How to Get Black Food Coloring Off Hands
Baking cupcakes with the kids is fun, but if the food dye used in all that colourful icing ends up staining clothing or furnishings, it can be hard to remove.
Food colouring is a dye, so you need to act quickly and follow these removal steps if you hope to get it out.
How to remove food dye stains from clothing and washable fabrics
Act quickly and rinse, rinse, rinse the stained piece of clothing in cool water as quickly as you can.
- Soak overnight in a solution of water and detergent - though this is not recommended for silk, wool or chemically-created fabrics that are rubberised or flame-resistant.
- Rinse and launder as usual.
- White fabrics can be laundered with a colour-run removing product suitable for the type of fabric (you can find these at the chemists and some supermarkets).
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Those pesky stains can be hard to remove if they make it onto clothing! Image: iStock
How to remove food dye stains from non-washable fabrics
Uh-oh, food dye spilled on non-washable fabrics can be frustrating. Unless you plan on making this a new fashion statement, you can visit a dry cleaner or try this:
Gently sponge the stain with cool water, blotting and sponging until the stain is removed.
Other related articles:
- How to remove berry stains from kids' clothes
- How to remove chocolate stains
- Mum's hack for removing spag bol stains on plastic containers
How to remove food dye stains on carpet or furnishings
With food dye on the carpet, you have two options: run screaming from the room or set aside some serious stain removal time. You'll need patience and the ability to resist the urge to scrub. Ready?
- Get yourself two bowls of cool water, a sponge and a white absorbent cloth or towel.
- Start sponging with cool water, taking care not to saturate the stain.
- Blot with dry towel.
- Repeat until the stain is all gone.
- Stain not gone? OK, time for stronger action. You'll need to test this in an inconspicuous area first. Then, mix one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and one tablespoon of ammonia with two cups of water. (Take care not to breathe in the ammonia - it's a bit ... breathtaking).
- Sponge the stain with a clean white cloth dipped in the solution. Blot dry.
- Repeat these steps until the stain disappears.
Edible craft is always fun. Image: iStock
Stain removal tips:
- The quicker you deal with a stain, the more likely you are to remove it.
- Unless it's a fat stain, cold water is best for rinsing a stain, so as not to set it and make it harder to remove later.
- Before using a cleaning solution, test on an inconspicuous section, such as the inside of a sleeve, to check it won't ruin the fabric.
- Always rinse out one cleaning solution before trying another to remove a stain as certain chemicals are not supposed to be mixed.
- Read the care instructions on the item of clothing before attempting vigorous stain removal. Some clothing may be too delicate to attempt stain removal and are better taken straight to the dry cleaners.
- Don't rub fabric harshly to remove stains as this can abrade fibres and cause fading.
- The white towel blotting method is often recommended for stain removal. Simply fold a clean white towel and, once you have treated the stain with water, gently dab it with the towel and check to see how much of the stain has transferred to the white towel.
- If using commercial stain removers and detergents, always follow the product label to understand the proper use and safety precautions you may need to take.
- It's always easier to treat a stain on a washable fabric.
This article was first published in December 2015 and updated in August 2020.
Related topics:
How to Get Black Food Coloring Off Hands
Source: https://www.kidspot.com.au/lifestyle/home/how-to-remove-food-dye-stains/news-story/02787be2180fb0497a1122f0286368ea