The easy eBook series from makeitandmendit.com BY STEPHANIE ZIA
The easy
no-nonsense
guide to
stain
removal
Price $9.99
THE EASY NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO STAIN REMOVAL
2 | P a g e ©Make it and Mend it Ltd
The only guide to stain removal you’ll ever need
Forget all those expensive stain removal bottles and sprays that line the
supermarket shelves. Don’t be bamboozled into thinking that every stain
requires a different product.
Save money and time by learning how to identify stains and then use the right
technique to remove them from fabrics, furniture, floors, walls... using
everyday items you probably have in your kitchen cupbopard right now – such
as vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.
The Make it and Mend it easy no-nonsense guide to stain removal shows you
how to assess a stain and select the right removal solution.
About the author
This guide was written for Make it and Mend it by Stephanie
Zia, author of Stain Removal: Your Really Useful Guide to
Getting Rid of Stains (Pyramid), a UK bestseller that’s been
translated into several languages including Mandarin and
French.
Since 2005 she’s been the stains and cleaning guru for The Guardian’s Space
Solves section, helping readers of the Saturday magazine solve theirimpossible
stains and cleaning problems. She always recommends the most natural,
economical and environmentally-friendly remedies wherever possible but only
where they stand a good chance of working.
>> Cartoon of Stephanie Zia by David Lewis
About Make it and Mend it
Make it and Mend it is all about making small changes to our lives that have a ripple effect and influence the world we live in.
It doesn’t happen overnight but adopting the Make it and Mend it philosophy makes a difference to your finances, your ‘green credentials’ and the way you feel.
>> You can find out more about us at makeitandmendit.com Learn about our growing community of make it and menders find out how make, mend, renew and revitalised, swap ideas and share inspiration. All with a touch of style.
The Make it and mend it Easy eBook series will cover a range of practical skills, starting with The easy no-nonsense guide to stain removal.
The easy no-nonsense guide to stain removal is emailed free when you join Make it and mend it online. >> Join now
Additional copies can be purchased for $9.99
While the advice and information in this book are believed to be accurate and true at the time of going to press, neither the author nor publishers can guarantee results nor accept any responsibility or liability for any damage resulting from any stain removal method. >> Terms and conditions
THE EASY NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO STAIN REMOVAL
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What type of stain are you?
Most stains fall into one of these categories:
protein
grease
tannin
Ask yourself; is this a stain that comes from a direct, liquid spill from
something that grows in the ground, like black tea, black coffee, fruit juice,
jam, alcohol or perfume?
If so, this is a tannin stain.
Ask yourself, is this an organic stain resulting from the bodily functions of
humans and / or animals (eg urine, vomit) or a food stain resulting from
animal products (eg egg, milk, yoghurt, cheese). Or is it a mark that comes
from the earth (eg mud, leaf-mould, vegetables) that is not a liquid tannin
stain?
If so, this is a protein stain.
Ask yourself, is this a stain that comes from a product which is or contains fat
or oil, like butter, face cream, petrol or salad dressing?
If so, this is a greasy stain.
A few stains are a mixture of the above. These are called
combination stains
Protein stains
Organic stains resulting from the bodily functions of humans and / or
animals (eg urine, vomit)
Food stains resulting from animal products (eg egg, milk, yoghurt,
cheese)
Non-liquid earth stains (eg vegetables, mud, leaf-mold)
! Use cold water
! Avoid hot water like the plague - hot water sets protein stains
If treated immediately a rinse with cold water and maybe a dab of washing up
liquid is often all that will be necessary. Any kind of heat - hot water, ironing,
tumble drying, can set protein stains permanently.
Stain removal
toolkit
Buy a bottle of soda water and keep it in your store cupboard
Soda water is a great stain buster.
When you soak the stain, the
bubbles in the soda water rise to
the surface, lifting the stain up
with them.
In most cases, saturating the stain
will get better results as the more
water that gets down into the
fibres, the more bubbles there will
be to lift out the dirt. Don’t
saturate carpets with foam
backing, though, as this could be
damaged.
Stain removal
toolkit
There’s an enzyme in
unseasoned meat
tenderizer (from the herb
counter of your
supermarket) that breaks
down protein stains
Make a paste with cold water
apply to both sides of the stain
and leave for 30 minutes.
THE EASY NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO STAIN REMOVAL
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Some protein stains, like chocolate and ketchup, are a mixture of protein and
grease and need a second layer of treatment after you’ve rinsed with cold
water (see Combination stains on Page 5).
Handy hint... Liquid detergent dissolves into cool or cold water faster than powder
Grease stains
Stains that come from a product which is, or contains fat or oil, like butter,
face cream, petrol, salad dressing.
