10 March 2024 , 18:49
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If you've given, or received, a beautiful bouquet of lilies for Mother's Day, you're likely already aware that the pollen can cause serious staining.
Nobody wants their freshly spring-cleaned home to be covered in yellow, difficult-to-remove marks, and lilies are so lovely and brighten up any room, so you want to be able to display them with pride.
But if the stamens drop pollen, and stains do occur, an expert has shared that you don't have to panic, and there are some unusual methods to remove them. Maryam Ghani, Brand Manager of Haute Florist admitted that the pollen can be "off-putting", but "removing these stains isn't as difficult as it seems, as long as you have the right technique."
Maryam explained that getting rid of stains depends on which surface the pollen has fallen on. If it's on fabric such as carpet or a sofa, the power could have fallen deep into the fibres, and therefore sticky tape is recommended for these areas.
"Sticky tape will help remove the powder from fabric areas. It's important not to rub or wet pollen in these areas as it could push the stain deeper", she explained. It's likely you already have some tape in, but if not, it can be purchased from Tesco for 25p, or Poundland for £1.50.
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"Wrap tape around your fingers and pat lightly on the affected area. If the fabric is too deep, you can use a vacuum cleaner with a handheld nozzle to lift the pollen out", Maryam continued, but then she warned people to "not push the nozzle into the stain as this could push the stain deeper."
Another surprising item that may help remove pollen stains is WD-40, and it can be effective on fabric stains if you don't have a specific stain remover to hand. Many householders will already own some, but if not, it can be purchased for £2.69 from Halfords, or £5.49 at Asda for a larger can.
"WD-40 helps to dissolve stains so they can be removed easily with a damp cloth. Again, try to dab rather than rub using this method", Maryam advised. "Shaving foam can also be used in the same way on fabric if you don't have any WD-40." Shaving foam costs just £1 from both Boots and Superdrug.
If pollen has managed to get on hard surfaces, then use the sticky tape method to remove excess dust from the stain, and then tackle it with whichever cleaner you'd normally use for the surface it's managed to get onto, because, as Maryam says: "Once you've removed the excess pollen powder, the stain should lift using a regular cleaner. If it's a polished surface, you wouldn't want to use anything too harsh on it."
She did say to keep in mind, however, that cleaning "may take a couple of attempts to remove it fully", and it depends on "how big the stain is."
However, prevention will always be better than cure, and the stains can be avoided altogether. But how? Maryam said: "When your lilies first begin to burst, revealing the pollen stems, take the bunch over to the kitchen sink and remove them using sharp scissors and then dispose of them." Seems easy enough, and will keep your home pollen-stain-free.