Protein stains
- Egg nog
- Ice cream
- Chocolate milk
- Milk puddings & pies
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1. Soak in cold water to soften and loosen protein. (Hot
water cooks the stain into the fibers.)
2. Launder with regular detergent and warm water. |
Tannin stains
- Alcoholic beverages
- Beer & wine
- Citrus & fruit juices
- Cola & soft drinks
- Cranberry, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry
- Coffee, tea (If coffee and tea contain cream and sugar, treat
as "combination stain.")
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1. Do not pretreat with bar soap (see note).
2. Sponge stain with a mixture of 1 quart water, 1/2 teaspoon liquid
dishwashing detergent and 1 tablespoon white vinegar.
3. Launder with detergent and warm/hot water.
4. If trace remains, soak in all-fabric bleach solution for 5 minutes
(or use all-fabric bleach in wash, if stain is not fresh).
Note:
Soap sets tannin stains. |
Oil stains
- Bacon fat
- Butter
- Mayonnaise
- Salad dressing
|
1. Scrape off as much as possible with a dull knife. Spray with
aerosol pretreatment spray. Or soak for 15 minutes in a mixture of
1 quart lukewarm water, 1/2 teaspoon liquid dishwashing detergent
and 1 teaspoon ammonia. Rub gently from back to loosen stain. Rinse.
If stain remains, soak in enzyme product for at least 30 minutes.
2. Wash promptly in hot water with detergent.
Note:
An oil stain that sets more than a day in nylon or polyester or their
blends will be hard to remove. |
Dye stains
- Felt tip pen
- Kool-Aid
- Mustard
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1. Wash with detergent and hot water.
2. Bleach, using the type that is safe for the fabric. Follow bleach
bottle/package directions. All fabric bleaches usually can be used
on colored fabrics. Liquid chlorine bleach in dilute solution is more
powerful and effective for whites. |
Combination stains
- Ball point
- Chocolate
- Lipstick
- Pine resin
- Turkey or other gravy
|
1. Treat protein portion of stain first.
2. Treat oily portion of stain as for oil stains.
3. Finally, bleach as for dye stains.
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| Hard-to-Remove Combination Stains |
| Candle wax |
1. Let wax harden; scrape off solid wax with dull knife.
2. Crack and remove as much residue as possible in dry state.
3. Pretreat with aerosol pretreatment spray.
4. Scrub by hand using hot water and liquid laundry detergent.
5. If color remains, bleach as safe for fabric.
6. Launder. Repeat from step 3 as needed.
Note:
Many stain removal guides suggest ironing wax stains with absorbent
paper towels to transfer and absorb the wax. This method forces the
part of the stain that doesn't transfer to be further absorbed into
the yarns and fibers. As a result, this method is not recommended
as it leaves an oily looking permanent spot.
|
| Chewing gum |
1. Apply ice to harden stain.
2. Scrape off excess with a dull knife.
3. Spray with pretreatment aerosol product.
4. Scrub with heavy-duty liquid detergent.
5. Rinse in hot water; repeat from step 3, as needed.
6. Launder.
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| Soot, smoke |
1. If excess, shake off outdoors.
2. Launder in washer using heavy-duty detergent, water conditioner
and all-fabric bleach.
3. Air-dry; inspect for smoke odor.
4. Repeat as necessary.
5. Soot carbon particles get mechanically stuck between fibers; bleaching
as a last resort may not help much.
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H-E-B
