***Caution*** Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia - fumes are hazardous.
Removing Bleach Stains
from Upholstery
- Detergent
- White vinegar
- Mix one tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent with two cups of cool water.
- Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the detergent solution.
- Blot until the liquid is absorbed.
- Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until the stain disappears, or no longer absorbed into the cloth.
- If the stain remains, use mix one tablespoon of white vinegar with two cups of cool water. Sponge the stain with the solution. Blot until liquid is absorbed. .
- Sponge with cold water and blot dry.
Removing Blush (make up) Stains
from Upholstery
- Detergent
- Mix one (1) tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent with two (2) cups of cool water.
- Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the detergent solution.
- Blot until the liquid is absorbed.
- Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until the stain disappears.
- Sponge with cold water and blot dry to remove the detergent solution.
Removing Spaghetti Sauce Stains
from Upholstery
- Detergent
- Mix one (1) tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent with two (2) cups of cool water.
- Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the detergent solution.
- Blot until the liquid is absorbed.
- Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until the stain disappears.
- Sponge with cold water and blot dry to remove the detergent solution.
Removing Furniture Polish, Wax Stains
from Upholstery
- Dry cleaning solvent
- Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the dry cleaning solvent.
- Blot until the solvent is absorbed.
- Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until the stain disappears.
Removing Dirt Stains
from Upholstery
- Detergent
- Mix one (1) tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent with two (2) cups of cool water.
- Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the detergent solution.
- Blot until the liquid is absorbed.
- Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until the stain disappears.
- Sponge with cold water and blot dry to remove the detergent solution.
Removing Candle Wax Stains
from Washable Fabrics
- Ice cube
- Iron
- Bleach
- Rub with ice and scrape off excess with a dull knife.
- Place folded paper towels over and under stained area and press with a warm – not hot – dry iron.
- Use clean towels, repeat until no more wax melts.
- Remove color with bleach or color remover as safe for fabric.
Removing Grease Stains
from Washable Fabrics
- Pretreatment laundry stain remover
- Heavy-duty liquid detergent
- Chlorine bleach or oxygen bleach
- Dry cleaning solvent
- Absorbent paper towels
- Saturate area with pretreatment laundry stain remover (aerosol types work better on greasy stains) Wait one minute for product to penetrate the stain. For stubborn stains, rub with heavy-duty liquid detergent. Launder immediately.
- If color stain remains, soak/wash in chlorine bleach if safe for fabric, or in oxygen bleach.
- For extra heavy stains, apply dry cleaning solvent to back of the stain over absorbent paper towels. Let dry, rinse. Proceed as above.
Removing Scorch Stains
from Washable Fabrics
- Detergent
- All-fabric bleach
- If fabric is thick and fuzzy, brush to remove charring.
- Rub liquid detergent into scorched area.
- Launder.
- If stain remains, bleach with all-fabric bleach.
- Melted or glazed areas on synthetic blends cannot be fully restored.
Removing Toothpaste Stains
from Washable Fabrics
- Liquid hand dishwashing detergent
- White vinegar
- Rubbing alcohol
- Enzyme presoak product
- Chlorine bleach or oxygen bleach
- Soak for 15 minutes in mixture of one quart lukewarm water, one-half teaspoon liquid hand dishwashing detergent and one tablespoon white vinegar. Rinse.
- Sponge with rubbing alcohol, using light motions from center to edge of stain.
- Soak for 30 minutes in one quart warm water with one tablespoon enzyme presoak products.
- If color stain remains, launder in chlorine bleach if safe for the fabric, or in oxygen bleach.
Removing Honey Stains
from Carpets
- Detergent
- Ammonia
- Scrape off excess foreign material.
- Mix one tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent with two cups of warm water.
- Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the detergent solution.
- Blot until the liquid is absorbed.
- Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until the stain disappears.
- If the stain remains, mix one tablespoon of ammonia with two cups of warm water. (Caution: Never mix chlorine bleach and ammonia – fumes are hazardous)
- Sponge the stain with the ammonia solution.
- Blot until the liquid is absorbed.
- Sponge with cold water and blot dry.
Removing Red Wine Stains
from Carpets
- Detergent
- White vinegar
- Mix one teaspoon of a mild detergent containing no alkali or bleaches with one cup of lukewarm water. Blot the stained area.
- Mix one-third cup of white vinegar with two-thirds cup of water. Blot.
- Repeat step one.
- Sponge the stained area with clean water. Blot.
Removing Chewing Gum Stains
from Carpets
- Ice cube
- Citrus based product
- Freeze the chewing gum using an ice cube in a plastic bag.
- Shatter the frozen chewing gum with a knife handle and vacuum.
- Shampoo. Let dry, and then vacuum.
- Some citrus based products such as De-Solv-It® or Orange-Sol® have been demonstrated to break down the stickiness of gum so that it can be removed.
Removing Crayon Stains
from Carpets
- Ice
- WD40
- Detergent
- If the crayon is soft, freeze it by applying an ice cube wrapped in a small plastic bag, and then scrape off the excess crayon.
- Spray the stain with WD-40 and let it stand for a few minutes.
- Tamp the stain. Wipe off residue with a paper towel.
- Re-spray with WD-40; then apply liquid dishwashing detergent directly on the sprayed area.
- Tamp again. Wipe off the residue with paper towel.
- Repeat Steps 2 to 5 until the stain disappears.
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Source: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/
Stain Solutions was developed by:
Susan Taylor - Former University of Illinois Extension Educator
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