Effective ways for removing laundry stains
Contents |
[edit] Different Fabic Types
[edit] Useful Equipment
[edit] Toothbrush
[edit] Paintbrushes
[edit] Spray Bottles
[edit] Different stain removal methods
[edit] The ivory soap method
Ivory soap works well for stains because it's mild (with an almost-neutral pH) and it doesn't contain moisturizers, deodorants, and other unnecessary additives. Other mild white bar soaps will work, too, but save those colorful, moisture-lade, or highly perfumed soaps for unwinding in the bathtub. For stain removal, plain old soap works wonders.
- Wet the stained garment with cold water.
- Rub a bar of Ivory soap directly into the stain, then rinse.
- If that doesn't remove the stain, rub Ivory soap on the stain again, and then soak the fabric for 30 minutes or so in cold water with a bit of powdered detergent dissolved in it. (If you forget and leave stuff soaking longer, it doesn't really matter; you won't hurt the fabric.) Rinse.
- If that still doesn't work, rub more bar soap into the stain, scrub it with a scrub brush (taking care not to damage the fabric), and rinse.
- If a second scrubbing attempt doesn't remove the stain, blot it gently with some color-safe bleach (oxygen-bleach, not chlorine bleach) diluted with water, then rinse with clean water to remove all of the bleach.
- If all else fails, be prepared to live with the stain.
[edit] Exceptions to the Ivory Soap Rule
Like most rules, there are exceptions. Certain stains require different methods of attack.
Coffee isn't hard to get out if you get to it with soap and water right away.
Fruit: Put lemon on the stain first. If that doesn't work, use bar soap.
Mildew: Wash the garment in warm or hot water with oxygen bleach, depending on the fabric, and line dry or dry flat in direct sunlight.
Oil and Grease: Sprinkle some cornstarch or baking soda on the stain, then place the garment, stain side down, on a large rag on top of an ironing board. Iron with a hot iron on the wrong side of the stain --most oil and grease stains will come right out. (This trick works only for oil and grease, which need heat to dissolve.)
Rust: Soak fabric spotted with brown rust stains (which sometimes come from hard water) in a solution of 1 part lemon juice and 1 part water for at least 30 minutes. Do not use chlorine bleach on rust stains.
Tea stains: These are hard to get out, but soak tea stains in cool water and apply bar soap anyway.
Sweat stains: Line-dry the shirts outside. The combination of sunlight's natural bleaching properties and drying at lower temperatures than in a dryer keeps sweat stains from turning yellow. It's the heat of the dryer that sets the stains and makes them difficult to get out.
[edit] Baking Soda Method
Baking Soda is a wonderful stain remover and removing laundry stains with it is safe and affordable and if you do it right, you will be pleasantly surprised. Take these simple steps to get your clothes stain free and bright or white again.
1. Make sure your cooking pot is big enough to completely immerse your stained laundry into. Fill it with water to about a little over half full.
2. Bring the water to a complete boil but make sure it is not boiling over the sides. Add one cup of baking soda, stir into the water good and boil for two or three minutes and turn off the stove.
3. Gently lower one or two items of larger clothing, or a few smaller pieces of clothing, into the water with a long spoon.Push it down in slowly until completely immersed in the hot water and baking soda mixture. Have a big bowl or some type of pail ready to transfer the clothing into to take to the washing machine.
4. Let the laundry soak for a couple of hours or longer until water is cooled off and then remove article of clothing with the big spoon into the bucket or pail.
Put them into the washing machine with like colors and do laundry as usual.
[edit] Vinegar Method
Removing stains from clothing, carpet, bedding and other household fabrics is an ongoing battle. A walk down the detergent aisle of any supermarket reveals shelves full of products designed to get rid of all sorts of stains. These solutions can be expensive however, and there is a more common stain remover product that is cheaper and already found in most homes. Plain white vinegar is an excellent stain remover for a variety of stains and can be mixed with other cleaning products to enhance their effectiveness.
1. Mix a solution of 50 percent white vinegar and 50 percent water in a spray bottle. Close the spray bottle, and shake it well to combine the contents.
2. Apply the solution to a small, inconspicuous area of the fabric to test for color fastness. Allow the vinegar solution to sit for two minutes, and then check the color of the area. If no difference in color is evident, continue with the stain removal process.
3. Spray the stain thoroughly with the vinegar and water solution until the stain and fabric are completely saturated.
4. Let the stain sit for two minutes and then blot--do not rub--the stain with a clean, white towel. Continue until stain is completely removed. If the stain does not seem to be diminishing, continue with additional stain removal steps.
5. Mix 1 tsp. of white vinegar, 1 tsp. of liquid dish soap and 1 cup of warm water. Apply the solution to the stain using a sponge, and allow it to sit for two minutes. Blot the stain with a dry towel to remove it.
6. Allow the fabric to air dry once the stain is removed. A hair dryer, set to the coolest temperature will also speed drying time.
[edit] Lemon Juice Method
Lemon juice can be a magical ingredient when it comes to removing food-based stains from fabric. Though it's unclear just how lemon juice can eliminate stains, scientists from the United States Department of Energy postulate that stains dissolve easily in lemon juice because the fruit contains organic properties, such as acids, that are more equipped to get rid of similar organic substances. Whatever the chemistry behind it, this citrus juice has proven an effective weapon against potentially lasting stains.
