How to Remove Stains from Your Clothes

It sometimes happens that, because of our own clumsiness or someone else's clumsiness or, who knows, bad intention or by accident, we get stains on our clothes and don't know how to deal with them. Some stains are there to stay, but some can be removed. There are several types of stains, such as those that will go away if you treat them immediately or those that can be removed only under certain circumstances. In some cases, if you don't know how to treat a stain, you might make it worse. This is why we have put together a list of tips that can help you remove stains from your shirt, pants and other clothing pieces.

If you are out and somehow get tomato soup or red wine on your outfit, there is no need to panic. If you have club soda around, this should help.

This might sound like an old wives tale, but in actuality red wine can be combated with white wine. You can try that in a desperate case.

Moreover, wine stains can also be removed by using a combination of lemon juice and cream of tartar if you are at home and can place the shirt in the washing machine.

If oil somehow gets on your clothes, cover the stain with talc or baby powder right after it happens, and then allow it to sit for at least a half hour. After that, brush it off and apply a stain remover. Then, wash in hot water, but not hotter than the fabric can stand.

Coffee can be removed with slightly warm water. After you've wet the spot, use some vinegar diluted in water. Wash the piece normally and repeat if necessary. Don't use any kind of soap, as the stain can become permanent.

Chocolate can be removed by scraping off as much as possible with a dull knife. After you have scratched as much as you can, wash the piece with hot soapy water. If the garment is unwashable, sponge it with dry cleaning liquid and allow the garment to dry. Repeat this as many times it is needed.

Tea can be removed from cotton and linen materials by first rinsing the garment in warm water and then pouring boiling water from 2-3 feet / 60- 90 cm on the stain. Afterwards, wash the garment in soapy water. In case a trace still remains, bleach the garment in the sun or with a wash/sanitizer container sodium percarbonate.

Egg stains can be scraped away easily and sponged with lukewarm water. It is important never to use hot water to remove egg stains, as this will only harden it. If the stain does not come off easily, we recommend spreading the stain with a paste of paste of tartar and water, to which you will need to add a crushed aspirin. Once you have applied this cream let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Afterwards, you can rinse it well in warm water or make use a diaper wash/sanitizer container sodium percarbonate

In case you have a blood stain, blot repeatedly with an ice cube, cold water or club soda if it's fresh, but if it's dried, use a 3% hydrogen-peroxide solution.

Grass stains can be removed with an old (or why not new?) toothbrush and white toothpaste. Just make sure that you use a paste type and not a gel.

If you happen to introduce your clothes to some ink, apply alcohol on the spot by rubbing it, after that, wash the garment, if the piece is made out of cotton. If it's made from polyester, use hair spray and then pat the spot with a clean, dry cloth. Wash it after this procedure.

In case you get melted wax on your clothes, lay brown paper on the garment and iron while moving the piece of paper often. The paper should absorb the wax.

Rust can be removed by putting lemon juice and salt on the spot and then leaving it in the sun. Don't forget to wash it afterwards.

Bleach should be immediately treated with copious amounts of cold water. If chlorine bleach caused the stain, add 1 tbsp vinegar in each 600 mls you use to rinse the garment.

Boot polish can be removed by sponging it with a laundry pre-soak (spot stain remover) or with a dry cleaning liquid.

Deodorant stains can be removed by sponging a dry fabric stain strongly with laundry pre-soak and warm water. Afterwards, rinse the garment. Should some stains remain, use cholorinated laundry bleach or a diaper wash/sanitizer container sodium percarbonate. Sometimes, deodorants can cause fabric and color damage to a garment. Sponging a piece with ammonia might make it regain its color. Dilute the ammonia with an equal part of water if you need to remove stains from wool or silk and rinse well.

Tobacco that won't wash away can be removed by first pouring glycerin over the stain. Rub it gently between your hands or pre-treat the dry fabric with a laundry pre-soak (spot stain remover), then leave it for half an hour and then wash it in the usual way. In case you are not successful with this, use sodium thiosulphate as directed for iodine stains.

Additional information

In case a tie gets stained, it is pretty much ruined. The complicated nature of its cut and the fine fibers won't make it possible for the tie to be clean again.

In any case, it's best to treat any fresh stain with water if there's nothing else handy. Water is better than nothing and it can help dilute the stain. Whenever you use a stain removing technique, make sure you don't use too much pressure. Rub gently, or you can make it worse.

Also, if the stain is unidentifiable, use cold water before you use hot water.

And there you have it! Make sure that if you use a trick such as the ones detailed in this article, you take the fabric of your clothes into consideration as well. Some fabrics are more sensitive and others more resistant. There is no need to panic, take it easy, see what you can do and try your best. You can ask for help from others if needed, there are many out there who should be willing to help.

Fraquoh and Franchomme

P.S. How do you remove stains? What tips can you share? Share your feedback, questions or thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on style, fashion tips and cultural insights, you can subscribe to Attire Club via e-mail or follow us on Facebook or Twitter!