! Use a dab of neat washing-up liquid and rinse in hot water
! Avoid ironing and long soaks like the plague
Don’t iron any fabric which has the slightest shadow of a grease stain or it’ll
set permanently into the fabric. If you're soaking greasy stains, don't let the
water go cold. The broken-down particles will disburse and reattach
themselves to the whole garment, leaving you with more of a mess than you
had before.
If a protein stain doesn’t come off with an initial rinse, soak in cool water with
biological detergent. If any shadow of a stain remains, mix a paste of biological
powder and water and smear on both sides of stain before laundering on a
moderate (30/40) heat setting.
Tannin stains
Direct, liquid spills from something that grows in the ground, like black tea,
green tea, black coffee or perfume. This is where the confusion often sets in as
there are several different types of tannin stain.
! If there’s no sugar or protein content, rinse or launder in the hottest water
that’s suitable for the fabric
! Avoid soap like the plague – soap sets tannin stains
If possible, hold the fabric underneath a hot running tap and let the water
rinse through the fibres.
It’s usually better to spot treat stains before putting the fabric in the wash. But
with these stain types, a machine wash in biological detergent and the hottest
water the fabric can take will usually suffice.
As an extra boost, make a paste of detergent and a little water and smear over
both sides of the stain before washing (or use liquid detergent).
Handy hint... For dried-in tannin stains, Glycerine (about £2, from chemists)
works well, even on very old red wine and coffee stains. Moisten the stain with
cold water and rub the glycerine in with a finger. Repeat until the stain fades.
Sugar tannin
Direct liquid spills that contain
sugar such as melted ice lollies,
alcohol, jam, marmalade, honey,
fruit juice, ice pops and cola are
known as sugar tannin stains.
These should be treated
immediately with cold water and
are much easier to remove if
they’re not allowed to dry out.
For spills onto the carpet, cover
the stain with a sheet of kitchen
paper and press down really hard
into it with your thumb. Move the
paper or change to a new piece of
paper as the liquid is absorbed
into it. As long as you press hard
enough, even the smallest drops
that have sunk into the carpet will
be absorbed. This is one of the
most effective treatments for
immediate wine, tea and coffee
spills.
THE EASY NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO STAIN REMOVAL
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Another good, natural way of getting rid of tannin stains, old and fresh, is with
borax. Make a paste by mixing 1 teaspoon of borax with a desert-spoon of hot
water to make a runny paste, and dribble it over the stain. When the stain has
turned black, dab off with water.
Dye tannin
Cherry and blueberry are two of the most difficult stains of all. Some blue ice
lollies and ice pops also have dye in them.
Put a teaspoon of vinegar in a cup of milk, dip the stain in the cup and leave to
soak for several hours.
This is one area where a commercial stain removal product is worth keeping
handy in your store cupboard. One of the best is Wine Away. Water-based,
biodegradable and made from natural ingredients (so safe around pets and
children) it removes red wine, cranberry juice, blood and other red stains from
carpets and fabrics.
Combination stains
Tannin stains often come combined with protein stains. A cup of coffee with
cream, for example, has both a tannin stain element (coffee) and a protein
stain element (cream) and is a tannin / protein stain.
! Because hot water can do the most damage by setting protein stains, you
need to treat the protein stain element first by rinsing the stain in cold water
with a little washing up liquid. Then you can treat the tannin part of the stain
with hot water.
Grease / protein stains include chocolate, gravy and tomato sauce. Also treat
with cold water first. Then you can treat the grease part of the stain with
washing-up liquid and hot water.
Grease / oil / wax / dye stains include make-up - mascara, lipstick,
eyeshadow, foundation - tar, crayon, paint, ink, furniture and shoe polish.
These are the tough ones.
! Some lighter marks might come out with methylated spirits but you’ll
probably need a powerful non-toxic stain remover. Two of the most versatile
non-toxic products are Goo Gone and Graffiti Go!
And that’s it! Nearly...
Stain removal
toolkit
If a sauce is spilled onto a
tablecloth at a meal, use a
piece of bread as a sponge.
Dip in cold water (or, even better,
soda water if you have it), dab at
the stain then leave it there
keeping the stain moist until it can
be washed.
As with any greasy stains you
must be very careful not to iron
over even a shadow of a stain or
the mark will be set permanently.
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These are special stains that don’t fall into any category:
Anti-perspirant Use white vinegar. For stubborn marks, ammonia diluted
50/50 cool water.
Chemical spills Phone or e-mail the manufacturer - many have help lines - or
ask at your hardware store help desk.
Chewing gum Cover with bag of ice. Better still, if size permits, put fabric in
freezer. When the gum is brittle and frozen, break off.
