Before I became a wife and mother, I never thought much about stain removal...but who does, right?
But afterward, I had the daunting task of removing stains from my kids’ clothes especially and I found I needed a little help! I was lucky enough to have a mother and a grandmother who could help me navigate stain removal. My maternal grandmother especially was a good source and through the years she taught me how to successfully tackle stains.
She was always sending me helpful little tips and when I ran into a big stain issue, I could always call her. Removing stains can be a little bit intimidating, but armed with a little bit of information, you too can become a pro at removing stains from your clothes!
The list below was passed down from my grandmother to my mother to me. This, of course, is just a guideline to follow, not a hard and fast rule. I have used all of the tips below and have had great success. I hope this helps you as well.
Stain Removal Guide:
Red Wine - Dab with club soda, then cover with salt and let it sit overnight
Beer - Soak in cold water pre-treat with stain remover and wash
Coffee/tea - Dab with white vinegar before washing
Lipstick - Scrape off excess color, then pre-treat with stain remover and wash
Blood - Soak in cold water for two hours; dab with half strength ammonia and water
Foundation - Spot treat with dish soap then wash on hot
Sweat - Mix equal parts lemon juice + water; add salt to create a scrub and then wash
Chocolate - Spritz stain remover on to pre-treat, then wash
Soy Sauce - Rinse with cold water and dab with ammonia; pre-treat with stain remover and wash
Mustard - Scrape off excess mustard and wash on hot
Ketchup - Rinse with cold water from the back of the fabric, then sponge with white vinegar and wash
Salad Dressing - Pre-treat with stain remover; wash on hot