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Stain Removal
 A
word of caution: The stain removal methods contained herein have
been collected from a variety of sources, but we have not personally tested
them all. Therefore, Silk Road and its staff cannot be responsible for the
results you achieve. The suggestions
below are just that: suggestions. However; if you find a better
method that works, let us know and we'll add it in.
The general treatment regime is
to test one of these method on an inconspicuous area first, or consult
a professional dry cleaner.
One other general piece of advice:
drip dry all garments after each attempt at stain removal. Spots
that may not be visible when wet can show up and be permanently set by
the heat of a dryer.
Treatment for Individual Stains
Acids
You must act quickly because
strong acids (like battery acid) can damage fibers quickly. Splash with
water immediately, then sprinkle the stain with baking soda, rub in, and
allow to stand a few minutes until bubbling stops. Rinse well in warm water.
Alternatively, hold the dampened stain over an open bottle of household
ammonia so that the fumes can neutralize the acid. Rinse well.
Adhesive Tape
Sponge or soak the dry fabric
stain with a suitable laundry pre-soak (spot stain remover) or in a grease
solvent or kerosene. Kerosene will make the cloth oily, so if used, must
be followed by washing in warm soapy water.
Alcohol: Whisky, vermouth, etc.
Always treat these as soon as possible. Often stains are
almost colorless at first, but turn brown on standing, washing and ironing.
Fresh stains can be removed by sponging several times with warm water. If
there is any mark left, pour glycerine on the dampened stain, rub lightly
between the hands and leave for half an hour. Rinse in warm water.
Stubborn stains may be
sponged with equal quantities of denatured alcohol (or wood alcohol) and
ammonia (test on colors first) or laundry pre-soak (spot stain remover).
Rinse well in warm water. If any stain is left on white material, a laundry
bleach may be used, if appropriate. Choose and use your bleach according
to instructions given earlier.
Alkali and Strong bases
Alkali, such as caustic soda,
strong ammonia, or alkali cuticle remover, may destroy color and rot material.
Rinse at once in equal quantities of vinegar and water. Rinse well in warm
water. If color has been affected this cannot be corrected.
Ball-Point Ink
See under 'Ink' for stain
removal suggestions. If you are sure it is Ball-point (not roller ball)
ink, then first, saturate material with an alcohol-based hair spray (this
seems to be a very popular method). The alcohol content in the hair spray
will break up the ink. Be sure to place an absorbent paper towel or rag
under the stain to catch the excess. You then need to blot the stain with
a rag. Repeat the process until the stain is removed, then launder as usual.
A word of caution before trying this method: some fabrics may be damaged
by the hair spray solution. If in doubt, test on an inconspicuous area first,
or consult with a professional dry cleaner.
Baby Oil
Rub some dishwashing liquid
into the stain, leave for 10-15 minutes, then wash in hot water using your
normal laundry detergent. If any stain remains, repeat the process. For
unwashable fabrics or articles, see under 'Butter'.
Bleach
Flood immediately with lots
of cold water. For chlorine bleach, add 1 Tbsp. vinegar in each cup of water.
If the color has been removed by the bleach, it cannot readily be restored,
but try holding in fumes from an open bottle of ammonia.
Blood
If still fresh, sponge with cool
salted water (1 spoon per cup water) and rinse with clear water
For set blood stains, one of the best recommendations is the use of a commercial
meat tenderizer (these are found in the spice section of your supermarket).
Meat tenderizer breaks down the proteins in the fibrin strings that form
when blood clots, allowing the stain to be released. Other suggestions we
have received:
- Try an enzyme presoak
- Soak in a diaper wash/sanitizer
that contains sodium percarbonate (follow label instructions)
- Try dilute hydrogen
peroxide (1 part : 9 parts water). Rinse well. Be Careful, strong
solutions of hydrogen peroxide can bleach fabrics.
- Sponge with a lukewarm
10% solution of Oxalic Acid for a few minutes, then rinse well. You
can get this from the hardware store paint department or a pharmacy.
- Sponge with dilute
ammonia (1 spoon per cup). Rinse well.
For thick or unwashable articles, e.g. mattresses, carpets,
etc., sponge lightly with one of the above solutions. If the stains are
still fresh, and the police have left, sprinkle with meat tenderizer or
pepsin powder (from your pharmacy), or spread with a thick paste of raw
laundry starch and water, leave to dry, then brush off. Wipe with damp cloth
an repeat if necessary.
