Tips for Removing Stains from Clothing

By Mary M. Alward

At one time or another, everyone has to remove stains from clothing. Families with children must always pre-treat stains before laundering. The following tips will show you how to remove stains quickly and easily without complications.

1. To avoid complicating the problem, never rub a stained garment with a towel or dark colored cloth. Towels leave lint behind and dark cloths may bleed and make the problem worse.

2. Most types of soap can set stains. Never rub a stain with a bar of soap.

3. If the stain on a garment is fresh, blot up all of the excess fluid with a paper towel or a white, absorbent cloth. Colored clothes can bleed and make the problem worse.

4. Is the garment washable or does it have to be dry cleaned? If the label reads, "dry clean only," take the garment to a professional dry cleaner within two days.

5. If the stain is a solid, such as mud, allow it to dry and then scrape of the excess using a dull knife or the side of a fingernail file.

6. Never use hot water on stains if you don't know what they are. Hot water will permanently set any stain that contains protein, such as blood, egg, gravy or milk.

7. Always test spot stain removers on an area that will not be seen, such as an inside hem.

8. Never rub stains on delicate clothing. Rubbing can damage the fabric and cause the stain to spread.

9. If you treat the stain, launder the garment and the stain remains, do not dry in the clothes dryer. Heat will set the stain permanently. Instead, hang to dry naturally and then attempt to remove the stain again.

10. Never press or iron stained garments. This will also set the stain permanently, as will any other heat source.

11. Always treat stains before you launder a garment. Once it is laundered, it is harder to remove.

12. Always launder soiled garments separately to avoid stains from being deposited on other garments. Do not overload the washer. Use warm water; never cold or hot.

Use the tips in this article to easily remove stains from garments. These tips work well on all fabric types.

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