If you have kids at home then jam and jelly stains on clothes are carpets are inevitable. Remember Tom Sawyer? Although jelly stains look very tough there is no need to go in for a complete makeover for your room every time you get one. Following a few simple steps will help you in restoring your garments and furniture to their former glory. However, jelly stain should be treated as soon as possible. Otherwise they will dry up and stick on to the fabric and it will become very difficult to remove it. So the fabric should be dried only after the stain is removed completely.

Removing excess jelly

The first step in removing jelly stains is to scoop off the excess jelly. This should be done carefully using a blunt knife or a spoon. Once the excess jelly is removed, it becomes considerably easier to wash it and this will also prevent the stain from spreading. However this should be done carefully or you could put a hole in the carpet or upholstery!

Rinsing

The second step is to rinse the area carefully using cold water. This will remove most of the jelly from the surface. Once this is done, the stain can be removed easily. Be careful not to spread the stain while doing this.

Washing with detergent

Next apply some detergent on the spot. It will remove the grease from the spot. If the stain does not disappear by the use of detergent alone, then use a stain stick or gel. This will help in removing extremely tough stains with minimum effort. Once most of the stain disappears, rinse the spot with hot water. This will help in degreasing the spot. If the stain still persists, repeat the above steps till it comes off.

Using salt

For stains that are not removed by the above steps, using some salt will help. Sprinkle some salt on the spot and allow it to sit for a while. The salt will absorb most of the grease making it easy to remove the stain. Now brush off the salt and apply some detergent on it and rinse it. The stain will come right off!

Using hydrogen peroxide

If the fabric is colorfast, using a bleaching agent will help in removing the stain easily. First test the fabric and if it is found to be color safe, apply some hydrogen peroxide on the spot and rinse it thoroughly. This can be done in the case of white fabric also. But if you are not careful, you could leave a faded spot on your garments or carpets.

Using lemon juice

Lemon juice is a natural bleaching agent that can help in removing greasy jelly stains. Apply some lemon juice on the spot and allow it to sit for a while. Then rinse it thoroughly. If the stain does not come off, leave it under the sunlight for a while. Using lemon juice has the added advantage that it will keep your garments and carpets smelling clean and fresh

Using white vinegar

White vinegar can also be used on these spots if the fabric is white, gray or faded. Make a solution of one part of white vinegar to two parts of water and sprinkle it on the spot. The vinegar can be replaced with ammonia if available. Blot the spot using a terry cloth or a sponge. Repeat this process till the stain disappears completely. Launder as usual.

Jelly stains are not as tough as they look and can be tackled very effectively using the above simple steps, making your garments and carpets as good as new!