Spot & Stain Removers

  • Avoid products with 1,1,1-trichloroethane on Fabrics (TCA) or naphthalene.
  • Blood: Immediately clean stain with club soda or sponge with cold water; "bleach" with 1/4 cup borax in 2 cups water. Sponge with cold water and rinse. Or, saturate with hydrogen peroxide. Let sit a couple of minutes and wash. May bleach out color, so test first.
  • Chocolate and coffee: Soak in cold water, rub with soap and a borax solution, rinse, then launder. If necessary, rub with a borax/water paste.
  • Fruit stains:
    • Soak in cold water 30 minutes; rub soap into remaining stain; then wash; "bleach" with lemon juice and sunlight, if needed.
    • Or, soak in vinegar.
  • Grease:
    • Apply paste of cornstarch and water. Brush off when dry.
    • Or, cover spot with baking soda or cornmeal. Let absorb the grease and brush off
    • Or, scrub spot with toothpaste.
    • Or, sponge grease spot on suede with a cloth dipped in white vinegar; dry, brush off.
  • Ink:
    • Tough to get out. Try saturating stain with milk.
    • Or, sponge stain with alcohol.
    • Or, apply cream of tartar and lemon juice paste. Set for 1 hour.
  • Lipstick: Rub with cold cream or shortening to dissolve color; rinse area with solution of washing soda and warm water to remove grease; wash in soapy water.
  • Oil:
    • Rub white chalk into stain before laundering.
    • Or, scrub spot with toothpaste.
  • Stains Perspiration: Pretty tough, but try sponging stain with a weak solution of white vinegar or lemon juice, and water.
  • Rust stains from clothing:
    • Moisten spot with lemon juice, sprinkle with salt, and leave in the sun for a couple of days.
    • Or, try a "waterless" auto mechanic's hand cleaner.
  • Tea: Stretch fabric over a basin and pour boiling water over the stain; wash as usual.
  • Wine: Blot with paper towels to absorb wine. Then apply either club soda, rubbing alcohol, borax or white wine to blot out the stain.
  • Rub with moist baking soda, cornstarch on Porcelain or salt.
  • Tougher stains: Make a paste using 3 tablespoons borax and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice; scrub with nylon scouring pad and rinse with water.