Bluing (laundry bluing)
Rinse fresh stains in cold
water. Soak any more difficult stains in a solution 1 spoon of vinegar in
a quart of warm water. Wash as usual.
Butter & Animal fat
Stains
Wash in warm sudsy water if a washable fabric. If not, sponge
dry fabric with a grease solvent, e.g. laundry pre-soak (spot stain remover)
or dry cleaning fluid.
On upholstery and carpets,
use an absorbent powder treatment (cornstarch is worth a try), followed
by a shampoo with liquid detergent, such as a Carpet/Rug Shampoo, a good
quality laundry liquid or Quilt/Wool Wash. Avoid wetting backing of carpet
or fabric, or discoloration occurs. Do not use petroleum solvents, or
dry cleaning fluid on carpets or fabrics with rubberized backing.
On wallpaper, scrape
off as much as possible, then use warm iron and absorbent paper. Treat
remaining stain with paste of cornstarch and a dry cleaning fluid. Allow
to dry, brush off, and repeat if necessary.
Candle Wax
Scrape off most of the wax. This can be facilitated by placing
the fabric in the freezer and making the wax brittle.
For the remaining wax,
place the stained surface down on a clean white rag and spray with WD-40
(a light oil available at hardware stores), let stand a few minutes, turn
fabric over and spray the other side. Apply liquid dishwashing detergent
and work into the stained area, moving the rag as it absorbs the stain.
Wash in hot water with laundry detergent and bleach (if appropriate) for
about 15 minutes (use heavy soiled setting if there is no minute timer
on your machine) and rinse in warm water. Drip dry and check for residual
stain.
In the case of colored
wax there may still be a color stain. Sponge with a liquid made by adding
a half cup of denatured alcohol to a half cup of water.
Carbon Paper & black
soot
On washable fabrics heavy
suds of soap and water are usually successful. Otherwise, sponge over a
pad with denatured alcohol, followed with a cold water sponge.
Chewing Gum
Scrape or peel away as much as possible first. Rubbing the
stain with ice will harden the gum and make this easier, especially on rugs
and other heavy materials. Then follow the procedure under Candle Wax, above.
If the material is washable,
sponge with kerosene and wash in hot soapy water. For unwashable articles,
use dry cleaning fluid. Several applications may be necessary.
Chocolate
First scrape off as much as possible with a dull knife.
Scrub washable articles with an old toothbrush and hot soapy water. If a
brown spot remains, soak in a solution of a diaper wash/sanitizer container
sodium percarbonate followed by a good rinse in warm water.
For unwashable materials,
sponge with dry cleaning fluid. Allow to dry. Repeat as necessary with
a clean rag underneath. If a stain remains, sponge with equal quantities
of denatured alcohol and household ammonia (test on colors first). Follow
with a warm water rinse. A spray-on dry cleaner may be used.
Coffee & Tea
Remove fresh stains from cotton and linen materials by first
rinsing in warm water then pouring boiling water from a height of 2 - 3
feet onto the stain. Follow by washing in hot soapy water. If a trace remains,
bleach white garments in the sun, or with a diaper wash/sanitizer container
sodium percarbonate. Tea stains on cottons and linens can also be removed
by soaking in borax and water (1 Tbsp. borax per cup of warm water).
Stains on wool and silk
or any fabric may be sponged with lukewarm water, then apply glycerine,
rubbing lightly between the hands. Let stand for half an hour. Rinse with
warm water. If a grease spot remains from cream, sponge with dry cleaning
fluid.
Crayons
Place the stained surface
down on a clean white cotton rag, spray with WD-40 (a light oil available
at hardware stores), let stand a few minutes, turn fabric over and spray
the other side. Apply liquid dishwashing detergent and work into the stained
area, moving the rag as it absorbs the stain. Wash in hot water with laundry
detergent and bleach (if appropriate) for about 15 minutes (use heavy soiled
setting if there is no minute timer on your machine) and rinse in warm water.
Kids throw a crayon into the dryer? Clean the inside drum of your dryer
to remove any remaining wax residue. Spray a soft cloth with WD-40, and
wipe the drum. Run a load of dry rags through a drying cycle to ensure that
your drum is clean. Jump to Crayola's
Stain Removal Tips for helpful hints on removing other art material
stains from clothes, walls and other tough spots!
