Sweatpants are casual and comfortable to wear as they can be worn for daily exercising, when going to bed, or when lounging at home. However, if you wear your sweatpants outside and slip on the grass, the grass can stain the sweatpants irrespective of their color.
Grass can stain sweatpants. Grass has chlorophyll which makes the grass look green and ensures that grass absorbs sunlight to survive. When your sweatpants contact the grass, the green pigment can stain the sweatpants.
To remove grass stains on your sweatpants, mix vinegar and water in a ratio of 1:1. Add one teaspoon of soap dish to the mixture and cover the stain with the solution. Leave it for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, scrub with a soft brush. Wash and rinse the garment in cool water.
This article discusses how grass stains sweatpants and different easy methods that can be used to remove grass stains from sweatpants. By reading the entire article, you will understand grass stains and how to remove them on different clothing, such as sweatpants.
Does Grass Stain Sweatpants
For grass to form a stain in your sweatpants, a chemical reaction between the grass and the sweatpants stain has to occur. Specifically, stains are formed in your sweatpants when a substance comes into contact with the sweatpants’ fabrics, and the molecules of the substance are trapped inside the fibers and pores of the sweatpants.
Grass will stain your sweatpants. This is because grass has chlorophyll which comprises the green pigment on the grass juices and is in charge of taking in the sunlight, which is crucial for the existence of grass. In addition, grass also has xanthophylls and carotenoids that are chemical compounds and green in color. So in that view, the green color in the grass is what stains your sweatpants.
Without chlorophyll, grass will not stain your sweatpants since there is no green color to stain your clothes. Indeed, you might have already found that dry grass will never stain your clothes – it’s because the dry grass has no chlorophyll, which mainly gives grass the green color that stains the clothes.
Do Grass Stains Come Out Of Sweatpants?
Grass stains do come out of sweatpants with the proper treatment. However, throwing your grass-stained sweatpants in the washing machine will probably not remove the stains.
Grass stains typically linger in sweatpants due to the chlorophyll, which is a dye that gives the grass its green color. The green pigments on your sweatpants can be challenging to remove since chlorophyll deposits the green coloring on your sweatpants and do not dissolve in water. However, grass stains on sweatpants can be removed when treated with different products.
Grass stains present numerous challenges. However, when you notice grass stains on your sweatpants, you should purposely remove them immediately since fresh grass stains that have not yet settled on your sweatpants are easy to remove.
It is also important to note that removing grass stains from sweatpants made from synthetic fabrics such as polyester is challenging. This is because many synthetic fabrics are mainly plastic, and the grass molecules particularly cling to the polyester fibers, making them hard to remove.
Will Grass Stains In Sweatpants Come Out In The Washing Machine?
Grass stains in sweatpants might come out in the washing machine if washed when fresh. First, however, you must use a washing detergent that contains enzymes and bleach. The enzymes and bleach in the washing detergent will break down the grass molecules that form the stain and ensure they have been washed away in the washer.
However, depending on the size of the grass stain on your sweatpants and the period that the stains have been on the fabric, you most likely have to treat the stain before you wash your sweatpants in the washing machine.
If your grass stain is old or it has already dried on the sweatpants, the stain will not come off by just washing it in a washer. You have to treat the stain and ensure that you have broken down the molecules before you can throw your sweatpants in the washer.
How To Get Grass Stains Out Of Sweatpants – 7 Methods
When you have a grass stain on your sweatpants or any other clothing, removing the stains as soon as you have noticed them is ideal since fresh stains are always easy to remove.
One of the best ways to find out if your clothes have fresh stains is to check the clothes whenever you take them off. Another way to look out for fresh stains in your clothes is when you wash your clothes and you are about to throw them in the dryer.
If you wash your sweatpants and throw them in the dryer when they still have grass stains on them, the heat in the dryer will push the grass stains further into the sweatpants’ fabric. As a result, the stain could become permanent and prove challenging to remove.
To avoid having permanent grass stains in your sweatpants, you need to make sure that any clothes you put in the dryer have no stains on them. Let’s now look at different methods that you can use to remove grass stains from your sweatpants.
1. Vinegar
Vinegar is one of the ideal natural stain removers already in many households. Vinegar has acetic acid. The acetic acid is capable of breaking down the grass stains in your sweatpants while at the same time ensuring that the sweat pants are not ruined.
