How to Remove Stains from Clothing.

Removing Stains from Clothing

Nobody likes getting stains on their clothes, but it is an inevitable occurrence. Before you go out and replace your son’s grass-stained pants (again) or that blouse you accidentally spilled red wine on, try to remove the stain with items you might already have somewhere in a cabinet.

Stain removal on clothes is not difficult if you have a few basic tools. Gather these items and be prepared for any stain emergency. Here are a few of the basics items and how they can be used.

Stain Removers and How to Use Them

Before you go and spend the extra money on that stain remover, try using some of these items that you might already have at home. Just remember when you wash a stained item, do not put it in the dryer, let it air dry and make sure the stain is gone; this way you won’t permanently set the stain.

Using Club Soda to Remove a Stain From Clothes in a Restaurant

Club soda is a great all-purpose cleaner for almost any kind of stain; it helps to keep stains from setting in. Club soda is a great stain remover of choice to use if you are in a restaurant when you have a stain emergency. You may need to excuse yourself and head to the restroom to treat the stain.

Simply ask your waiter for some club soda:

• Before using the club soda, use a napkin or paper towel from the bathroom dispenser to pat/dab as much liquid up as you can.
• Wet the area with just enough of the club soda to cover the stain.
• Use a napkin or paper towel to dab and pat; do not rub at the stain, and draw up as much of the stain as you can, hopefully if you’ve acted quickly you will have removed all or the majority of the stain.
• If the stain persists, you can repeat the process of pouring club soda and blotting until the stain starts to fade.
• If any stain remains, then treat again when you get home and launder the item as you normally would or take to the cleaners.

Club soda can help remove a red wine stain from carpets, jelly stains, coffee, etc. from setting in permanently until you can take care of it properly.

Using Dish Washing Liquid to Remove Greasy/Oily Stains

Yes, this is the same thing you wash your dishes with. I use Dawn dish washing liquid; it’s an excellent spot remover for greasy or oily stains as well as lipstick stains.

If the stain is solid or has excess material on the surface, gently scrape or blot it off using a spoon or a clean cloth.

• Apply a squirt to the stained area then use your fingers to rub over the stain.
• Take the fabric in both hands and rub the stained area between your thumbs.
• Let sit a few minutes then rinse in cool water.
• Reapply if necessary then wash as usual.
• Check the stain before putting the garment in the dryer.

Note: I happened to notice on the Dawn website it states this is good for treating cotton and cotton/poly fabric. I have a nice blouse that I got a grease stain on and used a little Dawn to remove the stain and it worked. You may want to spot check in an inconspicuous place first on other fabrics.

Rubbing Alcohol can Help Remove Grass Stains

Although grass stains are tough to remove, rubbing alcohol can be an effective solution to remove the green pigment from grass that is left behind on clothing.

Wet the grass stain with isopropyl rubbing alcohol and use your fingernail to work it in the stained area, let sit for about 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water. If any stain remains, repeat again or try using a liquid dish detergent, rub it into the stain and rinse then wash as usual.

Using Shampoo to Remove Stains

Shampoo is great for dirt, mud, makeup stains, and for ring-around-the-collar. It does not have to be a high-priced shampoo. The sample bottles that hotels give you will work great.

Rinse the area with water and remove as much dirt, makeup, etc. Apply shampoo to the stained area; rub between your fingers and rinse.

How to Use Shaving Cream to Remove Stains

Shaving cream is not just for faces and legs anymore. Shaving cream is an excellent all-around stain remover for things like makeup, mustard, coffee and some greasy stains.

• Simply remove as much of the spill as possible; for instance, if you have a shirt on the bathroom counter and you spilled liquid makeup on it, take a dull knife and lift up as much excess as you can.
• Rinse with cool water from the backside of the stained item.
• Then apply a couple of squirts of shaving cream to the front of the stain and let this sit about 10 to 15 minutes.
• With a clean cloth, gently blot and dab the stained area, working from the outside of the stain in towards the center of the stain.
• Rinse the area with cool water, repeat if necessary.

There you have it, if you’re in a pinch and need a different solution to removing stains, these everyday household items can easily be used to remove many clothing and carpet stains.