It's bound to happen. We are out in the garden enjoying our flowers, perhaps leaning in a bit to sniff the lilies or scrunching in closer for that perfect photograph. Later we find smears of lily pollen on our clothing.
It is very important to avoid brushing away or laundering these stains or they will become set in the fabric. Instead, gently press tape onto the stain, then lift the pollen away. Use a fresh area or piece of tape each time until the stain is reduced as much as possible. Then set the garment in the sun with maximum exposure of the stain area. It is a good idea to do this even if you don't see any pollen remaining after the tape step.
In the photo below right, the stain was located at the tip of the chopstick.
Rubbing alcohol can be used for removing stains on your skin. It may take several alcohol soaked cotton balls or tissues to complete the job. Unfortunately alcohol is not feasible to use on a fabric stain because it will quickly spread it deeper into the fabric.
Sometimes an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This is the case with cut lilies in a vase. Before bringing cut lilies into the house use a pair of tweezers to pull off all of the anthers. Your tablecloth will thank you!
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