Stains, the mortal enemies of the washing machine. They make some people furious. They make others cry. They spend sleep in the eyes of every housewife. They appear at the most unexpected moments. Splash, splash, plum, a moment of daydreaming and you end up with a big blotch on your favorite T-shirt.
Removing tough stains from clothes or carpets does not have to be time-consuming. Most of the contaminants do not require the use of expensive chemicals. You can pull foundation or lipstick from your favorite blouse, a stain of blood from the carpet or grease from your man clothes using home methods.
How to remove tough food stains?
Food stains are relatively the most common. How many times have you got soiled with chocolate? Have you tried to get the wine or coffee stain out of your table cloths? Or was the chewing gum on the carpet the problem for you? Have you paid a stain on your favorite dress for a healthy diet? Follow our advice on how to effortlessly remove food stains from clothes and carpets using home remedies. Here is a rundown of few of the most annoying stains, along with the way of how to get rid of them.
Red wine
For centuries, an inseparable companion of evening meetings with friends. Even poems have been written about its color, taste, and smell. Unfortunately, none of the prominent poets spoke a word about how to remove a stain of this virtuous drink. Contrary to appearances, it is not that difficult.
Method 1: salt for fresh stains
The wine stain should be generously sprinkled with salt and then soaked in cold water for about half an hour. After this time, the fabric should be washed. This way you can clean the tablecloth and white shirt. You can also sprinkle the stain with salt, wait until the salt absorbs the liquid and the color of the wine, then rub.
Option 2: running water right after it gets dirty
Immediately after red wine stains is made on the clothes, rinse it with running water.
Option 3: Baking soda fights old stains
Baking soda will work for old stains. In this case, the fabric should be soaked in a solution of a 33.8 oz ( 1 liter) of water and 4 tablespoons of soda.
Option 4: white wine or champagne for red wine stain
A fresh red wine stain can be removed with champagne or white wine. Just pour one of these liquids on the stain, and then wash the garment in the washing machine and hand-wash delicate fabrics in soapy water. Be careful not to make another stain with the liquors used to remove the red wine stain.
Method 5: alcohol solution for stains on tablecloths
If a red wine stain has been made on a white fabric, such as a tablecloth, it can be removed by soaking the cloth in a 1 to 1 solution of spirit and water or in 10% hydrogen peroxide.
Option 6: soap to wash off wine stains
To remove old red wine stains, use warm water and ammonia soap.
Option 7: The shaving cream will remove an old wine stain
Shaving cream is also used on old wine stains. It is enough to apply a little cream to the dirty area and rinse with lukewarm water after a quarter of an hour.
Method 8: potato flour for red wine stains
Potato flour is used for wine stains on colorful and delicate fabrics (satin, silk, velvet). First sprinkle the stain with a little flour and dilute it with water. This will prevent discoloration on the fabric. Then the garment must be rinsed well in cold water, and then additionally washed in the washing machine.
Nail polish
Ladies love when their nails sparkle with different colors. Sometimes, during home manicure, various accidents occur: and this hand misses the point and knocks the bottle of emulsion on your favorite pants … There is no need to cry over spilled paint, it happens even to the best. Here are few old fashioned but working ways of dealing with it:
Nail polish remover
You can remove the varnish from the fabric just like from your nails – with a nail polish remover. However, remember that it can discolor some materials, especially colored ones! Better to test it in an inconspicuous place. Soak a cotton pad with acetone and put it on the dirt. After a few minutes, put a paper towel on the stain and press it down firmly. It should soak up the nail polish stain.
Paint Thinner
You can remove a nail polish stain by using a solvent. However, it will not help jeans – they will become discolored then, just like thin fabrics.
baking soda
Use baking soda mixed with warm water – gently rub the nail polish stain with a moistened cotton pad or cloth.
Pencil eraser
If a nail polish stain has formed on a leather surface, try rubbing it off with a regular eraser or gently filing it down with a nail file.
