Glossary of Stain Treatments

Ballpoint Ink

Many of the specialist stain removers deal with ballpoint ink. Alternatively, soak a pad of cotton wool in methylated spirits and hold it under the stain. Use dry cotton wool to dab from above in order to draw the meths up through the fibres and shift the stain. Another option is to apply a couple of squirts of hairspray to the stain, then rub gently with a dry cloth. Either way, launder as usual after treatment.

Beer

Leaves a brown mark if left to dry. Sponge gently with vinegar and warm water, then wash as usual. On dried stains, try rubbing gently with methylated spirits.

Bird Droppings

Clean washing is the usual victim. Scrape off any deposit, and rewash. Berry stains may be stubborn - use a stain remover before washing, or soak in a solution of biological washing powder.

Blood

Rinse garments repeatedly, or soak them, in cold salty water. Remove as much of the stain as you can before machine washing. Dried blood is much harder to remove. Try a soak in a cold-water solution of biological washing detergent. Sponge carpets and upholstery with cold water, then use a carpet shampoo.

Candle Wax

Leave until set, then chip and scrape off as much as possible.
Next, use a medium-to-hot iron, depending on the fabric, over a doubled sheet of white kitchen paper or a single sheet of brown wrapping paper (an opened-up brown envelope will do) to remove the remaining wax. You can also sandwich the stain between absorbent paper, then apply the hot iron to the top layer of paper.
Any residual stains from coloured wax should respond to stain remover.

Chewing Gum

Don't be tempted to pick, as you will end up pressing the gum deeper into the fabric.

Rub the area with an ice cube wrapped in a plastic bag to harden the gum, or place the entire garment in a plastic carrier and put it in the freezer overnight.
Chip off the frozen gum.
Use dry-cleaning fluid to remove residues, then wash as usual.

Chocolate

Scrape off as much as you can.
Use a specialist cleaner, or apply glycerine to loosen the stain before washing. If you have neither, work neat liquid detergent into the stain, then rinse thoroughly with tepid water.
Wash in biological detergent, or have non-washables dry-cleaned.

Coffee

Rinse or blot as much as possible. You may need to use a stain remover if milk in the coffee leaves a grease stain. Soak washables in biological detergent solution before laundering.

Curry

The combination of turmeric and oil that features in most curries creates a stain that can be very hard to remove. Try to keep the area wet. A speedy application of glycerine can keep the stain from setting. Rinse repeatedly with tepid water, or a mixture of 300 ml (1/2 pt) warm water with 10 ml (2 tsp) borax.

To top

Dye

Otherwise known as red sock syndrome, where one non-fast coloured item sneaks into a load of whites and lightly colours the lot. You might get away with washing everything again immediately, with a generous dose of detergent, before laundry has had a chance to dry. If any colour is still left, you could try a branded run remover - unfortunately these can also affect the original colour of the garment.

For whites, wash again with 20 ml (4 tsp) bleach in the detergent compartment of the washing machine - check the care label first to make sure the garments can withstand such strong treatment. Never use bleach on acetate, polyester, drip-dry cottons, silk, or wool.

Felt-Tipped Pen

If you're lucky, the ink will be water-soluble and will come out with cold water. If not, try a branded stain remover.

Fruit Juice

Very hard to shift once dry. Wash through in cold water. Apply glycerine, leave for one hour, then sponge repeatedly with warm soapy water.

To top

Grass

If the fabric will take it, soak in a mild bleach solution (follow directions on the bottle). Alternatively, apply glycerine, leave for several hours, then sponge well with warm soapy water and launder.

Grease

Dab immediately with dry-cleaning fluid on a pad of cotton wool, or sponge well with warm soapy water before laundering.

For colourless grease stains on leather or upholstery, sprinkle on fuller's earth (an earthy powder available from chemists), cover, and leave overnight. You may need several applications. Or use a specialist leather cleaner.

Lipstick

Try dry-cleaning fluid, followed by warm soapy water. Or apply eucalyptus oil, let it soak in and loosen the lipstick, then blot away the stain. Dry clean, or for washable fabrics, sponge with soapy water as hot as the fabric can stand, then launder.

Mud

Leave until completely dry, then brush off and then launder.

To top

Pets

Wipe up puddles immediately, then wash the area with a tablespoon of vinegar in 600 ml (1 pt) water.

For solid offerings, remove as much as possible from the surface. Wipe off thoroughly with kitchen paper. Sponge the area well with warm water, or use a carpet spot shampoo, testing first.

To remove the unmistakable odour left by cat spray, sponge the area with a mixture of half warm water, half white vinegar.

Tea

Apply glycerine immediately, then sponge with warm soapy water and launder. For dried stains, leave glycerine on for longer before sponging.

Vomit

Remove deposit, sponge well with warm soapy water, then launder as usual. On carpet, sponge with a teaspoonful of borax mixed with 600 ml (1 pt) warm water.

Wine

For red wine, quickly pour over some white wine or mineral water, then dab off with a cloth and, with luck, the stain will have disappeared. If not, apply glycerine to loosen the stain before laundering.

Be wary of applying salt to red wine stains - although it works on some fabrics, on others it sets the stain permanently.

To top