Quick Cleaning Tips When You're on the Go

You've got somewhere to be in an hour, and you've decided to have a nice slice of blueberry pie before you leave...Oh, no! To your dismay, you've spilled a gooey piece of pie down the front of your immaculate shirt.

What do you do when you need to wear something specific, you have a spill, and you definitely don't have the time to stop at the nearest grocery store to pick up the appropriate cleaning products? Next time you find yourself in a similar situation, you may be delighted to realize that you aren't out of luck. Chances are, there are several simple, yet effective cleaning supplies in your home, right under your nose. If you look even closer, you may even find a few tricks up your sleeve.

Berry Stains

Berries have been used since ancient times to create colorful makeup, paints, and dyes for clothing. Berries can be so rich in pigment that it's no wonder they are tough to remove. But have no fear! Berry stain removal can be easier than you may think. Ridiculously so.

A berry stain can be reduced, and in some cases, completely removed with boiling water. As with most spills, if the stain's new, you will get better results. Start by heating water to a boil, then stretch the stained fabric taut, with the stain right side up. Pour the water directly over the stain, and watch as it comes out of the fabric. Repeat this with boiled water until the stain is gone, or until it no longer reduces. If traces of the stain are still visible, spot treat it, and throw it in the wash.

Bleach Spills

There was a time when bleached clothing was in style, but unfortunately, that look went out with the '80's.

If you're in a rush, and you've spilled bleach onto your clothing, a handy marker can provide a quick fix. Either permanent or washable will do. The effect may not be seamless, but it can get you through when you have only one uniform, costume, outfit, etc., and no time to find a back-up. The two factors that effect the outcome of this trick are a) that the color of your marker matches your clothing, and b) that the bleached spots are relatively small. The smaller, the better -- it makes them less noticeable.

This trick works best on dark, non-reflective materials, like black slacks or dark denim jeans, for example. Simply dab the marker directly onto the bleached spot, and allow it to dry.

If you don't have a permanent marker that matches the color of your clothing, you may be out of luck. However, there are ways to work around colors like pink and grey. If you have a pink shirt with a bleached spot, and a red marker, you can dilute the red dye by taking a wet paper towel or rag, touching it to the head of the marker, then immediately dabbing it onto the bleached spot. Try cotton swabs for more precision. Use this same technique to apply black marker to grey materials, and keep in mind that marker lightens drasticly as it dries.

Candle Wax

We often try to brush spilled substances off immediately, out of impulse. If you remember to do so, resist the urge to react. Trying to brush melted wax off of fabric will spread it, rubbing it father into the fabric's weave, making it more of a pain in the butt to remove.

In most cases, harsh cleaning products or wax removers are needed to remove candle wax from clothing. Depending on the texture of the fabric -- the tight weave of denim is easier to work with than linen, for example -- and the amount of wax spilled, clean up can be relatively easy, and quick. Keep in mind that candles scented with fragrant oil can leave behind an oily residue after a spill. This will be less noticeable on dark, non-reflective clothing.

First, place the item of clothing in the freezer. Once the wax becomes very hard -- and this should happen rather quickly -- try to peel the wax from the fabric with care. Bend the fabirc, letting the wax remove itself as it stays rigid. Most of it should come right off, depending on the tightness of the fabric's weave.

If wax still remains, use an iron and paper towel or toilet paper to remove it. Heat the iron to the lowest setting possible, which will prevent burns. Place an absorbent paper towel over the wax and gently apply the iron to the towel, working in a slow circles. Lift and check to see how much wax has melted into the paper towel. Repeat this, using a clean section of paper towel, until the wax is removed.

If you don't have paper towel or toilet paper, try non-glossy paper. Do not use newspaper, or any paper printed with ink, as the ink will end up on your clothing!

Acrylic Paint

Once acyclic paint dries, it is virtually impossible to remove from clothing. Because of this, it even makes a good substitute for fabric paint. Fortunately, acrylic paint is removable while it's still wet. If you keep the stained area wet until you can wash the clothing, the item in question may not be ruined. Dab the affected area with water until you get the chance to spot treat and wash.

Sticky Substances

Ideally, a stained item of clothing is quickly thrown into the wash, yet it's often that you find yourself pressed for time, or literally on your way out the door when you spill something, or when you realize that your two year old has slapped a week-old gooey sticker on the elbow of your blouse. Luckily, colorless sticky substances can often be removed with three simple cleaners: white vinegar, isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, or peroxide.

You may want to try alcohol first, as it is less pungent than vinegar. Dip a paper towel into the alcohol, then dab the stain, saturating it. This should loosen the sticker, and should dissolve other substances, especially those with oil bases. Once you've removed the stain, dab the fabric with water to remove the scent of alcohol or vinegar.