Local Cleaning Company – Stain Workshop III
Different stains call for different treatments – and they needn’t always use harsh chemicals. Why not try some of the following tips to restore cherished belongings at a cheap cost and with little effort?
In this final blog in a series of three, we look at some other common household stains. Always check washing instructions on the stained item and follow them appropriately.
Perform a pre-test on a hidden area first and seek professional specialist advice if you are concerned.
1. Collar and cuffs lines: brighten collars and cuffs by removing the grease line that builds up where they are folded over. Rub heavily along the marks with chalk and leave it on overnight. The marks will come out in the next wash.
2. Grass: rub the stain with methylated spirits, or use glycerine on nylon to achieve for the same results. Leave for one hour, then rinse out. Wash as normal.
3. Rust: remove rust stains from fabric by covering them with salt and lemon juice. Leave for half an hour and then wash in a weak solution of ammonia.
4. Tar: scrape of the excess, before rubbing lightly with a cotton wool pad soaked in eucalyptus oil. Keep turning and replacing the pad to prevent the tar from spreading. Work from the outside in. Remove any remaining marks with dry-cleaning fluid.
5. Ironmould: to remove this annoying stain from linen, cover the mark thickly with salt, moisten it with lemon juice and then leave for an hour. Launder as usual after that to see the stain disappear.
6. Wax: scrape off as much as you can with a dull knife. Place item between two sheets of paper towels, brown parcel or blotting paper. Press with a warm iron until the wax has transferred itself to the paper.
7. Paint: if the paint is water-based, soak the stain and wash as normal as quickly as possible. For oil-based paints and varnish, first check the can to see if the label advised a certain thinner. If not, apply turpentine or white spirit, dab firmly at the stain until it disappears. Clean the affected item as normal.
8. Mud: leave to dry, then brush off as much mud as possible. Pre-treat or pre-soak with a thick paste of water and laundry detergent, before washing as normal.
Call us if you want to learn how you remove other stains which are not mentioned above.