BLOOD:
- Submerge the garment in a heavily salted water or rub a saltwater mixture directly on the stain until it's gone. Make sure to use cool water only.
- For a stubborn stain, add a bit of water to some meat tenderizer and create a paste. Leave the paste on the stain for 15 minutes, then sponge off with cool water. Wash garment as directed.
- For whites or light colored clothes you can use hydrogen peroxide. Just poor the peroxide through the material then rinse. Repeat until the peroxide no longer bubbles on the material.
- For a persistent stain, soak the stain in milk for about 5 min then wash as usual.
- Coat both sides of the stained area with WD-40; use several layers of paper towels to blot the stain. Let stand for 10 minutes. Work dish detergent (grease fighter) into stain and then wash in hot water with regular laundry detergent.
- Apply liberal amounts of non-gel toothpaste on the stains then scrub the paste using a moist cloth or a wet toothbrush. It may take a little time and elbow grease, but the marks will yield, eventually.
GUM:
- For most materials use a piece of ice to freeze the gum, then use a butter-knife to scrape it off.
- For more delicate fabrics, like wool, put the garment in a bag and put it in the freezer for about 5 min. Remove from the freezer then use your finger nail to remove the hardened gum. Finish by scrapping the 'crumbs' off with an old toothbrush.
MELTED CRAYON/CANDLE WAX:
- Place an adequate amount of paper towels between the stain; both sides like a sandwich. Place a hot iron on top of the stained area so the paper towels absorb the crayon. Continue to replace the soiled paper towels until the stain is gone.
BERRIES:
- Immediately place the garment stain side down on a paper towel and sponge thoroughly with cool water. If stain persist, apply a liquid detergent to the area for five minutes before rinsing with hot water. When done, wash garment as directed.
- After flushing the stain with cold water, soak the stain in undiluted lemon juice. No lemon juice around? Try rubbing a freshly cut lemon over the stain and let set for 30 minutes. Rinse again with cold water and then launder as usual. Do not heat dry.
- If your treating a stain that's not so fresh, loosen it up by soaking it in a solution of equal parts of glycerin and lukewarm water for an hour. Glycerin is a vegetable oil by-product of soap making that is helpful at breaking up stains making them easier to remove. After soaking, use one of the 2 suggestions above.
BABY FORMULA:
- Mix water with meat tenderizer to create a paste-like consistency. Apply mixture directly to stain.
- Fresh lemon juice works great to white clothing, just allow the garment to sit in the sun when treating.
INK:
- Place garment on a pad of paper towels. Saturate area with rubbing alcohol, fingernail polish remover, or glycerin and blot stain with sponge. Repeat if necessary and follow up with a mild detergent wash.
GRASS:
- Immediately sponge with warm water or rubbing alcohol. Work a prewash treatment of warm water and vinegar (no fruit vinegar) into the stain and let sit for 15 minutes. Work the area with a tooth brush before washing.
- Another option is to take some ammonia and mix it with one teaspoon of vinegar and then repeat the above steps
DIRT/MUD:
- If the garment has fresh mud, allow it to dry before removal. With dirt, brush off excess and immerse garment in water with a prewash solution. Add vinegar to help lighten the stain – Leave in water for 30 minutes (new stain) or up to (few hours) for an old stain. Launder garment as directed.
LIPSTICK:
- Apply an oil solvent, let dry and then remove residue. Apply liquid soap to affected area and water, rub and rinse. Use a dropper filled with ammonia to remove remaining color. Rinse and wash as directed.
- Hairspray is an old trick used by women (and men) for years. As long as the fabric will permit it, spray right onto the stain, and then let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. In most cases, a clean cloth moistened with warm water is all you need to wipe the stain away.
COFFEE:
- Stretch the affected area of the fabric over a bowl and pour boiling water from a kettle held about 1 foot above.
- Mix one t. of white vinegar in one quart of cold water. Sponge on stain and wipe clean.
- Mix an egg-yoke and a few drops of alcohol with warm water. Rub mixture on the stain with a sponge.
- Sprinkle a little baking soda on a wet dishcloth to quickly remove coffee and tea stains.
- If coffee had milk apply an oil solvent.
- If coffee had sugar apply glycerin. Treat the area and allow for it to sit for 30 minutes before washing, as directed.
- Use a toothbrush to apply dish detergent directly to the stain. Rinse then wash as directed.
- For stubborn stains turn the garment inside out and apply basic chap-stick to the inside of the garment at the stain (This should 'reactivate' the grease/oil) then wash immediately.
- Add a teaspoon of clear or white dish-washing liquid to a cup of cool water and gently blot the mixture onto the stain with a clean, light colored cloth. It it's milk chocolate stains, add a few drops of ammonia to the mixture you've already made.
- For dark chocolate stains, add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to the solution, then blot and rinse again.
- You can also try treating dark chocolate stains with hydrogen peroxide. Just be sure to test these different solvents first in a hidden spot to assure no discoloration.
Please use the comment section below to share you best stain-fighting tips!