What You’ll Require
Vinegar
Water
A toothbrush or a soft brush
Procedure
Step 1: Mix vinegar and water
To remove grass stains in your sweatpants, mix water and vinegar in an equal ratio. Ensure that you get the ratio right. If you put a lot of vinegar or water in the mixture, you might dilute vinegar or have high vinegar content in the mixture – this could impact the ability of vinegar to break down the stains.
Step 2: Apply the mixture on top of the stain
Apply the mixture to the stain, or soak the stained part of your sweatpants in the mix of vinegar and water. You must ensure the mix of water and vinegar comes into contact with the stain. If you apply it to another part of your clothing with no stains or a minimal amount, the vinegar will not effectively break down the stain molecules.
Step 3: Let the vinegar and water mixture sit in for at least 30 minutes
Once you have applied the mixture to the stain, let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes. During this period, the acetic acid in the vinegar will break down the grass molecules that have stained your sweatpants. Ensure that 30 minutes are over since if the mixture sits on the stain for less time, all the stain molecules might not be broken down.
Step 4: Scrub the stain
Once 30 minutes are over, scrub the stain with a soft brush. If you don’t have a soft brush, you can use an old toothbrush. Ensure that you lightly scrub the stain so that you don’t damage the fabric. Scrubbing the stain ensures that the molecules are detached from your fabric.
Step 5: Wash your sweatpants
Once you have scrubbed the stains, wash and rinse the sweatpants. Use a normal wash cycle and regular washing detergent to wash the sweatpants.
Step 6: Dry the sweatpants
After you have washed the sweatpants, inspect them to confirm that the grass stains have been completely removed. Do not dry the sweatpants if the stains are still there. Instead, repeat the process and only dry the sweatpants once you confirm that grass stains have been removed.
2. Enzyme-based Detergents Like Persil And Tide
Enzyme-based detergents have enzymes that are naturally occurring substances. When the enzymes come into contact with grass stains, they trigger catalytic reactions that break down the grass stain molecules into tiny particles. The small particles are then swiftly and efficiently washed off in a standard washing cycle.
What You’ll Require
Detergent- Enzyme based
Soft brush, toothbrush, or a sponge
Procedure
Step 1: Add enzyme-based detergent on top of the grass stain
Add enzyme-based detergent on top of the grass stain on your sweatpants. Read the detergent’s label and confirm that it is enzyme-based. If you use a detergent that is not enzyme-based, the detergent will not be able to break down grass stains on your sweatpants.
Step 2: Using a soft brush, gently scrub the stain
Using a brush, gently scrub the stain. If you think the brush might damage your sweatpants, you can use your fingers to rub the detergent into the stain.
Step 3: Let it sit in for at least 15 minutes
After scrubbing the detergent on the stain, let it sit in for at least 15 minutes. During the 15 minutes, the enzymes will be breaking down stain molecules on your sweatpants.
Step 4: Wash the sweatpants
After 15 minutes, you should wash and rinse your sweatpants. Wash the sweatpants in a normal wash cycle. If you are unsure what the best wash cycle for your sweatpants is, a gentle or delicate wash cycle will be fine.
Step 5: Dry your sweatpants
After the wash cycle is complete, you can dry your sweatpants in the dryer or on a clothesline. However, before drying the sweatpants, ensure that you inspect the grass stain and confirm that it has been entirely removed in the wash.
If the clothes still have the grass stain, repeat the stain treatment process before drying the clothes.
3. Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda
Hydrogen peroxide is one of the best removers of plant-based stains like grass stains. However, it is essential to note that hydrogen peroxide does not, in reality, remove the stains. Instead, it makes the stains invisible by breaking down the solid chemical bonds in grass stains, and by doing that, the green grass stains become colorless even if they are still there.
When you want to use Hydrogen peroxide to remove stains in your clothes, you can mix it with baking soda to create a more powerful stain remover. However, you first need to test Hydrogen peroxide on a small section of your sweatpants since it may cause color fading. Once you have tested and found that Hydrogen peroxide won’t affect your clothes, you can proceed to use it to remove grass stains.
