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Handy Tips on How to Remove Stains From Laundry and Carpets

Updated on August 7, 2013

I came across these handy tips and decided to share them with you!

It is inevitable that there will be times that something that you own will get stained. The chances are even higher if you have children. Sometimes you just throw away what might have been saved because nothing seemed to work to remove the stains. Well, hopefully this list of great tips will help!

Baby Food Stains: Use liquid laundry detergent and brush into stain with an old toothbrush, then wash.

Blood: Pre-soak in cold or warm water for at least 30 minutes. If the stain remains, soak in lukewarm ammonia water (3 tablespoons per gallon of water). Rinse. If stain remains, work in detergent, and wash, using bleach safe for fabric.

Candle Wax: Use a dull knife to scrape off as much as possible. Place fabric between 2 blotters of facial tissues and press with warm iron. Remove color stain with non-flammable dry cleaning solvent. Wash with detergent in the hottest water safe for fabric.

Chewing Gum: Rub area with ice, then scrape off with a dull blade. Sponge with dry cleaning solvent; allow to air dry. Wash in detergent and hottest water safe for fabric.

Chocolate and cocoa: Sponge with club soda.

Coffee: Sponge or soak with cold water as soon as possible. Wash, using detergent and bleach safe for fabric. Remove cream grease stains with non-flammable dry cleaning solvent. Wash again.

Crayon: Scrape with a dull blade. place item between paper towels, press with warm iron. Repeat, with new paper towels. Wash in the hottest water safe for fabric, with detergent and 1 to 2 cups of baking soda. NOTE: If full load is crayon stained, take to cleaners or coin-op dry cleaning machines.

Deodorants: Sponge area with white vinegar. If stain remains, soak with denatured alcohol. Wash with detergent in hottest water safe for fabric.

Dye: If dye transfers from a non-colorfast item during washing, immediately bleach discolored items. Repeat as necessary BEFORE drying. On whites use color remover. CAUTION: Do not use color remover in washer, or a round washer and dryer as it may damage the finish.

Egg: Scrape with dull blade. Pre-soak in cold or warm water for at least 30 minutes. Remove grease with dry cleaning solvent. Wash in hottest water safe for fabric, with detergent.

Fruit and fruit juices: Sponge with cold water. Pre-soak in cold water or warm water for at least 30 minutes. Wash with detergent and bleach safe for fabric.

Grass:Pre-soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Rinse. Pre-treat with detergent, hot water,and bleach safe for fabric. On acetate and colored fabrics, use 1 part alcohol to 2 parts water.

Grease, oil, tar, or butter: METHOD 1: use powder or chalk absorbents to remove as much grease as possible. Pre-treat with detergent or non-flammable dry cleaning solvent, or liquid shampoo. Wash in the hottest water safe for fabric, using plenty of detergent. METHOD 2: Rub spot with lard and sponge with a non-flammable dry cleaning solvent. Wash in hottest water and detergent safe for fabric.

Ink-ball-point pen: Spray with hair spray and launder.

Ketchup or mustard: Scrape excess. Use a commercial spot remover. Rinse; launder.

Meat juices: Scrape with dull blade. Pre-soak in cold or warm water for 30 minutes. Wash in detergent and bleach safe for fabric.

Mildew: Pre-treat as soon as possible with detergent. Wash. If any stain remains, sponge with lemon juice and salt. Dry in sun. Wash, using the hottest water detergent and bleach safe for fabric. NOTE: Mildew is very hard to remove; treat promptly.

Milk, cream, ice cream: Pre-soak in cold or warm water for 30 minutes. Wash. Sponge any grease spots with non-flammable dry cleaning solvent. Wash again.

Mud: Let stain dry. Brush off; launder. Tough stain: soak in cool water for 30 minutes; work liquid laundry detergent into stain; rinse.

Paint: Oil base: Sponge stains with turpentine, cleaning fluid or paint remover. Pre-treat and wash in hot water. For old stains, sponge with banana oil and then with non-flammable dry cleaning solvent. Wash again. Water base paint: Scrape off paint with a dull blade. Wash with detergent in water as hot as is safe for fabric.

Perspiration: Sponge fresh stain with ammonia; old stain with vinegar. Pre-soak in cold or warm water. Rinse. Wash in the hottest water safe for fabric. If fabric is yellowed, use bleach. If stain still remains, dampen and sprinkle with meat tenderizer, or pepsin. Let stand 1 hour. Brush off and wash. For persistent odor, sponge with colorless mouthwash.

Rust: Soak in lemon juice and salt or oxalic acid solution (3 tablespoons oxalic acid to 1 pint of warm water). A commercial rust remover may be used. (I personally use Lime-A-Way, this works great for me. You may have to soak it or treat it more than once, but it gets the job done). CAUTION: HANDLE POISONOUS RUST REMOVERS CAREFULLY. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. NEVER USE OXALIC ACID OR ANY RUST REMOVER AROUND WASHER OR DRYER AS IT MAY DAMAGE THE FINISH. SUCH CHEMICALS MAY ALSO REMOVE PERMANENT PRESS FABRIC FINISHES.

Scorch: Wash with detergent and bleach safe for fabric. On heavier scorching, cover stain with cloth dampened with hydrogen peroxide. Cover this with dry cloth and press with a hot iron. Rinse well. CAUTION: Severe scorching cannot be removed because of fabric damage.

Soft drinks: Sponge immediately with cold water and alcohol. Heat and detergent may set stain.

Tea:Sponge or soak with cold water as soon as possible. Wash using detergent and bleach safe for fabric.

STAINS ON CARPETS AND FLOORS

Flattened shag carpets: Raise flattened spots in your carpet where heavy furniture has stood by using a steam iron. Hold the iron over the spot and build up a good steam. Then, brush the carpet.

Candle drippings: For spilled wax on carpet, use a brown paper bag as a blotter and run a hot iron over it, which will absorb the wax.

Pet stains: Blot up excess moisture with a paper towel. Pour club soda on the spot and continue blotting. Lay a towel over the spot and set a heavy object on top in order to absorb all of the moisture.

Spills: When spills happen, grab a can of shaving cream. Squirt it on the spot then rinse off with water.

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