Household Hints & HELP!

Soil & Stain Removers

submitted by Lorene Bartos, Extension Educator
This article appears in the February 19, 2006 Lincoln Journal Star Newspaper.

Soil and stain products are used to treat heavily-soiled and stained areas before and during the wash cycle.

Always pre-treat and wash stains promptly. The longer stains sit on a fabric, the more difficult they may be to remove. Pretreating stains means treating and sometimes completely removing spots and stains before laundering.

PRODUCTS

Soil and stain removers come in many forms—each having its own benefits. Select the form that best suits your needs.

* Prewash stain removers: A full-strength stain treatment that’s applied directly to stains before the wash cycle.

# In-wash stain removers: Add along with detergent in wash cycle. They work as a complement or booster to your regular detergent. Some in-wash stain removers can also be applied directly to stains before the wash cycle. Prewash (*) and In-Wash (#)

• Stain Removers Spray – Easily controls the amount of product that’s applied directly on stains. *

  Stick – Easy and convenient for on-the-go stains. *

  Gel – Thick formula that stays where you put it, so ingredients can penetrate stain. *

  Foam – Penetrates deep into fabrics to break up stains on contact. *

  Wipes – Designed to treat stains on contact. They can be applied while wearing garments and are safe for all dry-cleanable fabrics. *

  Aerosol – Quickly penetrates stains with the press of a button. *

  Liquid – Quick and easy to add to wash or apply directly to stain. * #

  Powder – Easily added to wash cycle or used for soaking. * #

  Tablets – Portable, lightweight, and dissolves quickly in any water temperature. #

• Bar – Portable, lightweight; pretreat stains on contact. *

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients may be listed on product packaging. The following are common ingredients used in many soil and stain removers. Not all products contain all ingredients.

• Enzymes – Protease enzymes aid in breaking down complex protein stains and soils, such as grass and blood, so these stains and soils can be more easily removed by other detergent ingredients.

• Oxygen Bleach – A type of bleach that maintains color and whiteness and can be used with all fabrics.

• Solvents – Prevent separation or deterioration of ingredients in liquid products. They also dissolve organic soils and clean without leaving residue.

DIRECTIONS FOR USE

Every product and garment label has its own directions for use. The directions tell how to use the product for satisfactory results. For example:

• How much should be used

  What soils and stains it removes

  What fabrics it should and shouldn’t be used on

• Appropriate water temperature and wash cycles

The best way to know what stains and fabrics a product works best on is to Read the Label.

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