Nothing shakes off the winter blues like springtime, with its longer days and warmer weather. Yet, it’s also the time for flower pollen which sticks easily to your clothing, leaving a yellow stain. Learn how to get pollen out of clothes in a few simple steps and prevent the dusty pollen from staining the fabric.
Pollen is a problem during certain times of the year, whether grass pollen, tree pollen, or lily pollen. It’s incredibly unpleasant if you have seasonal allergies or hay fever. Pollen grains float on the breeze and stick to anything they land on. Brushing up against a lily flower leaves light yellow pollen stains on your clothes.
While flower pollen seems harmless, it can permanently stain clothes and the carpet, and lilly pollen is the worst. Not only does it stain, it may also cause an allergic reaction in susceptible people. Cleaning the fabric is essential to remove allergens and prevent staining.
Ways to Get Pollen Out of Clothes
Flower and lily pollen stains are challenging to remove if they set. However, it’s possible to clean them with the proper stain remover. Find out how to clean loose pollen and pollen stains using basic and advanced methods.
Why Does Pollen Stain Clothes?
Pollen is necessary for the reproduction of flowering plants. It seems harmless enough as it clings to the flower’s stamen. So, how does this dry powdery substance cause stains on clothing?
Pollen Stains
If you’ve ever rubbed yellow pollen dust from lilies between your fingers, you know how the tiny particles cause staining on your skin. Pollen is made of latching structures that allow it to stay in place within the flower until pollinators sweep it away.
These structures hold onto fabric fibers, and the color pigment stains. Does pollen come out of clothes? Luckily, there are several ways to remove pollen from fabric, including loose dust or a set lily pollen stain.
The First Step for Getting Pollen Out of Clothes
As long as you take preparation steps, getting pollen out of clothes is easy. While it’s tempting to wipe the yellow dust on your shirt with your hand or a rag, this mistake causes the stain to set. Prepare your clothes for pollen removal and cleaning.
Pollen Stain Removal Prep
Take off the clothing item carefully to prevent the lily pollen from spreading. Do not rub the area, as this pushes the stain deeper into the fabric. Instead, blow the pollen off the surface or shake the item outside to remove loose pollen.
Lay it flat on a clean area, without folding the fabric on itself, with the pollen stain facing upward. Prepare to clean the affected area.
How to Remove Pollen Stains From Fabric
There are many uses for tape, and removing pollen from fabric is one of the lesser known. It’s the best way to lift the dust from the fibers without spreading them and causing a stain. Discover how to remove pollen stains from fabric with sticky tape.
Since you want to remove pollen from clothes without touching it or getting it on other materials, it’s best not to remove the garment. Leave it in place, wrap masking, scotch, or duct tape around your fingers with the sticky side facing out, and pat it gently on the stain to lift the pollen from the surface.
How to Get Pollen Out of Clothes by Soaking
The simplest way for removing pollen from clothing if it’s embedded in the fibers is by soaking. Soak and rinse your clothes to loosen pollen stains before washing.
Hold the item beneath cold running water to flush away as much pollen as possible. Soak the item in a bin of cold water for half an hour, then rinse the clothes again beneath running water. Check if any stain remains, and repeat the steps to clean pollen until it’s gone.
Removing Fabric Pollen Stains With Stain Remover
Many stain removal products on the market remove various stains, from a rust stain to a pollen stain. Learn how to remove pollen stains from fabric with a commercial stain remover.
Follow the instructions for your stain removal product and apply it to the fabric as directed. Rub it in the cloth with your fingers or a soft-bristle brush and let it sit for 15 minutes. Finally, rinse the material with cold water and see if the stain is gone.
Other stains that you might get on your clothes while outdoors are grass stains. To clean grass stains off new clothing, simply follow this technique with stain remover and a soft-bristle brush.
Oxygen-Based Bleach to Get Pollen Out of Clothes
While bleach is safe to use on white clothes, it causes discoloration to colored items. A safe alternative to chlorine bleach, oxygen-based bleach is excellent for getting pollen or mold out of clothes. When you find green mold spots on your clothes, use oxygen bleach to safely remove the mold spores.
Fill the sink with a gallon of cold water and add a cup of oxygen-safe bleach. Agitate the water with your hands and soak the garment in the liquid for at least four hours or overnight. Rinse the cloth beneath running water, wring the material to remove excess water, and hang it up to air dry.
Do not place the item in the clothes dryer, which may set leftover stains, and inspect for remaining stains once the clothes are dry.
Washing Clothes to Remove Pollen
If you find the garment still has pollen residue after soaking it or treating it with a stain remover, try cleaning it in the washing machine. The combination of soapy water and agitation should remove the remnants of a pollen stain and work well to remove beeswax from a table cloth. Wax can often wind-up on clothing or linens, be sure to wash them in hot water to easily dissolve the wax.
Examine the care tag on your garment to ensure it’s safe for machine-washing. Place the item in the washer, add your favorite laundry detergent, and clean it on the cold water setting.
Avoid using hot or warm water that tends to set stains. When the washing cycle completes, check the clothes for pollen and wash the item once more if any stains are still present. If you’re positive the pollen is gone, transfer the garment to the clothes dryer and dry it as usual. Otherwise, hang it on a hanger to dry or outside on the clothesline.
The pollen count is highest in the spring and early summer, and it’s during this time when allergies are at their peak. Unfortunately, this is also when a stroll through the garden leaves pollen dust on your clothing.
Luckily, several pollen stain removal methods keep your clothes pollen-free, and regular carpet cleaning keeps pollen out of your home.
Now that you’ve learned how to get pollen out of clothes with easy home remedies, why not share our tips for removing yellow pollen from clothing with your family and friends on Pinterest and Facebook?