Stain Removal Tips

Blood, Fresh & Dried

Rinse the garment under cold water. This is the easiest way to get rid of fresh blood, and it works well if you can catch it right away. Don’t use hot water – this could cause the blood to set in the fabric

Try hydrogen peroxide next. This only works with wet blood. Before deciding to use hydrogen peroxide, note that it may bleach or weaken certain fabrics, and can cause stains itself. So use it cautiously and make sure to pretest the hydrogen peroxide on a small, inconspicuous spot on the stained item.

Pour hydrogen peroxide on the stain. Dilute the hydrogen peroxide with 50% water if you are treating delicate fabrics. Take care not to let the foam spread outside the original stain area.
Replenish the hydrogen peroxide several times, as the chemical action slows and the foam becomes stable.
Wipe away the foam using a cloth and pour on a bit of hydrogen peroxide again until the stain is gone or extremely faint.
Wash the stained item with cold water and normally used soap or detergent.
You can also soak the entire garment in a bowl of hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the stained clothing from the hydrogen peroxide and rinse it out in cold water.

Use salt and water for delicate fabrics. Act quickly – the faster you can treat the stain with salt and water paste, the less time is has to set into the fibers.

Rinse the stain under lots of cold water. If you have access to running water, put the stain under the tap and let the cold water run through it. You will be able to wash away a lot of the blood this way.
Rub the fabric together under the water if possible to release more of the remaining stain. If you are able to treat the stain within 10 to 15 minutes of it happening, you may be able to wash it out completely. However, if you still see signs of the blood, get some salt.
Mix a little water with salt to create a paste. You want to saturate the stain with salt, so the amount of paste you will need depends on the size of your stain.
Rub the salt and water paste onto the stained area. The abrasiveness of the salt granules and their dehydrating properties will loosen the remaining blood stain and draw it out of the fibers.
Rinse the salt away with more cold water. Check if the stain is gone.
When the stain is gone or you can’t wash away any more of it, put the fabric into a normal wash cycle with laundry detergent.
If the stained item cannot be put in the wash, use as much cold water as needed to rinse away the blood and salt.

Coffee, Tea

Presoak item in liquid detergent with bleach. Wash using the hottest water temperature that is safe for the fabric.

Cosmetics

Pre-treat the stain with pre-spotter or dampen and rub with bar soap. Wash as usual with a fabric-safe bleach.

Dingy White Socks

Presoak in a liquid detergent with bleach for a minimum of 30 minutes. Wash in a liquid detergent which contains bleach. Food Coloring Soak in cool water. If stain remains, rub on detergent and rinse. Wash.

Fruit Juice, Wine & Soft Drinks

Soak stain in cool water as soon as possible. Then, soak in a laundry detergent which contains bleach, using the hottest water safe for the fabric. Wash.

Mud

Brush off as much as possible when garment is dry, then rinse under cold running water. Pretreat with a paste of powder detergent and water, or liquid laundry detergent. Wash using laundry detergent and a fabric-safe bleach.

Rust Stains

The yellow, orange or brown spots we sometimes find on our clothes may be caused by rust. Iron content of over .2 parts per million in your water supply can cause these type of stains, so it’s important to have your water supply checked. Two possible sources can be rusty water pipes or water heaters. One way to combat this problem is by using a mechanical water softener with an iron filter. Also, using a non-chlorine bleach can help, as chlorine bleach may cause the iron in the water to precipitate on fabrics and leave stains.

Washing Tips

Brighten Colors with Salt

Hard water can cause clothes to become dull or dingy after several washings. To solve this problem, add a couple of pinches of ordinary table salt to the washer with the detergent. Let some water run in the washer to dissolve detergent and salt, then add clothes. Colored clothes will come out much brighter.

Delicates

Think you have to take that sheer voile blouse, beaded top, fringed silk shawl, or lace trimmed dress to the cleaners? Think again! You can clean these at home by simply tying the articles in a cotton pillow case, knotting it closed, and washing in cold water on regular cycle. Beads, sequins, buttons and delicate laces will not fall to pieces, and garments can be restored by steam ironing or steaming in the shower!

Down

As a general rule, down items should be cleaned twice a year- once before you start wearing them, and before you put them away after the winter season. Down can be washed or dry-cleaned, read your care label for instructions. You’re better off taking large items that require a lot of washer and dryer space (i.e. comforters) to the laundromat, which has larger machines. Be careful not to tumble dry down items at a temperature greater than 140F, or water-resistant shell fabrics can slow drying.