Stain removing tips will help you get those hard to remove stains out of your favorite shirt. It never fails, you are headed out for a big meeting or a first date and your coffee slips out of your hand, down your shirt and to the floor. You have to act fast to keep the stain from setting in to save your outfit. Follow these stain removing tips to get tough stains like this one out.
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Don’t Wait
Removing a fresh stain is much easier than removing an old stain. The longer a stain has to set in the harder it is to get out. Take dry clean only items to the cleansers as soon as possible. Be sure to let the cleaner know about the stain for best results. If you can’t do anything else at the moment at least dilute the stain with water or club soda after it happens.
Test First
Always test new staining removing products in a hidden area first. This stain removing tip is crucial. Once I spilt red wine on one of my favorite shirts. I had just bought a new stain remover product I had seen on television and decided to use it on the stain. Big mistake! I should have tested it first. Now I have a huge brown blob on my shirt. At least the wine stain was a pretty color.
Frequently asked questions
Start from the Back
Most people apply stain remover to the front of the stain, but actually you should apply the stain remover to the back of the stain when possible. My mom taught me this stain removing tip. The reasoning behind it makes perfect sense. When you try to remove the stain from the front you are forcing the stain to travel all the way through the material. Starting from the back forces the stain out the way it came in.
Bleach
There is a big problem with bleach spot removal. It can lead to uneven coloring. Instead of trying to bleach out one spot, why not properly clean the item with bleach during the next wash. If the spot is on a shirt that can’t be bleached due to different colors, opt for another stain removing method.
Don’t Mix
Trust me on this stain removing tip. You don’t want to mix stain removal products for the same reason we don’t mix cleaning agents. Mixing it up can cause toxic fumes and give you poor results on your stain. Stick to one method. If it doesn’t work after a complete wash, then try something new.
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Wash the Stained Item
After you have treated the spot, you must also wash the spot out. Leaving the residue from the stain and even the stain removal product on the fabric can create another stain. Follow up the stain removal with a spin in the wash.
Check before You Dry
Check your garment before you dry it, when trying to remove stains. Some stains won’t ever budge after being dried in. Always check the stain after it’s been wash. If the stain isn’t gone yet, try again and then re-wash.
Be Real
Some stains just can’t be fixed and no stain removal tip will ever help. It’s sad, I know. I’ve lost a few of my favorite shirts to stains. Fortunately, there are so many awesome ways to reuse old clothing items. You may be able to re-purpose, add a patch, or make something totally new out of that old stained shirt.
What stain removing tips have you used? Did you see anything on my list that might help you remove your next stain? Share your stain removal secrets in the comments below.
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