A Year's Worth of Stain-Removal Hints
from Heloise®
Please note:
These hints are for only washable material.
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January Candle Wax on the Tablecloth |
May Clay on a Baseball Uniform |
September Ballpoint Ink on Clothing |
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| Remove hardened wax with a dull knife. Place stain facedown on paper towels. Tackle from the back with cleaning fluid or dry-cleaning solvent. Still there? Treat with a solution of 1 tablespoon mild white hand dish-washing liquid and 1 teaspoon household ammonia in 1 cup water. Then wash according to care label in the hottest water safe for the fabric. | This ball-field mark is tough, but try these. Brush off dry clay. Measure out powdered detergent (containing no bleach) for a standard laundry load, then remove a little and combine with just enough household ammonia to make a paste. Apply using a cotton cloth. Let set about 10 minutes; launder in the hottest water safe for the fabric. Repeat if needed. |
 Place
stain face-down on paper towels. Treat from the back with
cleaning fluid or dry-cleaning solvent. Move towels frequently
so there's always a clean area under the stain to absorb ink.
Let dry, then re-treat if needed. Last resort: dab on 70 percent
isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Once dry, launder as usual. |
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|
February Chocolate on Clothing |
June Grass Stains on Clothing |
October Makeup on Towels |
|
Scrape away
chocolate; blot spot with cool water. Presoak using powdered
laundry detergent with enzymes, following label directions.
 If
needed, treat with 1 teaspoon household ammonia diluted in 1 cup
water (don't do this for wool or silk blends); rinse well.
Launder |
Treat area directly with liquid laundry detergent containing enzymes or with prewash spray (follow directions on container). Then wash according to care label. |
 Pretreat
with prewash stain remover or liquid laundry detergent. Launder
in the hottest water safe for the fabric to help dissolve waxes
and oils. |
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March Coffee on Fabric |
July Ketchup or Barbecue Sauce on Fabric |
November Gravy on the Tablecloth |
|
| Rinse with cold water. Work in a drop or 2 of mild white hand dish-washing liquid; rinse well. Still there? Treat with a mix of 1 part white household vinegar to 3 parts water; rinse again. Launder. |
 Flush
or blot with water. Apply a few drops of mild white hand
dishwashing liquid; rinse. If needed, apply a solution of 1 part
white vinegar to 3 parts water, rinse well. Launder. |
Blot spill with paper towels, sprinkle on talcum powder, salt, or cornstarch to cover stain. Let set to absorb grease; brush off. Treat with liquid laundry detergent, Wash in the hottest water safe for the fabric. | |
|
April Latex or Watercolor Paint on Carpeting |
August Mildew on Laundry |
December Red Wine on Carpeting |
|
Combine 1/2
teaspoon mild white hand dish-washing liquid and 1 cup warm
water. Using a clean sponge or white cotton cloth, dab at stain,
working from outside in. (Don't overwet.) Blot with warm water.
No luck? Dab with dry-cleaning solvent. Blot with paper towels;
let dry.
|
Badly mildewed items (like baby bibs or wet towels) may be damaged beyond repair. Sunlight can sometimes help by killing the fungus. If the garment is bleach-safe, soak for up to 15 minutes in a mild solution of 1 ounce chlorine bleach to 1 gallon cool water. Rinse with 1/4 cup white household vinegar diluted in 1 gallon water, then rinse again with plain water. Launder as usual. |
Blot up
liquid with paper towels. Working from outside in, dab on
solution of 1/2 teaspoon mild white hand dishwashing liquid in
 1
cup lukewarm water. No go? Combine 1/3 cup white vinegar and 2/3
cup water, dab on. Blot with water, pat dry. |
