Stain
removal
THERE’S NOTHING LIKE a little coffee, wine or lipstick stain to ruin your
mood and a favorite piece of clothing. The good news is that, by following a
few basic guidelines, many, if not most, stains are treatable.
These are the basics most of us already know:
• Before you treat any stain it’s a good idea to treat a small part of the
fabric that’s not readily visible to make sure the treatment won’t damage
the fabric.
• Be sure to read all fabric-care labels before treating a stain.
• As a general rule, fresh stains are easier to treat than old ones, and
heat tends to set a stain. Be sure any stain is completely out before
drying the garment.
Here are some down and dirty hints about stain removal that you might
not be as familiar with.
Antiperspirant/deodorant. For light stains, pre-treat with a liquid laundry
detergent. For heavier stains, pre-treat by allowing to sit in laundry detergent
for up to 10 minutes, then launder.
Baby formula. Dab stain with cold water, followed by soaking the item in
an enzyme wash before laundering as usual.
Blood. Soak the item in cold water. If the blood does not come out, treat
with the appropriate bleach for that particular fabric.
