Laundry Tip #2: Clothing Stain Removal

We’re the first people to tell you that not every piece of clothing you wear has to be dry cleaned. However that doesn’t mean that spills and stains don’t happen to the best of us.

While our easy pickup and delivery service is one easy way to remove the worst of stains, its important to remember that the longer the stain remains, the harder it is to remove.

So act now!

Here’s how you can remove blood, oil, ink, coffee, lipstick and ketchup stains yourself without the dry cleaner.

Blood:If the stain is fresh, blot gently and repeatedly with cold water, an ice cube or club soda. Never use hot water because it will cook the proteins within the blood, setting the stain. If the stain has dried, use a 3 percent hydrogen-peroxide solution. Rinse the solution off with cold water and wash as usual. Be careful with the hydrogen-peroxide as it can cause colours to bleed.

Oil: Oil-based stains can be removed by using a number of different techniques. Rubbing alcohol can act as a grease solvent and should be rubbed into a stain. To test for colorfastness before applying the rubbing alcohol, apply a little bit to the fabric in an area that will not be seen. Then, apply liquid detergent to the stain and rub it in. Lastly, wash the clothing item in the hottest water recommended for the fabric.

A second method is the warm iron method. Sandwich the stained area between two paper towels and press a warm iron over the area so the oil will be released into the paper towels. Then, add a laundry detergent directly to the stain and wash in the hottest water possible.

Ink: Douse the ink stain with rubbing alcohol or an alcohol-based hair spray and rub it in with a dry cloth or paper towel. Pre-treat the stained area with laundry detergent by rubbing it directly into the stain and launder normally.

Coffee: Coffee stains can be removed in two ways. One approach is to apply a pre-treatment of liquid bleach for whites and color-safe bleach for colors onto the stain, letting it set before washing normally. Alternatively, a soaking solution can be made with one part vinegar mixed with four parts water. Soak the stain until the coffee is removed before washing regularly.

Lipstick: A lipstick stain should be pre-treated with a fabric stain remover, rubbing alcohol, hair spray, or ammonia before the stained clothing item is washed normally.

Ketchup: Use a color-safe bleach to pre-treat the stain and wash the item in the hottest water possible with laundry detergent. Repeat the process again if the stain still remains. The same technique can be used for Mustard and Salsa stains.

Have any other great stain removal tips? Let us know below!