Guide to remove the sinner stains!

Oops! Your favorite shirt got stained? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Well, unless you are okay discarding every dress that stains, here are the simple dos you can follow to remove stains.

First and foremost, deal with the stain as soon as possible remove the stain.

Secondly, before throwing the cloth into the bucket of water or the machine, treat it the affected spot with a stain remover.

Choose a stain of your concern for more specific guidelines:

BEVERAGES:

1. In cool water, soak the stain.
2. Treat it with stain remover, liquid detergent or paste of the laundry powder of your choice.
3. Wash using sodium hypochlorite bleach or oxygen bleach.

BLOOD:

For fresh stains:

1. Soak in cold water (hot water will set the stains)
2. Wash.

For dried stains:

1. Soak in warm water with a product containing enzymes.
2. Wash.

If stain remains, rewash using a bleach safe for fabric.

BUTTER:

1. Treat the stain with a prewash stain remover
2. Wash using very hot water yet keeping it fabric safe

CHOCOLATE:

1. Gently scrape of any excess chocolate
2. Soak in cool water
3. Treat it with prewash stain remover
4. Wash using hot water yet keeping it fabric safe

COFFEE / TEA:

1. Soak the stain in cool water
2. Treat with prewash stain remover, liquid detergent or paste of the detergent powder of your choice
3. Wash using sodium hypochlorite bleach or oxygen bleach.

COSMETICS / LIPSTICKS:

1. Treat with prewash stain remover, liquid laundry detergent, paste of powder detergent and water or rub with soap bar.
2. Wash.

DEODORANT:

For Light Stains:

1. Treat with liquid laundry detergent.
2. Wash.

For Heavy Stains:

1. Treat with prewash stain remover. Allow to stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Wash using an oxygen bleach.

DISCOLORATION:

1. Use a fabric friendly rust remover
2. Wash.

EGG:

1. Soak the stain using a product containing enzymes.
2. Soak for at least 30 minutes or several hours for old stains.
3. Wash.

FRUIT JUICES:

1. Wash with fabric safe bleach.

GREASE OR OIL:

For light stains:

1. Treat with prewash stain remover, liquid laundry detergent
2. Wash in hot water yet fabric safe.

For Heavy Stains:

1. Place stain face down on tissue paper. Apply cleaning fluid to back of stain.
2. Replace tissues under stain frequently.
3. Let it dry then rinse.
4. Wash using hot water yet fabric safe.

ICE CREAM:

1. Soak the stain using a product containing enzymes.
2. Soak for at least 30 minutes – longer for older stains.
3. Wash using the warmest water that’s safe for the fabric.

INK:

1. Place stain over mouth of a glass and hold the fabric tight.
2. Drip alcohol or cleaning liquid through the stain so the ink drops into the glass as it is removed.
3. Rinse thoroughly

Having said this, some inks like ballpoint, felt tip, liquid may be impossible to remove.

KETCHUP:

1. Remove any excess ketchup from the fabric but avoid spreading of it.
2. Run cold water through the stain from the backside to force the stain out of the clothing.

LIPSTICK:

1. Put the napkin stain down on top of a couple layers of tissue paper
2. Dampen another tissue paper with rubbing alcohol (70% – 90%), then keep dabbing the stained area.
3. Keep at it until the stain is gone. Some long-lasting lipsticks may need more work to get off.

MAYONNAISE:

1. Treat with a prewash stain remover.
2. Wash using the hottest water yet fabric safe.

NAIL POLISH:

1. Try nail polish remover but do not use on acetate or triacetate fabrics.
2. Place stain face down on clean tissues. Apply nail polish remover to back of stain. Replace tissues frequently.
3. Repeat until stain disappears, if it does.
4. Rinse.

Having said this, nail polish removal is nearly impossible.

PAINT:

For Water-based Paint:

1. Rinse fabric in warm water while stains are still wet.
2. Wash.

 But once paint is dry, it cannot be removed.

For Oil-based Paint and Varnish:

1. Use the same solvent the label on the can advises for a thinner.
2. If you can’t find, then use turpentine.
3. Rinse.
4. Treat with prewash stain remover, bar soap or laundry detergent.
5. Rinse and wash.

SOFT DRINK:

1. Sponge or soak the stain in cool water for about 30 minutes.
2. Treat with a prewash stain remover.
3. Wash and if it is fabric safe, add chlorine bleach to the wash.

TOBACCO:

1. Dampen stain and rub with bar soap and rinse the spot.
2. Pretreat or soak in a product containing enzymes.
3. Wash.

If stain remains, wash again using a fabric safe bleach.

WINE:

1. Sponge the stain with cool water or soak it in cool water for about 30 minutes.
2. Pretreat with a prewash stain remover.
3. Wash and if it is fabric-safe, add chlorine bleach to the wash.

With that being said, Dhobi G is a go-to help for anything related to laundry. You may browse many more similar tips at https://blog.dhobig.com/. Visit Dhobi G at www.dhobig.com. Make sure to check them out on Facebook as well at https://www.facebook.com/DhobiGOnline/.

And if these tricks worked for you, send us your before and after pictures on our feedback column!