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How do I remove Stains from my clothes?
First you must determine what created the stain. Fortunately we usually know what we have
spilled, dripped or dumped on our clothes. If you can read the label of the product that
created the stain, it should assist you in narrowing down your cleaning method.
Below is a list of some common stains and general removal tips.
Oil based stains
• Automotive oil • Face creams • Suntan oil or lotion
• Hair oil • Salad dressing • Cooking fats and oils
• Bacon fat • Hand lotion • Collar/cuff greasy rings
• Butter/margarine • Mayonnaise • Car door grease
• Lard
Always try to treat an oil-based stain as soon as it is noticed. The longer you wait, the longer
the oil and stain have to set into the deeper layers and threads of the fabric.
First lay the stain face up on your workspace and sprinkle liberally with baby powder. Let the
powder sit on the stain overnight if possible. If you can’t leave it sit over night leave on for
several hours.
In the morning shake off the powder, then with your hand brush the fabric to remove the
remaining powder. If the stain is still very visible re-apply powder and let set another couple
hours.
Again shake off then brush off remaining powder. This will have absorbed the oil from the
fabric.
Now place your spot on an absorbent towel or paper towels with the stain facing up. Next
apply a grease cutting dishwashing liquid directly to the spot with HOT water. Fingers or a
toothbrush work well on most fabrics to get the suds into the fibers. The suds will lift any
remaining oil from the fabric. Blot with a clean sponge, absorbent towel or paper towels until
all of the stain is removed.
Wash as usual. After washing check the stain. If it is still visible repeat scrubbing with the
dishwashing detergent. Do not dry in an automatic dryer until the stain is removed to your
satisfaction since drying the garment in an automatic dryer will set the stain.
Protein stains
• Baby food • Ice cream • White glue; school paste
• Milk • Gelatin • Vomit
• Baby formula • Feces • Urine
• Mucous • Egg • Pudding
• Blood • Cream • Mud
• Cheese sauce
Protein stains should simply be soaked and then agitated in COLD water. Hot water will cook
the stain into the fabric. After rinsing out the stain you can launder normally.
Dye Stains
• Cherry, blueberry • Grass • India ink
• Mercurochrome • Mustard • Tempera paint
• Color bleeding in wash (dye transfer)
• Felt-tip pen (permanent ink-may not come out)
Dye stains are one of the most difficult to remove.
First, soak stain with a heavy-duty liquid detergent and let set for an hour or more. Then rinse
thoroughly. Second soak the stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered
bleach.
If the above steps do not remove the stain you can try soaking the garment in a dilute solution
of liquid chlorine bleach and water if the clothing is white or light colored. Warning - bleach
damage to colored garments is irreversible. Since bleaching can alter the color of the
garment, bleach the whole garment and not just a spot. If the stain is not gone in 15
minutes, then it cannot be removed by bleaching. More bleaching may weaken the fabric.
Wax / Oil / Dye Combination Stains
• Ball-point ink • Candle wax • Carbon typewriter ribbon
• Carbon paper • Crayon • Floor wax
• Furniture polish • Lipstick • Livestock paint
• Pine resin • Shoe polish • Tar
• Eye make-up (mascara, pencil, liner, shadow)
First, spray or sponge with dry cleaning solvent like perchloroethylene or trichloroethylene,
then rub a heavy-duty liquid detergent into the stained fabric area and rinse thoroughly.
Second, soak the stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach.
If the above steps do not remove the stain you can try soaking the garment in a dilute solution
of liquid chlorine bleach and water if the clothing is white or light colored. Warning - bleach
damage to colored garments is irreversible. Since bleaching can alter the color of the
garment, bleach the whole garment and not just a spot. If the stain is not gone in 15
minutes, it cannot be removed by bleaching. More bleaching will only weaken the fabric.
Other common combination stains
• Barbecue sauce • Calamine lotion • Gravy
• Catsup or Ketchup • Hair spray • Tomato sauce
• Cocoa or chocolate • Face make-up (powder, rouge, foundation)
First, rub a heavy-duty liquid detergent into the stain then rinse thoroughly. Second, soak the
stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach.
If the above steps do not remove the stain you can try soaking the garment in a dilute solution
of liquid chlorine bleach and water if the clothing is white or light colored. Warning - bleach
damage to colored garments is irreversible. Since bleaching can alter the color of the
garment, bleach the whole garment and not just a spot. If the stain is not gone in 15
minutes, it cannot be removed by bleaching. More bleaching will only weaken the fabric.
Before any spot removal process you should test the product on a non-visible
corner of the garment.
No method is always one hundred percent successful. Success can be thwarted by
length of time the stain has set, the material and dyes that make up the fabric and the
make up of the stain itself.
