Category: How-To

Scrub a grease stain with a lather of laundry detergent and water. Distilled water works best for this since “soft” water cuts grease better than water having a high mineral content.

Put a piece of scrap fabric beneath the stained spot to blot any ink that may come through. Then spray the stain evenly with aerosol hair spray from four to six inches away. Blot the surface of the stained article after spraying. You may have to repeat the process a couple of times. Finally, give the garment a regular laundering.

Hairspray will also work to remove ballpoint ink stains from leather. Saturate the stain, let the spray dry and then brush lightly with a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water.

Another approach to removing ballpoint ink stains from leather is to coat them with petroleum jelly. You may need to leave the jelly on the stain for several days before wiping it off.

If stain is fresh and still wet, immediate sponge with cold water and soak for 30 minutes in cold water. Rub liquid detergent into area, rinse.

If stain remains, or blood stain is older, soak in a solution of 2 tablespoons of ammonia per 1 gallon of cold water. Wash in cold water and dishwashing liquid to remove an vestiges of the stain left after the ammonia treatment. Repeat detergent treatment.

If the bloodstain is on a large article, such as a blanket, that you don’t want to soak completely, make a paste of cornstarch and water and slather it dry, brush it off, and keep repeating until the stain disappears.

Machine-wash the fabric using an enzyme detergent (most standard laundry soaps are enzyme-based), which breaks down protein stains. Make sure the blood has lifted before putting fabric in the dryer, as the heat will set the stain.

For fruit, berries, and juices: sponge immediately with cool water. If safe for fabric, pour boiling water through stain. Work detergent into stain; rinse.

For alcoholic and soft drinks, sponge in cool water and glycerine. Soak 30 minutes. Sponge with alcohol if safe for fabric.

For chocolate, scrub the stained area immediately with ammonia, then wash as you normally would.

For nonchocolate candy, vegetables, and catsup: Sponge stain with cold water. Soak for 30 minutes.

For egg stains, scrape off the excess with a dull knife, then soak the stain in cold water. Launder as you usually would. If the article requires dry cleaning, sponge the stain with cold water and take it to the dry cleaner right away.

Fresh coffee and tea call for the “hot waterfall” approach. First, stretch the stained part of the fabric over a bowl, as if you were putting a head on a drum, and secure it with a rubber band. Then pour boiling water over the stain from a height of two to three feet. Be careful not to burn yourself! Wash the article as you normally would, using a small amount of bleach if the fabric can tolerate it. The “hot waterfall” also works to loosen fruit and berry stains. It works with red wine if you first sprinkle a little salt on the stain. For more tips on how to remove red wine stains, check out this list of money-saving tips for the kitchen.

After a wine spill, blot up as much of the wine as you can, then rinse with cool water or club soda. Sprinkle a little salt on the stain, and create a paste of salt and water. Then, if the fabric will stand it, pour boiling water through the stain with the cloth stretched over a bowl or bathtub. For tough stains, try blotting the stains with one of the following: ⅓ cup vinegar in ⅔ cup water; 2 tablespoons ammonia in 1 cup water; or alcohol, either straight or mixed with an equal amount of water. Rinse well and then launder as usual. In some cases, you may have to use an enzyme detergent to remove wine stains.

If spilled beer has dried onto clothing or tablecloths, mix a solution of equal parts vinegar and dish washing liquid, then sponge it onto the stain. Rinse with warm water and launder as usual.

Small spots of hardened candle wax can be removed from tablecloths by rubbing with a generous dollop of vegetable oil. Wipe off any excess oil, then launder as usual.

Another way to remove small amounts of wax hardened onto a tablecloth is to spread the affected area over a large bowl and secure it with rubber bands, then pour boiling water over the wax to melt it. Follow up by washing the tablecloth as usual.

For larger wax deposits on tablecloths, first scrape off the excess with a dull knife, then place the stained area between two paper towels and press with an iron on a low setting. Replace the paper towels as the wax is absorbed into them, then launder when the paper no longer absorbs wax. (If the fabric is one that’s especially sensitive to heat, avoid burning it by holding the iron a couple of inches above the towels. You will still get enough heat to melt the wax.)

To get rid of the black and gray stains caused by mildew, try moistening the stained area with lemon juice and salt, then drying the fabric in the sun. If this doesn’t work, sponge the stain with hydrogen peroxide and sun-dry it.

If you have a leather item stained with the powdery traces of surface mildew, wipe the affected area with a solution of equal parts rubbing alcohol and water. When the leather is dry, treat it with a conditioner such as Caster oil.

To help remove grass stains from garments, work liquid laundry detergent into the stained area, rinse, then launder as usual.

Saturate grass stains on cotton with rubbing alcohol, let stand for 10 minutes, and launder as usual.