Fresh fruit stains
As the old saying goes, fresh fruit stains only disappear after the season, or after a few washes. However, do not hesitate, because quick response is the most important in removing difficult stains. Get off the stain immediately.
For clothes that are washable, spray the stain with soda and then rinse under running cold water. The next step is to soak the clothing in the borax solution( 1 cup (240mL) of water and add 1tsp (5ml) of borax powder). When the stain is gone, wash the garment as usual.
For non-washable fabrics, moisten the stain with a sponge. Prepare a 1: 1 solution of glycerin and water, soak a sponge in it and pad the stain. Then leave the blouse for an hour and then rinse it with a sponge moistened in vinegar. To remove the vinegar smell, wipe with a damp cloth.
Lemon juice also works well for most fruit stains – sprinkle it on the stained areas, wait a while, rinse, and repeat the treatment until it is effective. Lemon juice has the advantage that it can be used on most fabrics, even delicate ones, without damaging them.
Ketchup and other tomato sauces
Regardless of whether you dunk one fries in it or pour it over the entire batch at once, a few drops of sauce will definitely land on your T-shirt. Do not panic!
It is best to remove the tomato sauce residue right away. But you have to do it in such a way that you do not rub ketchup into the fabric. turn the clothing inside out and wash off any sauce residue under running water. The next step is to soak the dirty fabric in water with washing liquid. After about thirty minutes of soaking, rinse the garment in clean water, then clean the stained area with a soft cloth dipped in white vinegar and rinse the garment again. The last step is to wash the soiled clothes in the washing machine set to the highest possible temperature but adapted to the type of fabric. After drying it out there should be no trace of ketchup stains.
*If ketchup stains are persistent, use diluted spirit or boric acid solution to combat them. It is best to apply them directly to the ketchup stain and clean with a soft cloth. Citric acid also brings good results in removing ketchup stains.
*When a stubborn stain of ketchup appears on a carpet or sofa, just like in the case of clothes, you need to act quickly and carefully remove the remains of tomato sauce with a knife. When it is all done, prepare a mixture of water and washing liquid. The right proportion is a glass of water per tablespoon of washing liquid. Soak a soft cloth in the mixture and then place it on a dirty carpet or sofa – so that it will absorb the remnants of ketchup. The process should be repeated several times so that all bits of the tomato sauce disappear. To remove the remains of washing liquid with a cloth dipped in clean water. The carpet or sofa should dry thoroughly. If ketchup stains are very persistent, use a solution of spirit vinegar or boric acid to remove them.
Chewing Gum
our love for gum is stronger than our reluctance to remove it. The problem, however, arises when the gum sticks to our favorite pants or worse, to our brand-new rug? Nothing is lost, here are some simple ways to remove chewing gum from fabrics.
How do I remove chewing gum from clothes?
Put the clothing in a foil or plastic bag, seal it tightly and put everything in the freezer for about two hours. After this time, the gum should harden a lot, so scrape it off. If rubber remains, soak garments in a bowl in a solution of water and one cup of vinegar. Wash as usual. For non-washable fabrics, do the same, except that instead of soaking the clothing, rub the rubber mark with a cloth moistened with vinegar. The stain will let go completely.
How to remove chewing gum from carpet?
Luckily for you, removing the chewing gum from your carpet is quite simple. To remove the chewing gum stuck to the carpet, use a similar trick to freeze it as you would with your clothes. Obviously, you will have a hard time putting the rug in the freezer, so freeze the gum any other way. Spread aluminum foil over the rug and cover the area with the gum with ice cubes. Before the gum hardens, you will probably have to repeat the treatment several times. Then carefully scrape the gum off. Rub the remaining stain with a cloth soaked in denatured alcohol to remove rubber residues.
If denatured alcohol cannot cope with this problem, make a solution with two glasses of warm water, a tablespoon of distilled vinegar, a tablespoon of washing-up liquid. First, soak the stubborn stain and then rub with a cloth.
