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laundry
spot
and stain removal guide A-K
A Note About Chlorine Based Bleaches
Don’t mix bleach with other household cleaning goods or
ammonia-the mixture can create toxic gases. Don’t
put bleaches in metal containers, as the metal can accelerate the
action of the bleach.
Chlorine bleaches are the strongest variety of bleach. They can
make permanent –press fabrics turn yellow and will destroy wool.
Only use on washable white fabrics and always rinse away
thoroughly. Use
bleaches sparingly.
Solvent
Cleaners
Solvent cleaners can miraculously move certain stains with very
little effort, and have saved many a garment, particularly those
made of fabrics suitable only for dry-cleaning. The solvent
cleaners include methylated spirits, dry-cleaning fluid,
turpentine and white spirit, just to name a few. All solvents are
flammable and must be treated with caution. They should never be
opened near a naked flame, nor near lit cigarettes, hot electric
elements or gas pilot lights. The fumes alone can ignite a fire
without the heat source coming in contact with the liquid; so
choose a flame free, well-ventilated area to use the solvent.
Solvents should
not be opened or stored near appliances that may spark, such as
washing machines. Store them in a safe place, well out of children’s
reach and, please, read and heed the cautionary advice on the
packaging.
Better
Safe Than Sorry
Unless you’ve previously tried a method of stain removal on the
same fabric, it’s always wise to do a spot check first. Find an
unnoticeable area on the fabric and try out the method, checking
that no damage or dye loss occurs. This may seem tiresome, but a
solution which successfully removes a determined stain might also
affect the colour. Always
rinse well after treatment. Some
fabrics are particularly sensitive to various cleaners.
Where Do
You Get It ?
- Ammonia -
supermarket (cleaning section)
- Bicarbonate
of soda – supermarket (cake ingredients section)
- Borax –
supermarket
- Cream of
tartar – supermarket (cake ingredients section)
- Dry-cleaning
fluid – selected hardware stores
- Dye
stripper – pharmacy
- Eucalyptus
oil – health food stores, supermarkets
- Glycerine
– pharmacy
- Methylated
spirits – supermarkets
- Rubbing
alcohol – pharmacy
- White
spirit – pharmacy
Common
Stains of Fabrics
| Beetroot: |
1.
Soak overnight in a solution of washing powder such as
Drive, which contains an oxygen bleach, then follow with a
machine wash using a full of washing powder. |
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2.
For stubborn or old stains, apply a paste of Drive moistened
fabric, roll up and leave overnight before washing.
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| Bleach: |
1.
To minimise the effect of split bleach, wash the article
immediately in lots of cold water. |
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2.
For chlorine-based bleach, mix one-tablespoon vinegar with
600ml of cold water and soak the article. |
| Blood: |
1.
Soak fresh stains in cold, salty water, then wash in a
solution of warm water and washing powder. |
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2.
On delicate fabrics, such as silk or crepe de Chine mixing a
paste of starch and water, cover the stain thickly and allow
the dry thoroughly. Gently brush. |
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3.
To remove old bloodstains, mix meat tenderiser and cold
water to a paste, cover the stain, leave for half an hour.
(Do not use on delicate fabrics.) Rinse in cold water.
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| Candle
wax: |
1.
Start by scraping off excess wax, then place stained fabric
between blotters and press with warm iron. Remove remaining
mark with a safe dry-cleaning fluid, using the following
method: place cottonwool pad on the right side of the
fabric, then dampen another cottonwool pad with the
dry-cleaning fluid and sponge the stain through the fabric
from wrong side. |
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2.
If fabric is fully washable and will stand high
temperatures, pour boiling water through the stain from
height of about 60cm, taking due caution.
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| Chewing
gum: |
Freeze
gum with ice cubes. When frozen scrape off as much as
possible. Clean spot with spirit cleaner, such as methylated
spirits or dry cleaning fluid, then rinse in cold water. If
article is washable sponge area rather than submerge in
water.
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| Chocolate: |
When
you find you have dropped some chocolate on yourself or on a
piece of furniture start by trying to scrape as much as
possible off with a knife. Mix, white alcohol with egg yolk
and let this mixture soak briefly into the chocolate stain.
After you have done this wash the item in warm soapy water.
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| Coffee: |
1.
Wash out with cold water, then white vinegar. Rinse
well. |
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2.
Soak in borax solution for half an hour, then wash usual
way. |
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3.
For non-washable articles, sponge with borax soap. |
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4.
Glycerine may be useful to soften an old coffee stain then
clean as suggested above.
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| Cricket
ball stains: |
Remove
red cricket ball mark from white fabric using a dye stripper
such as Run Away, available from selected supermarkets
and chemists.
|
| Curry: |
see
under Turmeric.
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| Egg: |
Soak
in a cold solution of Drive, which has firstly dissolved in
hot water. Wash in normal way.
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| Fruit: |
1.
Fruit stains must be attended to before the article in the
normal wash. Dry stains can be loosened with a glycerine
solution, then treat with detergent rubbed straight onto the
stain. Work stain out with fingers; wash in normal way. |
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2.
Solutions of borax or vinegar may be used instead of
detergent. |
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3.
Cover the stain with salt as soon as possible. Soak in milk
before washing in normal way.
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| Grass
stains: |
1.
Soak overnight in Drive, dissolve in hot water, then wash in
normal way. For stubborn stains, apply a paste of washing
powder on most fabric, roll up and leave overnight, then
wash. |
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2.
Sponge with dry-cleaning fluid, followed by methylated
spirits. Allow to dry and then wash in normal way.
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| Grease: |
1.
For greasy work clothes, dissolve one metric cup of Drive in
half a tub of hot water and soak overnight before machine
washing with fresh washing powder. See directions on the
side of the pack for severe soiling. |
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2.
A cup of ammonia or a cup of salt added to wash water may
also help. |
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3.
Bicarbonate of soda can also be used to remove grease. If
spot is fresh, cover with bicarb for a few minutes, the
brush off. |
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4.
For an older stain, wet the fabric, then rub in the bicarb.
Scrape off, repeat and leave for a few hours. Wash in warm,
soapy water.
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| Hair
dye: |
Contact
the manufacturer immediately. A contact phone number can be
found on the package.
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| Ink: |
Soak
in milk for several hours, then wash in normal way.
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*To see the spot and stain removal guide L-Z,
please click here
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