will have only made things worse and possibly stained the robe further.
3. Filling the washing machine incorrectly
It is crucial that you be keen on the liquid detergent you are adding in your washing machine. Modern detergents are phosphate-free. To mean that they are not harmful to most fabrics. So, to distribute your detergents best, put the clothes in the washing machine, fill it with water, then add soap. This will ensure that the detergent works maximally in removing the stains.
4. Overusing bleach
Of all the cleaning agents, bleach is the one agent you need to think twice before you use. You don’t even need bleach to remove stains like sweat or blood from the robes. Only use bleach when necessary, and only on the white-colored cotton fabrics. Most of the other fabrics will be damaged when cleaned using a bleaching agent. It’s worse, if you use too much of the bleaching agent.
5. Not cleaning the dryer
Lint buildup can clog your dryer if not emptied. And these can easily become a fire hazard. So, get into the habit of cleaning your dryer periodically. You can easily tell that your dryer is clogged if it takes more than an hour to dry your load.
Final thoughts
From the above information, it is clear that nothing treats a stain better than immediate action. Not giving it any time to spread or stick to your spa robes is the best way you are going to remove most, if not all, of the stain. It is also crucial that you know the appropriate stain removal treatment for your robe. There is no need to damage an expensive spa robe while trying to remove a small stain when you can take care of everything using the proper cleaning procedures.