Stains have finally met their match! Our in-depth stain removal guide below, ongoing Stain Removal Series, and homemade cleaning solutions will show you exactly how to remove stains of a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and materials. No matter what type of stain you are trying to remove, following the detailed instructions below will show you how to remove stains and get the best results possible.
Instructions on How to Remove Stains
1. Start treating your spills and stains IMMEDIATELY. The longer a stain remains, the more difficult it will be to remove.
2. Blot up spills with clean, white, absorbent material (towels, napkins, tissues, etc). Using colored materials risks transference of color to the surface being cleaned making your stain worse.
3. Remove solid build-up materials like wax, crayons, and lipstick with a rounded tablespoon, spatula, or the edge of a dull knife. Try not to spread the stain outside of the contaminated area during this process.
4. Pretest spot remover agents in an inconspicuous area (under a sofa cushion, on an area of carpet, or under/behind a piece of furniture). Apply several drops of cleaning solution on the article and rub gently with a clean, white towel. If surface color transfers to cloth or a color change occurs, a professional cleaner should be consulted.
5. Do NOT overwet the stained area. Use small amounts of the cleaning agents and blot frequently. Always blot a stain, NEVER rub or brush a stain as you may spread the stain.
6. Work from the outer edge of the spot towards the center to prevent rings from forming. This also helps minimize the spread of the stain as it is being cleaned.
7. Beginning with step 1, treat the stained area with each spotting solution until the stain is removed. It may not be necessary to complete the entire series of steps in the stain removal guide. The final step is always to gently rinse with water, then absorb all the remaining moisture with absorbent colorless towels.
8. Be patient. Some stains respond slowly and will take awhile to remove. Keep in mind that all spots and stains cannot always be removed from every fabric due to the differences in fibers, dyes, constructions, finishes, compositions of the stain, length of time the stain has remained on the article, etc. Some stains will require professional treatment.