Deodorant Stains
(See also 'Perspiration Stains',
below). Sponge stain thoroughly with a laundry pre-soak or spot stain remover
and warm water. Rinse. If some stain remains in whites, use a chlorinated
laundry bleach or a diaper wash/sanitizer container sodium percarbonate.
Antiperspirants may cause fabric damage and color damage in some dyes. Color
can sometimes be restored by sponging with ammonia. Dilute ammonia with
an equal volume of water for use on wool or silk. Rinse well.
Dyes & Color runs
Flood immediately with lots of water. These are difficult
to remove and no one treatment is successful in all cases.
Washing and sun bleaching
will gradually bring results in some cases. Equal parts of denatured alcohol
and ammonia may also succeed. White fabrics may be bleached. Use a chlorinated
laundry bleach or a diaper wash/sanitizer container sodium percarbonate
for linens and untreated cottons, hydrogen peroxide for silk, wool and
delicate fabrics.
Egg
Scrape away as much as possible.
Sponge with lukewarm water immediately. Never use hot water, as heat sets
the albumin. If this does not succeed, spread the stain with a paste of
cream of tartar and water, adding a crushed aspirin to the paste. Leave
for 20 - 30 minutes. Rinse well in warm water. OR use a diaper wash/sanitizer
container sodium percarbonate.
Fruit & Berry stains
Fresh stains are easy to remove, but once dry, they are
very obstinate. Treat immediately with cool water and follow up, if necessary,
by soaking in a chlorinated laundry bleach or a diaper wash/sanitizer container
sodium percarbonate. Rinse.
White cottons and linens
may be stretched over a basin and boiling water poured through from a
height. Any remaining stain may be removed with chlorinated laundry bleach.
colored fabrics or washable
silk, etc., may be soaked in a diaper wash/sanitizer container sodium
percarbonate or a warm borax solution (1 Tbsp. per cup of water), or covered
with a paste of cream of tartar and warm water. Leave half and hour or
until stain goes, then rinse well.
For persistent stains
apply equal quantities of denatured alcohol and ammonia. Rinse well after
treatment. This method is safe for all fabrics, except triacetate. Dilute
mixture with an equal quantity of water for fabrics with fugitive dyes.
Old stains may be softened in glycerine before treatment. Damp stain,
apply glycerine, leave 1 - 2 hours, then add a few drops of vinegar, leave
5 - 10 minutes and rinse well.
Gasoline
Blot out as much as possible with a clean white rag. Place
stain on a clean, white cotton rag. Spray with WD-40 (available at hardware
stores), and rub from the top with another clean rag. Flip over and spray
stain from other side. Treat the edges of the WD-40 circle the same way
to remove as much migrated material as possible. Soak in an enzyme pre-soak
and then launder as usual. Drip dry and evaluate before putting in dryer.
For dry clean only materials, take to the dry cleaners as soon as possible..
Glues, Gums & Cellulose
Adhesives
Soaking in cool water will
remove water-soluble glues, e.g. Elmer's, and most wood glue. For waterproof
glues, use denatured alcohol, MEK or amyl acetate (test before using on
synthetic fabrics). Artificial Fingernail glue can be removed used acetone
(test on an inconspicuous area first). Acetone evaporates quickly, so hold
a wad of absorbent paper or soft cloth against the glue, and soak the acetate
through from the other side. (The glue soaks on to the wad of absorbent)
Grass Stains
Soak in a solution of a chlorinated
laundry bleach or a diaper wash/sanitizer container sodium percarbonate.
OR sponge with methylated spirits (wood alcohol). Remove this with warm
water and where possible wash the article using Laundry powder or Liquid.
Milk & Ice Cream
For washable materials, first
sponge with lukewarm water, then wash as usual. If the material is not washable,
sponge with dry cleaning fluid then with cold water.
Ink
Because INKS differ in composition it is impossible to find
removers that are equally effective for all types of ink spots. The following
is a range of suggestions from which you can choose. Dry the stained area.
Mix together 3 parts dishwashing liquid with 1 part of denatured alcohol.
Soak the stained area in this solution for 10-15 minutes. After the soak
time, rinse in water as hot as is suitable for the fabric, then wash as
usual. Drip dry and evaluate. This treatment may require repeating.
