Now that gardening season is here, your first harvest is probably a bumper crop of stains. Grass stains, pollen, mud and dirt are byproducts of around-the-garden cleanup. And tidying up the outside of the house can also reap paint and rust stains. Here are some tips to weed them out:

• Grass: Pretreat or presoak stains using a liquid laundry detergent or a prewash stain remover. Follow the directions on the product’s label. Launder, using the hottest water that’s safe for the fabric. If the stain persists, launder again using chlorine bleach, if safe for the fabric, or oxygen bleach.
• Mud and dirt: Let the mud dry thoroughly. Brush off as much dry mud/dirt as possible. Pretreat with a paste of powder detergent and water, liquid laundry detergent or a liquid detergent booster. Launder. For heavy stains, pretreat or presoak with a laundry detergent or a presoak product. Launder, using the hottest water that’s safe for the fabric.
• Paint, water-based: Rinse the fabric in warm water while the stains are still wet. Then launder. Once the paint is dry, it can’t be removed.
• Paint, oil-based: Treat the stain while it is fresh. Use the same solvent that the label on the paint can recommends as a thinner. If the label isn’t available, use turpentine. Read the garment care instructions and test the solvent on an inconspicuous area of the garment before treating the stain. Rinse. Pretreat with prewash stain remover or laundry detergent. Rinse and launder.
• Pollen: Gently shake the stained item to remove as much pollen as you can. Then use the sticky side of a piece of tape to lift off the remaining particles. Pretreat with a prewash stain remover. Launder using chlorine bleach, if safe for the fabric, or oxygen bleach.
• Rust: Use a commercial rust remover, available in supermarkets and hardware stores. These products contain toxic acids, so be sure to read and follow the label directions carefully. Never use chlorine bleach or a product containing chlorine bleach on a rust stain. It will permanently set the stain.

As a bonus, this knowledge can set you up for success if you need to clean any sports uniforms, as many of the stain types are the same. For more details on that front, check out our uniform cleaning guide.