Here are the best ways to remove common stains at home easily –
FOOD
Chocolate – Dish soap
Scrape off the excess chocolate as much as you can with a blunt-edged knife. Dab the stain with a mix of little water with dish soap. Soak the cloth in warm soapy water and rinse it off with warm water.
Berries – hydrogen peroxide
Mix 1/2 tespoon dish soap with 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide to make a stain remover. Dab the mixture on the stain and laundry the cloth as usual.
Ice cream – detergent
Flush the stain with cold water and then with club soda. Keep on rubbing and rinsing until the stain is gone. Repeat the process if the stain is still in there. Launder as usual in the washing machine and the stain should be gone.
DRINKS
Coffee or tea – Vinegar
You can lift out the coffee stain from your clothes or tablecloth by patting the spot with a moist towel or paper towel with white vinegar or lemon juice, until the stain disappears and then place the item in the wash. For large coffee stains, soak the garment in a solution of 3 parts of white vinegar and 1 part cold water, leave it on overnight before washing.
Red Wine – salt or white wine
Absorb the white stain as much as possible by blotting or dabbing the stain with paper towels. Flush the stain with white wine, then flush it with club soda, repeat as needed.
MAKEUP
Lipstick – hair spray
Mist the stain with a hair spray then let it sit for 10 mins and then dab it down with a wet cloth to remove any residue.
Foundation – shaving cream
The best product to remove foundation stains is to use shaving cream. Dampen the stain with cold water and apply shaving cream directly onto the stain. Rub the stain gently using your fingers or a soft toothbrush The shaving cream should help loosen up the stain and then laundry as usual.
Lipstick stain – Nail polish remover
Apply nail polish remover to the area and scrub it with an old toothbrush, rinse it off with cold water and blot dry. You can also spray the stain with diluted dish soap and use a toothbrush to work into the stain.
OTHERS
BLOOD – lemon juice, baking soda or hydrogen peroxide
Rinse the stain with cold water then dab the stain with hydrogen peroxide, leave it on for few mins until the stain disappears. Rinse it off and repeat until the stain disappears. You can also try lemon juice in substitute to hydrogen peroxide or also make a paste out of baking soda and cold water and apply it on the stain. Once the stain is gone, laundry the cloth as usual.
SWEAT STAIN – lemon juice
A simple and affordable solution for cleaning sweat-stains is to mix equal parts of lemon juice and water and rub it on the affected area. For tough stains, use baking soda mixed with lemon juice to scrub away the stain. Use a soft brush to gently lift the stain and wash in a regular cycle.
Perfume stain – vinegar
Apply the stain with a solution of equal parts glycerine and water, leave it to soak for up to an hour, then wash as normal. Mix equal parts of vinegar and water and gently dab the stain so the entire area is covered. Let it on for few mins and rinse off.
Oil stain – chalk
Sprinkle flour or cornstarch on both sides of the stain and let sit for 15-20 minutes. You can also simply rub the stain with white chalk to absorb the oil. Allow the powder or chalk to soak for an hour. Rub it in some dish soap and rinse under water, repeat till the stain as been completely gone.
Paint – nail polish remover
Scrap the excess paint using a blunt knife and then use a nail polish remover or just soak the cloth with some detergent.
Ink stain – Milk
Place a clean cloth underneath the stain so that it doesn’t seep through to any other layers and spray the ink with hair spray or use a hand sanitizer until saturated. Let it soak for several seconds then blot ink stain with another clean cloth. Repeat this process until gone. You may also soak the stain in milk overnight then wash as usual
All stain removal methods mentioned above should be applied prior to washing the garments. Stains that have been laundered and dried are very difficult to remove.