Urine
Some pets, especially puppies and kittens, do their best in most inappropriate places, such as in your closet, in your shoes, or in the middle of the rug. Either way, you have to clean up and do your laundry. Get two glasses of lukewarm water, two glasses of white wine vinegar, and 4 teaspoons of baking soda. Mix all ingredients together. Soak your clothes and scrub the rug. Thanks to this mixture, stains and unpleasant odors will disappear, as he took away with his hand.
Chocolate
Everyone loves it . However, it works better with a brownie than with your T-shirt. When you get dirty, do not try to wash it off with warm water! The stain will blend into the fabric even more, and then you will definitely not wash it.
Borax and warm water work great here. Borax is an excellent, ecological, and cheap cleaning agent that is worth having at home. To get rid of a chocolate stain, make a solution of 1/2 liter of water and 1 tablespoon of borax. This solution should be applied to the stain with a sponge, rinsed after a while and washed as usual in the washing machine. If you do not have borax at home, then nothing is lost. You can prepare a solution of water and vinegar in the proportion of 1 cup of water to 2 tablespoons of food vinegar. Also check out how to remove coffee stains.
Second way is to combine a glass of water with a measuring cup of dishwashing liquid and a teaspoon of ammonia. Pour this mixture over the dirty area and wipe it with a soft cloth. If the chocolate turns out to be more stubborn, treat it with hydrogen peroxide. Note: Before using it, check that it does not discolor the fabric.
Chocolate stains on carpet – how to get rid of them?
First of all, you have to be patient. Only start removing chocolate stains from a carpet when it is completely dry. Scrape off the excess chocolate with e.g., a knife (blunt side). If your rug is made of natural wool, you can use the method of mopping up dirt with a mixture of water and denatured alcohol. To do this, prepare a 1: 1 solution. ATTENTION! Denatured alcohol is not suitable for synthetic fiber carpets! The alternative will be extraction gasoline. In both cases, the dirty area should be padded, then generously covered with talcum powder and the carpet should be vacuumed normally after a while.
Food grease
Greasy stains on fabrics look unattractive and, what is worse, are difficult to remove. The salt available in kitchen cabinets not only gives your dishes a unique flavor but is also a good way to remove greasy stains from clothes. In this case, it is worth creating a salt solution with alcohol in a ratio of 1: 4, dip a cotton cloth in it and get rid of stubborn dirt on the clothes. You can easily remove greasy stains on cotton clothes with toothpaste – just put it on the brush and rub the stain. A good way to remove grease stains is to use potato flour. Sprinkle it on the stain and leave it for a few minutes. Then rub the dirt with the brush and rinse the garment in warm water.
Lipstick
Red lips reflected on the collar of a shirt can mean a lot. First of all, among other things, it is time to do the laundry, unfortunately. Before removing the lipstick stain, remove excess cosmetic from the fabric. This can be done, for example, with a blunt knife or a cotton bud. Be careful not to increase the size of the stain or smudge it.
- Spray the hairspray on the streaks and wait 15 minutes. After this time, wipe the dirt with a damp sponge. The lipstick will fade away and no trace of it will remain.
- The lipstick stain can be removed with ammonia chloride or methyl alcohol.
- If the lipstick stain is on synthetic fabric, grease it with petroleum jelly before cleaning. The stain should be wiped off with a cotton pad, and then the clothing should be washed in water with a large amount of soap. Soap can be a really effective stain remover – you can also soak the fabric overnight in soapy water and wash it in the washing machine in the morning. Remember that in both cases you have to use a lot of soap!
- Instead of soap, you can fight the lipstick stain with the help of dishwashing liquid.
- If the stain is on the linen fabric, you can simply boil it.
- A lipstick stain on white cloth can be removed with bleach.
- If the garment is made of silk, clean it with a cloth soaked in denatured alcohol.
