Step 1 Choose A Stain:
Step 2 Implement Stain Removal Technique:
Stain |
How to Remove It: |
|
| Chewing Gum | Put fabric in the freezer to completely dry the chewing gum and then scrape off as much gum as possible. Soak it in kerosene and then wash it with hot water and soap. | [Back to Top] |
| Coffee | Sponge stain with cold water to remove coffee residue from fabric. Soak item in solution of cold water and liquid washing detergent. Pre-treat using prewash stain remover and then wash it with warm water. | [Back to Top] |
| Bleach | Sponge the stain with a solution of cold water and liquid washing detergent. If stain persists, sponge it again with white vinegar and cold water. Lastly, sponge with cold water to clean the white vinegar residue and then launder item as normal. | [Back to Top] |
| Ink | Use stain remover and a sponge to clean the ink mark off the fabric or surface. Once sponged, use paper towels to attempt to absorb the ink. Rinse thoroughly once stain is removed. | [Back to Top] |
| Grease | Use a prewash stain remover to pre-treat the stain. Launder with the hottest water the fabric will allow to completely remove the stain, as well as the oil from the grease. Repeat this if the stain has not been completely removed. If you dry the item with the stain not completely removed, it will set the stain and become impossible to remove later. | [Back to Top] |
| Deodorant | Sponge stain with prewash stain remover and warm water and then rinse it with warm water. The deodorant may have caused colour damage which can be improved by treating it with ammonia. Launder as per usual and use bleach if required. | [Back to Top] |
| Grass | Soak the material before washing it for an hour in a product containing enzymes. If the stain does not completely disappear, wash it with sodium hypochlorite bleach. | [Back to Top] |
| Mango | Scrape off excess mango. Wash under cold, running water. Launder with hot water and bleach (only if bleach will not damage the product). | [Back to Top] |
| Mustard | Dry the mustard and try to scrape away all the excess mustard and ensure you do not stain the material further. Pre-treat the item with prewash stain remover and then launder it with detergent. | [Back to Top] |
| Chocolate | Scrape excess chocolate off the fabric and ensure the stain does not spread any further. Pre-treat stain with a prewash stain remover. Wash item in hot water and use chlorine bleach or colour bleach as per requirement. Ensure you do not place the fabric in a dryer until the stain has been completely removed. | [Back to Top] |
| Crayon | Rub the stain with a bar of soap. Then wash it under the hottest water safe for the fabric. | [Back to Top] |
| Dirt | Remove excess dirt by scraping it off the item. Sponge stain with a solution of cold water and liquid detergent. Blot with a dry cloth to remove the excess liquid solution. Launder as per usual once stain has been removed. | [Back to Top] |
| Milk | Wash item with lukewarm water first and then launder it thoroughly to get rid of milk stains. If material is non-washable, sponge clean the stain with lukewarm water. | [Back to Top] |
| Ketchup | Scrape off excess ketchup from the fabric and ensure you do not stain it any further. Wash fabric inside out under cold, running water to remove as much ketchup as possible. Soak the stain with cold water and liquid detergent. Rinse it with cold water after it has been soaked for 15 to 20 minutes. If stain still exists, sponge area with white vinegar and rinse again with cold water. Wash fabric with hot water and bleach depending on the fabric. Do not dry item until stain has been completely removed. | [Back to Top] |
| Soy Sauce | Wash item under cold, running water. Sponge stain with ammonia and rinse it. Repeat this step until most of the soy sauce has been removed. Use prewash stain remover to pre-treat the stain. Launder as usual, using bleach if the stain persists. | [Back to Top] |
| Red Wine | Pour white wine over the stain, which will soak up the colour of the red wine. Rinse thoroughly once the stain comes out. | [Back to Top] |
| Yogurt | Scrape off excess yogurt off the fabric and take care not to stain it further and then wash it under cold, running water. Pre-treat stain with liquid enzyme laundry detergent for 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours if it is an old stain). Launder the item once the stain has been removed as per normal. | [Back to Top] |
| Apple | Scrape off any excess solid apple bits or applesauce from the fabric. Wash item inside out under cold, running water to remove apple residue. Pre-treat stain with prewash stain remover and then launder is in hot water. Use chlorine or colour bleach if stain persists. | [Back to Top] |
| Vomit | Scrape off excess vomit off the item taking care not to stain it further. Treat it with a prewash stain remover and then launder item with hot water. | [Back to Top] |
| Hair Dye | Depending on the type of the fabric, mix cold water and either chlorine or colour bleach in a container and allow the item to soak in that for about 30 minutes. Remove fabric from this mixture and rinse it under cold water. If the stain has been removed launder it as usual. | [Back to Top] |
| Ice cream | Pre-treat stain with an enzyme laundry product and then soak in lukewarm water for approximately 30 minutes. Launder as per usual once stain is removed. | [Back to Top] |
| Tape Residue | Scrape off any excess residue before washing the fabric. Pre-treat with a stain remover once all residue has been removed and then launder it as normal. | [Back to Top] |
| Smoke | Use paper towels to apply strong liquid detergent to the stain, as these will soak up the residue. Launder the fabric immediately. If the stain remains, launder again using chlorine or colour bleach. | [Back to Top] |
| Hairspray | Rub stain with a strong liquid washing detergent and allow it to soak the hairspray. Launder immediately, but if stain persists launder again using chlorine bleach or colour bleach. | [Back to Top] |
| Tea | Soak fabric in cold water for 30 minutes or sponge the stained area with cold water. If stain still remains, treat it with a pre wash stain remover. Wash fabric with cold water. | [Back to Top] |
| Butter | Remove excess butter from the fabric and then pre-treat it with a prewash stain remover. Launder and wash item with water that is as hot as the fabric allows. | [Back to Top] |