Dye (inc cherry, blueberry, pomegranate) Dye pigment is particularly difficult
to remove. Fresh stains may come off if soaked immediately in milk. Otherwise
try methylated spirits or a 50/50 mixture of methylated spirits/ammonia, Goo
Gone or Graffiti Go!
Gelatine Use soda water.
Grass (technically a protein stain but can be tricky). Soak in white vinegar.
Lacquer stains like nail varnish Alternate between non-oily nail varnish
remover and cool water.
Mildew Wear a mask and brush off excess outdoors. Dab with an antiseptic
like TCP or soak in sour milk.
Pencil Pencil eraser. For stubborn marks, ammonia.
Rubber and heel marks Rub out with a pencil eraser or rubber toe of plimsoll.
Scorch Soak in borax/warm water or 3% hydrogen peroxide bleach to 4 parts
water.
Soot/smoke Biological (enzyme) detergent. Magic sponge.
Tarnish On metal: tomato ketchup, leave for 10 minutes. On fabric: vinegar or
lemon juice.
Tobacco Glycerine or methylated spirits.
Water spots For all fabrics apart from silk and chiffon – steam over boiling
water, wipe away excess water and rub mark from outside in with a spoon. On
wood – 50/50 mixture of turpentine / linseed oil.
Wax Ice method (as for chewing gum). On hard surfaces, melt with hairdryer
and absorb with kitchen towel as it melts. Treat any residue as greasy stain.
Stain removal
toolkit
If felt tip marks aren’t
washing off go over the
line again with the same
pen, liquefying the dried in
ink with the fresh ink
which might then wipe off.
THE EASY NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO STAIN REMOVAL
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Sometimes you might need an extra booster product for those
trickier stains, especially if they’ve been allowed to dry in.
These are my favourites:
Oxygen bleach. Unlike chlorine bleach, oxygen bleach is non-toxic, eco-
friendly and, at its normal dissolve ratio, can be used safely with colours. It can
get rid of some stains that look ‘laundered in’ (baby poo on nappies for
example). In a plastic container, mix a teaspoon of oxygen bleach granules
with 500ml warm water. When the granules have dissolved, dab on to the
stain with a sponge or soft cloth. Leave for an hour or so and rinse. If the mark
is still there, make a thicker paste but test for colourfastness first.
Glycerine also known as Glycerin/Glycerol (about £2, from chemists) is a
thick, colourless liquid sold mainly for tickly coughs and sore throats. It works
well on old stains, and even gets rid of old red wine stains. Moisten the stain
with cold water and rub the glycerine in with a finger. Repeat. If the stain
fades but doesn’t disappear, keep at it over a few days.
3% hydrogen peroxide bleach (about £1 from chemists) is non-toxic and
biodegradable and actually a far closer relative to water than chlorine bleach,
its chemical structure being just one oxygen atom away. It’s a powerful, highly
flammable substance though, with a wide range of uses from mouthwash to
making bombs. It’s brilliant at removing blood stains instantly. After colour
testing, apply to the stain. When the stain has gone rinse the fabric
immediately in cold water to avoid a bleach stain. Use in the bathroom to
whiten yellowed plastic fittings - it's highly corrosive to metal, though, so keep
away from taps and bathroom fittings. Safety instructions must be followed
and you’ll not find it displayed on chemist shop shelves, you have to ask for it.
>>The many uses for hydrogen peroxide
Milk is good on wine, ink, newsprint and red juice stains, but may well leave a
smelly (protein) milk stain that will then need rinsing in turn (protein = cold
water with a little washing up liquid). Sour milk works better than fresh. The
enzymes that turn the milk into cheese are the active ingredient that breaks
down stains. Add a little vinegar to fresh milk to sour it.
Methylated spirits. For dye and pigment stains. After colour testing on a
hidden seam of the fabric, spot-treat with a clean, white cloth dipped in
methylated spirits. If that doesn’t do it and the fabric isn’t wool or silk, mix
equal parts of methylated spirits and ammonia together (one of the rare times
when you can mix ammonia with anything) and dab at the stains.
Goo Gone is a citrus-based, non-toxic miracle sticky stuff remover that gets rid
of gum, blood, ink, crayon, make-up, shoe polish and a host of other difficult
marks from all sorts of surfaces. Some vets apparently use it to get tar off pets
and wild birds. It’s hard to find outside the USA but well worth sourcing. Apply
to the stains and leave to penetrate but don't let it dry out.
Graffiti Go! works on a variety of hard surfaces, removing marker pen, paint,
leather dye, crayon and chewing gum. It's solvent-free, non-toxic, pH neutral
and cleans off with water.'
