STAINS AND STAIN REMOVAL

1. General rules (information) regarding stain removal.

 Deal with stains while still fresh as they become fixed with time and therefore
more difficult to remove.
 For unknown stains try least harmful methods first e.g.,steep in cold water, warm,
hot or boiling water steep according to fabric, steep in detergent water. Use mild
then strong reagent. Finally bleach and wash according to the fabric.
 For known stains use specific reagent to treat them e.g. solvent for grease stains.
 Use several weak application of reagent because they are less harmful to the fabric
rather than one fall strength application e.g. household bleach.
 Stain removal agents must be in solution when used on coloured fabrics of all
types to prevent fading or removal of colour.
 Bleach should be used carefully and only after other methods have been tried.
Remember the reaction of textiles fibres to different bleaches.
 Once the fabric is immersed in the solution, it should stay only until the stain is
removed to prevent any possibility of the reagent damaging the fabrics fibres.
 Once stain is removed, wash the garment immediately to remove any traces of the
agent completely because if the reagent dries in the fabric it may have harmful
effects.
 When acid stain removal agents are used, use an alkaline to neutralize it e.g.
oxalic acid may be neutralized by use of household ammonia or soap.
 If the strength of the agent is suspected to be high, try it first on a hidden part of
the fabric or re-staining it.
 Before removing any stain, study the general appearance of the stain and the
manner in which it is fixed on the fabric.

2. Types of stains
i) Mineral in origin e.g. Grease, rust, tar, nail, varnish, wax and oils.
ii) Animal in origin e.g. e.g. Milk, blood, cod liver oil etc.
iii) Vegetable in origin e.g. Grass, tea, jam, vegetable, juices etc.

3. Forms of stains
i) Absorbed stains
This refers to liquids which has penetrated the fabric fibres.
ii) Build up stains
These are stains found on the surface of the fabric.
iii) Compound stains
This refers to two types of stains in one area i.e. both absorbed and build up. This
usually requires application of two methods of stain removal.

4. Stain Identification
o Sight is the first sense stains can be identified. Stains may be seen as a
discoloration on a fabric therefore requiring a suitable way of removing it.
o Odour may be produced by chemicals and other items such as perfumes and
medicines, making it easy for one to choose a suitable method of removing it and
appropriate chemicals to use.
o Colour of stain on a fabric helps indicate what type of stain it is, therefore one
need to be familiar with colours stain leave on fabrics. E.g. White for starches,
 reddish orange for rust, blue, black or red for ink or dyes, yellow for medicines,
green for grass etc
o Feel is the sense of touch that helps identify mostly the origin of the stain e.g.
stiffness may indicate wax or glue stuff on the fabric.
o Location of the stain helps determine its cause e.g. perspiration in the underarms
etc

5. COMMON STAINS AND METHODS OF REMOVAL

a) ANIMAL (PROTEIN) STAINS

Blood
o Do not use hot water as it fixes the stain on the fabric (protein based stains only).
o Soak in cold water with a little salt.
o Wash according to fabric.
o Enzyme detergent may be used for soaking and washing.
o If the fabric is non-washable, cover stain with an absorbent powder and leave till
absorbed. Repeat process if necessary.
o Bleach white cellulosic fabrics.
o Do not soak rayon’s and wool but a paste of starch may be used instead.
o Small blood stains on wool may be removed by soaking cotton wool in saliva at
the stained part.
Milk
o Soak in cold water (hot water fixes the stain).
o Wash in hot water to remove the grease (only for fabrics which withstands high
temperatures).
o Wash in mild soapless detergent suds.
Egg stain
o Scrape off lightly with a blunt knife.
o Wash as for blood stain.

b) VEGETABLE STAINS
Cocoa, Tea, Coffee, Chocolate
o Soak immediately in cold water then rinse.
o If in white cotton or linen and stain is dry, stretch the stained part over a basin
and pour over boiling water. Rub the stain with borax. Launder the usual way and
bleach if white. Dry in direct sunlight.
o If on other fibres e.g. silk, wool and man-made fibres, sponge with warm borax
solution.
o Rinse and launder according to fabric.
o Rub old stain with glycerine before treating in this way.
o Stains of tea with milk are more difficult to remove.
o If the garment is non-washable wipe over immediately and sponge gently around
the spot.

