Removing stains from clothing

Celebrations call for special clothes, table settings, candle light, the finest food and drink. Often the food, drinks or candle wax accidentally stain the textiles.

If your items can only be dry cleaned, take them to the cleaners promptly and explain the type of stain. Some clothing must be dry cleaned because it includes textiles or dyes that are not compatible with laundry processes.

If your clothes and fabrics are washable, the following general information guide will help you minimise stain damage and aid removal.

For best success, treat all stains within 24 hours. Older stains are more difficult to remove.

STAIN TYPE:-

Egg nog, ice cream, chocolate milk or milk puddings and pies:
First soak in cold water to soften and loosen as hot water cooks the stain into the fibres. Then wash with regular detergent and warm water

Biro Ink: Soak a piece of cotton wool in alcohol and rub the stain gently.

Blood: Fresh blood stains can be removed with cold water. For dried in blood stains use cold water but add a drop or two of hydrogen peroxide (use a 3% solution). Grip the area firmly in your fist holding the stain facing down, and pour the solution over the stain. This will prevent the stain from spreading when reacting with the solution.

Chocolate: Rub gently with glycerin. Rinse in lukewarm water.

Black Coffee / Tea : Do not use soap! Try leaving a few drops of glycerin to soak in. Then wash in lukewarm water. For old stains try adding a half teaspoon of egg yoke to the glycerin.
If coffee and tea contain milk / cream and sugar, soak in cold water first to 'loosen' stain, then wash with detergent and warm / hot water. If any trace remains, soak in an all-fabric bleach solution for five minutes. (Or, use an all-fabric bleach in the wash, if stain is not fresh.)

Scorch / Cigarette Mark: On wool rub with a piece of cotton soaked in hydrogen peroxide (24% solution). Leave the soaked stained area exposed to direct sunlight for a few hours until scorch mark disappears. Repeat a few times if necessary. Do not overuse peroxide!

Fat: Butter / Mayo / Salad dressings. First use some very fine salt and rub gently. Rinse from the inside with warm water, pat dry, then spray with aerosol pretreatment spray e.g. "Vanish" or rub with liquid detergent and wash promptly in hot water with detergent.
A vegetable oil stain that has set for more than a day in nylon, or polyester or their blends will be almost impossible to remove.

Felt Tip Pen or Mustard stains
Wash with detergent and hot water, then, if necessary, bleach, using the type that is safe for the fabric.
Always follow bleach bottle / package directions. All fabric bleaches usually can be used on coloured fabrics. Liquid chlorine bleach in dilute solution is more powerful and effective for whites.

Fruit: Apply a little lemon juice to the stain. Not a good idea on silks etc.

Grass: Rub the stain with the following solution; 2 tablespoons of alcohol, 3 tablespoons of hot water and 1 tablespoon of ammonia.

Iron Overpressing Marks: Place a well dampened cloth under the marked area. Place a white cotton handkerchief on the outside. Leave for a day, then iron with a freshly dampened cloth. The iron should be warm and not hot!

Lipstick: Mix a teaspoon of sugar with water and rub over the stain. Remove the solution with a damp cloth.

Ladies Make-up: Soak a cloth, or cotton wool in pure alcohol or ether and apply until clean.

Paint: Apply turpentine carefully and then rub gently with a cloth soaked in soapy water.

Shoe Polish: Use turpentine on the stain and rub with a cloth.

White Wine: On a fresh stain use some salt and then rub very gently with lemon juice and soap. You may have to repeat the procedure a few times. Rinse thoroughly.

Red Wine, Beer, Cola, Citrus juices, cranberry, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry: Do not pretreat with soap !!!
Wash clothing with detergent and warm / hot water and if a trace remains, soak in an all-fabric bleach solution for five minutes. (Or use an all-fabric bleach in the wash if stain is not fresh.)

Hard-to-Remove Stains: Candle wax
1. Let 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 like Vanish.
4. Scrub by hand using hot water and liquid laundry detergent.
5. If colour remains, use a bleach that's safe for the fabric.
6. Launder / Machine wash.
Repeat from 3 again if needed.
Note: Some stain removal guides suggest ironing wax stains with absorbent paper towels to transfer and absorb the wax. This forces the part of the stain that doesn't transfer farther into the yarns and fibres; it will leave an oily looking permanent spot.

Hard-to-Remove Stains: Chewing gum
1. Apply ice to harden the gum stain.
2. Scrape off the hard excess gum with a dull knife.
3. Spray the stain with pretreatment aerosol product like Vanish.
4. Scrub with heavy-duty liquid detergent.
5. Rinse in hot water; repeat from 3, as needed.
6. Launder / machine wash.

Hard-to-Remove Stains: Soot, smoke
1. If the stain is very heavy, shake off outdoors.
2. Machine wash using heavy-duty detergent, water conditioner, and all fabric bleach.
3. Air dry, then inspect for smoke odours.
4. Repeat if necessary.
5. Soot carbon particles can get engrained between fibres; bleaching (as a last resort) may not help much.

We would remind you that this is only a general information guide. Clothing.ie cannot be held liable (a) for any damage caused to any garment by use or misuse of the above guide, or (b) for failure on your part to seek professional cleaning / stain removal advice.

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