1. Scrape off any excess remnants of the substance staining the fabric, whether it be a sauce, a pulpy liquid or other type of food.
2. Take the lemon half and squeeze some of its juice over the stain, preferably working from the reverse side (the side of the fabric that was not initially stained) to saturate the fabric.
3. Place the stained fabric under a faucet and rinse the stained area under a light stream of water, moving the material back and forth under the water.
4. Toss a couple pinches of salt over the stained material and squeeze the remaining lemon juice over the stain. Use the lemon half to gently rub the salt into the fabric, buffing away any remaining marks from the stain. Place the fabric in a cool, dry area where it can air-dry. Once the material has dried, the stain should be gone.
[edit] Potato Method
You should always try basic stain removers and stain removal techniques first. You always want to try the orthodox before attempting a new remedy (especially one involving a potato). Try your standby spot removers, baking soda, vinegar, and a few washings, and if all else fails here is something you can try: the potato technique.
Slice a potato in half and rub it on the mud and soil stains. Keep rubbing the potato on the spot and make sure to really work the potato into the fabric that has the stain. Press hard and you'll start to notice that the stain is coming out of the fabric and showing up in the white of the potato. You may have to try a few times before ultimate success, but it's definitely worth a few tries.
Who knows why this works? Is it the potato juice? Is it the nature of the stain itself? Is the naturalness, outdoor-sy quality of the mud and soil stains finding affinity with the organic potato? Is the potato a "stain sponge?" Who really knows? Regardless of its mechanics, the potato stain-removal method is one you should definitely try if what you're already trying doesn't work. It may seem a bit odd and you your clothes might smell like a garden (until you wash them), but if the stain is gone then what else matters?
[edit] Hydrogen Peroxide Method
The majority of use all have hydrogen peroxide in our medicine cabinets at home, but did you know that it is an effective source to remove stains? There are different ways that you can use hydrogen peroxide to effectively remove stains. Either as a paste by creating it with different ingredients or simply applying the hydrogen peroxide alone or with water.
1. You will be amazed at how well that hydrogen peroxide works at removing tough stains. Once you try it, you are most likely to try it again and realize that you do not need to buy those expensive stain removers. Hydrogen peroxide is so cheap to buy and we always have it on hand!
Here is a few of the stains that it can remove for you ~
2. Blood stains ~ Simply apply hydrogen peroxide to the stain or make a paste consisting of the hydeine peroxide and cold water and corn starch. Make it into a thick paste and allow it to sit on the stain for awhile and then wash like you normally do. You may scrub the stain with a toothbrush to help it as well.
3. Wine & juice stains ~ Apply hydrogen peroxide directly to the stain. No matter where the stain is on your carpet, clothing, or other fabrics, hydrogen peroxide is great at removing them. Just be careful about it splattering. It may stain some fabrics.
4. Pet stains and other stains on hard wood floors ~ Apply hydrogen peroxide to the stain and allow it to sit for awhile. It works relatively well fro this and it can keep you from needing to replace your floors. Walk around and apply it to all the stains that you see on your hardwood floor, wipe it off after awhile and you will see the stain disappear. It may need a couple of applications depending on how bad the stain is!
5. Counter stains ~ you can either make a paste with the hydrogen peroxide or apply it directly. Which ever method you choose make sure that you test an area first. Hydrogen peroxide may stain some items, so test in a n inconspicuous area first.
The most handy way to use hydrogen peroxide for stains in the kitchen and other areas around your home is to keep it in a spray bottle clearly labeled. Mix half a cup hydrogen peroxide to every 3 cups of water. It really works well as a stain remover!
[edit] Meat Tenderizer
Finding a stain on one of your new shirts or skirts can really be a bummer. And with so many stain removers for sale on the market today, it can be hard to decide on which one is right for you and your stain. There is however, a homemade stain remover that you can prepare yourself in seconds, and it works as well as many of the expensive products out there. The following tips will show you how to make an inexpensive stain remover.
Making and applying the stain remover
1. Mix some meat tenderizer with some water and stir until you have a thick paste. Make sure it is thick enough so that it clings to the clothing.
2. Apply the paste to the stain, and rub it in.
3. Allow the paste to sink in and be absorbed for one hour.
4. Wash the clothing as usual. The meat tenderizer will help loosen the crud in the stain by breaking down the proteins in it.
[edit] Sunlight Method
When it comes to getting stains out of whites, bleach really can't be beat. Unfortunately, bleach is too harsh to use on delicate fabrics like lace or silk and can even wear down the fibers of all fabrics. Likewise, some people have skin that is sensitive to the residue that bleach can leave behind -- this is particularly true for babies. In these cases, the sun can be an effective, yet gentle, stain remover. Here's how to do it.
1. Wash the garment with detergent in cold water. This will help to remove much of the surface stain without setting it permanently. Do not dry the garment.
2. Pour lemon juice over the remaining stain while the garment is still wet, making sure to fully saturate the stain.
3. Hang the garment out in direct sunlight. If you do not have a clothesline, lay the garment over the railing of a deck or porch, on a clean patio table or chair, or spread out on a towel.
4. Allow the garment to dry completely and check the stain. If it is still visible, re-saturate with lemon juice and hang in the sunlight.
5. When the stain is gone, wash or rinse the garment to remove the lemon juice residue.
