Picnic Planning

The perfect picnic comprises of the coming together of many factors. When planning the perfect picnic, you have to think of a variety of things – from the food and drinks to the picnic spot, and from the games you will play to the route you will take to reach the spot. It takes planning to make sure you have a fun day in the outdoors. We’ve compiled an easy guide for you to plan your picnic properly and have a grand day with family and friends. We’ve also got some pointers on dealing with your clothes stains after the picnic. But first…

The food you carry on your picnic can make the outing really special. It’s a special kind of fun to fill your picnic hamper with all kinds of delicious eats. From sandwiches to cakes, biscuits to fruit, there are so many types of food that you can carry along to suit all tastes. If you want to minimise the chances of spills and stains on your clothes, try not to carry juicy and pulpy types of food, such as mango, watermelon or even whole tomatoes. These can drip on to the clothes and leave stains. Do carry plenty of water, especially on a hot day – ideally, a litre or two per person.

Begin by finding a good spot – preferably a flat one – for your picnic. The spot should have plenty of open space to run about in and play games, but it must also have some shade to rest under when you’re tired from playing! Look for a space under a large tree, and you can bring a gazebo along, too. Lay down a picnic blanket on the ground if you don’t want grass stains. Even an old rug or a tablecloth or a really large scarf can serve as a good ground covering. Just make sure it is large enough to lie down comfortably on without getting grass stains on your clothes.

There are so many outdoor games just meant for picnics, that you can have a whale of a time playing them all. Think frisbee, rugby, boules, shuttlecock or football, all of which are great fun. But you will need to pack the playing equipment along from home, or ask your friends to do so. If you want to play games without lugging around a lot of equipment, you can play tag, running races, or even stuck in the mud. You are certainly going to get really sweaty playing these games, so take some time off to cool down before you get too clammy. Besides, all those stains can be taken care of with a quick soak with Vanish.

It’s all very well to lay down on the ground, but it is even better to sit in lawn chairs. So make sure you pack a few lawn chairs in your car so that you can sit comfortably later. Also pack in insect repellant, sun block cream and a couple of plasters and antibacterial ointment in case you or a loved one suffers cuts and injures from play. Also carry along a fully charged mobile phone. Your phone also doubles up as your navigator and camera, and help you call people in case of an emergency.

Many substances can conspire to stain your clothes on a picnic. You can get stains from juice, sun cream, grass or even strawberries. But don’t worry about them when you’re still out, just go ahead and enjoy your day. When you return home, enlist the help of Vanish for easy stain removal that is quick, easy and effective. Vanish gives you peace of mind to let the stains out of the clothes in no time.

To effectively pre-treat your post-picnic clothing, apply Vanish Oxi Action Pre Treat Spray to the stained areas. It’s easy to tackle tough stains with Vanish, and letting the stain get to work for a maximum of 5 minutes. Once you have allowed the time for Vanish to work on the stain, wash the garment as usual with your detergent, adding a scoop of Vanish Gold Oxi Action Powder for amazing stain removal.

1. Pour 100 ml onto the stained item, gently rub and then soak in 4L of water.
2. Soak whites for 1 hour max. 
3. After soaking, wash as usual or rinse thoroughly. For best results on stains, rub before rinsing.
4. Important: You can use Vanish on coloured clothes, however, always read the label on the packaging before use. If you’re worried, test on a small, inconspicuous area before full use.