Spring Stain Solutions
Egg food and coloring dye
- Pretreat the stain with heavy-duty liquid detergent. Rinse. Soak fabric in dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach. If stain persists and garment is white or colorfast, soak entire garment in diluted solution of liquid chlorine bleach and water. Chlorine bleach may change the color of the garment or cause irreversible damage. Check for bleach tolerance on a hidden seam. If stain does not come out in 15 minutes of bleaching, if cannot be removed by bleaching.
- If bleaching is not safe or does not work, use a commercial color remover according to package directions. Note that color remover will take out the fabric color as well as the stain. Do not exceed 160 degrees Fahrenheit water with any synthetic fabrics*. Launder.
*Synthetic Fabrics are: Acetate, Acrylic, Polyester, Nylon, Olefin, Triacetate and anything labeled static-resistant, wrinkle-resistant, permanent-press, no-iron, stain-proof or moth-repellant
Grass and flower pollen
- Soak in a solution of cool water and a product containing enzymes for at least 30 minutes or overnight, (several hours for aged stains.) Do not use hot water as it will coagulate protein in formula and make stain more difficult to remove.
- Launder. If stains remain, soak an additional 30 minutes, rewash using bleach safe for fabric, and then re-wash. Follow product's use instructions. Some laundry detergents contain enzymes. After soaking, launder in warm water as usual.
Avoid using heat and/or alkali products such as ammonia and some degreaser products. They can set the tannin and vegetable dye in grass stains.
Chlorine bleach is not recommended for fabrics made of silk, wool or Spandex because it will yellow and weaken the fibers. Chlorine bleach will also bleach out or fade colored fabrics. Use oxygen bleach safe for colored fabrics.
Pet/people stains (urine, vomit, feces), perspiration stains and baby food stains
- Scrape off excess material.
- Soak for 15 minutes in mixture of 1 quart lukewarm water, one-half teaspoon liquid hand dishwashing detergent and one tablespoon ammonia.
- Rub gently from back to loosen stain.
- Soak another 15 minutes in above mixture. Rinse.
- Soak Protein stain in enzyme product for at least 30 minutes. Soak aged stains for several hours. Launder.
Mud and juice stains
- 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.
Chewing gum
- Rub area with ice and scrape with side of dull knife.
- 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.
Blood
Treat blood stains immediately. First run cold water through the stain. Then treat as above. If dried, pretreat with prewash stain remover, liquid laundry detergent, liquid detergent booster or paste of granular laundry product and water. Launder using bleach safe for fabric. Old stains may respond to soaking in enzyme product. For a blood stain that is not completely removed by this process, wet the stain with hydrogen peroxide and a few drops of ammonia. Do not leave in this mixture longer than 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water.
