Long Island Laundry Dry Cleaning Blog

How to Remove Stubborn Stains at Home

When disaster strikes on your precious garments, quick attention with a little home remedying are often your best defences to removing stains successfully. But before treating any stains you must first ask yourself “What type of stain do you have?” Different types of stains must be treated differently for effective stain removal. But for all types of stains, treat them as quickly as possible. The fresher the stain, the more likely it will come clean. And remember to never rub a stain; blot, blot, blot. If the garments are labelled “dry clean only,” however, the job is best left to the professionals at Long Island Laundry & Dry Cleaning in Glen Cove NY.

Wine

• Soak tough stains for 30 minutes in 1 litre of warm water and 1 teaspoon enzyme pre-soak product like OxiClean.
• Launder the garment with detergent in the hottest water that is safe for the fabric. Do not use soap (bar, flake or detergents containing natural soap), which can make the stain permanent or at least more difficult to remove.

Coffee and Tea

• Saturate the stain with a pre-treatment stain remover.
• Lay the stained area down on a couple layers of paper towels and blot the backside of the stain with a heavy-duty liquid detergent. This will help the stain leech out onto the towels. Follow by laundering the garment using detergent — not soap — in the hottest water safe for the fabric. (Soap can make stain permanent or at least more difficult to remove.)
• If the stain remains, take it to a dry cleaner.

Chocolate

• Lay the stained area down on a couple layers of paper towels and blot the backside of the stain with a heavy-duty liquid detergent. This will help the stain leech out onto the towels. Launder according to fabric care label.
• If the stain remains, take it to your dry cleaner.

Chewing Gum

• Place garment in plastic bag and put in freezer.
• Scrape off frozen gum.
• If residue remains, blot with oil solvent or mineral spirits.
• Rinse with isopropyl alcohol; let dry.
• Follow up with an enzyme detergent before washing.

Lipstick

• Gently scrape off excess lipstick.
• Using an eyedropper, apply a dry solvent such as mineral spirits and tamp with a soft-bristled brush.
• Rinse with isopropyl alcohol and tamp.
• Repeat until all of stain is removed.
• Once removed, spray area with diluted dishwashing-soap solution.
• Follow up with an enzyme detergent before washing.

Perspiration

• Soak the garment in warm vinegar water prior to washing.

Blood

• Spray diluted dishwashing-soap solution on stain, and let sit.
• Rinse in tepid water.
• If stain remains, follow up with an enzyme detergent and wash according to label instructions.

Grass

• Apply a dry solvent such as mineral spirits to stain.
• Press with cheesecloth; tamp with a soft-bristled brush.
• Repeat to remove as much of the stain as possible.
• Rinse with isopropyl alcohol, let dry.
• Follow up with an enzyme detergent before washing.

Ink

• For fabrics that will not be damaged by alcohol, blot rubbing alcohol directly on the stain; let sit and then wash according to label instructions.
• If ink stain is on coloured fabric, soak it in milk overnight and then wash according to label instructions.

If the stains are particularly pesky, visit Long Island Laundry & Dry Cleaning in Glen Cove NY and trust the trained stain removal specialists with the task of making your clothes look as good as new!

Just pick up the phone and give me a Call at 516-674-4123 or go here and sign-up online for FREE home PickUp and Delivery!

Your Neighborhood Stain Specialist-

Anthony Perfetti

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