Truth be told, dirt and play activities are truly evil counterparts in a war against clean children and presentable clothes. But we think the abundant benefits of recess far outweigh the annoyance caused by stains acquired during kids games at school-or at home.

Here are our tried and true tips on getting playtime stains out of kids’ clothes:

1. Increase your chances of stain removal success, but choosing washable fibers like cotton, linen, nylon, polyester or Spandex. According to HowStuffWorks, addressing outdoor inspired stains  is easy-let mud/dirt dry, brush off and launder. If more treatment is needed, trying rubbing alcohol or a dry cleaning solvent. Grass stains on these fabrics can probably be removed by working liquid dishwashing or laundry detergent into the stain and then rinsing well with water. To play it safe,  you should treat and launder as quickly as possible.

2. Invest in a good stain stick. ConsumerSearch.com recommends OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover Powder as the best laundry add-in, Zout Stain Remover as the best pre-treatment option and Tide To Go as the best choice for stain removal on the run.

3. Find a go-to stain removal resource. For those of you who live online like we do, Stain-Removal-101 is a helpful blog by a mom, for moms, dedicated to all things stain removal. And for those of you who want a good, solid, real life book at your fingertips, while we haven’t actually used this book, we’ve read some great reviews of Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home.

How do you combat stains acquired during recess in schools?