Other treatments you
can try include the following..
Ballpoint Pen Ink:
First, saturate material with an alcohol-based hair spray (this seems
to be a very popular method). The alcohol content in the hair spray will
break up the ink. Be sure to place an absorbent paper towel or rag under
the stain to catch the excess. You then need to blot the stain with a
rag. Repeat the process until the stain is removed, then launder as usual.
A word of caution before trying this method: some fabrics may be damaged
by the hair spray solution. If in doubt, test on an inconspicuous area
first, or consult with a professional dry cleaner.
Water Based Inks (roller
ball, felt tip): Try an all-purpose cleaner like '409' instead of
hair spray. Be sure to place an absorbent paper towel or rag under the
stain to catch the excess. You then need to blot the stain with a rag.
Repeat the process until the stain is removed, then launder as usual.
NOTE: If the stain is still wet, apply an absorbent - talcum
powder, starch or salt - to absorb excess ink and stop it from spreading.
Continue this treatment, removing the discolored powder and applying fresh,
until there no further change is achieved. Alternatively, take up excess
ink with blotting paper, pressing fresh patches of blotter into the stain
until it no longer discolors. Then treat as required.
These suggestions are
also suitable for dried writing ink, ball point pen, or marking ink. Soak
the stain in "sour" milk - this is an old fashioned, but effective
method. Fresh milk also works, but sour milk is faster. to make sour milk,
set a cup outside for several hours. Sponge or dip the stain in equal
quantities of methylated spirits (wood alcohol) and household ammonia
(test on colored fabrics first). Rinse in warm water. Rinse again in warm
water containing a little ammonia, then finally in fresh water. Sponge
with denatured alcohol. If not effective, try dry cleaning fluid.
Iodine, Methiolate
Very fresh stains can often
be removed by normal washing or by moistening the stain with water and placing
in the sun. If not successful, apply a solution of 1 tsp. sodium thiosulphate,
(from chemist) in 1 cup warm water. Rinse well.
Lipstick & Makeup
e.g. eyeshadow, mascara, etc. - washing with your usual
laundry product may remove these stains. Pre treat the dry fabric stain
with a laundry pre-soak (spot stain remover). On an unwashable fabric, try
a discreet dry cleaners.
If stains are stubborn,
sponge with equal quantities of denatured alcohol and household ammonia.
(Test on colored fabrics first). If color fades, reduce ammonia by half
and test again. Rinse in warm water, or wash if possible.
Medicines
Try to find out from doctor
or pharmacist what the medicine contains, as this will aid in selecting
the correct treatment: e.g. iron tonics - treat as for iron rust: medicines
containing alcohol, rinse with denatured alcohol, etc.
Mildew
Treat as soon as discovered, before the mould has time to
weaken the cloth. Slight, fresh stains can often be removed by washing with
your usual laundry product and drying in the sun. Otherwise, try these methods
in turn, proceeding carefully with colored articles:
Chlorinated laundry bleaches may be used for white untreated cottons and
linens, 2 tablespoons per gallon should do it. Rinse thoroughly before washing.
Vinegar added to the final rinse will help remove any traces of smell remaining
from the bleach.
A diaper wash/sanitizer container sodium percarbonate should be safe on
all white and colored fabrics.
Motor Oil & Grease
See Oil & Grease, below.
Mud
Allow to dry, then brush
or scrape off. Any remaining stain may be removed by washing or sponging
with your usual laundry powder, or if this is greasy dirt, pre-treat dry
fabric with a laundry pre-soak (spot stain remover) or use a dry cleaning
fluid.
Mustard
Scrape any excess mustard
from the fabric, ensuring you don't spread the stain any further. Dry the
mustard-stained area. Mix together 3 parts dishwash liquid with 1 part of
denatured alcohol. Soak the stained area in this solution for 10-15 minutes.
NOTE: On occasion the mustard stain will turn very dark, but DON'T PANIC
- it will wash out! After the soak time, rinse in water as hot as is suitable
for the fabric, then wash as usual, but preferably with a Laundry Liquid.
This treatment may require repeating.
Nail Polish
Apply acetone, MEK or nail polish remover, but take care
with synthetics, as these may dissolve some type of rayons. Wash or sponge
with your usual laundry product after treatment.
