How to Remove Common Stains from Clothes

Just because you get a stain on your clothes doesn't mean the garment is ruined, but you need to act fast to successfully remove the stain. Try to blot a stain as soon as it happens and allow the clothing to air dry instead of tossing it in the dryer because the heat from a dryer can cause a stain to set in. Be gentle when scrubbing the garment so you don't damage the fibers.

Grass Stains

Use a wet sponge and dab the stained area until it is wet. Then apply a dollop of laundry stain remover such as Goo directly onto the clothing. Scrub the area gently with a toothbrush until a paste forms. Let the Goo sit on the stain for 10 - 15 minutes and wash as normal. Or you can make a paste using baking soda, warm water and Comet. Scrub the area and then let sit for 15 minutes and wash as usual.

Lipstick

Use a Shout Gel stick and apply it directly to the lipstick stain. Then gently scrub the area with a toothbrush. Let sit for 15 minutes, apply more Shout gel, scrub area again, and then wash as usual.

Deodorant

Dip a soft cloth in vinegar and gently rub the deodorant stained area until the fabric gets damp. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and wash as usual.

Grease

Make a paste using Comet & baking soda and warm water. Apply to the stain and scrub with a toothbrush. Let sit for 15-20 minutes and wash as usual.

Motor Oil

Make a paste with Shout or Goo Stain remover and scrub both the stain with a toothbrush. Be sure to scrub both the inside and outside of the garment. Let sit for 2 hours before washing.

Kool-Aid

Dab the area with a damp clean cloth dipped in Club soda and rinse the cloth out and repeat to remove as much of the Kool-Aid as you can. Then use baking soda and make a paste and gently scrub the stain with a toothbrush. Use a damp cloth to blot the stain and repeat until the stain is gone and then wash the garment in cold water and let air dry.

Chewing Gum

Place the garment in a freezer bag and leave in there for 2 hours until the chewing gum has become frozen solid. Remove the garment from the freezer bag and put some latex gloves on. Try to remove as much of the gum as you can with your fingers and then use a plastic knife and gently lift up the rest of the gum off the garment. You can also remove gum easily by placing ice cubes on top of the chewing gum and let the gum harden up and then it will usually pop right off.

Blood

Immerse the clothing in cold water and let sit overnight. If blood is still visible then dab the stain with Shout Gel and immerse again in cold water and let sit again overnight. Repeat this process until stain is gone. Wash as usual.

Pencil Lead

Make a paste using laundry detergent. Massage the paste into the garment using your fingertips. Wash in cold water.

Ink

Spray a liberal amount of hairspray directly onto the stained area until the garment is damp. Let set until you see the ink start to run and disappear. Wash in cold water.

Important to remember - when removing stains do not use hot water and do not put the garment in the dryer until the stain is completely gone. Heat will set in a stain and make it harder, if not impossible, to remove.