| Stain |
Treatment |
| Alcoholic Beverages |
Rinse stain immediately with cold water or soak stain 30
minutes in cold water. Apply detergent or dishwashing liquid to any
trace of stain while still wet. If safe for the fabric, wash in hot
water using chlorine bleach. |
| Baby Food, Formula |
Rinse with cold water. Soak with an enzyme soaking product.
Rinse. Wash as usual. If stain remains, apply a pretreat product
and wash again. |
| Blood |
Treat stain immediately. Soak 30 minutes or more in cold water.
Rub detergent into stain. If stain persists, place a small amount
of household ammonia on the stain and rub again with detergent. If
safe for fabric, wash in hot water and chlorine bleach if traces of
the stain persist. |
| Candle Wax |
Rub with ice and scrape off excess wax. Place stain between
paper towels and press with warm iron. Then place stain face down
on paper towels and sponge with rubbing alcohol, if safe for fabric
(refer to WARNING above). Let dry, wash. If traces of color remain,
wash with commercial color remover (Rit, Putnam,* etc.) or, if safe
for the fabric, hot water and chlorine bleach. |
| Cheese |
Rinse with cold water. Soak with an enzyme soaking product. If
the stain remains, apply a pretreat product. Wash as usual. |
| Chewing Gum |
Rub with ice and scrape off excess gum. Place face down on
paper towels and sponge with a pretreat product. |
| Chocolate or Cocoa |
Rinse with cold water. Rub detergent into stain and soak in
cold water. If greasy stain remains, sponge face down on paper
towels with a pretreat product. If traces of the stain remain, wash
in hot water and chlorine bleach (if safe for fabric). |
| Coffee, Tea |
Soak in cold water. Rub detergent into stain, rinse. If traces
of the stain remain, use a pretreat product and wash in warm water,
or wash in hot water with chlorine bleach (if safe for
fabric). |
| Copier Toner |
Shake off loose powder. Brush stain with toothbrush to remove
remaining powder. Sponge stain with soapy water. If stain remains,
apply a pretreat product and wash in hot water (if safe for
fabric). |
| Crayon |
Treat the same as candle wax or place face down on paper towel
and spray with WD-4O*. Rinse. Wash in hot water (if safe for
fabric) using soap (not a detergent) and 1-2 cups baking soda. If
stains remain, professional drycleaning may be necessary. |
| Deodorants and Anti-Perspirants |
Some of these products contain substances that can change the
color of some dyes. The color can sometimes be restored if the area
is sponged with ammonia then rinsed.To remove stains, apply white
vinegar. Rub and rinse. If stains remain, rub detergent into stain
and wash with hot water and chlorine bleach (if safe for
fabric). |
| Dye |
Treat with a commercial dye remover (Rit, Putnam*) or, if safe
for fabric, bleach with chlorine bleach. |
| Egg, Gravy |
If dried, scrape off excess. Soak in cold water. Rub detergent
into damp stain and, if safe for fabric, wash in hot water and
chlorine bleach. |
| Eye and Face Make-up |
Tap on the stain with a spoon to loosen it. Rub dampened stain
with bar soap, dishwashing liquid or detergent. If stain remains,
soak in water and detergent. Apply a pretreat product and wash as
usual. |
| Fabric Softener |
Dampen stain and rub with bar soap. Wash as usual. |
| Felt-Tip Marker |
Rub detergent into damp stain. Apply a pretreat product. If
safe for fabric, wash in hot water and chlorine bleach. |
| Fruit Juices |
Soak in cold water. Wash in hot water with chlorine bleach (if
safe for fabric). |
| Grass |
Place face down on paper towel and sponge with rubbing alcohol
(if safe for fabric).Rinse. Apply a pretreat product and wash. If
stain remains, wash in hot water with chlorine bleach (if safe for
fabric). |
| Grease, Oil |
Place face down on paper towel and sponge with a pretreat
product. Dampen stain with water and rub with bar soap or
detergent. Wash in hot water (if safe for fabric). |
| Ink |
Saturate the stain with hair spray or place the fabric face
down on paper towel and sponge with rubbing alcohol (refer to
WARNING on previous page). Rinse. If traces of the stain remain,
rub detergent into the dampened stain and wash. Some inks may be
impossible to remove. |
| Iodine |
Rinse from the back side of the stain with cold water. Then
soak in a commercial color remover (Rit, Putnam*, etc.) or rub in a
paste of water and starch. Let stand for 15-30 minutes and
wash. |
| Jam, Jelly |
Scrape off excess. Rinse with cold water. Rub dampened stain
with detergent. Apply a pretreat product and launder with an enzyme
soaking product. If stain remains, sponge with a mild bleach, such
as water and white vinegar mix (equal parts) and wash again. |
| Ketchup, Tomato-Based Products |
Scrape off excess. Soak in cold water 30 minutes. Rub detergent
into the stain and, if safe for fabric, wash in hot water and
chlorine bleach.
