Soaking stained articles or not?

Yes he has offered to do that too, but he washes everything at top heat and puts in too much washing powder so I get there before before he starts.

If your husband is offering to do the washing, why argue.

Husband has an obsession with soaking stained items. He's probably right, but I think it needs to be done as soon as possible after staining, in a bucket of cold water, or it's a waste of time. Depends on the cause of the stain though.
But I'm no expert on washing.

I read somewhere that you should never soak stained items in hot water, all that does is set the stain, so cover the stains in fairy liquid and soak in cold water for a few hours or so and the put them on a 40 degree wash.

I still can't get my fake tan out of my white trousers. Sis in law suggests leaving them out on line so "acid rain" can clean them

I have got all stains(except tar) out of everything by a long, long(several days) soak in a very strong soak in biological detergent (poured with a very free hand.)

That's great wot! Well done you ?

The Vanish Gold + detergent and then a 40 degree wash has saved my curtains! Thanks for the advice.

Thanks for the advice!

You can make a paste of Vanish powder and scrub it into the stain and then run through washing machine. I had to get extensive blood stains off a fabric bag and towel (don't ask why) and I did this several times and it worked.

I'd soak in bio washing powder/liquid plus the Vanish. Fingers crossed it works ?

Thank you, Billy Bob! I have got a tub of that but didn't think to use it for soaking...getting very vague! Ill try that!

My lovely DiL often presents me with a black sack full of the children's horse riding clothes which at this time of year are VERY difficult to wash. The stains from the mud, grease, manure and whatever that yucky brown stuff is, that she puts on the horses to make them shine, makes it impossible to just throw the jods etc. into the washing machine.

I tend to fill a bucket with hot water and add a generous scoop of Vanish Gold. I let them steep for a few hours (sometimes over night) and whist I wouldn't say the stains magically vanish, it certainly makes the items easier to wash. I sometimes resort to an old scrubbing brush and fairy liquid.

Hardboard. Silly I pad!

I spent ages sewing curtain rings on them so I would hate to have to throw them away. The roof is made of chipboard lined with glass fibre and then cardboard inside so I'm.not sure of the source of the stains.