Quickleen A powerful, non-toxic, metal cleaner that I use for all sorts of
difficult stains on hard surfaces in the home. Just recently it removed hair dye
stains from a painted wooden bathroom shelf & sticky tape residue on a
kitchen surface. If using on surfaces not specified by manufacturer, test first.
THE EASY NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO STAIN REMOVAL
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A short guide to natural stain removers
Vinegar is a natural mild bleach and water softener that dissolves dirt and
grease. Use white vinegar rather than dyed brown. For stained sinks, soak a
cloth in warm vinegar, leave it covering the mark for 30 minutes, then scrub.
Mix to a paste with salt to remove limescale deposits on tap bases and shower
heads. To clean windows, baths and sinks, add a tablespoon to a pint of warm
water. Buy plastic plant spray bottles to mix your cleaners. To disguise the
vinegar smell, add a few drops of your favourite essential oil.
For general, everyday cleaning of all hard surfaces without having recourse to
any detergents at all, the E-Cloth scores high. It’s re-useable, economical,
environmentally friendly and gives great results. For sparkling windows and
mirrors, wipe over with a damp E-cloth and polish up with a kitchen towel. The
Magic sponge works on a similar detergent-free microfibre principle. Though
they’re not re-usable like the E-cloth, you snip off only as much as you need.
They really come into their own at lifting the grease from cooker surfaces and
ovens. Again, simply dampen and wipe. Wear rubber gloves or the grease will
quickly transfer from the sponge to your fingers.
Like vinegar, bicarbonate of soda (or baking powder) has many uses, from
cleaning tiles to deodorising fridges, but see alert box below. To clean or clear
drains, pour down half a cup, followed by a cup of hot vinegar. Mix with lemon
juice for a strong all-purpose cleaner. Soda crystals unblock grease from sinks
and drains, soften hard water and cuts through grease on cookers, pans and
surfaces. Use lemon juice to clean kitchen surfaces and taps (leave for a few
minutes, then rinse) and bleach wooden chopping boards (leave for several
hours). Apply a paste of cream of tartar and lemon juice to rust stains, leave
for an hour, and wipe off.
Borax is a natural, mildly alkaline salt that’s great for cleaning tiles, sinks,
toilets, drains, floors, walls, windows, mirrors and painted surfaces. To
remove old carpet stains, mix three parts borax to one part cold water and
work in well. Leave to dry, then vacuum off. An EU reclassification means that
Borax is now called Borax Substitute in Europe; it’s exactly the same stuff
though.
Linseed oil is excellent furniture cleaner when mixed two parts to one part
lemon juice. To remove water marks from wood, mix with an equal volume of
turpentine and rub in with a soft cloth.
What are the two key words to look for in the small print of your home contents insurance?
Accidental damage!
Check and then double-check again. ‘Accidental Damage’ may be limited to specific household items like DVD players,
stereos and the replacing of glass in doors and windows. Pay a small extra premium and you’ll be fully covered for
accidental spills on carpets and furniture.
Some policies can be extended further to include ‘matching pairs and sets.’ If one chair in a suite is damaged and can’t be
repaired or replaced to match, you’ll get a whole new suite. Saga’s policy, for example, covers everything from curtains
and kitchen cabinets to jewellery. Even fitted carpets will be replaced throughout the house rather than in just the one
room where the damage has taken place! >> Visit the Saga Home Insurance Jargon Buster
THE EASY NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO STAIN REMOVAL
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User Beware!
Ammonia Comes to you as a liquid but is actually a poisonous gas. Inhaling is
very bad for your lungs and it should only be used as last resort. Ventilate the
room well, wear a mask and make sure all children and pets are very far away.
Rinse thoroughly. Always colour test before applying. If it removes colour, dab
immediately with water then white vinegar, repeat. Apart from methylated
spirits, never, ever mix ammonia with anything. Bleach / ammonia are an
especially lethal combination producing noxious, lingering, poisonous fumes.
Don’t use ammonia on silk or wool.
Bicarbonate of Soda A wonderful, natural product for cleaning and stain
removal but use with caution on coloured fabrics and carpets. Always colour
test as it can lighten them irreversibly.
Borax is an eye irritant. Wear rubber gloves and keep your hands away from
your face.
Access our online
resources and take part
in The easy no-
nonsense stain removal
quiz
>> Visit the Make it and Mend
it Stain resources area online
Find the best way to buy the
stain solutions mentioned in
our guide.
Stephanie’s also created a
quick quiz designed to help
you remember how to identify
a stain.
>> When you’ve read this
guide try the Stain buster quiz
our Stain resources area
Do you have stain removal tips
to share?
>> Post them now on the
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