Removing Different Stains from Clothes

05 Dec Removing Different Stains from Clothes

Sometimes we do not use a certain shirt or cloth because of some stains like coffee, leaky pen or food on them. Or we are furious and exhausted with some clothes and do not know how to clean them. So we have a big pile of new clothes just with a little stain on them. You may buy a new cloth and throw out your money. Do not be embarrassed. Now you will learn how to clean all stains and spots easily. Usually, cold or lukewarm water will be used for removing stains. Warm water will set the stains, and they need lots of effort to remove. Rubbing can damage clothes, always try to remove stains with these special methods. Do not worry; it is not so hard; it just needs knowledge and information.

Different fabrics:

• • Cotton:

It is a resistible fabric against warm water, drying and soaking. Stains on cotton will easily be removed by detergent, bleach and light acid or natural cleaners such as vinegar and lemon juice.

• • Synthetics:

Its strength depends on the fabric’s material. But it can’t tolerate oxidizing bleach. You can easily clean the stains on synthetics by detergent and soap.

• • Wool:

It is so weak to heat. You should clean it gently and calmly. Just use wool-safe detergent and cold water, not a hot one. Never use bleach or acidic solvents. They damage the fabric. Dry cleaning is the best way.

• • Silk:

It should be cleaned gently too. You can use glycerin to remove stains. It’s essential to wash it quickly; otherwise, you have water stains on it, too. Dry cleaning is appropriate for it. Different solvents need additional time for acting. So, give them time without haste. You have to wash your fabric before the solvent dries completely. Otherwise, you have a bigger and worse stain.

Different solvent:

Here is the most important solvent that can remove stains. Use the solvent at the room temperature. Because direct heat sets and sticks the stain badly. The solvent should be used and rub at the back of the fabric. If you use it in front of it, you may have a colour sorting or discolouration.

• • Water:

It is the first, safest and most popular solvent in the world. It removes most stains. But it can’t affect alone and it needs another solvent, too! Prolonged soaking in water, works great on oil and grease stains.

• • Salt:

Salt is cheap and available to everyone. It is useful for wetted stains such as wine, coffee, sweat, blood, etc.

• • Enzyme or digestants cleaner:

It works out and solves proteins. It is practical for odour stains like blood, urine, sweat and organic stains. It can damage silk and wool because they have protein fibre.

• • Vinegar or lemon juice:

It is a mild acid and the best remover for caffeine drinks like coffee or tea, grass or sticky stains such as glue and tape. If your clothes are wet for a long time and they have mildew, vinegar is a perfect remedy for it. But vinegar damages wool texture. A mixture of vinegar, water, salt, and detergent is the best stain remover for collar rings, urine, cough syrup, and salt stain. But you should leave them for a while in this solution.

• • Glycerin:

Glycerin is the right remover for paint and ink. It is more effective with detergent.

• • Dry cleaning solvent:

It is made of diluted solid. Preferably just professional dry cleaners can use it because some of them are flammable. So, careless use can damage your fabric. They are perfect for grease stains such as gasoline, petrol, candle wax, cosmetics like lipstick, liner, shadow, mascara, tar, and ink.

• • Chlorine bleach:

A rough solvent that can damage and discolour not-white fabrics is bleach. Before using, pay attention to the cloth’s label which leads you to use chlorine or bleach. It can remove colours of makeup, grass or other colours. But they can’t remove oil and fat and damage gentle fabrics. For a weaker effect mix it with water. It works great on cotton, rayon, linen, and synthetics like nylon and polyester. Colour removers are also in this group.

• • Detergent:

You can swap using laundry or dish detergent. But dish detergent is so rough, so if you do not wash your cloth thoroughly, it can destroy the gentle fabric. It removes oil and fat stains significantly. So you can use it for every food or drink stain.

• • Mineral spirits:

It is a severe remedy solution for rough and stubborn stains like asphalt and tar stains that have grease in them. After the treatment, wash your fabric wholly and carefully.

• • Ammonia:

It works excellent on sweat, urine, etc. that have odours and greasy stains. For home use, mix it with equal portions of water. It has a great effect on wool and silk. But it can damage latex fabrics. It can solve latex. Never mix ammonia and bleach. They make a really deadly toxic

• • Petroleum jelly:

They are practical for glue or sticky substances that stick to clothes. It loosens the stain. And for ink, it helps to avoid spreading on the other parts of the fabric. They are useful for some cosmetics too.

Different stains:

• • Sticky glue, gum, cement, etc.:

First, use ice or cold water to harden the sticky surface. Then scratch it with a knife. Afterwards, wash it carefully. You can use glycerin to loosen it and remove it quickly.

• • Drinks:

Different drinks have a special solvent and cleaner. You can remove coffee and tea by white vinegar. You also need a sponge, cold water and half teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent or bleach. Leave it for 15 minutes. Finally, wash and dry it. You can clean fruit juice with bleach and cold water. Wash it for 30 minutes then add white vinegar for another 30 minutes. You can also clean alcoholic drinks such as red wine with water, salt, glycerin or white vinegar. Then wash it with cold water. Soap sets the spot forever.

