How to Clean Mud on Clothes

It’s very frustrating when clothes get muddy, especially clothes with delicate or light-colored materials. To effectively remove mud, start by rinsing or scraping the mud off the fabric, then pre-treat the stain with laundry soap or a stain remover and wash it properly to remove it. Removing thick stains from fabric may seem like an impossible task, but you can do it in a flash if you have the right method.

Table of Contents

Remove the mud on the fabric surface

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Spread the clothes on a flat surface to dry the mud. Don’t try to clean wet mud, as this will only add to the dirt and the mud can spread elsewhere. Spread the garment on the floor or countertop and wait for it to dry. You may need to wait a few hours or overnight for the mud to dry completely, depending on the thickness of the mud. ^{[1] X Research Source}

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Rinse or brush as much mud as possible. Take the clothes out and rinse a few times to remove the mud on the surface of the fabric. You can also use your hands or a dry rag to lightly brush off the dried mud. This will make it easier for you to clean the mud when washing clothes. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Use a spatula or soft brush to scrape off dried mud from the clothes. If the mud has hardened on the fabric and it seems to be very thick, you can try scraping off the layers with a spatula, a soft brush, or a knife. Scrape off the dry mud with a spatula or brush until the surface of the fabric is exposed. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Be careful not to scrape the fabric to avoid damaging the clothes. Scrape as much mud off the fabric surface as possible before washing.

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Take it to a dry cleaner if it’s a non-washable item. If your muddy clothes are of a material that can’t be machine washed or hand washed, take them to the nearest dry cleaner. Thus, you will not worry about further damage to your clothes because of washing at home. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Pre-treatment of clothes

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Rub liquid laundry soap onto the mud stain and let it sit for 15 minutes. Use a clean finger or a damp rag to dab a little laundry detergent onto the mud stain. If powdered soap is available, you should mix a little more water to form a paste and apply it to the stain. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Laundry soap will break down the mud and make it easier for the stain to come off during the washing process.

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Use a stain remover to tackle stubborn mud stains. Look for products that specialize in removing mud or soil stains at your supermarket or online. Use your fingers or a damp rag to rub the product directly onto the mud and wait 5-10 minutes. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Stain removers are a good choice for mud stains that have hardened and formed a thick layer of mud.

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Soak dirty clothes in soapy water. For clothes that are so soiled that they can’t be treated in situ, place them in a clean plastic basin, then pour warm water and 2-4 drops of soap into the basin. Soak for 30 minutes or overnight, depending on how dirty the item is. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

You probably shouldn’t soak light-colored clothes, such as white clothes, as that will expose the fabric to the brown color of the mud. Instead, you should pre-treat it with laundry soap or a stain remover.

Wash clothes

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Wash clothes in a washing machine with warm or hot water. Wash in the hottest water within the limits allowed for fabrics that are soiled with mud. Do not wash muddy clothes with normal clothes in the washing machine, as this can spread the mud to other items.

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Use chlorine bleach on white clothes. If your white clothes get muddy, you can wash them in a washing machine with chlorine bleach or oxygen bleach. Use only the correct amount of bleach according to the instructions on the bleach bottle label. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

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Wash with detergent for dark clothes. If the clothes are not white, you should wash them in the machine with laundry soap. Bleach can damage colored clothes and leave stains or stains.

Check the clothes again after washing them once to make sure the mud stains are gone. You may have to wash a few times to get rid of the mud. Wash again as many times as necessary until the clothes are clean and there is no trace of mud.

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Hand wash in hot water for delicate fabrics. If the mud-stained clothes are of perishable material, you should hand wash them in a plastic basin or tub. Mix hot water with soap in a basin, then rinse your clothes in soapy water to clear the mud. ^{[9] X Research Source}

You can also try using a toothbrush or scouring brush to remove mud from hand washing.

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Dry clothes. Once the mud has been removed, you can put the clothes in the dryer and dry on low heat to dry. For clothes with perishable materials, you should dry them on a line or drying rack. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Make sure the dirt and any stains are completely clean before putting the clothes in the dryer, or the stains will be permanently attached to the fabric.

Steps

Remove the mud on the fabric surface

Pre-treatment of clothes

Wash clothes

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