How To Get Stains Out
Nothing ruins a good piece of cloth worse than a nasty stain smack in the middle. It’s unavoidable for people to get stains on fabric. Sometimes, even surfaces get stained. Stains is the mortal enemy of every organized and neat homeowner, so when these nasty blemishes appear, they do their best to get them out immediately. As long as you know how the proper procedure, this won’t be a difficult feat.
Here are some examples of common stains, and the proper way of removing them.
Deodorant Stains
Laundry the fabric using water, Clorox and liquid bleach. The water must be at its hottest, depending on the recommended temperature for the fabric. If this procedure causes color change for the fabric, restore its hue using vinegar (for old stains), or ammonia (if the stain is fairly new). A word of caution: Don’t use these two products with liquid bleach.
Blood Stains
Put the cloth in your washing machine with cold water and detergent-the type with stain removing additive works best. Another good tactic is using equal parts of water and ammonia, although this isn’t recommended for delicate fabrics like wool, silk and linen. If the clothing is white, bleach and hydrogen peroxide does the trick. Another interesting method: spit on it. Saliva has enzymes that break down the proteins in the blood, making them come out during washing.
Ink Stains
Soak the affected parts with hairspray, then dry it. Using water and white vinegar solution, brush stain over. Finally, rinse with water.
Coffee Stains
Soak the fabric in water and Oxyclean overnight. In the morning, run the fabric through a wash cycle. This will remove both fresh and old coffee stains. Check the instructions for the fabric before doing this, though.
Tomato Sauce Stains
Detergent works well for this, but if you want an alternative and natural solution, try using vinegar. Mix it with water, and scrub on the affected part. The stain will start chipping off, and will soon fade. Another natural remedy is using lemon juice. Squeeze it over the stain, then rub the rind an the cloth.
Rust Stains
Create a paste using salt and lemon juice. Put this over the stain. Put the fabric out in the sub, and soon, the stain will be gone.
Lipstick Stains
Use a clean and absorbent cloth, and dab the lipstick stain with rubbing alcohol. This alone can remove the mark. Using a q-tip or your finger, rub a small amount of dish washing detergent into the stain, until it becomes saturated. Turn the cloth over, then run cold water over it. Repeat this.
If this fails, get some Lestoil. Saturate the lipstick stain with it, and let sit for 15 minutes. Laundry the item.
Candlewax Stains
Scrape off as much candle wax as you can, then brush them away carefully. Put an absorbent material, like paper towels or paper bags, on the stain. Run an iron over the paper, and make sure it’s set on “low”. The paper will get darker, because the iron will melt the wax and the paper absorbs it. Keep doing this, until the stain is completely gone.
A Few Extra Tips
Try to remove the stain while it is still fresh. A stain that hasn’t settled into the material is easier to get rid of.
Before trying these methods, dab the fabric, and make sure no soil remains on the fabric.
Laundering is always an effective method, but check the cloth labels for proper laundry treatment first.
Be careful when treating sensitive fabrics. There are some that require professional care. If the fabric needs to be dry-cleaned, then take it to the dry cleaners, instead of trying these options.
Stains come, but it is up to you if they will go. Remember, every stain is different, so you need to know the best procedure for treating them. Keep these stain removal tips in mind, and those nasty marks won’t be a problem anymore.