Imagine this — it’s early morning and you’re bustling about in the kitchen, getting ready for school and work. The kids, eager for breakfast, accidentally spill milk over their shirts. While you’re busy making fried eggs, the oil splatters all over your sleeve. Meanwhile, the family dog jumps up and leaves muddy paw prints on Dad’s trousers.
Sometimes, life can get a little messy, and stains happen. While doing a quick wash and dry may do the trick for some stains, others are more persistent and require a different stain removal process. Follow along with this stain removal guide and learn how to tackle even the toughest of stains.
Know the best way to get out a stain, regardless of what caused it.
Sweat
Whether you use antiperspirant or deodorant, sometimes sweat just happens. So, how do you remove sweat stains from a dress shirt, blouse or plain old T-shirt? Here’s what to do:
Rinse: Turn the garment inside out and rinse the stained area with cold water.
Pretreat: Apply a cleaning solution — a baking soda paste consisting of 4 tablespoons of baking soda and a quarter cup of water — directly to the sweat stain. Leave it for about 30 minutes.
Gently scrub: For stubborn stains, use a soft-bristled brush or an old toothbrush to gently scrub the area.
Rinse again: Rinse the fabric once more under cold water to remove any residue.
Wash: Wash your garment in the washing machine as you normally would.
Coffee
Most people enjoy sipping on a cup of coffee. But what happens if there’s a spill? You follow these steps:
Blot: If fresh, blot the stain with a clean cloth to absorb the excess coffee.
Rinse: Rinse the stained area under cold water from the back to push the stain out.
Pretreat: Dab the stained area with a cleaning solution — one tablespoon of dish soap with two cups of cold water — and work it into the garment’s fabric with your fingers. Leave it for about 10 minutes.
Blot again: Blot the area gently until the stain lifts.
Wash: Launder the garment as usual, checking if the stain is gone before drying.
Soft Drinks
Brightly colored soda — like Mountain Dew — and brown-colored soda — like Dr. Pepper — stains are challenging to clean. Here’s what you can do:
Blot: As soon as the spill happens, blot away the extra moisture with a paper towel.
Rinse: Turn the garment inside out and flush the sugar and color out of the stained area under cold water.
Pretreat: If the stain remains, treat the area with a white vinegar solution — equal parts white vinegar and water. Leave it for about 15 minutes.
Wash: Wash the garment in cold water.
Red Wine
Red wine is notorious for leaving tough stains on clothes. So, the faster you treat a red wine stain the better — here’s what you do:
Blot: Immediately blot the stain to absorb as much wine as possible. Do not rub the stain.
Flush: Afterward, quickly flush the garment under hot water.
Absorb: Either cover the stain with club soda, salt or baking soda to absorb the wine and allow it to sit for between five and 10 minutes.
Rinse: To help push out the wine, rinse the stained area under cold water from the back of the fabric.
Pretreat: If the stain persists or is dry, apply a pretreating solution. Mix half a cup of white vinegar with one teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent. Apply this solution to the stain and let it sit overnight.
Wash: Wash the garment in cold water.
Oil
Cooking oil, baby oil or suntan oil all leave unpleasant stain spots on clothing. Getting spots out of clothes is easy with these steps, especially if you address it immediately:
Blot: Use a paper towel to blot the stain and absorb excess oil.
Absorb: Apply a generous amount of baking soda or cornstarch directly to the stain. Wait for 15 to 30 minutes. Afterward, brush the powder off.
Pretreat: Rub a little bit of dishwashing soap into the stain, working it in with your fingers. Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes.
Wash: Wash the garment in warm water if possible.
Tomato-Based Sauces
Do you know how to get a hot sauce stain out? What about spaghetti sauce or ketchup? Let’s learn how to get tomato sauce stains out of clothes:
Remove: Carefully scrape away excess sauce using a spoon or butter knife. Do not spread it further.
Rinse: With the garment turned inside out, rinse the stained area with cold water to flush the sauce out.
Pretreat: Apply liquid laundry detergent to the affected area and soak the clothing in cold water for 15 to 30 minutes. Afterward, rinse the garment with cold water. Then, sponge the affected area with white vinegar with a clean cloth. Rinse with cold water again.
Wash: Wash the garment in hot water or according to care instructions.
Milk
Removing milk stains is pretty straightforward — follow these steps:
Blot: Use a paper towel to blot up any excess milk.
Rinse: Turn the garment inside out and rinse the stained area under cold water.
Pretreat: Add liquid laundry detergent to the affected area, gently working it into the fabric.
Wash: Wash the garment in cold water.
Ink
Do you want to know how to get ink out of khakis, chinos and other clothing? Here’s what you can do:
Protect: Place a piece of cardboard underneath the stained area to stop the ink from staining other areas of your garment.
Blot: Add rubbing alcohol to a cotton ball and gently blot the ink stain.
Rinse: Rinse the stained area under cold running water from the back to help push the ink out.
Pretreat: Rub a little detergent into the blotted area and allow it sit for about 5-10 minutes.
Launder: Wash the garment in cold water according to care instructions.
Lipstick
Lipsticks are typically oily or waxy and have colored dye, making it trickier to remove their stains. But removing lipstick stains is possible with these steps:
Remove: Carefully scrape any remaining lipstick solids with a spoon or butter knife.
Pretreat: Add rubbing alcohol to a cotton ball and dab it into the stain. This helps break down the oils in the lipstick.
Rinse: Flush the stained area under cold water from the back. Repeat the pretreating process until the stain is gone.
Second pretreat: If the stain persists, use a stain remover or pre-spotter before laundering.
Wash: Wash the garment as you usually would and in cold water.
Mildew
Mildew stains can be a challenge to clean, but it’s still possible to remove them with these instructions:
Remove: Take your clothing piece outside and gently brush off any loose mildew spores using a soft-bristled brush. This helps avoid spreading spores indoors.
Pretreat: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water or use a commercial mildew remover. Dampen a sponge with the solution and apply it directly to the mildew stain. Leave it for about 30 minutes to penetrate.
Scrub: Use a soft brush to gently scrub the stained area, working the solution into the fabric.
Rinse: Rinse the garment thoroughly under cold water.
Wash: If safe, wash the garment in hot water.
Air dry: Dry the garment well to prevent any remaining mildew from returning.
Act quickly: Treat the stain as soon as possible to prevent it from setting.
Be gentle: When initially cleaning the stain, try not to rub it in. Blotting stains or gently scraping them off the fabric is better.
Hot vs. cold water: Do you use hot or cold water for stains? There’s no golden rule, but generally, cold water can be a safer option. It depends on the stain and fabric.
Air dry vs. dryer: Sometimes, air drying is better, depending on the stain and fabric type. Be sure to
Be prepared: Always have the basic cleaning supplies on hand to prevent stains from setting.
Get Professional Laundry Solutions Today!
Getting stubborn stains out of clothes typically needs some type of pretreatment before washing. Ensure each step of the stain removal process counts, including laundering. If you manage a commercial laundry room, choosing quality laundry equipment can make all the difference in cleaning stains. Caldwell & Gregory provides the most up to date technology, superior service and around-the-clock support.
Contact us online or call 877-784-6100 today so we can help you determine the best laundry machine models and payment options for your commercial needs.
