Are some stains impossible to remove?
The short answer is unfortunately no, not all stains can be removed, and here are three reasons why. The longer a stain is left untreated, the less likely it is to be removed.
"The good news is that almost any stain will come out eventually," says Mr. Macpherson. As for stain-removal sprays and pre-treatments, these can be useful, but you will still have to rinse, check the stain and repeat if necessary.
If you find a stain on an item that has been through a hot dryer, it doesn't have to be permanent. By using the right laundry products and the right technique, stains that have been dried do come out.
- Watermark. Watermarks are often seen on soft furnishings like carpet, sofa and mattress after flooding or caused by leaking air conditioner. ...
- Red Wine Stain. ...
- Curry Stain.
Unfortunately for everyone, some stains are permanent. They simply become part of the fabric. Continued attempts to remove them will cause dye loss or fabric damage, known as chafing or fraying.
For this you can either fill a container with enough vinegar to completely cover the stain, and place the item in to soak, or, you can mix several tablespoons of white vinegar and your favorite laundry detergent in a bucket of water and soak the stain overnight.
Wipe the stain with a cloth dipped in a solution of washing soda or detergent and water. Rinse well and wipe dry. If any stain remains, cover with an absorbent pad moistened with rubbing alcohol. Let it remain several minutes, then wipe the area with a cloth dampened with ammonia.
Protein stains such as dairy, blood, egg, glue, and white deodorant marks should always be washed in cold water. Hot water can actually cook the protein, causing it to absorb into the clothing fibres, and making it almost impossible to remove. Cold water helps lift the stain without setting it.
- Pour three tablespoons of white vinegar and two tablespoons of liquid detergent into a quart-size spray bottle. ...
- Shake the contents of the bottle to mix the cleaner and spray the set-in stain with the cleaning solution.
- Rub the solution into the stain with a clean cloth, and then blot dry.
Distilled white vinegar is one of the best natural stain removers that can be found in almost every household. The acetic acid in the vinegar is mild, so it does just enough to remove stains without ruining your clothing.
Does white vinegar stain clothes?
Vinegar doesn't usually stain clothes, but it is acidic, so you shouldn't pour it directly onto clothing without first diluting it. If you don't have a laundry detergent compartment in your washing machine, mix 1/2 cup of vinegar with a cup of water before pouring it onto your clothing.
“Use a solution of 50 percent vinegar and 50 percent water on the stain. Apply liberally and then treat with laundry soap and water. “DO NOT put the garment in the dryer until you have seen that the stain is gone,” he warns.

Hot water sets some stains while dissolving others. For instance, when choosing hot or cold water for blood stains, selecting hot could cause the stain to “cook” into your clothes. Many stains respond best to a rinse or soak in cold water, then a wash cycle in warm or hot.
A full service dry cleaner can remove most stains, provided you act quickly and communicate about the existence of the stain.
First neutralize with a vinegar solution (1 part white vinegar to 1 part water). Blot with a towel from the edge of the stain inward. Follow this with a solution of warm water and dish soap, then remove with a damp towel.
You should also consider the type of wood you are staining, amount of stain you're applying, and weather conditions, like humidity, temperature, and air circulation. On average, wood stain takes about 24 to 72 hours to fully dry and cure, though you can typically add a second coat after about four hours.
The Pros of Staining Wood
Unlike painted wood, stained wood will fade over time rather than peeling and, in some cases, you may be able to simply scuff sand the wood before recoating it.
Soak for at least 30 minutes or several hours for aged stains. Launder. If that doesn't remove the stain, use a bleach safe for the fabric.
You can use any stain-removing solution you have. Allow it to sit for at least 10 minutes (and up to overnight) and then launder as usual. The stain should be gone, but launder on cool settings and repeat if the stain persists.
After more than thirty hours of research and in-house testing, our pick for the best laundry stain remover currently on the market is OxiClean – Versatile Stain Remover. OxiClean Versatile was effective enough to combat a variety of stains, from ink, to chocolate, to coffee.
Can baking soda remove stains?
As a Stain Remover
According to baking soda manufacturer Arm & Hammer, baking soda and water are a potent duo for stain removal. Make a paste with six tablespoons of baking soda and 1/3 cup of warm water, rub it into the stain and let it do its thing. The baking soda will lift the stain out of the fibers.
The bleach soak works great for stains like coffee, ball point pen, and red wine, but for an oily food stain, prior to the bleach soak you should pretreat the stain with a little liquid dishwashing detergent. Apply a little to the stain and rub in, wait 5 minutes, and then rinse the stain.
