How to take on SUMMER’S TOUGHEST STAINS

Keep clothes looking fabulous, whether you’re eating alfresco or just enjoying the great outdoors.

First, gently scrape off as much as you can with a blunt knife, then blot the stained area with white paper towels. Rub a small amount of liquid detergent into the stain and soak for a few minutes. For cottons, machine wash at 40°C with biological detergent – if you wash at a higher temperature, you may set the protein part of the stain. For machine-washable silk and wool, wash at 30°C on a delicate cycle.

POLLEN Don’t wet or rub the stain, as that could make it worse. Instead, pat the area with sticky tape, or try vacuuming up the pollen. Next, wash cotton or wool fabrics at the highest temperature the label allows, either by hand or in the machine if it’s machine washable. You’ll get the best results on whites with biological powder. For washable silk, apply

Dr. Beckmann Stain Devils Nature and Cosmetics (£1.99, dr-beckmann. co.uk), then machine wash on a delicate cycle.

GRASS For washable fabrics, apply the above Dr. Beckmann stain remover to the affected area, following the instructions on the pack. For green stains on white leather trainers, spray with WD-40, then wipe with a clean cloth. It really works!

KETCHUP Scrape off any remaining sauce, then blot with a white paper towel. Place an absorbent cloth under the stain, then apply a few drops of methylated spirit. Continue blotting, switching to clean areas of the paper towel and moving the fabric on to clean areas of the folded cloth, until the stain has stopped transferring. Let the solvent evaporate, leave for five minutes, then rinse thoroughly with cold water. If needed, apply Dr Beckmann Stain Devils Fat & Sauces (£1.99, dr-beckmann.co.uk).