| Cheese Sauce | Pre-treat stain with a strong liquid detergent. Soak fabric in water for a few minutes. If stain persists, treat it with chlorine bleach or colour bleach and launder as normal. If required, colour remover can also be used to remove the stain. | [Back to Top] |
| Cologne/Perfume | Pre-treat with stain remover and then launder. If stain persists, sponge affected area with glycerin. | [Back to Top] |
| Banana | Soak fabric in lukewarm water, white vinegar and detergent for 15 to 20 minutes. If stain persists, launder in warm water with bleach. | [Back to Top] |
| Egg white | Scrape off excess egg white ensuring it does not stain further. Rub stain with lukewarm water, liquid detergent and ammonia solution to loosen the stain. Soak fabric in a liquid detergent containing enzymes and water for 30 minutes (about 2 hours for an old stain). If stain persists, launder with chlorine bleach or colour bleach. | [Back to Top] |
| Urine | Soak material in equal parts of warm water and vinegar for a few minutes. Then wash item with warm water. | [Back to Top] |
| Toothpaste | Soak fabric in a solution of warm water, white vinegar and dishwashing detergent for 15 minutes. Rinse and then soak again in warm water and enzyme pre-soak solution. Launder as normal. | [Back to Top] |
| Egg Yolk | Pre-treat stain with a strong liquid detergent to remove stain. Use chlorine or colour bleach if stain persists and the fabric allows it and launder as usual. | [Back to Top] |
| Candle Wax | Using a dull knife, or a similar object, scrape off the candle wax from the fabric. Place paper towels on either side of the stain and heat it up with an iron to loosen the wax and catch it in the paper towels. Switch old paper towers with new ones as per requirement. Pre-treat remaining stain with prewash stain remover and then launder as normal. | [Back to Top] |
| Blood | Do not wash blood with hot water; only use cold water as the hot water will set the blood into the fabric. If stain is new, wash it under cold, running water and then soak it in cold water for 30 minutes. If the stain is old, scrape off the dried blood and then soak it in cold water and liquid washing detergent with enzymes. Then pre-treat the stain with prewash stain remover and then launder as normal. | [Back to Top] |
| Lipstick | Scrape excess lipstick off the fabric and ensure you do not stain it further. Pre-treat stain with prewash stain remover and launder item with hot water. If stain persists, rewash with chlorine or colour bleach depending on the product. | [Back to Top] |
| Nail Polish | Apply acetone to the affected area and then launder item as per usual. If any stain remains, treat the stained area with bleach. | [Back to Top] |
| Orange Juice | Wash fabric under cool, running water to remove excess orange juice. Pre-treat stain with prewash stain remover. Launder fabric with hot water. If stain has not been completely removed, use chlorine bleach or colour bleach to remove stain depending on the type of fabric. | [Back to Top] |
| Tobacco | Dampen stain with lukewarm water and sponge it with liquid detergent. Pre-treat stain with liquid detergent containing enzymes. Launder it as normal, and use chlorine bleach or colour bleach if required. | [Back to Top] |
| Mud | Give mud time to dry and once it has completely dried scrape off excess mud. Sponge the stain with cool water and fabric detergent. Get a new dry sponge and dry off the water and detergent once the stain has been removed. Launder item as per usual. | [Back to Top] |
| Soft Drinks | Soak fabric in cool water for 30 minutes to an hour. Pre-treat with stain remover if stain still remains. Launder items as normal. | [Back to Top] |
| Hair Oil | Soak up excess oil with paper towels. Then rub stain with strong liquid detergent so it can soak up the oil and then launder the item immediately. If stain persists, soak in water mixed with chlorine or colour bleach. | [Back to Top] |
| Paint | For water-based paint stains, rinse items in warm water quickly while the stain is still wet, and then launder it as per usual. For oil based paint stains, use turpentine as a thinner on the stain and then rinse it with cold water. Pre-treat stain with a prewash stain remover and rinse again. Launder it as normal. | [Back to Top] |
| Shoe Polish | Remove excess shoe polish and ensure it does spread any further. Sponge stain with liquid enzyme laundry detergent, and then soak fabric in cold water and the same liquid enzyme laundry detergent for 15 to 20 minutes. Launder item in hot water, and use chlorine or colour bleach depending on the nature of the product if the stain still persists. | [Back to Top] |
| Glue | Scrape off glue from the fabric and ensure you do not spread and stain it further. If the glue has already dried and you are unable to scrape it off, soak item in warm water for 30 minutes and then scrape it off. Pre-treat stain with prewash stain remover. Launder it with hot water, using chlorine bleach or colour bleach as per the requirements of the fabric. | [Back to Top] |
| Pencil Lead | For non-washable items, try removing it with a soft rubber. For washable items, launder with a soft laundry powder. | [Back to Top] |
| Sweat | Apply white vinegar with a sponge to the sweat stains and let them sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse this out of the fabric. Pre-treat with prewash stain remove and launder with hot water. If the sweat stain was old, it might have begun to alter the colour of the fabric in the affected area. | [Back to Top] |
| Mascara | Pre-treat stain with prewash stain remover. Launder item in the hottest water possible depending on the fabric and use either chlorine or colour bleach if needed. | [Back to Top] |
| Vaseline | Remove excess Vaseline so it does not stain further. Rub dishwashing liquid on the stain with an old toothbrush. Rinse the cloth to remove both the Vaseline and the dishwashing liquid. You might need to repeat these steps a couple of times to completely remove the stain. Launder it as usual once stain is removed. | [Back to Top] |
| Honey | Scrape off excess honey from item taking care not to stain it further. Turn fabric inside out and wash it under running, cold water to remove the honey. Pre-treat with prewash stain remover and launder item with hot water. | [Back to Top] |