- For lipstick stains on the upholstery, use a chemical solvent for fabrics. First (the same as when you remove dirt from clothes) remove the excess cosmetic from the upholstery. Use a sponge to apply a little chemical fabric paint remover to the stain. Apply a dry, light cloth to the dirty area. Press it against the stain and wait for it to soak completely. Repeat the steps until the dirt is gone.
Tar and mechanical grease
Tar and grease stains are not a daily feature on your fabrics. However, once they arrive at your home, it is hard to get rid of them.
How to remove tar from clothes?
Cleaning tar from your clothes will require a lot of effort and precision. If the soiled clothes can be washed in water, scrape off the tar first as much as possible, but be careful not to smear it. Apply eucalyptus oil to the stain and then wash as usual.
You can also moisten the fabric in hot or warm milk and rub the stain with your fingers. Then remove the fabric from the milk, rub the stained area with turpentine and sprinkle the talcum powder generously, wait for the powder to be absorbed, and after 2-3 hours shake it off the clothes and brush the stained area. If the stain is old and dry, you may need to butter the top and bottom of it and leave it overnight. In the morning, try to remove it using the warm milk method. Fabrics that cannot be washed require different treatment. First, scrape the tar as thoroughly as possible, being of course careful not to spread it beyond the stain. Then soften the stain with glycerin. Do not wash but treat the stain with lighter gas.
Tar dirt on the carpet?
You should start removing tar from your carpet from the same step as for your clothes. Apply glycerin solution to the stain and leave it for about an hour. After this time, rinse with cold water. Finally, wash the stained area with carpet shampoo.
How to remove a grease stain from clothes?
It is best to remove grease stains from woolen and cotton fabrics with tissue paper and gasoline. First, apply a tissue paper to the spot where the stain appeared, and then tampon the cloth wrapped with gauze moistened with gasoline. Remember to change the washers frequently. When the stain becomes slightly pale, sprinkle the stain with talcum powder, remove the powder after a few hours, moisten with an ammonia solution (3%) and rinse the fabric. For silk fabrics, replace the ammonia with a borax solution (10%). If you want to wash work clothes made of cotton fabric, like a jumpsuit, first put a little butter on the stain. After two hours, wash the suit in salt water with hydrogen peroxide (10%) and ammonia mixed with 1 teaspoon of ammonia to 1 liter of water.
How to remove oil paint?
Oil paint stains are among the most troublesome stains on clothes. An effective method will be to use gasoline for cleaning. Then, soak the garment in detergent – it can be a washing powder or fabric softener. Artistic oil paint stains can be removed with turpentine.
Underarms swat and antiperspirant
All the commercials promise that the new deodorants and antiperspirants will not leave any marks on your colored clothes. They only promise – sprays and sticks still stain your wardrobe. If the streaks appeared a moment after applying the cosmetic, you can easily wipe them off with wet wipes intended for baby care. Dishwashing liquid will help to remove dried-on stains. Pour it over the dirt before putting it in the washing machine.
Yellow, unsightly streaks often appear on white shirts and T-shirts in the armpit area. They arise because you are sweating and possibly using the wrong antiperspirant. The stains will disappear when you soak them in a solution of water, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda mixed in equal proportions. After 30 minutes, scrub the yellowish marks with a wet sponge. If this does not help, make a paste of 3 aspirin tablets and 2 teaspoons of water. Spread it over all the dirt and leave it for an hour. Then choose clothes as usual.
Tea or coffee
How to remove a coffee stain from clothes?
For fabrics that can be washed in water, rinse the stain with cold, running water. Then prepare a solution of borax and water and rub the stain with a cloth moistened with this solution until the desired effect is achieved. After this time, wash the fabric as usual.
Also treat fabrics that cannot be washed with a mixture of borax and warm water. This time, however, apply the solution to the sponge and rub the stain. Then dry the stain thoroughly. Repeat the treatment until the desired effect is obtained.
How do I remove a tea stain from my favorite fabric?
