General Tips

Some Stains are not easily seen when the fabric is wet. Air dry items to be sure that the stain has been removed. Machine drying might set the stain permanently. Work on stains from the reverse side to prevent the stain from spreading.

Alcohol, Coffee, Juice, Soft Drinks, Tea ...

Sponge promptly with cold water or soak in cold water. Pretreat remaining stain. Launder with appropriate bleach and the hottest water safe for fabric.

Blood 

Soak In cold water. Pretreat remaining stain. Try a sponge with hydrogen peroxide. Launder in the hottest water safe for fabric. Use appropriate bleach. If stain persists, soak in warm water with presoak product.

Candle Wax

Place stained surface down on a pad of paper towels. Spray with WD-40 and let stand for a few minutes. Turn fabric and spray the other side, let stand. Apply liquid hand dishwashing detergent and work into stain until removed. Use a paper towel to absorb the stain. Hand wash the item in detergent thoroughly, making sure the WD-40 odor is removed. Launder as usual.

Dairy Based: Baby Formula, Milk, Cream, Ice Cream

Soak in warm water. Launder in the hottest water safe for fabric. Use appropriate bleach. If a stain remains, soak in warm water with a pretreat product . Rinse thoroughly and re-launder.

Deodorant

Pretreat stain and launder in the hottest water safe for fabric. Use appropriate bleach. If fabric is discolored, try to restore it by treating with ammonia or with white vinegar. Rinse thoroughly and re-launder.

Dye Transfer

Dye transfer may be impossible to remove. If clothes are still wet, immediately spray with pretreat solution. Re-launder in warm water if items are dry. Wash with chlorine bleach if safe for fabric. If not safe, use non-chlorine bleach or a commercial color remover according to package directions.

Egg, Gravy, Mud, Tomato Sauces, etc.

Scrape/remove excess with a dull Knife. Soak in cold water. Pretreat remaining stain. Launder using the hottest water safe for fabric. Use appropriate bleach.

Ink from a Ballpoint Pen

Sponge stain with rubbing alcohol, or spray with pretreat product or hair spray until wet looking. Rinse thoroughly. Pretreat stain and launder in the hottest water safe for fabric. Use appropriate bleach.

Mildew

Pretreat stain and launder in the hottest water safe for fabric. Use appropriate bleach. If stain remains, sponge with hydrogen peroxide. Rinse thoroughly and re-launder. 

Nail Polish

Place stain face down on paper towels. Sponge with nail polish remover until stain disappears. Rinse thoroughly. Launder in the hottest water safe for fabric. Do not use nail polish remover on acetate or Arnel fabrics. Send them to dry cleaner.

Oil Based: Cosmetics, Grass Mayonnaise, Salad Dressing, Mustard

Pretreat stain and launder in the hottest water safe for fabric. Use chlorine bleach if safe for fabric. If a grease stain remains, soak in warm water with a pretreat product. Rinse thoroughly and re-launder.

Unknown Stain

Avoid using hot water right away. Pretreat the stain and soak in cold water. Launder in cold water with detergent. If stain is not removed, re-launder in warm water. if stain is still not removed, then launder in hot water.