First you must determine what created the stain. Fortunately we usually know what we have
spilled, dripped or dumped on our clothes. If you can read the label of the product that
created the stain, it should assist you in narrowing down your cleaning method.
Below is a list of some common stains and general removal tips.
Oil based stains
• Automotive oil • Face creams • Suntan oil or lotion
• Hair oil • Salad dressing • Cooking fats and oils
• Bacon fat • Hand lotion • Collar/cuff greasy rings
• Butter/margarine • Mayonnaise • Car door grease
• Lard
Always try to treat an oil-based stain as soon as it is noticed. The longer you wait, the longer
the oil and stain have to set into the deeper layers and threads of the fabric.
First lay the stain face up on your workspace and sprinkle liberally with baby powder. Let the
powder sit on the stain overnight if possible. If you can’t leave it sit over night leave on for
several hours.
In the morning shake off the powder, then with your hand brush the fabric to remove the
remaining powder. If the stain is still very visible re-apply powder and let set another couple
hours.
Again shake off then brush off remaining powder. This will have absorbed the oil from the
fabric.
Now place your spot on an absorbent towel or paper towels with the stain facing up. Next
apply a grease cutting dishwashing liquid directly to the spot with HOT water. Fingers or a
toothbrush work well on most fabrics to get the suds into the fibers. The suds will lift any
remaining oil from the fabric. Blot with a clean sponge, absorbent towel or paper towels until
all of the stain is removed.
Wash as usual. After washing check the stain. If it is still visible repeat scrubbing with the
dishwashing detergent. Do not dry in an automatic dryer until the stain is removed to your
satisfaction since drying the garment in an automatic dryer will set the stain.
Protein stains
• Baby food • Ice cream • White glue; school paste
• Milk • Gelatin • Vomit
• Baby formula • Feces • Urine
• Mucous • Egg • Pudding
• Blood • Cream • Mud
• Cheese sauce
Protein stains should simply be soaked and then agitated in COLD water. Hot water will cook
the stain into the fabric. After rinsing out the stain you can launder normally.
Dye Stains
• Cherry, blueberry • Grass • India ink
• Mercurochrome • Mustard • Tempera paint
• Color bleeding in wash (dye transfer)
• Felt-tip pen (permanent ink-may not come out)
Dye stains are one of the most difficult to remove.
First, soak stain with a heavy-duty liquid detergent and let set for an hour or more. Then rinse
thoroughly. Second soak the stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered
bleach.
If the above steps do not remove the stain you can try soaking the garment in a dilute solution
of liquid chlorine bleach and water if the clothing is white or light colored. Warning - bleach
damage to colored garments is irreversible. Since bleaching can alter the color of the
garment, bleach the whole garment and not just a spot. If the stain is not gone in 15
minutes, then it cannot be removed by bleaching. More bleaching may weaken the fabric.
Wax / Oil / Dye Combination Stains
• Ball-point ink • Candle wax • Carbon typewriter ribbon
• Carbon paper • Crayon • Floor wax
• Furniture polish • Lipstick • Livestock paint
• Pine resin • Shoe polish • Tar
• Eye make-up (mascara, pencil, liner, shadow)
First, spray or sponge with dry cleaning solvent like perchloroethylene or trichloroethylene,
then rub a heavy-duty liquid detergent into the stained fabric area and rinse thoroughly.
Second, soak the stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach.
If the above steps do not remove the stain you can try soaking the garment in a dilute solution
of liquid chlorine bleach and water if the clothing is white or light colored. Warning - bleach
damage to colored garments is irreversible. Since bleaching can alter the color of the
garment, bleach the whole garment and not just a spot. If the stain is not gone in 15
minutes, it cannot be removed by bleaching. More bleaching will only weaken the fabric.
Other common combination stains
• Barbecue sauce • Calamine lotion • Gravy
• Catsup or Ketchup • Hair spray • Tomato sauce
• Cocoa or chocolate • Face make-up (powder, rouge, foundation)
First, rub a heavy-duty liquid detergent into the stain then rinse thoroughly. Second, soak the
stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach.
If the above steps do not remove the stain you can try soaking the garment in a dilute solution
of liquid chlorine bleach and water if the clothing is white or light colored. Warning - bleach
damage to colored garments is irreversible. Since bleaching can alter the color of the
garment, bleach the whole garment and not just a spot. If the stain is not gone in 15
minutes, it cannot be removed by bleaching. More bleaching will only weaken the fabric.
Before any spot removal process you should test the product on a non-visible
corner of the garment.
No method is always one hundred percent successful. Success can be thwarted by
length of time the stain has set, the material and dyes that make up the fabric and the
make up of the stain itself.
| Please see our Laundry and Clothes Washing Guide for more tips and ideas! |
| These handy tips are brought to you by the Best Drying Rack company, your source for the world's best clothes drying rack |
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