This method is recommended when removing grass stains on light-colored sweatpants since there is no risk of color fading. For colored sweatpants, spot test Hydrogen peroxide first.
What You’ll Require
Hydrogen peroxide
Small bowl
Baking soda
Piece of cloth
Soft bristle brush or toothbrush
Procedure
Step 1: Mix Hydrogen peroxide with baking soda
Pour a few drops of Hydrogen peroxide into a bowl and add two teaspoons of baking soda to create a paste.
Step 2: Apply Hydrogen peroxide paste to the stain
Use the paste you have just created to cover the grass stain on the sweatpants. Ensure that the stain is fully covered in the paste so that the paste can work on them all the grass stains.
Step 3: Leave the paste on the stain for 30 minutes
Leave the paste to sit on the stain for at least 30 minutes. During this period, Hydrogen peroxide will break down the stain molecules on your sweatpants’ fabrics, while baking soda will pull out the stains from the fabric.
Step 4: Use a soft brush to scrub the stain
After 30 minutes, use a soft brush to scrub down the stain. Ensure that you have entirely scrubbed down the stain so that the stain can quickly come off in the washer.
Step 5: Wash the sweatpants
Wash the sweatpants in a washer using a normal wash cycle. When washing, the water temperature setting should be warm.
Step 6: Dry your sweatpants
After washing the sweatpants, check the stain and confirm that it is indeed removed. If you can see a few spots, you should repeat the process. Do not dry your sweatpants until the grass stains have been completely removed since the grass stain could become permanent if you dry the sweatpants when the stains are still there.
4. Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is a solvent-based agent. When introduced to grass stain on a fabric, it will dissolve the stains and deposit them on the absorbent material beneath, thus removing the stain. You can therefore use rubbing alcohol to remove grass stains on your sweatpants. Spot test rubbing alcohol first since it can make the color of your sweatpants fade.
What You’ll Require
Rubbing alcohol
Sponge
Procedure
Step 1: Pour rubbing alcohol on the stain
Pour rubbing alcohol on the grass stain. Ensure you pour enough rubbing alcohol so that alcohol sits on the stain.
Step 2: Use a sponge to rub the alcohol into the stain
Using a sponge, gently rub the rubbing alcohol over the stain in a circular motion. By rubbing alcohol on the stain, the alcohol will lift the stain from your sweatpants’ fabric. Repeat the process until all the grass stains have been removed from the fabric.
Step 3: Wash and dry your sweatpants
Once you have rubbed the alcohol into the grass stain and the stain has been removed, you can proceed to wash the pants in the washer. After the wash, you can dry the pants after confirming that the stains have been removed. If the stains are not removed after the wash, you should repeat the stain removal process.
5. Dish Soap And Vinegar
A mixture of dish soap and vinegar is the ideal grass stain remover. Dish soap has surfactants that increase the wettability of materials, thus making it easy for stain removers to come into contact with stains and remove them.
On the other hand, Vinegar is rich in acetic acid that breaks down stains, making it easy to wash them off. Thus, a dish soap and vinegar mix will give you a powerful stain remover capable of removing even the most stubborn grass stain on your fabrics.
What You’ll Require
Mixing bowl
Dish soap
Vinegar
Tablespoon to measure
Sponge
Warm water
Procedure
Step 1: Mix dish soap with vinegar
In the mixing bowl, mix one tablespoon of liquid dish soap and one tablespoon of white vinegar with 2 cups of warm water.
Step 2: Soak the grass stain with the mixture
Use the mixture to coat the stain. Ensure that the grass stain is thoroughly soaked with the mixture of dish soap, water, and vinegar.
Step 3: Allow the mixture to sit for at least 15 minutes
Once you have soaked the mixture, leave your sweatpants for at least 15 minutes. During this period, dish soap and vinegar will break down the grass stains and pull them out of the fabric.
Step 4: Use the sponge to rub the stain lightly
Soak the sponge with the dish mixture of dish soap, water, and vinegar and lightly rub the stain. Most of the stain should be lifted off your sweatpants as you rub the stain.
Step 5: Wash your sweatpants
Wash the sweatpants in a gentle wash cycle. Once the wash cycle is over, remove sweatpants from the washer and inspect to confirm that grass stains are entirely removed. If you can still see the stains, repeat the process.
