You just spilled coffee on your shirt and you have an interview in 10 minutes. What do you do? There is no time to go back home or to run to Deluxe Cleaners. However, there are ways of dealing with these stubborn stains on the spot. We will let you in on what works and what does not!
Does Club Soda Really Work?
According to the Dry Cleaning and Laundry Institute (DLI), club soda, but also water is able to get out the 10 most common food-related stains, depending on the type of fabric. The trick is with time. The faster you get to it, the more success you will have. Do not rub if it is a delicate fabric. Blotting works best. There are some stains that need an alternate method, like fingernail polish or ink. For those stains, try our next tip!
Should I Keep a Stain Removing Pen or Wipe Handy?
If you are the type that can acquire a stain just by looking at a bowl of spaghetti, then invest in either a stain removing pen or wipe. On-the-spot stain removal products are typically effective as long as it is a quick save. The pens have been known to take a bit of rubbing, but are effective overall. Note though, that they are not pre-treaters. If the stain still remains, you still have to pre-treat. If you find you get a discolored circle in the area, try rubbing it from the inside out and rinse the area with water.
Avoid Pressure and Direct Heat
I know it is a spastic moment, but try to be gentle when applying a solvent. Scrubbing forcefully might just make it worse, depending on the stain and material. Some synthetic materials can take a harsh scrubbing, while cotton is more delicate. Temperature is very important in the stain’s window of setting. Heat is known to speed up a stain’s setting. When applying water, make sure it is lukewarm or room temperature at the highest.
These Might Sound Weird, but Have Been Known to Work
Lemon juice has gained a stain-removing reputation over the years. Just squeeze a few drops on the problem area, let it sit and then dab with dry towel. Hand sanitizer and hair spray is known to work on ink, by blotting and rinsing the area. The strangest tip on here has to be using bread to remove lipstick. Apparently you can just bunch it up, blot it, and the lipstick will be no more. How amazing is that?
Even though the stain might not be visible anymore, some of the residue might still be embedded in the fibers and could show up later. Next time you stop into Deluxe Cleaners, let them know about the stained area so that they can eradicate it for good!
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