Remove any remaining
color with a bleach, using a chlorinated laundry bleach for white cottons
and linens. A diaper wash/sanitizer container sodium percarbonate for
colors, and hydrogen peroxide for wool and silks.
Oils, light: sewing machine,
cooking oil, baby oil etc.
Rub some dishwashing liquid into the stain, leave for 10-15
minutes, then wash in hot water using your normal laundry detergent. If
any stain remains, repeat the process. For unwashable fabrics or articles,
see under Butter.
For tencel, try soaking
in an enzymatic presoak before washing. Our customers report good success
with a product called 'Oil Eater' from KAFKO; call (800) 528 0334.
Oil & Grease
Scrape away as much as possible with a spoon. Place stain
on a clean, white cotton rag. Spray with WD-40 (available at hardware stores),
and rub from the top with another clean rag. Flip over and spray stain from
other side. Continue to flip, spray, rub and move to a clean area of the
rag until the stain is removed. Treat the edges of the WD-40 circle the
same way to remove as much migrated material as possible. Soak in an enzyme
pre-soak and then launder as usual. Drip dry and evaluate before putting
in dryer.
Another method is to use a mechanics hand cleaner (available at auto parts
stores), gently rubbing it into the stain with a tooth brush. Follow with
an enzyme pre-soak and then launder as usual. Drip dry and evaluate before
putting in dryer.
For dry clean materials, treat with WD-40 as above, and take to the dry
cleaners. Tell them you were greasing your 1956 Pickup..
Ointment
Treat as a grease stain -
see under Butter, above.
Paint
Paint varies greatly in composition and it is not possible
to give one treatment for all types. As a guide, use the solvent suggested
on the paint can label for thinning paint and cleaning brushes. Treat promptly,
as set stains are very difficult to remove. If paint has dried, soften with
glycerine before applying treatment.
For oil paint, enamels
and alkyd type paints, scrape off as much as possible and spray with WD-40
or soak in turpentine, or kerosene. Then wash in usual way.
Latex and water-base
paints will wash out easily with soapy water when fresh. Remove any remaining
color stain with denatured alcohol. (test first to see that acetate fabrics
are not affected). Once dry, these paints are virtually impossible to
remove.
Pencil Marks
Try a soft eraser for unwashable garments. Use a quality
laundry powder or liquid on lead pencil marks, but never for Permanent marker.
If not successful, follow instructions for Permanent Marker.
For colored pencils,
place the stained surface on clean rag, spray with WD-40, let stand a
few minutes, turn fabric over and spray the other side. Apply liquid dishwashing
detergent and work into the stained area, replacing towelling as it absorbs
the stain. Wash in hot water with laundry detergent and bleach for about
12 minutes (use heavy soiled setting if there is no minute timer on your
machine) and rinse in warm water.
Perfume stains
Wet area, apply glycerine
and rinse out well, or sponge with equal parts of full-strength hydrogen
peroxide (on whites) and water. If the color has already been removed from
the fabric by the alcohol in the perfume, it may be helpful to add a few
drops of denatured alcohol to cheesecloth pad and sponge fabric lightly,
working towards the centre of the stain, thus distributing remaining color
evenly.
Permanent markers
Do not use water as this
spreads the stain. Sponge over a pad of soft cloth, using equal quantities
of denatured alcohol) and household ammonia (test colored fabrics first).
Should the colors run, try denatured alcohol) alone. Rinse or sponge with
warm water.
Perspiration Stains
New perspiration stains are normally acid and may be removed
by washing. If the fabric dye is affected, hold the mark in fumes from an
open ammonia bottle to try to restore the color.
Older perspiration stains
turn alkaline and sponging with 1 Tbsp. vinegar in a half cup of water
will often restore the color. This treatment also helps to remove perspiration
odors.
To remove perspiration
stains from unwashable garments or for any stubborn marks, apply a paste
of 1 Tbsp. cream of tartar, 3 crushed aspirins and a cup of warm water.
Leave for 20 minutes. Rinse well in warm water. Repeat if necessary. Follow
this with vinegar and water to restore the color if necessary.
Rust (Special thanks
to Lois Lane for these tips)
Any of the methods given below are safe for white fabrics,
but test on colored fabrics before use.
Lemon Juice - suitable
for light stains on delicate fabrics. Spread stain over a bowl of boiling
water and sprinkle with lemon juice. After a few minutes, rinse well and
repeat if necessary.
