No matter how cautious you are, you will never be able to completely avoid the occasional spill. Whether it be from a pet, a toddler or even your other half, spots and stains are inevitable. Here are the top ten tips for getting rid of stains from your clothing and your home:
1. Treat it early
One of the best things to do is to treat a stain as soon as possible. The longer a stain has to set in, the more difficult it will be to remove. It is important to identify the stain quickly and to use the right treatment to remove it otherwise you risk permanently damaging the area.
2. Treating Greasy Stains on Washable Fabric
These spots can often be removed from a washable fabric using your hand to wash it or by running it through a machine. It is best to pre-treat this type of stain with laundry detergent before placing in the wash.
3. Treating Greasy Stains on Non Washable Fabric
If the fabric is non-washable and has a greasy stain, sponge the stain or spot from the centre of the spot to the edge using a stain removal product. This may take a number of applications depending on how deep the stain has penetrated.
4. Yellow Stains
Bleach is often the most effective way to treat a stain that is yellowing, such as in the underarms of a white t-shirt or the arms of a chair. There are colour safe bleaches available that can be used on all types of clothing.
5. Non-greasy stain removal from washable fabric
Sponge the stain immediately with cold water as soon as it happens. If sponging does not work, soak the fabric in cool water. Leave it for at least an hour and some stains may need to soak overnight. Use detergent on the spot if any remains after it has soaked.
6. Non-greasy stain removal from non washable fabric
Sponge the stain with cool water. You can use a disposable tissue or other type of towel below the stain and gently flush it out with water. If the stain is on a couch or something similar, place the absorbent cloth on top. Sprinkle salt on top of the stain. The salt will pull the stain to the surface, allowing you to vacuum it.
7. Identification of the surface
Identify the stained surface and the staining agent before you start to treat any type of stain. Both factors will affect how treatment is completed.
8. Gentle removal
Be gentle: wringing, rubbing, and folding material can cause a stain to penetrate even more. It is best to go at it softly first and increase the intensity rather than going at it too hard to start.
9. Try to avoid heat
Avoid heat at all times. You should avoid the use of hot water when dealing with stains as it will cause it to set.
10. Always follow directions
You should make sure you always follow the directions on the cleaner you are using. If you have made your own cleaning supply make sure that you have used the appropriate ingredients for dealing with the stain.
If you still can’t get rid of a spot or stain on your flooring or furniture, consider hiring a professional cleaner to do the job. One company who can help is Bright Aire Carpet Cleaners. Visit them online for more information.
[…] are made to be walked on and lived on. Spills are going to happen. Stains and spots are going to occur, and dirt is going to become tracked in the fibres of the carpet. For this […]