Tips and Tricks Tuesday

Food Stain Removal Tips:

Wash fabrics as recommended after these treatments – the sooner, the better.

Coffee
Stretch the fabric over a bowl and carefully pour boiling water through the stain from about a foot above. If the coffee had milk in it, follow with an oil solvent, like Carbona Stain Wizard Pre-Wash. If it contained sugar, follow with a pretreatment product, like Shout Laundry Stain Remover and let sit for 30 minutes before washing.

Ketchup
Apply Shout, then apply white vinegar with an eyedropper or a clean toothbrush to lighten the stain.

Chocolate
Scrape off the excess with a plastic knife or a spatula. Spray with a dish-soap solution (1 tablespoon clear soap to 10 ounces water) then dab with an enzyme detergent before washing (Most everyday detergents contain enzymes).

Mustard
Saturate the stain with white vinegar, then apply a dish-soap solution (see Chocolate for formula)

Ice Cream
Flush with cool water. Apple a prewash stain-removal product (like Shout), then soak in a sink filled with cool water and a few drops of detergent.

Red Wine
Sprinkle salt on the stain, then stretch the fabric over a bowl and carefully pour boiling water onto the spot from about a foot above.

White Wine
Run cold water over the stain, then spray with a dish soap solution (see Chocolate formula) and pretreat by dabbing with detergent.

Beer
Soak in 2 cups cool water and 1/4 cups white vinegar.

Milk
Soak up as much wetness as possible with a towel. Then, apply a solution of warm water and dish soap. Remove soap residue with a damp towel and blot. Repeat if necessary.

Tomato Sauce
Scrape off dried sauce, then apply a solution of warm water and dish soap. Remove soap residue with a damp towel and blot. If the stain persists, blot on an ammonia solution with a warm, damp towel.

Juice or Berries
Scrape up any solids, then apply a solution of warm water and dish soap. Remove soap residue with a damp towel and blot. If the stain persists, blot on an ammonia solution with a warm, damp towel.