Laundry day is not anyone’s favorite day, and dealing with mud stains can make it worse. It takes a lot of energy to wash, dry, and fold each piece of laundry item– the last thing you want to do on your rest day is to drain your energy by scrubbing mud off your favorite shirt.

It could be because you played with kids or a very energetic pet decided to give you a warm hug after it rolled over the wet ground. Regardless of how you got it, mud makes quite a mess and it is daunting to look at. However, it is not as hard to clean up as it looks.

Wash, Dry, and Fold Your Muddy Laundry

First things first– do not set a mud stain by using a dryer. Mud is not as hard to remove as you think. Just keep in mind that what works for other stains might not work for mud stains.

For instance, they say you should try and lift stains as soon as it hits your clothes, but this does not work for mud. You need to let the mud dry out completely before you try to remove it.

A Few Notes:

This method for removing mud stains is only applicable to washable fabrics. You should not use this method for dry-clean-only clothes. If you got mud on dry-clean-only clothes, please let a professional wash, dry, and fold them.

If you got mud on a leather garment, washing it is not a good idea. If the mud is still wet, use a damp towel to gently wipe the mud off instead, then buff it with a dry cloth. You can use a soft-bristled brush to rub off mud first if it has dried on the leather. 

Keep in mind that you need to dry off your leather with a towel after removing the mud since water can stain it.

Steps for Removing Mud on Washable Clothes

Here is what you need to do to remove mud on your washable clothes:

First, let the mud dry.

You need to let the mud dry completely to prevent it from smearing all over your clothes. Do not try to wipe the mud off while it is still wet since this will spread the stain.

Scrape off the dried mud stain.

Once the mud is dry, use a spoon or a butter knife to remove the dried clumps of soil. Try to remove as much dirt from your clothes. You can also use a hand vacuum for this. 

But be careful not to press the stain deeper into your clothes’ fabric.

Spot treatment time!

Apply liquid detergent into the area of the stain and let it sit for 15 minutes or until the stain has fully lifted. You can gently rub the stained area every once in a while to help lift the stain.

(Optional) Use some stain remover.

If there are still some stains after you use detergent on the area, apply some stain remover on the spot. Let it sit for a few minutes until the stain is gone.

Wash, dry, and fold.

Finally, you may now wash your clothes as usual. You should follow the care label instruction for your items. You have just saved your laundry from mud, you don’t want to ruin it by shrinking it with the wrong water setting.

Keep in mind that you should not let the item dry unless all the traces of the mud stain are gone.

Bottomline

Although mud stains look intimidating, it is not as hard to remove as it looks. You just need to know the right way to do it. Make sure to check the care label instruction of your clothes to make sure that you use the right products.

If in doubt, you can always book a laundry delivery service near you instead!