Even if that stained shirt has been sitting at the bottom of the laundry bin forever, OxiClean™ Versatile Stain Remover can get out even old, set-in stains. Fill scoop to line 4 per 1 gallon of water. Submerge stained items in solution after dissolved.
What happens if you leave Vanish on for too long? Vanish is a cleaning solution, so if you leave the product on your garment for too long you run the risk of fading your item. To keep your items in pristine condition, always follow the instructions on the back of the packaging.
When your washing machine isn't cleaning clothes, the most common reason is that it isn't draining properly, leaving dirt from the first wash in the drum so it's still there after the last rinse. This means you need to clear your washing machine's filter.
Cold-water washing means clothing is less likely to shrink or fade and ruin clothes. Cold water can also reduce wrinkles, which saves energy costs (and time) associated with ironing.
Stick with warm if that's best for the fabric. Hot water should be between 120 and 140 degrees F, warm water between 85 and 105 degrees F and cold water between 65 and 75 degrees F. Water below 60 degrees is too cold for many detergents to be helpful in removing oily stains.
- Fill an empty water bottle with straight vinegar.
- Completely saturate the stained area.
- Sprinkle baking soda over the area.
- Gently rub the mixture in to the fabric, respraying vinegar as necessary.
- Allow to sit for up to 30 minutes.
- Rinse the back of the stain with cool water for a few minutes.
Cover the stain with a rubbing alcohol compress. Let it remain on the stain for a few minutes, then wipe with a cloth moistened with ammonia. If stain persists, sponge the area with a dry-cleaning solvent, K2r Spot Lifter or Afta Cleaning Fluid. Apply a dry spotter.
Sponge or soak stain in cool water. Pretreat with prewash stain remover, liquid laundry detergent, liquid detergent booster or paste of powder laundry product and water. Launder using sodium hypochlorite bleach, if safe for fabric, or oxygen bleach.
How do you get toughest stains out of clothes?
For tough stains, try blotting the stains with one of the following: 1/3 cup vinegar in 2/3 cup water; 2 tablespoons ammonia in 1 cup water; or rubbing alcohol, either straight or mixed with an equal amount of water. Rinse well and then launder as usual.
Distilled white vinegar is one of the best natural stain removers that can be found in almost every household. The acetic acid in the vinegar is mild, so it does just enough to remove stains without ruining your clothing.
Never apply chlorine bleach directly to fabrics. Always dilute it with water before using as it could cause irreparable harm to your clothes.
Hydrogen peroxide is a very effective stain remover for protein- and plant-based stains. And it works well in treating mildew, blood, fruit and vegetable, and dye-transfer stains.
For this you can either fill a container with enough vinegar to completely cover the stain, and place the item in to soak, or, you can mix several tablespoons of white vinegar and your favorite laundry detergent in a bucket of water and soak the stain overnight.
Even if that stained shirt has been sitting at the bottom of the laundry bin forever, OxiClean™ Versatile Stain Remover can get out even old, set-in stains. Fill scoop to line 4 per 1 gallon of water. Submerge stained items in solution after dissolved.
Toothpaste is mildly abrasive, so it's great at scrubbing tough stains, yet it's gentle enough that it won't scratch delicate surfaces (you know, like the enamel of your teeth). Plus, some toothpastes are even formulated for whitening, making them more effective at removing stains.
As a Stain Remover
According to baking soda manufacturer Arm & Hammer, baking soda and water are a potent duo for stain removal. Make a paste with six tablespoons of baking soda and 1/3 cup of warm water, rub it into the stain and let it do its thing. The baking soda will lift the stain out of the fibers.
Vinegar doesn't usually stain clothes, but it is acidic, so you shouldn't pour it directly onto clothing without first diluting it. If you don't have a laundry detergent compartment in your washing machine, mix 1/2 cup of vinegar with a cup of water before pouring it onto your clothing.
What happens if you leave Vanish on for too long? Vanish is a cleaning solution, so if you leave the product on your garment for too long you run the risk of fading your item. To keep your items in pristine condition, always follow the instructions on the back of the packaging.
How do you get set in stains out of colored clothes?
Vinegar is your best friend when learning how to get sweat stains out of coloured shirts, tops, and clothes. Soak your item in a large bowl filled with 1-part white vinegar and 1-part water for 30 minutes. Wash with a strong detergent like OMO to finish.