stain removal
Lipstick. You can remove lipstick the same way you remove candle wax. Place the stained fabric in the freezer so the lipstick hardens. Scrape off as much as you can with a butter knife. Then dab the stain with an alcohol-soaked white cloth. Continue dabbing until you no longer see the color. Run the napkin or fabric in the washer, and let it air-dry. If the stain or oily spot remains, repeat the process until the stain is gone.
Coffee. A coffee stain can be removed easily with club soda. To simplify applying the club soda, pour some of it into a spray bottle and then lightly spritz the stain. Work the club soda into the stain with your finger or a soft scrub brush and the stain should immediately start to disappear. If the stain is being stubborn, you can add some borax powder to the club soda to give it a boost. Use a dry cloth to soak up any excess liquid.
Email Save 8. Dairy. Start by blotting the area so that you absorb as much of the liquid as you can. Then dilute the stain with cool water. Don’t use hot water, as that will just essentially cook the milk. Continue blotting the diluted stain until you’ve removed as much as possible. Use a drop of dish detergent on the spot, and work it into the fabric. Continue working it into the stain until it disappears. Rinse the area thoroughly with warm water. Email Save 9. Turkey grease. Removing greasy stains from any fabric is a simple two-step process: Start with rubbing alcohol or vodka, and pour it over the greasy stain. Let it sit for 20 minutes, and then rub a bar of soap onto the stain. Rub it in further with your fingers, and add a few drops of water to create a lather. Place the fabric into the washing machine, and wash on its usual setting. Let it air-dry, and if the stain remains, repeat the process.
Dairy. Start by blotting the area so that you absorb as much of the liquid as you can. Then dilute the stain with cool water. Don’t use hot water, as that will just essentially cook the milk. Continue blotting the diluted stain until you’ve removed as much as possible. Use a drop of dish detergent on the spot, and work it into the fabric. Continue working it into the stain until it disappears. Rinse the area thoroughly with warm water.
k. Have you ever heard the cleaning tip for removing ink is to spray it with hairspray? The secret ingredient in the hairspray is rubbing alcohol. So save the hairspray for your beauty regimen and instead remove the stain by dabbing it with rubbing alcohol or vodka. It might take a while, but be patient and keep on dabbing and eventually the stain should work its way out. As with any stain, the sooner you do something about it, the better
Chocolate. To remove chocolate from fabric, rub the stain with an ice cube. This will freeze the chocolate so you can scrape off as much chocolate as possible with a butter knife. Then use a spray bottle filled with club soda to soak the area. Place the back side of the fabric under cool running water to flush the stain out. Finally, rub a drop of dish soap into the area until the stain disappears. Rinse the area well with warm water.
Red wine. Some recommend using white wine to remove red wine stains, but why waste good wine on a stain? Instead, sprinkle the stain with table salt to absorb the wine. Then dab the area with a hydrogen peroxide-soaked white rag until the color stops coming off. Then, pour hydrogen peroxide (the standard 3 percent solution found at drugstores) over the area and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. The stain will disappear over time.
Water rings. Water from a glass or vase can do damage by leaving noticeable marks on a wood surface. A simple way to remove a water ring is to dip your finger in some regular store-bought mayonnaise and smear it all over the stain. The oil in the mayo will be absorbed into the wood and make the stain disappear. Use a wet cloth to wipe away any remaining mayo on the wood surface.
2. Candle wax. To remove wax on a tablecloth, first rub an ice cube over the wax. Once it has hardened, use a butter knife to scrape off as much as you can. Place a paper bag over the area, and rub a warm iron over it. The wax will liquefy and absorb into the paper. Treat any residue with rubbing alcohol: Let the alcohol sit for 15 minutes; then rub with a bar of soap. Wash the cloth in the washing machine, and air-dry.
Polish your copper pots. If you have copper saucepans that get a regular workout in the kitchen, they will darken over time. Why not take a moment to restore that shiny-penny luster to your copper cookware before holiday cooking season arrives? Use copper cleaning cream or a natural alternative, like ketchup (yes, really!) to get your cookware looking all shiny and new. Shine On: How to Clean and Care for Copper
Throwing shade. One item that often gets overlooked when cleaning are lampshades. You can quickly clean them with a lint roller. By rubbing the lint roller over the flat areas of the shade, you will remove built-up dust. If there are crevices or seams that are missed by the roller, use a clean paintbrush to remove the extra dust.
Spot-clean the obvious stains. Now it’s time to tackle the cleaning. Focus on small areas where dirt is visible and spot-clean them. For minor blemishes, you can use vinegar and a microfiber cloth and gently wipe. Alternatively, make your own natural upholstery cleaner, which you can use for this phase and the next. Add a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid to a small bowl of warm water and use an electric hand mixer to whip it up until the mixture forms soft peaks. Gently apply the soap suds to the stain with a soft-bristle brush and rub until you see some of the dirt lifting off. Use a spatula to remove most of the dirty foam, then rinse the rest away with a white cloth and a very small amount of fresh water. Once the suds have been completely removed, take a close look at the stain to see if you need to repeat the process.
Spot-clean the obvious stains. Now it’s time to tackle the cleaning. Focus on small areas where dirt is visible and spot-clean them. For minor blemishes, you can use vinegar and a microfiber cloth and gently wipe. Alternatively, make your own natural upholstery cleaner, which you can use for this phase and the next. Add a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid to a small bowl of warm water and use an electric hand mixer to whip it up until the mixture forms soft peaks. Gently apply the soap suds to the stain with a soft-bristle brush and rub until you see some of the dirt lifting off. Use a spatula to remove most of the dirty foam, then rinse the rest away with a white cloth and a very small amount of fresh water. Once the suds have been completely removed, take a close look at the stain to see if you need to repeat the process.
Blood. Fingers sometimes can get in the way of carving knives this time of year. The key to cleaning up blood stains is to get to it as soon as possible. Blood will come off most fabrics with a little soap and cold water, but here’s an even better solution: Simply dab it with hydrogen peroxide. You will be surprised how quickly the stain will fade away. Use a dry cleaning cloth to blot away excess liquid.
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