If you stain your favorite tablecloth with tea, you can easily save it by sprinkling it with lemon juice and then quickly rinsing it with clean, cold water. If your tea spills onto other fabrics, make a solution of vinegar, dry white wine, and denatured alcohol. Dip a clean cloth in the solution and tampon the stain. Then dry the stain with a sponge or absorbent cloth.
How to remove coffee and tea stains from the carpet?
One way to treat coffee and tea stains from a plastic carpet is to spray the stained area with soda water. As soon as you wet the rug, dry it thoroughly with a paper or regular towel. You must repeat the activities until the desired effect is achieved.
Grass
The biggest enemy of every mother whose child loves to play actively outside. Green streaks are hellishly difficult to wash out, but it is not impossible. First of all, they should be dealt with as soon as possible.
Soap
You can treat fresh grass stains with soapy water. However, if even long soaking does not help, try one of the following remedies for grass stains.
Alcohol
Grass stained clothes can be cleaned with alcohol. It should be 70% alcohol or diluted ammonia. After applying such a liquid to the stain, leave it on the fabric for a few minutes and then rinse with cold water.
Dish soap
Plain washing-up liquid can also help with grass stains. After using this method, the garment should be washed in the washing machine.
Hydrogen peroxide
Rub the stain with a cloth moistened with hydrogen peroxide – this method is especially effective when cleaning cotton clothes. You will appreciate the use of hydrogen peroxide not only on grass stains.
Milk
A good method for removing dirt is to clean the fabric with milk.
Citric acid
Grass stains can also be removed by using citric acid. Rub the stained area with the acid until the grass stain is removed.
Lemon juice
Instead of citric acid, try to remove the dirt with lemon juice.
Bonus* A grass stain can also be cleaned with a special solution – alcohol combined with water and salt.
Egg Yolk
Contrary to its appearances, yolk stains are not so easy to remove. But what to do when your child’s favorite food is a soft-boiled egg? Well, let me show you some proven ways to remove egg stains from clothes and carpets.
Removing egg stains from clothes
If you have stained a washable fabric with an egg, first remove the remaining egg from the fabric with a blunt instrument. However, be careful not to damage the clothes. Then make a solution with half a bucket of cold water and half a glass of salt. Soak the dirty fabric in the salt solution until a satisfactory result is obtained. Then wash your clothes as usual. If you want to remove yolk from non-washable fabrics, use the same solution, but in a smaller proportion. Rub the stain with a sponge moistened in the solution. Then rinse and moisten the sponge with clean water and rub the stain with it. You can dry the spot after the stain with a regular or paper towel.
How to remove a yolk stain on delicate or silk fabrics?
For delicate fabrics, such as natural silk, you can use benzine. After gently removing the yolk from the fabric, soak a soft cloth in gasoline and then gently rub the stain. Prepare a weak borax solution and rinse the fabric with it. Then rinse the garment in clean water and wash as usual. You can remove the yolk stain on artificial silk with clean, cold water by rubbing the stained area. If there is an oily stain on the blouse, rub it with gasoline and sprinkle talcum powder. You can clean the yellow stain with a solution of hydrogen peroxide and ordinary water, mixed in the proportion of 1: 1.
Ink
Fountain pens and some pens can leak, leaving a rather unattractive souvenir in the form of a huge navy-blue blot. At first glance, the spilled ink looks like a difficult and troublesome stain, in fact, you can easily get rid of it.
How do I remove an ink stain from my clothes?
- Cotton and linen or natural fabrics? the stain on this type of material is best sprinkled with lemon juice or rubbed gently with a cloth soaked in spirit. You can also pour curdled milk over the dirt and leave it for at least an hour.
- Artificial materials? pour warm milk over the stain on such fabrics and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then wash in warm water.
- Natural silk? to remove an ink stain from it, we need to use warm milk or warm spirit, and finally wash the garment in a special silk liquid. Remember to start removing the dirt from its edges and go inside so that the stain is not rubbed or enlarged.