Rub peanut butter on the lipstick stained area. Before the peanut butter dries, wash the fabric with warm water and dish washing liquid. This is hardly peanut butter’s only odd use—check out this article on uncommon household uses of peanut butter for more tips.

Use vegetable oil, shortening, or petroleum jelly. Cover the stain with the oil, let it sit for five to ten minutes, and then wash with warm, soapy water. Make sure to remove all the oil, or you’ll have a different stain to deal with.

Fingernail polish is easy to remove. Yep, just sponge with nail-polish remover. Rinse.

Treat area with a dry solvent (such as mineral spirits or acetone) in a well-ventilated room. Using an eyedropper, rinse with isopropyl alcohol; dry well. Spray diluted dishwashing-soap solution on any remaining residue, and soak the item in an enzyme detergent before washing.

Spray diluted dishwashing-soap solution on stain, and let it sit; rinse in tepid water. If stain remains, treat area with an enzyme detergent, and wash according to label instructions.

Spray diluted dishwashing-soap solution on the stain to remove sugars. Using an eyedropper vinegar and then hydrogen peroxide to remove any remaining color. Follow up with an enzyme detergent to remove residue before washing.

Treat area with a dry solvent in a well-ventilated room. Press with cheesecloth; tamp with a soft-bristled brush. Repeat to remove as much pigment as possible. Flush area with isopropyl alcohol, tamp, and let dry. Follow up with an enzyme detergent to remove residue before washing.

Spray diluted dishwashing-soap solution on stain; tamp with a soft-bristled brush. Flush with water, apply white vinegar, and 1 or 2 drops of ammonia to wet area. Flush with water. Treat with an enzyme detergent; wash. If stain is still there, apply a powdered nonchlorinated color-safe bleach, such as sodium percarbonate; rewash.

Flush the stain with cold water, and spray with diluted dishwashing-soap solution. Treat area with an enzyme detergent, and then wash.

Using an eyedropper, flush area with lemon juice or white vinegar to remove stain; then treat with a stronger bleach if necessary. To help remove sugar or milk, spray area with diluted dishwashing-soap solution, then wash with an enzyme detergent.

Gently scrape off excess chocolate; spray area with diluted dishwashing-soap solution. Follow up with an enzyme detergent to remove residue before washing.

Use a dull-edged knife to remove excess lipstick. Using an eyedropper, apply a dry solvent (such as mineral spirits or acetone) in a well-ventilated room; tamp with a soft-bristled brush. Flush area with isopropyl alcohol, and tamp. Repeat until all stain is removed, and let dry. Spray with diluted dishwashing-soap solution. Treat with an enzyme detergent, and wash.

Use ice to freeze wax or gum, or place item in the freezer; scrape or crack off as much as you can, then remove residue with an oil solvent or mineral spirits. Rinse with isopropyl alcohol; let dry. Treat with an enzyme detergent; wash.

Using an eyedropper, flush stain with vinegar; then wash with diluted dishwashing soap solution.

Scrape off sauce; spray area with diluted dishwashing-soap solution. Soak in tepid water. If color remains, apply white vinegar with an eyedropper. Treat with an enzyme detergent; wash. If color persists, apply several drops of hydrogen peroxide; let sit. Rinse; treat again with enzyme detergent, and wash.

Spray with diluted dishwashing-soap solution; tamp with a soft-bristled brush. Flush with water, apply white vinegar, and tamp; let stand several minutes and flush again. If stain remains, apply hydrogen peroxide, and let stand. If stain persists, apply 1 or 2 drops of ammonia to wet area. Flush with water. Treat with an enzyme detergent; wash. If stain is still there, apply a powdered nonchlorinated color-safe bleach, such as sodium percarbonate; rewash.

First, treat stain as a grease stain (see grease, above). Then flush with white vinegar to remove any remaining spot. Follow up with an enzyme detergent to remove residue before washing.

First, determine whether the ink is oil-based or water-based by building a “dam” around the stain with mineral oil or petroleum jelly; work within the confines of the “dam.” Test the ink with a cotton swab saturated with water and another one saturated with isopropyl alcohol. If isopropyl alcohol pulls more pigment out of the stain, follow the steps for ballpoint ink stains below. If water is more effective, spray the stain with diluted dishwashing-soap solution, then flush with cold water. Alternately, to remove permanent marker, apply Amodex Ink & Stain Remover to the stained area. For fabrics, gently rub with a brush, then rinse or launder.

Build a “dam” around the stain with mineral oil or petroleum jelly. Always work within the confines of the dam. Treat area with isopropyl alcohol using an eyedropper. Remove any remaining pigment with a dry solvent in a well-ventilated room; let dry. Rinse with diluted dishwashing-soap solution, then wash with an enzyme detergent in warm water.

If stain is a combination of mud and grass, treat grass stain first (see grass, above). Shake or scrape off residue; pretreat stain with diluted dishwashing-soap solution, and soak. Then treat with an enzyme detergent; wash.