Lemon Juice and Salt
- sprinkle stain with salt, rub with lemon juice and place in sunlight.
Keep moist with lemon juice till stain goes. Rinse well.
Cream of Tartar - (a
powder, available in your grocery store spice section) for extensive staining,
boil in a solution of 3 tsp. cream of tartar per cup of water. Rinse well
OR if less extensive, dampen stain, spread with cream of tartar, hold
in steam from boiling kettle. Rinse immediately stain goes. Do not use
on fabrics that cannot be washed in hot water.
Scorch Marks
Scorch marks on cellulosic fibers (cotton, linen and tencel)
are different from true stains in that the actual fibers are damaged. Severe
marks on any fabric, and scorch marks on wool and silk can seldom be restored.
Brushing with fine emery paper may improve a scorched woollen surface.
Very light scorch marks
can often be removed by immediate washing with your usual laundry product,
followed by a day in the sun. Alternatively, sponge with 1 Tbsp. borax
in 1 cup of warm water.
Light scorch marks on
white materials can be bleached with hydrogen peroxide. Dampen a rag of
white cotton cloth with hydrogen peroxide and lay it covering the mark.
Cover with a clean dry cloth, then press with a medium warm iron. If the
peroxide soaks through the top cloth, move to a dry position. Repeat the
treatment until the stain is removed. Rinse well in warm water.
Light scorch marks on
any fabric (test colors first) may be treated by sponging with diluted
hydrogen peroxide to which a few drops of ammonia have been added. Rinse
well in warm water.
Shoe Polish
Sponge with a laundry pre-soak
(spot stain remover) or with dry cleaning fluid.
Silly Putty
Scrape off the excess with
a spoon or blunt knife, then spray the surface to be cleaned with WD-40
and wipe clean with a soft cloth. If any stain remains, saturate a cotton
ball with rubbing alcohol, blot the stain and rinse. Wipe any remaining
residue with a damp sponge or cloth moistened with liquid dishwashing detergent.
Skunk Smell
If you or your clothing gets
sprayed by a skunk, wash with carbolic soap to remove the skunk oil (Ewww!)
or alternatingly in tomato juice and then vinegar. Work on hair too. Commercial
smell removers are available like "Skunk-off" aerosol, or "Nil-Odor" available
through your Vet Clinic. Clothes may have to be discarded, although in less
severe cases they may be salvaged by repeatedly washing in vinegar water
and hanging outside for about a month. Launder clothes in cool water as
hot water causes oil to break down and stink up the laundry room.
Soft Drinks
Pre-treat with a laundry
pre-soak prior to washing with a your usual laundry detergent in the usual
way. Alternative treatment: sponge with equal quantities of denatured alcohol)
and water. Old or obstinate stains may be softened in glycerine before treatment
as above.
Soot & Smoke
First treat with an absorbent powder like cornstarch, then
wash. For unwashable articles sponge with dry cleaning fluid or other grease
solvent, followed by airing to remove smell of smoke.
For carpets, mix solvent
to a paste with cornstarch, talcum or french chalk. Apply thickly - leave
to dry, then brush or vacuum off. Repeat if necessary. Never use solvents
on rubber backed carpeting.
Soy Sauce
Dry the soya sauce-stained
area. Mix together 3 parts dishwash liquid with 1 part denatured alcohol.
Soak the stained area in this solution for 10-15 minutes. After the soak
time, rinse in water as hot as is suitable for the fabric, then wash as
usual, but preferably with a Laundry Liquid. This treatment may require
repeating.
Tar & Asphalt
Scrape away as much as possible with a spoon or dull knife.
Place stain on an old cotton rag. Spray with WD-40 (available at hardware
stores), and rub from the top with another clean rag. Flip over and spray
stain from other side. Continue to rub and move to a clean area of the rag
until the stain is removed. Magic! Treat the edges of the WD-40 circle the
same way to remove as much migrated material as possible. Soak in an enzyme
pre-soak and then launder as usual. Drip dry and evaluate before putting
in dryer.
For dry clean materials, treat with WD-40 as above, and take to the dry
cleaners.
Tarnish Stains (from
Brass or silver)
Metallic stains from belts, jewellery, etc., sometimes stain
clothes. Sponge with vinegar, lemon juice or 10% solution acetic acid (check
synthetics first).
