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Handy laundry hints - There is sure to be some useful information for every house hold here...

Spot and stain removal guide A-Z

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.
2. For stubborn or old stains, apply a paste of Drive moistened fabric, roll up and leave overnight before washing.

Bleach
1. To minimise the effect of split bleach, wash the article immediately in lots of cold water.
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.
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.
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.

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.
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.

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.

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.

Coffee
1. Wash out with cold water, then white vinegar. Rinse well.
2. Soak in borax solution for half an hour, then wash usual way.
3. For non-washable articles, sponge with borax soap.
4. Glycerine may be useful to soften an old coffee stain then clean as suggested above.

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.

Egg
Soak in a cold solution of Drive, which has firstly dissolved in hot water. Wash in normal way.

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.
2. Solutions of borax or vinegar may be used instead of detergent.
3. Cover the stain with salt as soon as possible. Soak in milk before washing in normal way.

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.
2. Sponge with dry-cleaning fluid, followed by methylated spirits. Allow to dry and then wash in normal way.

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.
2. A cup of ammonia or a cup of salt added to wash water may also help.
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.
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.

Hair dye
Contact the manufacturer immediately. A contact phone number can be found on the package.

Ink
Soak in milk for several hours, then wash in normal way.

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

Lipstick
1. Soak the stain in milk for 30 minutes, then wash in warm, soapy water.
2. For greasy lipstick stains, soak in ammonia (if fabric is suitable), then wash in normal way.
3. Sponge with eucalyptus oil until lipstick is removed, then wash in normal way. Eucalyptus oil or a cleaning spirit may be suitable for non-washable fabrics.
 
Mildew
1. Chlorine-based bleach will remove mildew stains. Make sure that fabric is suitable.
2. Apply lemon juice plus non-iodised salt on the affected area and dry out in the sun. Wash in the normal way.
3. Very often a household washing powder, such as Drive, will remove mildew stains.

Nail polish
Treat immediately. Scrape off any excess, taking care not to spread stain. Blot with nail polish remover until polish is removed. Wash in normal way. Do not use nail polish remover on acetates, as it will destroy the fabric. Unfortunately, any solvents that will remove nail polish will also damage acetate, so the stain is permanent.

Perspiration and deodorant
1. Prevention of such stains is easier than cure. A gentle rub with pure soap, such as Sunlight or Velvet, before washing will prevent the stain from building up.
2. For fresh perspiration stains on white cotton or linen, treat by sponging with ammonia, then rinse in cold water. Use white vinegar on an old stain.
3. White garments also can be soaked in chlorine-based bleach, following the manufacture's instructions.
4. Another method is to apply a paste made from one teaspoon of cream of tartar, Three crushed aspirin tablets and warm water. Leave on the stain for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Red wine
1. Cover stain immediately with salt. Keep applying salt until the wine is soaked up. If fabric is suitable, pour boiling water through the stain from a height of 60cm, taking due care. For other fabrics, sponge with warm water.
2. If stain persists, work warm glycerine onto the spot, working lightly with fingers.

Rust
Apply lemon juice and apply for 10-15 minutes. Then place a damp cloth over the stain and iron; repeat if necessary. Rinse and wash, using a washing powder.
 
Sap
Stains on clothing from plants such as banana trees and Monstera deliciosa are not usually noticed until after they have been washed and they have set to a brown colour, which is very difficult to remove. For colourfast fabrics, which can stand high temperatures, dissolve one cup of Drive in half a litre of boiling water, then add enough boiling water to cover the stained article and stir well. Add article and leave to soak overnight. Rinse well.

Scorch marks
1. Rub well with white vinegar and rinse in cold water.
2. Very often a household washing powder, such as Drive, will remove light scorch marks with little effort 9not for wool).
Deep scorch marks can not be removed, as the fabric has been damaged

Soft drink
For white cotton or white linen, pour boiling water through the stain from a height of about 60cm, taking due care. For other fabrics, sponge with warm water. If stain persists, gently rub warm glycerine into the spot, work lightly with fingers.

Tar
Saturate the stain with eucalyptus oil and cover with bicarbonate of soda. Leave for an hour then wash in normal way. This procedure may have to be repeated several times to remove the stain completely. Mineral turpentine could be used to sponge residual stain.

Tea
1. Run hot water through the stained spot.
2. On whites, lemon juice may be applied and left for several hours. Then the article should be washed in usual way.
3. Apply glycerine, wait fir several hours, then wash with soap in cold water.

Tobacco
It's best to treat this stain with a mixture of egg yolk and methylated spirits. Glycerine can also be used as an alternative. Rinse out after about half an hour with clear alcohol. Older stains can be treated in the same manner but a good idea is to moisten first with a drop of citric acid.

Turmeric
1. Turmeric is often the staining ingredient in curries, pickles and some sauces. Soak the stained article over night in a solution of Drive, then wash it in normal way. For particularly stubborn stains, make a paste of Drive and water and apply to moistened fabric, roll up and leave overnight. Next day, wash in normal way.
2. Loosen the stain with a glycerine solution, then soak in a solution of ammonia. Wash in normal way.
3. Suitable white fabrics may be bleached.

Typing correction fluid
Treat immediately. Scrape off any excess, then blot with correction fluid thinner until stain disappears.
White typing correction fluid is excellent for painting over chips in white goods and bathroom enamel surfaces.
When the fluid is dry, paint over it with clear nail polish to give a shinny finish.

Unknown stains
Anything that can not be identified should be treated with caution. Approach this unknown stain by analysing the situation and identifying the type of fabric involved. Egg yolk is very effective on coloured, washable fabrics. Once you have soaked the stain, rinse it out with cold water.