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Grease, Oil Place face down on paper towel and sponge with a pretreat product. Dampen stain with
water and rub with bar soap or detergent. Wash in hot water (if safe for fabric).
Ink Saturate the stain with hair spray or place the fabric face down on paper towel and
sponge with rubbing alcohol (refer to WARNING on page 19). Rinse. If traces of the stain
remain, rub detergent into the dampened stain and wash. Some inks may be impossible
to remove.
Iodine Rinse from the back side of the stain with cold water. Then soak in a commercial color
remover (Rit, Putnam*, etc.) or rub in a paste of water and starch. Let stand for 15-30
minutes and wash.
Jam, Jelly Scrape off excess. Rinse with cold water. Rub dampened stain with detergent. Apply a
pretreat product and launder with an enzyme soaking product. If stain remains, sponge
with a mild bleach, such as water and white vinegar mix (equal parts) and wash again.
Ketchup, Tomato-Based Products Scrape off excess. Soak in cold water 30 minutes. Rub detergent into the stain and, if
safe for fabric, wash in hot water and chlorine bleach.
Lipstick Rub dampened stain with bar soap and wash.
Lotion
(Hand, