A Peaceful Place

Chatelaine’s Stain Treatment Guide

From those stubborn red-wine stains to that candle-wax mishap on your favourite tablecloth, our stain guide tackles 13 of the peskiest household culprits �?without taking you to the cleaners.

Before you start

· Blot or rinse out what you can if you discover a stain when you're not at home. Use cold water (unless it's an oil stain, which requires lukewarm water). Sprinkle with an absorbing powder, such as talcum or salt. Treat thoroughly at home.

· Always test for colourfastness before a treatment by trying it on a hidden part of the garment.

· Apply stain removers and solutions to the back of the stain. This pushes the stain out of the fabric instead of into it.

· Never apply heat (from an iron or dryer, for instance) to a stain. It will just set the stain and make it harder to remove.

· Blot or scrape before rubbing with cleaning agent. When blotting, start on the outside edge of the stain and work toward the centre, otherwise you'll make the stain bigger.

	Treatment	Last resort
Red Wine	Pour club soda, white vinegar or cold water directly onto stain. Blot and sprinkle with salt. Wait two minutes and rinse with cold water while rubbing out stain. Repeat if necessary.	Pour white wine on a red-wine stain to remove colour.
Coffee	Rinse back of stain with cold water, rub with liquid enzyme detergent and let stand for several minutes. Wash as usual.	Try a spot stain remover and let stand, or mix borax and water, spread on stain and leave for 30 minutes. Repeat until most of stain has lifted.
Butter, margarine or oil	Remove excess with a dull knife. Apply spot stain remover and let stand for several minutes. Rub liquid enzyme detergent into stain and let stand again. Wash in the hottest water possible.	Sprinkle baking soda onto stain to absorb excess grease and repeat initial process.
Chocolate	Remove excess with a dull knife. Run cold water over back of stain and rub with liquid enzyme detergent. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes or until stain lifts.	Soak in three per cent hydrogen peroxide and a few drops of ammonia for no more than 15 minutes.
Lipstick	Rub stain with a bar of white soap (free of moisturizers, perfumes or dyes) or colourless dishwashing liquid. Rinse until no further improvement. Wash as usual.	Soak in warm soapy water and laundry detergent for up to 15 minutes.
Mud	Let stain dry and shake off excess dirt. Rub liquid enzyme detergent into affected area and soak in lukewarm water for 10 to 20 minutes, rubbing occasionally. If stain remains, apply spot stain remover and wash as usual.	Blot with white vinegar. Wash as usual.
Grass	Place on an absorbent cloth, stain side down. Sponge back of stain with rubbing alcohol. Rinse well with cold water.	Scrub with a toothbrush and non-gel toothpaste. Rinse with cold water.
Bike-chain grease	Remove excess with a dull knife. Blot with an absorbent cloth and sprinkle with salt, cornstarch or baking soda to absorb remaining grease. Let stand for 15 to 30 minutes and brush off. Rub with colourless dishwashing liquid and let stand for two minutes. Soak in hot water up to 30 minutes. Rinse back of stain and wash in hot water.	Make a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water, then spread on stain. Let dry, then brush off. Wash as usual.
Sweat	Sponge with ammonia or white vinegar and rinse well. Wash with fabric-safe bleach.	Apply spot stain remover and wash as usual.
Candle wax	Place ice cubes in a bag and rub wax until it becomes brittle. Peel off excess. If there is a dye stain, blot with rubbing alcohol. Wash according to label.	Lay a clean rag over spilled wax and press lightly with a warm iron. Repeat until wax is gone. Wash as usual.
Ink	Place an absorbent cloth underneath stain. Cover with rubbing alcohol. Blot frequently. Rinse well with cold water. Apply a laundry presoak and let stand for several minutes. Wash according to label.	Soak stain in milk or rub with cut side of a tomato. Rinse.
Blood	Sprinkle with salt and rinse with cold water. Soak in cold salted water for up to 30 minutes. Rinse well. If stain remains, apply spot stain remover and wash with liquid enzyme detergent.	Mix lukewarm water and unseasoned meat tenderizer or baking soda into a paste and apply to stain. Let dry, then brush off any remaining powder. Rinse in cold water and wash with liquid enzyme detergent.
Mustard	Remove excess with a dull knife. Run cold water over back of stain. Rub in liquid enzyme detergent and rinse with cold water. Repeat until no further improvement. Apply spot stain remover and wash as usual. If stain is already dry, rub with glycerin.	On white garments, lighten remaining stain with ammonia or wash using fabric-safe bleach, depending on the material.

The dirty dozen 12: stain-fighting essentials

· Salt helps get blood out

· Hairspray helps remove ink

· A dull knife helps lift chocolate and mustard

· Remove old butter stains with WD-40

· Douse a red wine stain with white wine

· Rubbing alcohol helps take out grass. And if that doesn't work, try non-gel toothpaste

· Ivory soap cleans away cosmetics

· Sprinkle baking soda on a mud-stained carpet

· Sponge sweat stains with white vinegar

· Lemon juice helps remove rust

· Goo Gone helps remove gum, crayon and tape

From: http://www.chatelaine.com/homegarden/article.jsp?content=20051107_154432_6576

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