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Holiday Stains

Submitted by Lorene Bartos, UNL Extension Educator

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Oops! Another dropped food or spilled beverage and another stain. Holiday season is a time stains just seem to happen. Stains can be removed, if treated quickly and correctly.

When traveling carry a stain stick with you and treat washable items immediately. Then they will be ready to launder when you get home.

Stains on carpets and fabric items may take different treatments. Read the care label and pre-test the stain remover on a concealed area.

For carpets use the following guidelines: Always work from the edge toward the center of the stained area. Use a blotting technique; do not rub. Test each solvent in an inconspicuous place, behind draperies, inside closet, to check for colorfastness. Blot liquid stains with absorbent material, pick up semi-solids and syrups with a spoon, vacuum solid materials.

Use the recommended solvents, in the order listed. Use small amounts as over-wetting can lead to other problems such as brown spots and mildew.

S - Cleaning Solvent (Goof Off or Goo Gone)
D - Detergent Solution (1/2 teaspoon non-bleaching, powder detergent to 2 cups lukewarm water)
A - Ammonia Solution (1 tablespoon household ammonia to 1 cup water)
V - Vinegar solution (1 part white vinegar to l part water)
W - Plain Water

Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks: D, A, V, W
Coffee and tea: D, V
Food stains: S, D, A, V, W,
Wine: A, V, W

Guidelines for removing stains from washable fabrics:

Work on the stain from the reverse side to prevent the substance from penetrating and spreading.

Beverages, including alcohol, soft drinks, wine, coffee, tea: Sponge with cool water. Soak for 15 minutes in 1 quart of lukewarm water, 1/2 teaspoon liquid dish detergent and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Launder. If stain remains, soak in an enzyme pre-soak for 30 minutes.

Candle wax: Scrape excess from fabric with a dull knife. Spray or sponge with dry-cleaning solvent, then rub with heavy-duty liquid detergent before washing. Pressing the wax between paper may set the candle dye more permanently, making it harder for the solvent to penetrate the wax. Launder using hot water and chlorine bleach if safe for fabric.

Chocolate: Soak in cold water. Pre-treat remaining stain with a prewash stain remover. Launder using the hottest water safe for the fabric. Use appropriate bleach safe for the fabric.

Cranberry sauce: Wash in cool, sudsy water using appropriate bleach. If stain remains, soak 30 minutes in an enzyme pre-soak and re-launder.

Gravy, grease and meat juice: Scrape off, as much as possible, with a dull knife. Soak in cold water. Pre-treat and launder in hottest water safe for the fabric. Use appropriate bleach.

For more information on stain removal send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: STAINS, 444 Cherrycreek Road, Suite A, Lincoln, NE 68528-1507 and request G922, Stain Removal for Washable Fabrics and/or HE FORM 271, Stain Removal for Carpets and Rugs.