Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Shout it Out: Stain Removal 101

So you just spilled some red Kool-Aid on your brand new beige carpet. Or your burger dropped a gob of mayonnaise on your favorite DKNY jeans. Crisis? Maybe not. To stay safe from spots To shout out stains, you'll need to know a few things. First, you'll need to determine whether the blotched fabric is washable. Next, you should decide whether the stain is greasy, non-greasy, or a combination of greasy and non-greasy elements. Then you'll have to get to work.

Greasy spots are created by products made with fat - oil, mayonnaise, and potato chips are common culprits - and simple laundry detergent will likely remove them from machine-washable items. To remove a grease spot from a fabric that is not machine washable, first, clean off as much of the staining agent as possible. Then sponge at the stain with a stain-removal product. Be careful: Detergent, dry-cleaning solvent, and bleach can damage fabrics, so read the labels that accompany both the fabric you have stained and the stain-removal product that you intend to use. When you have determined that it is safe, remove the stain. Work from the center of the stain toward the outer edges, and be persistent: It may take several applications of product to erase the stain. Let the spot dry thoroughly between attempts.

Grease stains can also be removed from nonwashable fabrics with the aid of absorbent powders, such as cornstarch, cornmeal, or French chalk. Just dust the powder onto the spot; it will pick up the grease. As the powder cakes and absorbs the stain, shake or brush it off. Repeat until the stain is gone.

Non-greasy stains, including the famous red-wine-on-the-white-carpet spot, should be removed with cool water. If you spill coffee, tea, fruit juice, food coloring, or ink on a washable fabric, sponge or soak the stain with cool water as soon as possible. The stain may simply diffuse. If not, gently rub liquid detergent into the fabric and rinse with cool water.

Ref: associatedcontent.com

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