Grass stain
o Soak, rub or sponge the stained part with methylated spirit to remove the green
colouring matter.
 o Wash in the usual way according to fabric.
o Enzyme detergent may be used to wash e.g. biotex.
Banana Stain
o Use paraffin or turpentine when stain is fresh to rub.
o Wash in usual way according to fabric.
o Old banana stain is very difficult to remove.
Fruit Stain
o Soak in warm water to which salt is added and wash.
o If the stain is very dry treat as for tea stain or rub with salt and lemon juice.
o Finish by pouring boiling water through it.
o If washing does not remove it use dilute hydrogen peroxide.
Beetroot Stain
o If wet, soak in cold water and wash.
o If fresh rub with paraffin or turpentine and wash normally.
o If dry remove a for tea stain with borax.

c) MINERAL STAINS
Ink
o If wet, soak in milk preferably sour milk and change the milk as it becomes
starched.
o If fresh milk is used, cover the stain with salt and milk, squeeze the lemon juice
over it. Tomato that is not very ripe may be used.
o Rinse thoroughly and wash according to fabric.
o White cottons may be boiled and bleached.
o If the fabric is non-washable, wipe it immediately with warm water and cover it
with absorbent powder to absorb the stain as much as possible.
o If the stain is dry use salts of lemon or borax solution.
o Ink is a compound stain consisting of a metal and a dye hence requires two types
of agents to remove it (an acid and an alkaline).
Red ink stain
o Soak in vinegar and water.
o Wash, Boil and bleach.
o If on woolen and silk fabrics soak the stain for a minute in a weak solution of
permanganate potash. This leaves a brown stain which is bleached in a weak
solution of hydrogen peroxide.
o Repeat process if necessary and wash as usual (according to fabric).
Biro pen (ball point) ink
o Treat immediately with methylated, white/surgical spirit or any other solvent.
o Rinse thoroughly.
o Wash the usual way according to fabric.
Paint
o Scrape off and rub with paint remover or turpentine.
o Rinse and wash in normal way according to fabric.
o If stain is fresh it is easy to remove, rub first in cold water.
o Home dry cleaning liquid may be used e.g. benzene to remove the oily stain.
o If the stain remains or is left on, use carbon tetrachloride.
Tar
o Scrape off excess tar.
 o Sponge on wrong side of the stain using carbon tetrachloride, benzene, turpentine
or eucalyptus oil.
o If stain is stubborn soak and rub gently.
o When the mark has dissolved, rinse the fabric in warm water and wash in hot
suds or according to the nature of the fabric.
Iron Rust
o Cover the stain with salt and squeeze lemon juice over it and leave for about an
hour or if possible in sunlight.
o Citric acid may be used for stubborn stains. This will need soaking for several
hours.
o Rinse thoroughly and wash normally.
o Salts of lemon and oxalic acid may be used for obstinate stains.
Nail Varnish
o Sponge immediately with acetone or nail varnish remover.
o Launder in mild detergent suds.
o Do not use acetone on acetate rayon because it will dissolve. Use carbon tetra
chloride or amyl acetate
Medicines
o Use white spirit (surgical) or ethyl alcohol for the stains that cannot be washed
out.
o Was the fabric in the usual way
Grease, Oil, Fat
o Scrape off as much as possible.
o Iron between layers of brown or blotting paper, moving the paper frequently,
working from outside the stain toward the inward centre.
o Repeat process till stain is removed.
o Wash garment normally.
o If not washable use a grease solvent or absorbent as necessary.
o Grease solvent may be needed for some types of grease even if the garment is
washable e.g. car or machine oil.
Wax
o Scrape off excess.
o Iron between blotting paper working the iron outwards towards centre of the
stain.
o Use grease solvent if not washable.
o If on wool dab with eucalyptus oil or make up a paste using paste of carbon
tetrachloride and fuller’s earth.
o Spread on the stain, leave to dry and brush it off.

