We all fight stains – in clothes, furniture, flooring, etc… and most stains fall into four categories: food, dirt, grease, and unknown. A few simple general rules to follow:
- Try and get to a spill / stain immediately. The sooner you get to a spill / stain, the less time you will have to spend on the stain removal.
- Check the tags. Most everything you own will have directions for cleaning AND for stain removal. You should see one of three letters, W, S, or X.
- W: Clean only with water-based cleaner.
- S: Use dry-cleaning solvent only.
- X: Clean only by vacuuming or brushing. Don’t use liquids.
- Attack from the back. If you can access the back side, work from there so you don’t damage the facing side and so that you don’t set the stain further.
- Give the treatment time to work. The stain needs time to be broken down.
- Make sure to blot at the stain rather than rub – it will reduce the fraying of the material.
- NEVER use any heat on the stain. Not even hot water. Heat sets stains.
- More is not better. Extra soap or product will not help.
Let’s take a look at the four primary types of stains and how to remove them.
Food Stains. Food stains can be complex beasts to handle. Remove any excess food from the site before you do anything else. Do so carefully so you don’t spread the stain. Ensure you follow the label regarding how to handle washing the article.
- Coffee. For fresh stains, run cold water from the back for 10 – 15 minutes or until the water runs clear. For set-in stains, wet the stain and rub in a little laundry detergent from the back. Let sit 5 minutes then soak in water. Rub the area (back) gently every 5 minutes or so to loosen the stain.
- Tea. Mix 1 Tablespoon each distilled white vinegar and liquid dish soap with 2 cups warm water. Soak a clean cloth in the mixture and use it to dab gently at the stain until it is gone.
- Juice. Soak the area in cold water. Rinse to flush the stain. If it remains, soak with vinegar and laundry detergent.
- Tomato-based. Cold water and vinegar usually does the trick.
- Chocolate. Mix equal parts enzyme detergent (e.g. Naturally it’s clean and Rockin’ Green) and water. Gently dab the stain with the mixture and let it stand 30 minutes. Rinse. Repeat as needed.
- Red Wine. White wine or vinegar flushes red wine stains quickly and easily.
Dirt Stains. Allow the dirt / mud to dry on the article. Flake off the excess dirt. Once you have cleared away as much of the dirt as possible, dampen the stain with cold water. Simple Green is an all natural pre-treatment which works wonderfully for dirt and grass stains. Let the pre-treatment sit for 15 – 30 minutes. Blot both sides of the fabric. Let dry completely so you can clearly see if the stain is gone. Repeat steps above if the stain remains.
Grease Stains. Sprinkle the spot with cornstarch. Allow the cornstarch to soak up the grease for a few minutes and then brush away. WD-40 is also great for grease stains. Spray on the stain and let it soak in – no more than 30 minutes. Follow up by treating with a bit of detergent (dish or laundry), and let set another 30 minutes. Wash and hang to dry. White chalk is another great grease / oil remover. Rub over the stain and let it set for 15 minutes or so. Shake or brush away. Wash and hang to dry. Most oil / grease stains lift out easily by applying a bit of detergent and letting it work for 30 minutes.
Unknown Stains. Follow the general steps above.
Brightening Laundry. My brightening tools work for almost any white or light color clothes. Borax, vinegar, ammonia, and baking soda. In my white load I use vinegar instead of bleach – 1:1 ratio. If there are bad odors or I really have issues with dingy gray clothing I use 1/2 C. baking soda and once my load fills I add 1 C. vinegar. If you have dingy whites use 2 squirts of dish soap, 2 Tablespoons ammonia OR 1 cup vinegar and ½ cup baking soda. DO NOT MIX. A combination of vinegar and ammonia is toxic when inhaled. You can also use lemon juice to brighten your whites. And my favorite – hang your sheets outside on the line and let the sun bleach them.
Recommended Reading – Chart to swap out chemicals for natural products: http://earthhome.tripod.com/stains.html
More recommended reading – Three more charts for natural stain removal from keeperofthehome.org:
https://keeperofthehome.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Laundry-Stain-Removal-Chart.pdf
https://keeperofthehome.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Laundry-Stain-Removal-Chart2.pdf
https://keeperofthehome.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Laundry-Stain-Removal-Chart3.pdf
More recommended reading – Using hydrogen peroxide: https://cleanandsimplecleaning.com/removing-stains-hydrogen-peroxide/
More recommended reading – Stains by type and provides direction for each: https://www.canadianliving.com/home-and-garden/gardening/article/natural-stain-removers
Have you ever used a natural laundry enzyme? Certain enzymes when added to laundry detergent aid in removing stubborn stains. The next time you have a stain problem, you may want to check them out. You can purchase laundry boosts that focus on a specific type of stain, or a laundry detergent that contains a variety.
Protease. Protein-based stains like blood, eggs, vomit, and feces.
Amylase. Starch or carbohydrate stains like sauces, dressings, and desserts.
Cellulase. Breaks down cotton fibers.
Lipase. Fat-based stains like oils and grease.
Mannanase. Food-based stains.
Pectinase. Fruit-based stains.
I hope you find what you need. If not, reach out and let me know… I’ll find you an answer.
Blessings – E