Stain Removal Tips When You Are In A Bind
Stain removal emergencies happens to the best of us. Things go wrong and things get spilled.
The kids come rushing into the house covered with grass stains. Or, they spill the gravy at dinner, everywhere. It just happens. The good news is that there are plenty of things that you can do to get and keep these stains from ruining clothing, carpeting or other areas of your home. Take some time now to learn how to handle these stains and you can be effective at cleaning them for good.
Act Fast
The first thing that you need to do with any emergency spill or stain is to act as quickly as you can. The longer the stain sits there, the more time it has to work into the carpet or fabric fibers, making it nearly impossible to get rid of the stain entirely. We will go through some of the most common types of stains that you may happen to you and how you can treat them effectively.
Overall Tips
There are some things that you can do that just work well for most types of stains. The first thing to do is to act quickly to avoid a stain -- as soon as the stain strikes, get to it. For example, if it will take you a minute to get the solution onto the stain to remove it, take some table salt to the stain first. Cover the stain with salt. The salt will stop the stain from setting into the fabric and can easily be cleaned up as well (vacuumed or brushed off). This will work on most types of wet stains including food spills, red wine, and soda pop.
Second, always blot the stain clean rather than scrub it. You are rubbing it into the carpet causing it to get in there even more so. Blot the stain clean for them most effective results. Always use a clean cloth to do this as well.
There are some products that will work well at helping you to remove any type of stain. Most stains will react well to hydrogen peroxide that is blotted onto the stain. Another option is to use vinegar on the stain. These products work by causing a chemical reaction in the stain allowing it to draw the stain out of the carpet so you can clean it up. They can also help to stop the stain from setting until you can properly clean it up.
There are plenty of stains that can happen. So, in your normal day you should have a few products on hand ready to go if they are needed. Use a small sized bucket to house these products and for easy access to them. Place in there a solution of one half cup of ammonia, one half cup of white vinegar and two tablespoons of cleaning detergent. Store it in a spray bottle. You should also have ready to go clean sponges and terry cloths as well.
Below are some of the stain removal tips for specific stains that you may need
Here are some basic stains removal tips to use:
Blood Stains:
Blot the blood from the stain as much as possible. Mix half a cup of cool water with one tablespoon of ammonia. Spray this onto the stain. Then blot it up as much as possible. Next, spray with another solution. This time use one quart of water to 1/4 cup of dish detergent. Blot up again. You can keep doing this until the stain fully comes off. If you still have problems with it, consider using hydrogen peroxide letting the stain sit in it for about an hour.
Candle Wax:
If you have had a candle drip wax onto your carpeting, follow these tips. First, remove as much of the debris as you can with your fingers. Wet a cloth with warm water or use a paper towel and place on the area. Use a warm iron on top of it to warm and melt the wax. Keep the paper towels moving so that it absorbs the wax.
Grass Stains:
To get rid of them, use rubbing alcohol that you place right on the grass stains of clothing. Then, wash as usual. Or, use Fels Naphtha which is a soap that has been used for centuries. Rub with detergent and wash as normal. White vinegar can work as well. Keep at it and you will remove those grass stains.
Make Up and Lipstick:
Use a pad that has dry cleaning solvent on it and apply to the area. This product can easily help you to remove these types of stains. You will want to rinse well and launder if possible. If this does not get rid of the stain, go with a solution of 1/2 teaspoon of mild dish detergent with just a teaspoon of ammonia to 1/2 cup of water. Always blot these stains with the detergent and keep turning them to pull out the stain.
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