Lilies may look beautiful in a vase, but their bright yellow-orange pollen has a habit of landing everywhere it shouldn’t – especially on your favourite clothes. And while your first instinct might be to brush, rub or wash the stain away, that can actually make things worse.
The good news? Pollen stains don’t have to spell the end of a favourite outfit. With the right approach – and a few household essentials – you can remove pollen from clothing without spreading it further or setting the stain into the fabric.
Here’s exactly what to do when pollen lands on your clothes, plus the common mistakes to avoid.
How to remove pollen stains from your clothes
The most important thing to do in a pollen stain situation is to stay calm.
Do not:
- Touch the stain with your fingers (your body’s natural oils will cause the pollen to set into the fabric)
- Rub the stain with a tissue in an attempt to remove the pollen
- Blot any liquid stain remover or water onto the stain
- Leave the stained garment bundled up in your laundry basket awaiting the next laundry day
Instead, take a breath and gently take off the stained garment. Then gather a few things and get to work.
What you’ll need:
- Vacuum cleaner or handheld vacuum or soft-bristled brush
- Sticky tape (enough to wrap a couple of layers around your fingers)
- Rubbing alcohol and a microfibre cloth
- Stain remover and laundry detergent
Steps
- Move outside to a sunny spot and vigorously shake the stained garment. This helps get rid of excess pollen particles before they get the chance to set into the fabric.
- If the pollen particles are particularly sticky, leave the stained garment in direct sun for 30 minutes or an hour to dry out. Shake again.
- Use a vacuum cleaner (hand-held ones work best but a soft-bristled brush works too) to suck up any remaining loose pollen particles. Keep the hose at least 1 centimetre away from the fabric so it doesn’t get lodged in the hose, making things worse.
- Then, tape a few layers of sticky tape around four fingers. Gently lay your taped fingers over the stain and then pull away. The pollen particles will stick to the tape and come off the fabric.
- If you’re still left with a pollen stain after shaking, vacuuming and taping – it’s time to use some rubbing alcohol. Pour a little rubbing alcohol (the size of an R2 coin) onto a microfibre cloth. Dab the dampened cloth directly onto the stain and gently blot a few times.
- Finally, pre-treat the area with stain remover and wash with detergent on a cold cycle. Hang in the sun to dry.
Also See: Tried and tested: The best way to lift grease stains from clothes, aprons, and tea towels
Tried and tested: The best way to lift grease stains from clothes, aprons, and tea towels
