Stain Removal

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A Guide to No matter where you are - in the yard, in the kitchen or at the gas station - unsightly stains lurk. They can happen when you go out to eat (a small pasta sauce stain on your sleeve or elbow, a larger stain on your shirt or blouse, a spilled drink running onto your lap); at work (an ink stain on your pants); and at home (a grease stain on your sleeve while cooking). Often people get stains on their clothes at the most inopportune times - like when you spill salad dressing on your shirt during lunch before a big meeting. Naturally, a person’s first reaction is to get the stain out immediately, if for no other reason than to avoid looking like a slob. He or she is probable also concerned about the stain setting, and so, for better or worse, a series of home remedy techniques ensue. There are many things that can be done to treat a garment temporarily, but there also are a lot of things you can do wrong. This article is designed to educate you about home stain removal. Some Fundamentals Stains should be treated as soon as possible to avoid damage to the fabric. The longer a stain remains in a fabric the more difficult it is to remove. Stains can also attract insects, which can result in further fabric damage. Reehorst, as a professional cleaner, has the skills and tools to remove most stains from your clothes. However, small clothing stains can often be successfully removed at home. If you are not sure what the stain is or have doubts about the fabric, you should take the garment to us. You should also forego home stain removal when the stains are numerous or cover a large area, or they require a chemical procedure for which you are not equipped. Remember to point out any stains and identify wheat they are when you come in to Reehorst, your fabricare specialist. When doing stain removal at home, work slowly and check your work frequently throughout the procedure. Be aware that a stain may behave differently depending on the fiber content, dye, finish, and construction of the fabric. If you have any doubts about removing a stain, bring it to us. On "Dry Clean Only" items, blot up as much of the staining material as you can and ten bring it to us, your professional cleaner, as soon as possible. Dry-side and Wet-side Stains Depending on the type, stains require either dry-side or wet-side stain removal treatment, or a combination of the two. "Dry-side" stain removal agents come in the form of cleaning fluids or powders. They do not contain any water. Therefore, they are effective on oil-based stains, but will have no impact on stains that have to be dissolved in water. Consumers can purchase many solvent-based products at their local supermarket. When working with cleaning fluids or powders follow the directions carefully. The following stains should receive dry-side stain removal: rouge, mascara, foundation, ballpoint ink, rubber base adhesives, cooking oils and greases, oil and tar, candle wax, and salad oil and dressing. "Wet-side" stains are water-based. Consequently, it takes some form of water to remove these stains. Examples of wet-side stains include soft drinks, milk, ice cream, win, coffee, tea, mustard, grass, and most food stains. Some stains dissolve partially in cleaning fluid and partially in water. Lipstick is an example of this. It contains wax and dye. The wax is removed through dry-side stain removal, and the dye is removed via wet-side treatment. When doing both, always do the "dry" procedure first. Make sure the wax is removed fully before proceeding with the "wet" procedure. Other items that require both dry and wet treatment include shoe polish, gravy, paint, and salad dressing. Some stains will not dissolve in either water or cleaning fluid until they have been chemically changed. Dried blood, dried paint, and egg stains that have dried are examples of this. It’s better to let us, your professional drycleaner, handle these types of stains. Stain Removal Instructions Now that you’ve had a primer in stain removal, you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and tackle the stains of summer and fall. So bring on those ketchup, mustard, and barbecue sauce stains, but be sure to remember these five rules while you’re at it. Rule No. 1: Always test for colorfastness before applying any stain removal agent. Blot a small amount of the agent on an inconspicuous area of the garment with white cloth. If any traces of dye appear on the cloth do not use that agent. It is not safe to use on the garment. Rule No. 2: The longer a stain remains in the fabric, the harder it will be to remove, so act quickly. Rule No. 3: Blot stains - never rub or brush the stained area, as this may damage the fabric. Work from the outside edge of the stain toward its center so that a ring will not form around the stained area. Rule No. 4: Do not use more chemicals than you need. Rule No. 5: Place absorbent materials such as white towels or white paper towels under the stained area to absorb the stain and prevent it from spreading. Change the position of the absorbent material to provide a clean area beneath the stain as necessary. Common Procedures The following are four methods that may help remove a stain and a list of stain removal agents. Look up the type of stain on the list, then follow the recommended method to remove it. When you use this guide, complete one step at a time. If the stain appears to be removed after only one or two steps, stop. Remember, if you are in doubt, bring your stained garment to us, your professional drycleaner. Materials Needed • Drycleaning fluid - look for products that contain petroleum solvent, petroleum hydrocarbon or petroleum distillate. Remember to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use, work in a well-ventilated area, and never put garments with drycleaning fluid on them in the washer or dryer. • Mild synthetic washing detergent - 1 tablespoon per cup of warm water • Household ammonia - 1 teaspoon per cup of water • White vinegar - 1 part vinegar to 3 parts of water • Bleach - 3 percent hydrogen peroxide • Bleach - chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) - 1 part chlorine bleach, 4 parts water - never use on silk, wool, nylon or spandex • Enzyme detergent - common household detergent with enzymes added or presoak. Stain Removal Methods 1. Blood, chocolate, egg, ice cream, milk, baby formula, vomit, perspiration - Blot with water. Then use an enzyme detergent. If the stain is still there, use ammonia. If the stain remains, use vinegar. If the stain still remains, use hydrogen peroxide. 2. Coffee, tea, mustard, wine, soft drinks, tomato sauce, soy sauce - Blot with water. Then use mild synthetic detergent. If the stain remains, use vinegar. If the stain still remains, use hydrogen peroxide. 3. Butter, furniture polish, grease, lipstick, foundation makeup, mayonnaise - Blot with drycleaning solvent. If the stain is still visible, use mild synthetic detergent. Finally, try ammonia. 4 Candle wax, crayon, chewing gum, paint - Blot with solvent. If any staining material remains, treat area with mild synthetic detergent and ammonia. The last traces of color matter may be removed with a bleach. Additional Tips The following stains are also common but require a special procedure for removal. • Ballpoint pen: Apply drycleaning solvent. Blot until all bleeding stops, moving the stained area as the towels absorb the ink. If the stain remains, treat it with a mild synthetic detergent and household ammonia. • Mildew: Usually requires washing with chlorine bleach. Be sure to test for colorfastness before using even on white garments. Never use bleach on silk, wool, nylon or spandex. • Nail Polish: Never use this method on acetate fibers and be sure to test of colorfastness before proceeding. Blot the stain with acetone, moving the stained area as the towel absorbs the nail polish.