Some stains are not easily seen when the fabric is wet. Air dry items to be sure that the stain has been removed. Machine drying might set the stain permanently. Work on stains from the reverse side to prevent the stain from spreading.
Beverages: Alcohol, Coffee, Juice, Soft Drinks, Tea
Sponge promptly with cold water or soak in cold water. Pretreat remaining stain. Launder with appropriate bleach and hottest water safe for fabric.
Blood
Soak in cold water. Pretreat remaining stain. Try sponge with hydrogen peroxide. Launder in hottest water safe for fabric. Use appropriate bleach if stain persists, soak in warm water with presoak product.
Candle Wax
Rub with ice and carefully scrape excess wax with a dull knife. Place between several layers of paper towels and press with a warm iron. To remove remaining stain, use a pretreat product. Rinse. If colored stain remains, launder in hottest water safe for fabric. Use appropriate bleach.
Crayon
Place stained surface down on a pad of paper towels. Spray with WD-40 and let stand for a few minutes. Turn fabric and spray the other side, let stand. Apply liquid hand dish washing detergent and work into stain until removed. Use a paper towel to absorb the stain. Hand wash the item in detergent thoroughly making sure the WD-40 odor is removed. Launder as usually.
Dairy Based: Baby Formula, Milk, Cream, Ice Cream
Soak in warm water. Launder in hottest water safe for fabric. Use appropriate bleach. If a stain remains, soak in warm water with a pretreat product. Rinse thoroughly and re-launder.
Deodorant
Pretreat stain and launder in hottest water safe for fabric. Use appropriate bleach. If fabric is discolored, try to restore it by treating fresh stains with ammonia or old stains with white vinegar. Rinse thoroughly and re-launder.
Dye Transfer
Dye transfer might be impossible to remove. If clothes are still wet, immediately spray with pretreat solution. Re-launder in warm water. If items are dry launder with chlorine bleach if safe for fabric. If not safe, use non-chlorine bleach or a commercial color remover according to package directions.
Egg, Gravy, Mud, Tomato Sauces
Scrape and remove excess with a dull knife. Soak in cold water. Pretreat remaining stain. Launder using hottest water safe for fabric. Use appropriate bleach.
Fabric Softener
Rub the dampened stain with bar soap and re-launder.
In from Ballpoint Pen
Sponge stain with rubbing alcohol, or spray with pretreat product or hair spray until wet looking. Rinse thoroughly. Pretreat stain and launder in hottest water safe for fabric. Use appropriate bleach.
Mildew
Pretreat stain and launder in hottest water safe for fabric. Use appropriate bleach. If stain remains, sponge with hydrogen peroxide. Rinse thoroughly and re-launder.
Nail Polish
Place stain face down on paper towels. Sponge with nail polish remover until stain disappears. Rinse thoroughly. Launder in hottest water safe for fabric. Do not use nail polish remover on acetate or Arnel fabrics. Send items to a dry cleaner.
Oil Based: Cosmetics, Grass, Mayonnaise, Salad Dressing, Mustard
Pretreat stain and launder in hottest water safe for fabric. Use chlorine bleach if safe for fabric. If a grease stain remains, soak in warm water with a pretreat product. Rinse thoroughly and re-launder.
Rust
Launder with a rust remover. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use. Do not use chlorine bleach as it will intensify the stain.
Stool, Urine, Vomit
Scrape to remove solids. Soak in warm water. Pretreat stain and launder in hottest water safe for fabric. Use appropriate bleach.
Unknown stain
Avoid using hot water right away. Pretreat the stain and soak in cold water. Launder in cold water with detergent. If stain is not removed, re -launder in warm water. If stain is still not removed, then launder in hot water.
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