Stain Removal Guide 21
Stain Removal Suggestions
| STAIN | TREATMENT |
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| Adhesive tape, chewing | Apply ice. Scrape off excess. Place stain face down on paper towels. Saturate with |
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| gum, rubber cement | prewash stain remover or nonflammable dry cleaning fluid. |
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| Baby formula, dairy | Use product containing enzymes to pretreat or soak stains. Soak for 30 minutes or |
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| products, egg | more. Wash. |
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| Beverages (coffee, tea, | Pretreat stain. Wash using cold water and bleach safe for fabric. |
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| soda, juice, alcoholic |
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| beverages) |
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| Blood | Rinse with cold water. Rub with bar soap. Or, pretreat or soak with product containing |
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| enzymes. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
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| Candle wax, crayon | Scrape off surface wax. Place stain face down between paper towels. Press with warm |
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| iron until wax is absorbed. Replace paper towels frequently. Treat remaining stain with |
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| prewash stain remover or nonflammable dry cleaning fluid. Hand wash to remove sol- |
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| vent. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
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| Chocolate | Pretreat or soak in warm water using product containing enzymes. Wash using bleach |
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| safe for fabric. |
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| Collar or cuff soil, cos- | Pretreat with prewash stain remover or rub with bar soap. |
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| metics |
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| Dye transfer on white | Use packaged color remover. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
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| fabric |
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| Grass | Pretreat or soak in warm water using product containing enzymes. Wash using bleach |
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| safe for fabric. |
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| Grease, oil, tar (butter, | Scrape residue from fabric. Pretreat. Wash using hottest water safe for fabric. For heavy |
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| fats, salad dressing, | stains and tar, apply nonflammable dry cleaning fluid to back of stain. Replace towels |
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| cooking oils, car grease, | under stain frequently. Rinse thoroughly. Wash using hottest water safe for fabric. |
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| motor oils) |
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| Ink | Some inks may be impossible to remove. Washing may set some inks. Use prewash |
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| stain remover, denatured alcohol or nonflammable dry cleaning fluid. |
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| Mildew, scorch | Wash with chlorine bleach if safe for fabric. Or, soak in oxygen bleach and hot water |
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| before washing. Badly mildewed fabrics may be permanently damaged. |
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| Mud | Brush off dry mud. Pretreat or soak with product containing enzymes. |
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| 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- |
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| ish remover to back of stain. Repeat, replacing paper towels frequently. Do not use on |
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| acetate fabrics. |
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| Paint, varnish | WATER BASED: Rinse fabric in cool water while stain is wet. Wash. Once paint is dry, |
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| it cannot be removed. OIL BASED AND VARNISH: Use solvent recommended on can |
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| label. Rinse thoroughly before washing. |
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| Perspiration | Use prewash stain remover or rub with bar soap. Rinse. Wash using nonchlorine bleach |
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| in hottest water safe for fabric. |
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| Rust, brown or yellow | Use rust remover safe for fabric. Do not use chlorine bleach because it may intensify |
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| discoloration | discoloration. |
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| Shoe polish | LIQUID: Pretreat with a paste of powder detergent and water. PASTE: Scrape residue |
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| from fabric. Pretreat with prewash stain remover or nonflammable dry cleaning fluid. |
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| Rinse. Rub detergent into dampened area. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
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| Tomato | Pretreat with prewash stain remover. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
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| Urine, vomit, mucus, | Pretreat or soak in product containing enzymes. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
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| feces |
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| Wine | Pretreat or soak in cold water. Wash in hottest water and bleach safe for fabric |
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