General Dos and Don'ts.
- Dab stains gently from the reverse side. Rubbing furiously will only spread the stain.
- Keep different stain removal products apart. Chemicals can react together and make matters worse.
- Don't rinse a stain with warm or hot water - you may set it permanently.
- Don't use soap - you may just make it worse.
- You'll get best results using a biological detergent, as it contains enzymes that break down the stains. However, these enzymes are too powerful for delicate fabrics such as wool or silk, and, of course, may irritate the skin. In these cases, stick to a non-biological detergent and pre-treat the item with a proprietary in-wsh stain remover, such as Vanish.
Specific stains
- Red wine on tablecloth, sofa or carpet? Rinse with water, blot dry immediately. Then, depending on the material, use carpet cleaner or pop in the washing machine with washing up liquid dabbed on the offending area. In an emergency, splash some white wine on your red wine stain, then machine wash when you get home.
- Ink and permanent marker on hard surfaces? Hairspray seems to fizz and dissolve the ink, which could then be blotted with kitchen paper.
- Felt tip pen? Blot with dry paper towels. Dip a cotton bud in methylated spirits and apply to stain. Don't over-wet. Dab gently, then blot with paper towel. Repeat till all colour is lifted. Flush with cold water, then carefully work White Wonder into remaining traces. Leave for a couple of minutes, then blot again. If traces remain, try spot-treating the area with Stain Devils 'BallPoint Pen & Felt-tip'. Machine wash at as high a temperature as the fabric allows.
- Biro on cotton fabric? Hairspray will remove this, as long as you wash afterwards with a biological detergent.
- Beetroot juice? (don't use salt - this will set the stain). Tackle the stain before it dries. Blot up excess juice and flush with cool water. Treat carpets with Bissel OxyPro following pack instructions. Launder washable fabrics at 40 degrees C with biological detergent. If you get beetroot juice on your hands or chopping board, rub them with lemon juice.
- Blood? Gently blot up as much of the stain as possible with white paper towels; dab, don't rub. Rinse under cold water. If stain has dried, steep first in an enzyme based pre-soaking product, or a washing soda crystal solution (for silk and cotton), then follow instructions for each fabric. Cotton: machine wash a 40 degrees Cwith biological detergent. Silk: machine wash at 30 degrees C on delicates cycle. Wool: spray lightly with Wine Away until stain turns blue. Blot and repeat until stain has gone. Follow with a 30 degrees C machine wash on a delicates cycle.
- Tea and coffee? Dab with white paper towels; do not rub. Rinse with cold water. Wash at 40 degrees C with biological detergent. For delicates, use a gentle detergent. If this does not work, rub washing up liquid into the stain and wash again.
- Gravy? Gently scrape off as much residue as possible. Cotton: blot with methylated spirit, then wash at 40 degrees C with biological detergent. Wool: blot, apply Stain Devils 'Pizza, Pasta & Curry Sauce' then wash at 30 degrees C on the delicates cycle.
- Curry: Difficult to remove because of the turmeric; get it cleaned professionally.
- Mud? Allow to dry. Cotton: wash at 40 degrees C with a biological detergent, For stubborn stains, try a biological pre-soaking product. Follow instructions, then wash as normal. Silk and wool: rub washing up liquid into the area, then wash as normal. If this does not work, spot-treat with Stain Devils 'Mud, Grass & Make-up', following instructions. Wash as normal.
- Candle wax? Do not touch. Place white paper on both sides of the stain and iron on a low heat. Use methylated spirits forany remaining colour and machine wash with biological detergent at as high a temperature as the fabric allows.
- Tar? Use eucalyptus oil to remove.
- Animal messes? Sponge with borax solution (1 pint water to 1 dessertspoon borax). Reduce smell by squirting area with soda water.
- Deodorant? Have your clothes got yellow deodorant marks in the armpits? Try Deo-Go (from deo-go.com). Simply spray product on marks, gently rub in, leave for 30 minutes, then wash normally.
- Stains on sofas and carpets? A dab of vodka or gin works well on most stains - just dab and blot.
Good Housekeeping, various features in different issues