d) OTHER STAINS
Mildew
o These are dark or grey small spots on cellulose articles caused by a fungus due
to dampness in fabrics.
o Rub all over the stain with soap, then cover with French chalk and leave in the
sun to bleach.
o Keep it wet during bleaching.
o Repeat process if necessary, until stain disappears.
o Try bleaching liquor and either together or alternately.
 o Wash and boil.
o Hydrogen peroxide may be used for fabrics which are not white cotton or linen.
o It is a very difficult stain to remove.
Perspiration
o Dampen with cold water and hang the garment in sunshine for natural bleaching
especially on a patch of green grass or hedge.
o White cottons and linens may be boiled and bleached.
o Frequent and thorough washing of garments is the best way to prevent this stain
from forming.
o To remove the perspiration smell, soak in borax solution.
o Wash in warm soapy water with a few drops of ammonia added.
o Rinse well then launder.
o If fabric is discoloured, sponge with a weak vinegar or ammonia solution which
may help to restore the colour.
Scorch Marks
o If washable soak immediately in cold water then wash.
o Boil then bleach if mark is still there bleach. You may sponge with dilute
household bleach.
o Use hydrogen peroxide on wool and other delicate fabrics.
o Dark scorch marks are very difficult to remove.
o Rubbing with soap and bleaching is normally sufficient.
Dyes
o It is very difficult to remove especially if from another fabric with a running
colour.
o Bleach according to fabric.
o All colours may be bleached off and re-dyed if necessary.
o Methylated spirit with ammonia may be used on coloured garments.
Water Marks
o Sponge with cold and lukewarm water alternately.
o Dip entire garment in cool water, roll in a towel till damp enough to press, then,
wash in warm water with soapless detergent.
o If fabric is synthetic, brush spot with a piece of soft fabric or soft brush.
o Steam spot over the spout of the kettle, press while still damp.
o If badly spotted, send to specialized dry cleaners.
Chewing Gum
o Rub the stain with ice or place in a freezer for a while then scrape off the gum.
o Treat with a solvent e.g. turpentine, benzene, petrol or carbon tetrachloride.
o Wash normally according to fabric.
Beer, Wine
o If the stain is on white cotton, wash then boil.
o On other fabrics treat with vinegar or acetic acid. Rinse well, then wash.
o Light bleach treatment may be used depending on fabric.
Laundry blue
o Soak in hot solution of vinegar or acetic acid and water.
o Use warm water for coloured fabrics.
o Wash and bleach if white cottons and linens.
o Wash other fabrics in the usual way.
Fruit
 o Soak in warm water and wash.
o If washing does not remove it use dilute hydrogen peroxide.
Food stain
o Treat as for tea and coffee.
o If very greasy a grease solvent will be effective.
o Wash in normal way.
Discolouration
o Bleach or boil white fabrics.
Cod liver oil
o Wash immediately in hot soapless suds.
o Dried stains are very difficult to remove; though rubbing gently with glycerine
soapless shampoo before laundering may help.
o For wool sponge immediately with a grease solvent or liquid detergent and warm
water. Then wash the fabric in lukewarm suds.
Ice Cream
o Soak in hot soapless detergent suds.
o Rub lightly, rinse well.
o If the stain has dried, sponge with warm borax solution before laundering. Wash
as normal.
o On the other fabrics squeeze gently in lukewarm water lathered with mild
soapless detergent. Rinse in lukewarm water. If stain has dried treat as for cotton
and linen.
Jam
o If still moist, launder in hot detergent suds.
o If dried soak in warm borax solution for half an hour.
o Rinse and launder in normal way.
Lipstick
o Before laundering fabric stained with indelible lipstick sponge stain with cold
water, then rub Vaseline, eucalyptus oil or glycerine into the stain with
fingertips.
o Wash in hot synthetic detergent suds.
Unknown Stain
o If garment is washable, soak and rinse in cold water.
o Wash as normal according to type of fabric.
o If the stain fails to come out, try weak agents e.g. borax, dilute hydrogen
peroxide, grease solvents etc
o Seek professional advice from commercial laundries.