Kids and stains go together like spring and baseball. And being a "spectator" parent (or grandparent, aunt or uncle) seems to rally sports stains — either on the way to or at the event, no matter how careful you are to stay safe. Whether on the field or in the stands, Tide® can help knock out these stains — on the spot or once you're back at home base.

The roster of sports children participate in seems endless. There's softball/baseball, soccer, track, volleyball, football, basketball, swimming, lacrosse and ice hockey, to name a few. And whether they're played indoors or outside, there are certain stains that tend to occur at any event — both on the players and on the spectators! Here are some tips to help remove these unsightly stain offenses.

Act fast!

The key to successful stain removal is treating the stain before it has a chance to set in. And now there's a way to actually help eliminate many fresh food and drink spots and splash stains on the spot! Tide to Go® Instant Stain Remover works instantly to help remove many fresh food and drink stains, especially:

• Ketchup
• BBQ Sauce
• Grape Juice
• Coffee
• Tomato Juice

Try it the next time your kid spills grape juice on his or her clean uniform on the way to the game or you splatter ketchup on your lucky game–day shirt.

Sometimes you're scouting stain opponents other than those caused by food and drink, such as antiperspirant buildup and perspiration; mud and grass; sunscreen and blood. For those types of stains, pretreat regularly before washing, for best results. And check out the Fabric Advisor for full, official Tide stain solutions.

The washing warm–up

If the stain has a chance to sit for awhile (while you're attending the post-game celebration, for instance), you'll want to pretreat the stained item. When pretreating, remember each stain is unique and there is no one single way to treat all stains. However, with these general guidelines, you should be victorious.

As always, before treating any garment, first refer to the instructions on the care label. If you're unsure what most label symbols mean, print the Laundry Care Symbols article and post it in your laundry room for reference. Also check the Tide Pretreating Tactics article for more information about pretreating.

• When the stain occurs (or as soon as possible after), gently blot it with a clean paper towel or cloth to remove as much as possible.
• Rinse with water (a drinking fountain works wonders – or use ice from a cooler if you're still away from home).
• Scrape off any dried residue with the back side of a plastic knife or other smooth tool.
• Place a small amount of Tide Liquid or Ivory Snow® onto the stain. Gently work it into the stain using your hands.
• Soak the garment in cool water for 30 minutes.
• Launder as usual. Some tough stains may require additional treatment. If the stain is still there after washing, do not put the garment in the dryer.

Use the fabric advisor — at home or away

Check the Fabric Advisor for information about specific stains. This online tool has official Tide stain solutions for everything from soft drinks to ice cream to dingy whites to outdoor clay and everything in between.

Whether you watch or play, you can tackle the stains that are naturally part of the game and be a true stain champion!