STAIN REMOVAL GUIDE
Stain Removal Suggestions
STAIN | TREATMENT |
Adhesive tape, chewing | Apply ice. Scrape off excess. Place stain face down on paper towels. Saturate with |
gum, rubber cement | prewash stain remover or nonflammable dry cleaning fluid. |
Baby formula, dairy | Use product containing enzymes to pretreat or soak stains. Soak for 30 minutes or more. |
products, egg | Wash. |
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Beverages (coffee, tea, | Pretreat stain. Wash using cold water and bleach safe for fabric. |
soda, juice, alcoholic |
|
beverages) |
|
Blood | Rinse with cold water. Rub with bar soap. Or, pretreat or soak with product containing |
| enzymes. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
Candle wax, crayon | Scrape off surface wax. Place stain face down between paper towels. Press with warm |
| iron until wax is absorbed. Replace paper towels frequently. Treat remaining stain |
| with prewash stain remover or nonflammable dry cleaning fluid. Hand wash to remove |
| solvent. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
Chocolate | Pretreat or soak in warm water using product containing enzymes. Wash using bleach |
| safe for fabric. |
|
|
Collar or cuff soil, | Pretreat with prewash stain remover or rub with bar soap. |
cosmetics |
|
Dye transfer on white | Use packaged color remover. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
fabric |
|
Grass | Pretreat or soak in warm water using product containing enzymes. Wash using bleach |
| safe for fabric. |
Grease, oil, tar (butter, | Scrape residue from fabric. Pretreat. Wash using hottest water safe for fabric. For heavy |
fats, salad dressing, | stains and tar, apply nonflammable dry cleaning fluid to back of stain. Replace towels |
cooking oils, car grease, | under stain frequently. Rinse thoroughly. Wash using hottest water safe for fabric. |
motor oils) |
|
Ink | Some inks may be impossible to remove. Washing may set some inks. Use prewash stain |
| remover, denatured alcohol or nonflammable dry cleaning fluid. |
|
|
Mildew, scorch | Wash with chlorine bleach if safe for fabric. Or, soak in oxygen bleach and hot water |
| before washing. Badly mildewed fabrics may be permanently damaged. |
Mud | Brush off dry mud. Pretreat or soak with product containing enzymes. |
|
|
Mustard, tomato | Pretreat with prewash stain remover. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
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|
Nail polish | May be impossible to remove. Place stain face down on paper towels. Apply nail pol- |
| ish remover to back of stain. Repeat, replacing paper towels frequently. Do not use on |
| acetate fabrics. |
Paint, varnish | WATER BASED: Rinse fabric in cool water while stain is wet. Wash. Once paint is dry, it |
| cannot be removed. OIL BASED AND VARNISH: Use solvent recommended on can label. |
| Rinse thoroughly before washing. |
Perspiration | Use prewash stain remover or rub with bar soap. Rinse. Wash using nonchlorine bleach |
| in hottest water safe for fabric. |
Rust, brown or yellow | Use rust remover safe for fabric. Do not use chlorine bleach because it may intensify |
discoloration | discoloration. |
Shoe polish | LIQUID: Pretreat with a paste of powder detergent and water. PASTE: Scrape residue |
| from fabric. Pretreat with prewash stain remover or nonflammable dry cleaning fluid. |
| Rinse. Rub detergent into dampened area. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
Tomato | Pretreat with prewash stain remover. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
Urine, vomit, mucus, | Pretreat or soak in product containing enzymes. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
feces |
|
Wine | Pretreat or soak in cold water. Wash in hottest water and bleach safe for fabric |
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