We all have that favorite piece of clothing, and we’re all familiar with the sinking feeling when we spill something on it.
But now, new reports have revealed a simple way to remove pesky stains.
ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering researchers found that high-intensity blue LED light can help remove yellow stains.
The method is said to be effective at removing stains from orange juice, tomato juice and sweat-like substances on multiple fabrics, including silk.
“Our method utilizes visible blue light in combination with ambient oxygen, which acts as the oxidizing agent to drive the photobleaching process,” said Tomohiro Sugahara, the study’s corresponding author. “This approach avoids the use of harsh chemical oxidants typically required in conventional bleaching methods, making it inherently more sustainable.”
UV light is a potential stain-removing alternative to products like bleach and hydrogen peroxide, but it can damage delicate fabrics. Researchers previously found that a high-intensity blue LED light could remove yellow color from aged resin polymers, and they wanted to see if blue light could also break down yellow stains without causing damage.
Extensive research showed that high-intensity blue LED light is a promising way to remove stains, but the scientists want to do additional testing before commercializing a light system for home and industrial use.
