Knowledge makes stain removal easier

Sooner or later we all have to face it--a favorite item of clothing gets a stain. Does this mean it's unwearable and must be tossed or turned into rags?

Not necessarily, said Dr. Pam Brown, Texas Cooperative Extension consumer sciences specialist. Sometimes, with a little effort, stains can be removed cleanly and favorite clothing can be worn with pride again.

First, determine what the stain is, since different stains are removed by different methods.

For example:

--Oily stains (cooking oils, mayonnaise, chocolate, motor oil, cosmetics and candle wax): Work liquid detergent or prewash stain remover into the stained area; rinse hands and repeat. After that is done, wash the garment in the washing machine at the highest recommended water temperature with one cup of detergent.

--Mud and dirt: Air dry the garment, then brush or vacuum excess soil off. Work a paste of detergent granules and warm water into the stained area; repeat if necessary. As an alternative, pre-soak with detergent granules mixed with water for at least 30 minutes and repeat, adding color-safe bleach to the solution.

--Adhesive tape, chewing gum, rubber cement: Harden the sticky residue with ice; crack or scrape off the excess. Apply pretreatment, then rinse and wash.

--Protein and/or plant stains (egg, ketchup, mustard, mildew, grass, blood, baby formula, chocolate, etc.): Work liquid detergent into stained area; rinse hands to prevent them from working stain back into fabric and repeat. Machine wash with one cup of detergent; add one cup of non-chlorine bleach with enzyme presoak. If the stain is stubborn, soak the item for a day or two, stirring occasionally, then machine wash again and air dry.

--Take dry-clean-only clothing to the dry cleaners.

Whatever the stain, though, treat it quickly, Brown said. "Time and heat exposure make removing stains harder. Use a blotting motion. Work from the inside of the garment or back of the stain to force the stain out rather than into the fabric. Avoid using a rubbing motion. Launder the whole item after treating."

If pretreatment is necessary to remove the stain, make one using granulated detergent mixed with water, or use liquid detergent or a pretreatment product.

"Pretreat stains quickly and repeat the application if the stain remains," Brown said. "Sometimes you need to treat stains many times. Never dry a stained garment in the dryer or (the stain) may become impossible to remove."

After pretreating, washing the garment in the appropriate cleanser is important.

"Soaps are mild cleansers that come in granules, which are used for lightly soiled and delicate items, or bars, which are good for pretreating heavy soils and stains before laundering," Brown said. "Avoid harsh rubbing with the bar."

Detergents, which are available in heavy duty, light duty or combination forms, aren't as mild as soaps but do "clean a wide variety of soils," she said. "Granular detergents are used on all washable fabrics. Liquids work on oily soils. Combination detergents contain detergents and either color-safe bleach or fabric softener."

Then there's bleaches, which are "strong cleaning agents," Brown explained. "Follow the instructions on the containers." And use chlorine bleach only on colorfast fabrics.

Other laundry products which can be helpful in removing stains and keeping clothing in good condition are:

--Detergent boosters, which strengthen detergent's cleaning power;

--Enzyme presoaks, which help remove stains; and

--Fabric softeners, which help make clothing soft and reduce drying time.

But some basic laundry habits can help eliminate stains in the first place, Brown said, such as:

--Emptying pockets and closing zippers, hooks and buttons before putting into the washing machine;

--Sorting clothing by colors, construction, fiber, texture and heaviness of soil;

--Pretreating stains;

--Using the recommended amount of detergent;

--Not overloading the washer or dryer;

--Using the hottest water temperature recommended;

--Using the right wash and dry cycles for the fabrics;

--Using chlorine bleach only on colorfast fabrics;

--Removing clothes from the dryer promptly and avoiding overdrying; and

--Regularly cleaning washer and dryer filters.

For more information contact a county Extension agent and ask for publication L-5199, "Quick Stain Removal Guide." Or visit the Web at http://agpublications.tamu.edu/catalog/topics/Clothing.html and clicking on "Quick Stain Removal Guide."

Date: 10/1/02