Outing Spots

By Hklbrries

Wine drips and gravy dribbles are almost unavoidable when the holidays revolve around food, but they needn't ruin the celebration. You stand a good chance of salvaging your grandmother's tablecloth if you act quickly, have the right stain-fighting supplies on hand and know what you're doing.

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That last mandate is probably the toughest, because no single method works on every stain or every fabric. So we put together this stain-removal guide to help you understand the basics of stain fighting and to give you specific pointers for dealing with some common spots.

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How you treat a stain depends largely on what caused it. Most stains fall into four categories: tannin stains, which come from plant sources; greasy or oily stains; protein-based stains; and dye stains. Here are some general guidelines:

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Adhesive tape, chewing gum, rubber cement: Apply ice water to harden, then scrape off what you can with a dull knife. Saturate any remaining stain with prewash stain remover or dry-cleaning fluid. Rinse, then launder.

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Blood, egg, milk: Avoid hot water, which sets protein stains. Soak fresh stains in cold water, then launder. For dried stains, pretreat or soak in warm water with a product containing enzymes, then launder. If the stain remains, rewash using a bleach safe for the fabric.

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Butter, salad dressing, automotive oil: Janis Stone, a professor in textiles and clothing and an extension specialist at Iowa State University, recommends pretreating with a heavy-duty liquid detergent, an aerosol pretreatment spray or a stain stick, then laundering in the hottest water the fabric can stand. A pump-type pretreatment spray may also work, but it's generally less effective than the aerosol type on greasy stains, she said.

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Rust: Use a rust remover recommended for fabrics, then launder. Do not use chlorine bleach, because it may intensify the discoloration.

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Candle wax: Scrape off the surface wax with a dull knife. (Freezing the fabric first or holding an ice cube to the the stain makes the wax easier to remove.) Then apply a petroleum-based stain remover, scrub with your hands, and wash in detergent and the hottest water safe for the fabric. If dye remains, use a bleach safe for the fabric.

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Another method involves ironing the spot between layers of paper towels to melt the wax, using a warm iron and replacing the paper towels frequently. Stone is leery of this method, however, because she fears it could make the problem worse.

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If you do use the method, treat the spot after the wax is removed by placing the remaining stain face down on clean paper towels and sponging with a prewash stain remover or dry-cleaning fluid. Blot with paper towels, and allow to dry before laundering. If any color remains, rewash using chlorine bleach, if safe for the fabric, or oxygen bleach.

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Deodorant, antiperspirant: For light stains, pretreat with liquid laundry detergent, then launder. For heavy stains, pretreat with a prewash stain remover, and allow to stand five to 10 minutes. Launder using an oxygen bleach. A buildup of aluminum or zinc salts may be impossible to remove.

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Gravy: Rub heavy-duty liquid detergent into the stain. Launder using a bleach safe for the fabric.

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Ink: Some inks may be impossible to remove and some may be set by laundering. Either pretreat with a prewash stain remover before laundering, or try this method using either denatured alcohol (sold in hardware stores) or cleaning fluid: First sponge the area around the stain with the alcohol or cleaning fluid, but don't apply directly to the stain yet. Place the stain face down on clean paper towels. Apply the alcohol or cleaning fluid to the back of the stain, replacing paper towels frequently. Rinse thoroughly and launder.

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Nail polish: This may be impossible to remove. You can try nail polish remover, but never on acetate or triacetate fabrics. To treat with nail polish remover, place the stain face down on clean paper towels. Apply remover to the back of the stain, replacing paper towels frequently.

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Repeat until the stain disappears, if it does, then rinse and launder.

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Perspiration: Use a prewash stain remover or rub with bar soap. If perspiration has changed the color of the fabric, apply ammonia to fresh stains or white vinegar to old stains, then rinse. Launder using the hottest water safe for the fabric. Stubborn stains may respond to washing in an enzyme product or oxygen bleach in the hottest water safe for the fabric.

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Spaghetti sauce: Flush under a stream of warm water from the faucet. Use a prewash stain remover or rub heavy-duty liquid detergent into the stain, then launder using a bleach that's safe for the fabric.

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Tar: Scrape residue from fabric. Place stain face down on paper towels. Sponge with cleaning fluid, replacing paper towels frequently. Launder in the hottest water safe for the fabric.

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Knight Ridder/Tribune

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Supplies for stains:

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Stain-removing items you might want to have on hand:

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Heavy-duty liquid detergent such as Fab, Era, Tide and Wisk. Liquid is preferred because it can be applied directly to stains.

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Light-duty liquid detergent such as Ivory, Lux or Woolite.

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Enzyme presoak, such as Biz Bleach and Axion.

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Bleach. There are several types that are useful in different situations:

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Hydrogen peroxide, a relatively mild form that is diluted in water.

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Oxygen bleach, which is based on hydrogen peroxide.

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All-fabric bleach, such as Biz, Borateem or Clorox 2. It's safe for all
fibers but not necessarily all colors.

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Liquid chlorine bleach, such as Clorox or Purex. It's a stronger type of bleach that can take color out of fabrics.

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Pretreater. Types include:

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Aerosol sprays, which are petroleum-based and good on greasy stains.

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Pump sprays, which are usually detergent-based.

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Dry-cleaning fluid, such as Carbona, Energine and Goddard's.

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Rust remover, such as RoVer and Whink.

Ingredients

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Details

Adapted from articles.chicagotribune.com

Preparation

Step 1

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