Tips for Removing Household Stains
by Steve C Boulden

Every house has a few stains that are just too stubborn to come up. Even our favorite clothes are subject to these hard-to-get-rid-of stains that ruin clothing relationships forever. Next time you come across one of these tough stains, keep these helpful tips in mind and you may just be able to salvage the situation.
Do not rush cleaning. This advice is important for just about every stain out there. You should give your cleaning solution time to work, undisturbed, for at least as long as the directions call for. If you are using a home made cleaning product, fifteen minutes is a good rule to follow. Apply your cleaner and then leave the stain alone for the necessary amount of time.

Another important stain removal tip is to clean any stain that occurs immediately. This may not always be possible, but the sooner you clean it, the better your chances are of removing it successfully. The longer a stain is allowed to sit, the harder it becomes to remove. Apply your cleaner fast and then let it soak.

If you are cleaning a stain on fabrics, remember to blot, not rub. Rubbing can just spread the stain around and damage the fabrics fibers. If you run out of cleaner while blotting, simply reapply. Do not attempt to rub the stain out. If you notice that the stain is transferring to the cleaning cloth, make sure you use a different space each time so that you do not transfer the stain back to the fabric you are attempting to clean.

You should also put another layer of fabric under a clothing stain to prevent the stain from being transferred to the other side. Blotting on top of another cloth can also help to absorb the stain faster. You should wash the stained garment as soon as you have finished cleaning the stain. Be warned, however, that heat will set the stain if it is not entirely gone, so do not use the dryer until you are sure it is completely removed.

Some stains are harder to remove than others are. Lipstick is notoriously difficult, but there is handy trick to removing it. If you spray hair-spray onto a lipstick stain, and wait a few minutes for it to set, the lipstick should wipe right off. Wax is also fairly difficult to remove. If you have a wax stain, you can use an iron to remove it. After you have scraped up the majority of the wax, put a cloth over the wax stain and iron over it on low. The wax will melt and most of it should be absorbed by the cloth. If there is still some left, treat it with rubbing alcohol for about half an hour and then scrub it with a scrub brush.

Coffee stains can also be hard to remove. Timing is this situation is crucial, though sometimes even the best timed actions fail. Absorb as much of the spill as you can and then dab with cold water to remove even more. White vinegar worked into the stain followed by a treatment with laundry detergent will remove most of the stain. There is no such thing as an easy stain, but if you keep these tips in mind the next time you encounter a stain, it will be at least a little easier to deal with.

Steve C Boulden may be contacted at http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com Click here to view more of Steve C Boulden's articles.
Every house has a few stains that are just too stubborn to come up. Read another article on garden.