For tarnished metallic
fabrics, e.g. lamé, boil in salt water (2 Tbsp. per cup). Not suitable
for synthetics. Otherwise, sponge with denatured alcohol or try dry cleaning
fluid.
Tobacco Stains
For stubborn tobacco stains,
first try pouring glycerine over the stain. Rub lightly between the hands,
or pre-treat the dry fabric with a laundry pre-soak (spot stain remover),
leave for half an hour then wash in the usual way. If this is not successful,
use sodium thiosulphate as directed for iodine stains.
Tomato Stains
Sponge thoroughly with cold
water first. Pour glycerine over, rub lightly between the hands and leave
for half an hour. Or, pre-treat the dry fabric with a laundry pre-soak (spot
stain remover), leave for half an hour then wash in the usual way. Rinse
in warm water. Remove any remaining stain with a chlorinated laundry bleach
or a diaper wash/sanitizer container sodium percarbonate, as directed.
Whiteout (Liquid Paper)
(Liquid Correction Fluid)
Purchase some Spray &
Wipe from your supermarket, and use concentrated on the stain. Most Spray
& Wipe formula’s contain a solvent which will dissolve the liquid
paper. OR Try a little xylene, or toluene on the stain, with some good absorbent
paper or old cloth behind it. Then use some dishwash liquid or a good quality
laundry liquid to wash out the solvent. Always test an inconspicuous piece
of material before proceeding.
Unknown: Stains of Unknown
Origin (May not work in Roswell, NM)
If a stain cannot be identified,
treat with cool water first, then sponge with a good quality laundry liquid
solution. Rinse well and if stain persists try equal quantities of denatured
alcohol and ammonia, testing first to note effect on color and fabric. If
color is affected, omit ammonia. As a last resort, try a mild bleach, e.g.
A diaper wash/sanitizer container sodium percarbonate.
Urine
These stains differ in composition from pets to people,
so that the same method may not be successful in all cases. Normal urine
is usually slightly acidic, so first soak or sponge in a solution of a diaper
wash/sanitizer container sodium percarbonate or sponge with a solution of
1 Tbsp. household ammonia in a half cup of warm water. Rinse well.
If this is not successful,
try equal quantities of vinegar and warm water in case the stain is alkaline.
Rinse well in warm water. For stubborn stains, sponge with diluted hydrogen
peroxide, then wash or sponge - rinse with clear warm water. Old stains
may destroy the color of the cloth and nothing can be done to restore
it in this case.
Vomit
Scrape away as much as possible.
Sponge stains with warm water containing a little ammonia. If extensive,
dampen and sprinkle with pepsin powder (from the pharmacy), leave half an
hour, then rinse off. OR soak washable articles in a diaper wash/sanitizer
container sodium percarbonate. Commercial carpet cleaners may work.
Water Spots
Some silks (organza, notably), rayons and wools are spotted
by water. To remove such spots, hold in the steam from a rapidly boiling
kettle. It is wise to cover the spout with muslin first to prevent any droplets
of water reaching the fabric. Allow the fabric to become damp, but not wet.
Shake and press while still slightly damp, rubbing, if possible, with a
piece of the same or a similar material, or with fingernail or spoon.
Water stains on carpets
become brown because of impurities from backing or underfelt. Mop up spills,
wipe with cool water, cover with pad of blotting paper, tissues or absorbent
cloth. Weight down with books, etc., and dry quickly with the aid of fan
heaters, vacuum exhaust, etc. This causes stain to wick through to absorbent
material. Repeat if required.
Wine
Red Wine? Immediately pour
club soda or White Wine on the affected area and soak up. Then wash in cold
water and ammonia.
White Wine? Club soda rinse, then wash in cold water and ammonia. If unsuccessful,
follow other treatments under Alcoholic Beverages, above.
Wood SAP
Scrape with a spoon and
sponge with a mix of 1 part Turpentine and 4 parts dishwashing liquid.
Leave for 20 minutes and then wash with your usual laundry detergent as
water as hot as the fabric will allow. You may have to repeat this process.
Copyright ©: 1998-2009, Silk Road, inc.
3910 N. Lamar, Austin, TX, USA 78756
Tel: +1 (512) 302-0844
Fax: +1 (512) 302-0611
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