• • Blood:

First, if the blood is fresh, wet the fabric with cold water but if it is dried, soak it in warm water. You can remove it by using three per cent hydrogen or white vinegar. You can also wet the area and pour salt on it, then rub the cloth. Detergent and bleach are useful, too. Soak fabric for 10 or 15 minutes in them.

• • Sweat stains on the collar:

After a hot day out, sweating makes your collar dirty. The best way is using shampoo and then rubbing and washing it as usual. You can use ammonia for cleaning new stains or white vinegar to old ones. Then wash it with water. Another way is to make a mixture of salt, vinegar and warm water. Leave the fabric in this mixture for 1 hour.

• • Fat and oil:

It is better to clean it quickly with a little cornstarch and leave it soaking for a few minutes. You can use liquid soap and hot water, either. Then, brush and wash it as usual. But for machine oil or engine grease, it is better to use warm water and detergent.

• • Rust:

Clean the stain with cotton and vinegar. Use salt and rub it. Put it in front of the sun until stains are removed. Then wash it.

• • Ink:

Some ink stains won’t be removed. But you can clean some of them with vinegar and hair spray. You can use stain remover, too. If the stain remains, put it on a paper towel and clean it with sponge and alcohol, then wash it. Another way is making a mixture of water, glycerin, a few drops of white vinegar, and white dishwashing detergent. Wait for 30 minutes, and then wash it.

• • Chocolate:

It should be clean immediately. Wash with an enzymes product or stain remover in warm water. If the stain is so hard, rewash it with bleach. You can also use white vinegar and wash with cold water.

• • Cosmetics:

Use stain remover or liquid detergent and hot water or ammonia and water to clean the fabric. Dry cleaning is a good option, too.

• • Grass:

Clean it as soon as possible. Remove the stain with liquid detergent and hot water. You can use white vinegar and cold water, too.

• • Nail polish:

Scratch extra nail polish with a knife. Put stains on some clean towel and then use polish remover. Nail polisher will go on a towel. The best choice is using a dry cleaner.

• • Paints:

For oil-based paint, the thinner is suitable. Dry cleaning is also a useful method. But for water-based paint, wash it quickly in warm water or sponge it with warm water and dishwashing soap.

• • Sauces:

First sponge it with cold water immediately. You can use white vinegar, and cold water or stain remover then wash it thoroughly. Liquid detergent is also practical.

• • Food:

First, you can put it in cold water and a liquid detergent. If the stain still exists, use stain remover or liquid detergent, then wash it in a washing machine.

• • Mustard:

Use the best stain remover to clean fabric. Or wash with bleach in a washing machine.

• • Chalk:

Put the stain on a clean paper towel. Wash back the stain with alcohol then wash it as usual. If the stain is stubborn, use a liquid dishwasher and leave it for minutes, then wash it in the washing machine.

• • Marker:

Rub it with a dry cleaner and a sponge. Put the stain on some clean paper towel, ten use cleaning liquid on it and press it on the towel. Then wash it carefully.

• • Crayon:

Put it face down on the white paper towel. Then spray it with WD-40. Leave it for five minutes then spray again. Then wash it with soap and spray stain remover on it.

• • Faeces and urines:

First, scrub the faeces into the toilet then wash it. Inside out the cloth then continue cleaning in cold water. Put the fabric in warm water and detergent with enzymes for 30 minutes. You can use chlorine or bleach. Then wash it with hot water in a washing machine. Do not forget to sanitise the washing machine for your next use. You can use ammonia and water or water and detergent for urines. Then wash it with vinegar and water. If after drying, again it is smelly, use baking soda and leave it 24 hours. At last, vacuum and clean remaining baking soda.

• • Cough syrup: 

Use a mixture of warm water, white vinegar and liquid dishwasher detergent. Leave it for 15 to 30 minutes. Then wash it normally.

• • Salt:

You can rub the fabric with a solution of vinegar and water. Then wipe it with a cloth.

• • Mud and dirt:

Use detergent and lukewarm water. Then soak it for 20 or 30 minutes.

• • Odours and smell:

Some stains aren’t clear like odours. Sometimes they remain from the last laundry. You can use activated charcoal or calcium carbonate crystals and leave it for a few hours or days. But if they are visible with a bad smell, wash it with an enzyme cleaner. Removing every stain and spot depends on fabric material and the solvent you are using. If you select the right method of removing, but you do not do it well, you may damage the fabric and make the situation worse. The first step is an immediate action. Dried stains are hard to remove. Mostly warm water sets and sticks the stains. It is better to remove every stain by water then try a solvent on it. Never mix chemical cleaner. Some of them make a deadly toxin or harmful substance for nature. Sometimes you need more than one treatment for stains. For example, lipstick is a cosmetic and it has oil and paint, too. So first remove paint and then oil. The last step for every stain removing is a dry cleaner.