Stain Removal Guide – How to Remove Fabric and Carpet Stains

Whether you have pets, kids, both or neither, it is still highly likely that accidents will happen from time to time, resulting in unwanted additions to fabrics and carpets. Rather than descending into stress, learn simple and effective stain removal tips to getting your home and clothing looking at its best again.

Fabric Stain Removal – Remove Fabric Stains

The key to effective stain removal is taking action as soon as clothing has become stained, rather than just waiting until the item next hits the laundry pile. Unlike in days gone by, where hand-washing was used to clean clothes, the washing machine and development of new detergents are able to remove many stains, which would previously have not been possible. However, home remedies have long since been used for removing specific stains.

In The Little Book Of Quick Fixes For A Spotless Home, Bodoano  highlights simple ways to effectively remove troublesome stains, to include as follows:

• tea/coffee – rinse out the worst, then wash immediately
• red wine – dilute stain using white wine/water, wash as soon as possible
• blood – apply neat detergent, leave on for a while before washing
• curry (yellow turmeric stain) – rub with methylated spirit on clean cloth before washing
• wax – freeze item overnight, chip off excess, then iron with kitchen towel either side

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Carpet Stain Removal – Get Rid of Carpet Stains

Unless you live alone and are incredible careful, it is very unlikely that your carpets will be in the same state as when they were laid. Tackling common culprits, such as tea, coffee and wine stains, will usually only require immediate treatment with a mild detergent, following blotting using a clean dry cloth. If the stain is particularly bad, it is well worth trying white spirit or getting hold of a stain remover spray from the local supermarket.

Tougher stains, such as oil, vomit and chewing gum, will mean additional methods, with Bodoano, recommending the following carpet stain removal tips:

• oil – dissolve/remove using eucalyptus oil on clean cloth
• vomit – mop/scrape up immediately, try vinegar/water solution
• chewing gum – harden with freezer pack, chip off or soften with petroleum jelly
• red wine – blot with white wine/water, then use commercial stain remover

As highlighted above, spilling red wine on your favorite top, or having a sick child vomit on the new carpet, does not have to be a major problem. Through following simple stain removal tips, such as treating red wine stains with white wine, both carpets and clothing can look their best for longer.