During the icy winter season, it feels safer to walk in winter sidewalks and streets that have been salted down. Sadly, the rock salt or sodium chloride, magnesium carbonate, and calcium carbonate utilized to melt ice and snow can leave clothes, carpets, and even shoes with undesirable stains. Although these salt stains are fairly easy to remove when fresh, they can damage shoes and weaken garment fabrics, especially wool and silk especially when salt is left on clothes for some time.
The best way to prevent damage as well as keeping your clothes at their best is to neutralize and flush out the salt right away after the stains appear. A better approach is to wash your clothes after walking through icy streets as well as giving your shoes a quick clean before the salt dries up.
Common salt stains on shirt and other clothes is from sweat.
Read further to learn about techniques on how to remove salt stains from clothes.
Table of Contents
A close look at how to remove salt stains from clothes
Before laundering a garment with a stain, inspect the fabric care instructions to ensure that it is washable. In case the garment requires dry cleaning, bring it to the dry cleaner or utilize a home dry cleaning kit. Let us proceed to the steps on how to remove salt stains from clothes.
- Rinse or soak the site of the salt stain in cold water right away. If the stains have already dried up and already set in, brush off the salt and immerse the clothing overnight in cool water. It is recommended to use a soft-bristled brush such an old toothbrush to get rid of any dried salt stains on your clothes. This helps in removing the salt without driving it deep into the material.
- Wash the garment normally following the fabric care instructions along with your regular detergent and cool water.
- In case traces of the stains are still present on your clothes, an alternative is using a solution that includes one tablespoon white vinegar along with one-quart water. Moisten a clean cloth or towel with this solution and blot on the stain. Follow up with a dry cloth.
- Launder the garment as usual.
With these steps on how to remove salt stains from clothes, it will ensure that your clothes are free from any salt residue and completely clean.
More questions about salt stains
How to remove salt stains from leather boots without vinegar
Salt is generally acidic by nature and can be harsh on the leather. Once you notice salt stains on your leather boots, take action immediately to clean them off before permanent damage occurs.
Remember that as long as the salted water is soaked, its acidic nature is diluted and will not cause much damage. Nevertheless, once the water has evaporated and only the salt is deposited on the surface, it acts as a strong acid. This chemical reaction weakens the leather fibers and the color fades, resulting in the evident dullness. Furthermore, it significantly shortens the lifespan of your boots. It is vital to remove salt stains from your leather boots immediately. Let us take a look at some of the methods to remove stains without vinegar.
- Saddle soap. With a moist cloth, rub it on the saddle soap and your leather boots. Continue to rub to produce some lather. Once completely covered with lather, leave in place for a few minutes. Remove the lather with a damp cloth.
- Lemon water. Squeeze a half-cut lemon into a bowl. Dip the squeezed lemon into the water to lessen its intensity. Rub the squeezed lemon in a circular motion on the stain. Clean with a dry cloth and continue buffing for a few minutes.
- Baking soda. Prepare a solution with a teaspoon of baking soda into a bowl of water. Moisten a cloth into the solution and clean the stain.
Why does salt remove blood stains?
Blood can leave behind an undesirable stain that can be difficult to remove even if you are using a potent detergent. One effective solution is to use salt. Let us take a look at the steps on using salt in removing bloodstains.
- Rinse the site with cold water. Place the garment under running water. Rinse the stain with cold water only or it will set and seal into the fabric. At this point, most of the blood can be removed especially if the stain is fresh.
- Prepare a thick paste of salt and cold water. Apply this paste on the stain and leave in place for 10-20 minutes. Salt possesses strong dehydrating qualities and can lift away water and the blood. Rinse the stain after with more cold water.
- Wash the garment normally. At this point, the fabric will look clean without the stain. Do not allow the fabric to dry but wash in a washing machine.
How to get salt stains out of UGGs
Getting a new pair of UGGs can be considered as an investment. When your pair ends up with salt stains, it is important to deal with them right away. An issue of concern is that UGGs are made out of delicate material, specifically, sheepskin exterior that easily shows water stains, mud specks and many more aside from salt stains.
You can get salt stains out of ugg boots with water and white vinegar. Make sure to also deal with the water stains to prevent lins on your UGGs.
Let us take a look at the steps in removing salt stains from your pair of UGGs.
- Before dealing with the salt, tackle the water stains first to prevent lines, marks or further damage.
- Prepare an equal solution that includes water and white vinegar. Before your boots dry completely, get a cloth moistened with this solution and dab on the salt stains.
- Rinse the boots using a cloth or towel dipped in water.
- Blot the boots using a dry cloth.
- Allow your UGG boots to dry.
Video: How to remove sweat salt stains from clothes
Final thoughts
Salt stains on clothes and boots can be unappealing to look at. With the methods on how to remove salt stains from clothes, you can restore the pristine and clean appearance of your clothes and boots easily.