|
| Lipstick |
Rub dampened stain with bar soap and wash. |
| Lotion (Hand, Body, Suntan) |
Scrape off excess. Blot stain with paper towel. Rub colorless
hand dishwashing liquid into stain and let stand several minutes.
Rinse. Apply a pretreat product and wash in hot water (if safe for
fabric.) |
| Mildew |
Treat promptly. Mildew damages fabric and sometimes cannot be
removed. Wash with chlorine bleach. For items that cannot be washed
with chlorine bleach, soak in an all fabric bleach, then wash. |
| Milk and Milk Products |
Soak in cold water. Wash in hot water and chlorine bleach (if
safe for fabric). Apply a pretreat product, if a stain is
noticeable. Rewash. |
| Mud |
Let dry. Scrape off excess. Soak in solution of one quart warm
water, half teaspoon liquid hand dishwashing detergent and one
tablespoon vinegar for 15 minutes. Rinse. Wash in hot or warm water
with enzyme product. |
| Mustard |
Rinse with cold water. Rub dampened stain with bar soap. Apply
a pretreat product. Wash in hot water and chlorine bleach (if safe
for fabric). |
| Nail Polish |
Place face down on paper towel. Sponge with nail polish remover
(non-oily) until stain disappears. Wash. Do not use nail polish
remover on Acetate or Arnel fabrics. |
| Paint |
Water-based paint -- Treat by rinsing fabric in cool water
while stains are still wet. Wash. To soften dried paint, apply
soapy water or an acrylic paint and varnish remover. Rinse and then
wash. Oil-based paint -- Pretreat with a solvent recommended on the
paint container. If not available, use mineral spirits. Rinse.
Pretreat with a stain remover or detergent. Rinse and wash. Be sure
to thoroughly rinse to remove all solvents to prevent a possible
explosion in washer. |
| Perspiration |
Rub dampened stain with detergent. Wash in hot water and
chlorine bleach (if safe for fabric). If the fabric is discolored,
you can try to restore it by treating fresh stains with ammonia or
old stains with vinegar. |
| Rust |
Apply a mild bleach such as lemon juice or a commercial rust
remover (Whink, Rit, RoVer*, etc.) Follow manufacturer's
directions. Wash as usual. |
| Salad Dressing, Mayonnaise |
Scrape off excess. Apply a pretreat product. Rub stain with an
enzyme soaking product and wash with hot water (if safe for
fabric.). Do not leave washer unattended as remaining residue may
cause fabric to catch on fire. |
| Scorching |
Wash using hot water and chlorine bleach (if safe for fabric).
Fabrics can be damaged by being scorched. If this has happened, you
may not be able to remove the marks. |
| Shoe Polish |
Rub dampened stain with detergent. Wash in hot water and
chlorine bleach if safe for fabric. |
| Soft Drinks |
Rinse stain with cold water immediately. Wash in warm water and
chlorine bleach, if safe for fabric. |
| Soy Sauce |
Rinse with cold water. Apply a pretreat product. Wash as
usual. |
| Tobacco |
Dampen stain and rub with bar soap. Rinse. If necessary, soak
in an all-fabric bleach solution. If stain remains, wash with
chlorine bleach (if safe for fabric). |
| Toothpaste |
Scrape off excess. Blot stain with enzyme soaking product and
cold water. Rinse. Wash as usual. |
| Urine |
Rinse with cold water. Soak with an enzyme soaking product.
Wash in hot water with chlorine bleach (if safe for fabric). If the
color of the fabric has changed, sponging the area with ammonia may
restore the color. |
| Vomit |
Soak in a solution of one quart warm water, half teaspoon
liquid hand dishwashing detergent, and one tablespoon ammonia (if
safe for fabric). Soak 15 minutes. Use sponge to loosen stain. Blot
with toweling. Wash in hot water (if safe for fabric) with an
enzyme product. |
| Wine |
Treat immediately. Rinse with cold water or club soda. Rub
dampened stain with detergent and let stand several minutes. Apply
a pretreat product and wash. |