A guide to removing common stains

Everyone knows of an occasion when someone, perhaps even ourselves have spilled something either on our clothes, furniture or carpets. It’s a frustrating moment as some fabrics or surfaces may be permanently ruined but most common spilled substances like drinks or sauces can actually be cleaned up fairly easily as long as you have the right tools to hand.

Firstly a lot of these solutions require you to act fast, by taking care of the problem quickly you’ll be able to remove dirt or liquids before they are absorbed by the fibres of whatever surface you’ve got stained.

Blood

Blood needs to be treated immediately, you need to place the item of clothing in cool water and rub detergent in to the stain. If the stain is still there after 30 minutes then you can use a small amount of household ammonia. If it is safe to do so wash the clothes in hot water and chlorine bleach to remove traces of the stain.

Coffee/Tea

Coffee, especially darker coffee without milk can stain badly, wash the clothes in cool water and rub detergent into the stained area. If the stain persists then you should use a pre-treating product before putting in the washing machine.

Grass

Grass can be tough but if you put the stain face down on a paper towel and sponge with rubbing alcohol if it is safe to do so. Sometimes the grass stains can still be there after this, in which case if it’s safe to do so wash the fabric in warm water and chlorine bleach.

Mud

Mud can be slightly tougher than grass and is best tackled once it has been allowed to dry. Once dry you should be able to scrape the majority of the mud off. After that mix up a solution of warm water, dishwashing detergent and white vinegar. Rinse the fabric in this solution and wash as usual.

There are a lot of other stains that could possibly occur but these tend to be the most common. The methods mentioned in this article are best suited to clothing but as many of us will know that carpets and furniture are often the targets for stains. In which case it is worthwhile looking at professional carpet cleaning firms as they are best suited to remove any serious stains to carpets that commercial sprays or foams are unable to remove.

If you have any stains or dust prone surfaces that may need treating then you should consider professional carpet cleaning or commerical carpet cleaning if you own a business.