01Why these marks are so stubborn
Henna is a plant dye made to stain skin and hair, and turmeric, which gives curries and biryani their colour, is a strong natural dye too. A curry stain also brings oil, which holds the colour in the fabric. The longer they sit, and the warmer they get, the deeper they go.
02Straight away
- Scrape off any paste or food with a spoon or the back of a knife; do not wipe, which spreads the colour
- Rinse from the back of the fabric with cold water until it runs clear
- Keep it away from hot water, the dryer and the iron for now; heat sets these dyes
03Then treat and wash
- For curry and biryani, work a drop of washing-up liquid into the mark first to lift the oil
- Rub in a little liquid detergent, leave it for ten to fifteen minutes, and wash as the care label allows
- On washable whites and colourfast clothes, an oxygen-based stain remover soak can help; follow the instructions on the pack and test on a hidden part first
- Do not use chlorine bleach on coloured clothes
04Let the sun help
The yellow from turmeric fades in sunlight. After washing, dry a white shirt or kandura in the sun with the stained side facing it; the strong Dubai sun helps. Keep coloured clothes out of strong sun, as it can fade them too.
05Henna on an abaya or a wedding outfit
On abayas, chiffon, silk and embellished wedding wear, do not scrub or soak. Scrape off what you can, blot with cold water only if the label allows water, and get it to a dry cleaner quickly. Tell them it is henna and when it happened.
06Or hand it to us
Give it to our driver and tell us what the stain is. We check the care label and treat the mark the gentle way the label allows, and if it is not right, we clean it again for free. An abaya is AED 18 to dry clean and a kandura AED 15, and clothes can go 12-hour express (+50%).