6. Lemon juice and salt
Lemon juice has acetic acid, which can break down the molecules, causing grass stains to weaken and come off from clothes. Salt, on the other hand, has strong dehydrating properties that will ensure that stain is lifted from the fabric while at the same time maintaining the brightness of your sweatpants.
However, since lemon and salt can have a bleaching effect on fabric, ensure that you first spot test the solution on a small section.
What You’ll Require
Lemon
Salt
Water
Sponge or a soft brush
Knife
Procedure
Step 1: Cut the lemon into two halves and squeeze lemon juice on the grass stain
Wet the stain with water. Cut the lemon into two halves using the knife and squeeze the juice directly into the grass stains on your sweatpants. If the stain is quite extensive, you will need to use a few lemons. Make sure that the stains are well covered with lemon juice.
Step 2: Pour salt on top of the lemon juice
Pour some salt on the lemon juice already covering the grass stain. Make sure that you apply enough salt on the top of the stain.
Step 3: Using the sponge, rub the salt and lemon juice on the stain
Take the sponge and rub the salt and lemon juice into the stain. As you rub the salt and lemon into the stain, the salt will help lemon juice work on the stain and remove it from the fabric.
Step 4: Wash the sweatpants
Wash the sweatpants in your normal wash cycle. If the stains are not completely removed, repeat the process.
7. Pre-wash Stain Remover
Pre-wash stain removers are specially made to directly work on stains and make them weak so that when a stain treated with the remover is thrown in the wash, the stain comes off. If you don’t want to use any of the methods discussed above, pre-wash stain remover would be your best option to get the grass stains from your clothes.
What You’ll Require
Pre-wash stain remover
A soft brush or a sponger
Procedure
Step 1: Spray the stain with pre-wash stain remover
Apply pre-wash stain remover to the stain. If your pre-wash remover came in a spray bottle, spray enough amount of the remover to the stain.
Step 2: Allow 15-30 minutes for the pre-wash stain remover to set in the stain
Allow 15- 30 minutes so that stain remover sets in the spray. By giving the pre-wash stain remover time to set in the stain, the stain remover will work on the stain and weaken it, thus making it possible to wash it away.
Step 3: Use a soft brush or a sponge to rub the pre-wash stain remover
Using a soft brush, gently rub the pre-wash stain remover onto the stain in a circular motion. Ensure you scrub enough so that the stains are detached from the fabric.
Step 3: Wash your sweatpants
Wash your sweatpants in a washer. Before you dry the sweatpants, confirm that the grass stains are entirely removed. Then, if needed, repeat the process to remove any remaining stains.
Are Grass Stains Permanent?
A permanent stain is a stain that lasts a long time on the fabric without fading. In most cases, permanent stains are caused by spillages or splatters that are not swiftly removed after they have occurred.
When stains rest on a fabric for a long time, they are absorbed into the fabric as they go further into the fibers. As the stains become trapped inside the fibers, it becomes hard to remove them, thus making them permanent.
Grass stains, when washed immediately they are seen, are not permanent as they can quickly come off. However, when the stains are allowed to be set in fabric, they can become permanent.
Grass stains can be permanent if not quickly treated since chlorophyll has a green color pigment and is similar to dye. Thus, glass stains will be drawn into your fabric’s fibers as they dry. As a result, the grass stain will be concentrated on top of the fibers of your stained clothes resulting in permanent staining.
What Is The Best Grass Stain Remover?
Various methods can be used to remove grass stains on your fabrics. Some of the methods commonly used to remove grass stains on clothes comprise:
Vinegar
Lemon and salt
Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda
Rubbing alcohol
Dish soap and vinegar
Enzyme based detergents
Pre-wash stain removers
When the different methods that can be used to remove stains are compared, vinegar is the best grass stain remover. This is because vinegar is cheap and does not leave any yellow or green spots on the fabric once the stain has been removed.
Conclusion
Grass can stain your sweatpants and other clothes. However, that is not the end of things since you can use any methods discussed to remove grass stains from your clothes.
To ensure that grass stains are effectively removed from clothes, make sure that you always clean the stains immediately after you notice them. If grass stains are set in the fabric, it might be impossible to remove them as they become permanent.
I wish you all the best as you remove grass stains from your sweatpants and other clothing.
