Safe Stain Removal Procedures
To reduce the risk of fire or serious injury to persons or property, comply with the basic warnings listed below:
•Read and comply with all instructions on stain removal products.
•Keep stain removal products in their original labeled containers and out of children’s reach.
•Thoroughly wash any utensils used.
•Do not combine stain removal products, especially ammonia and chlorine bleach. Dangerous fumes can result.
•Never wash items which have been previously cleaned in, washed in, soaked in or spotted with gasoline, dry cleaning solvents or other flammable or explosive substances because they give off vapors that could ignite or explode.
•Never use highly flammable solvents, such as gasoline, inside the home. Vapors can explode on contact with flames or sparks.
- HARMFUL VAPOR HAZARD - Do not use or mix liquid chlorine bleach with other household chemicals such as toilet cleaners, rust removers, acid or products containing ammonia. These mixtures can produce dangerous fumes which can cause serious injury or death.
For Successful Stain Removal:
•Remove stains promptly.
•Determine the kind of stain, then follow the recommended treatment in the stain removal chart on the next page.
•To pretreat stains, use a prewash product, liquid detergent, or a paste made from powder detergent and water.
•Use cold water on unknown stains because hot water can set stains.
•Consult care label instructions for treatments to avoid on specific fabrics.
•Check for colorfastness by testing stain remover products on an inside seam.
•Rinse and wash items after stain removal.
For best results
Follow the fabric care label instruc- tions on items to be washed.
Stain Removal Suggestions
STAIN | TREATMENT |
|
|
Adhesive tape, chewing gum, | Apply ice. Scrape off excess. Place stain face down on paper towels. Saturate with prewash stain remover |
rubber cement | or nonflammable dry cleaning fluid. |
Baby formula, dairy products, | Use product containing enzymes to pretreat or soak stains. Soak for 30 minutes or more. Wash. |
egg |
|
Beverages (coffee, tea, | Pretreat stain. Wash using cold water and bleach safe for fabric. |
soda, juice, alcoholic bever- |
|
ages) |
|
|
|
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 nonflam- |
| mable 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, cosmetics | Pretreat with prewash stain remover or rub with bar soap. |
|
|
Dye transfer on white fabric | Use packaged color remover. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
Grass | Pretreat or soak in warm water using product containing enzymes. Wash using bleach safe for fabric. |
|
|
Grease, oil, tar (butter, fats, | Scrape residue from fabric. Pretreat. Wash using hottest water safe for fabric. For heavy stains and tar, |
salad dressing, cooking oils, | apply nonflammable dry cleaning fluid to back of stain. Replace towels under stain frequently. Rinse thor- |
car grease, motor oils) | oughly. Wash using hottest water safe for fabric. |
|
|
Ink | Some inks may be impossible to remove. Washing may set some inks. Use prewash stain remover, dena- |
| tured 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. |
|
|
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