- Wool? To get rid of ink blots from clothes made of wool, mix hot milk with lemon juice, and gently pour the soiled area with detergent. It will also work carefully to rub the stain with a cloth moistened with pure alcohol.
Removing ink stains from carpets:
- Wool carpet – collect excess liquid with cotton wool, cloth, or tissue paper. The next step is to clean the dirty place with a cloth soaked in vinegar, then with hot milk and finally with spirit again. Finally, you can clean the whole thing with cold water and vacuum it thoroughly.
- Synthetic carpet? Sprinkle a large amount of table salt on the fresh stain, leave it for about half an hour and vacuum it thoroughly. We can additionally wash with warm soapy water, which will help remove any residues.
Blood
No matter where the crimson stain comes from, the sooner you start removing it, the better it is for your clothes.
First rinse and dry traces in cold water. Then soak them in water with lemon juice and leave them for a few hours. If you are concerned about your clothes becoming discolored, wash them by adding a glass of cola to the washing machine drum. A gentle bleach can handle older stains.
The first step with washable clothes is to rinse the stain with cold water, preferably immediately after it occurs. Then soak the entire fabric in very salty water for several hours, and then wash as usual.
You can also sprinkle table salt on the stain immediately. This method will not damage the fabric and will make a large part of the blood absorbed by the salt.
A proven method is to apply potato starch paste, powder, and water to the stain – if you do, remember to dry the fabric quickly and then wipe the pulp with a soft clothes brush.
Wax
How to remove wax stains from clothes?
It is amazingly easy to stain your favorite shirt or trousers with wax. Relax, these plans come off without much problem.
Parchment and iron
Cover the stain with parchment paper and iron it with an iron. When the wax sticks to the paper, move it differently. Iron until all the dirt remains on the parchment. If there is an oily stain on the wax, wash it off with a washing-up liquid.
*Note: This method can be risky with colored wax!
Freezer
Put the stained clothes in the freezer for a few hours. This makes it easier for you to crush the wax.
Traditional washing
If the fabric can be washed at 60 degrees, the stain will easily come off the washing machine.
How to remove wax stains from wooden surfaces?
A wax stain can also appear on the table top or on the floor.
Ice Cube
Put an ice cube on the dirt. When the wax is ice cold, you can scratch it off more easily.
*Note: you can only scratch very cold wax – otherwise the furniture will get scratched.
Hair dryer
Heat the wax with a hair dryer. Direct a stream of hot air over the stain, then collect the stain with a tissue or paper towel. Later on the greasy stain is wiped with a solution of water and vinegar.
Rust
How to remove rust stains on clothes?
Rust stains are a nightmare for many people, especially when they appear, for example, on a white blouse. It is particularly important not to touch them. This is important because touch will blend the stain, which will make the (already difficult) situation even worse. Unfortunately, rust stains are not always washable. The degree of difficulty depends on the type of fabric.
In addition to chemicals and laundry services, there are also home remedies for dealing with rust. There are really a lot of them. How to remove rust stains with home remedies? Bathing the fabric in hot lemon juice is best. The lemon juice method is not recommended, however, for delicate materials. You can also use baking powder or traditional table salt. After each such treatment, it is necessary to rinse the fabric thoroughly and wash it in the washing machine.
How to get a rust stain on a shirt?
The shirt is already a delicate material. So how to get a stain out without damaging your favorite shirt? Please note that under no circumstances should a rust-stained shirt be ironed. The heat of the iron will make the stain completely permanent, and the shirt will only be suitable for throwing away. There will be no way to wash off such a tough stain.
You can start fighting rust on your shirt by applying baking powder. The dirty area should be gently rubbed with the powder, and then the shirt should be washed as usual. So, you will ask how to stain a white shirt? Well, you can use salt and lemon juice. The stain is sprinkled with salt and sprinkled with lemon juice, and then left for a few hours. After this time, the shirt should be hand washed and dried.
Thank you for the helpful information.