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How to remove stains
Ballpoint ink and felt-tip pens Sponge with methylated spirits, spray with hairspray
or blot with nail polish remover. Ink stains will yield to a liberal dose of hair spray
and then a good cold water rinse.
Grass stains Test fabric for colour-fastness
first. Sponge with eucalyptus oil.
Lipstick and cosmetic stains Soak the stain in glycerin for several hours, then
wash as usual. Lipstick can be lightly smeared with vaseline and then add a few drops of
liquid soap, working it in well, before you rinse.
Chewing Gum Chewing gum will usually yield to white vinegar but you can also put
the item in the freezer until the gum becomes brittle and then chip it off. Soaking an
alcohol stain in water and glycerine will soften the stain and make it easier to remove.
Once the item has soaked for about 20 minutes rinse in cold water and white vinegar.
Oil and grease stains Grease spots on clothing, carpets and soft furnishings can be
removed by rubbing the affected area with talcum powder, placing absorbent kitchen paper
under and over the stain, and then ironing. The paper will lift and absorb the stain.
Renew the powder and paper as it becomes oily. If possible, wash or sponge the item in one
tablespoon borax added to one cup water, once the major stain has been removed. Shoe
polish stains can be removed with rubbing alcohol while most grease stains respond well to
warm club soda. Regular white chalk helps get rid of ring around the collar by heavily
chalking the stain and then applying a liquid soap to cut the body oils.
Protein stains For instance, egg, blood or meat juice stains. Do not use heat as
this will set the stain. Soak in cold, soapy water until the stain is almost gone, and
then wash as usual. According to hospital workers the best way to remove blood is to soak
it in hydrogen peroxide. Many times if the blood is fresh and you can get to the stain
right away, flushing it with cold water until the stain lightens and then adding a drop of
dish liquid will work.
Red wine Pour table salt liberally over the wine stain as soon as it occurs. When
the salt has absorbed the wine, brush or vacuum off. Dampen the stain slightly with soda
water and reapply salt. Repeat until the salt no longer absorbs any colour, then sponge
with ammonia-based carpet cleaning solution. Red wine stains, if rinsed immediately with
cold water will usually disappear.
Rust and scorch marks If you have ever miscalculated the temperature of your iron
and left an ugly scorch mark on a garment, do not despair. Soak a cotton rag in hydrogen
peroxide and gently rub the stain away. Apply a paste of bicarbonate of soda and lemon
juice. Allow to dry and then brush off. Rust stains can be removed by applying lemon juice
to the garment before you launder.
Bleach spots are tough to repair but if you simply cannot part with the stained
item you might give this a try. Buy a liquid dye that matches the colour of the garment,
then rinse the bleach spot in cold water to neutralise the bleach. Dry the garment and
then using a cotton swab, dab the liquid dye onto the bleach spot. Let this dry and then
rinse with cold water to set the dye.
Perspiration stains can be lessened by soaking the garment in a strong solution of
one cup water to one cup white vinegar.
Wax can be removed from garments or furniture by placing newspaper over the dried
wax and applying a warm iron to the paper. Do this repeatedly until the paper has absorbed
all the wax.
Stubborn stains on fabrics Spot test eucalyptus oil on the inside of a hem before
applying it to the stain.
Stubborn stains on surfaces Eucalyptus oil will remove many solvent-based adhesives
and stains from furniture, glass, benchtops, wooden floors, vinyl, lino, etc. Apply the
oil to a cloth and rub the stain hard.
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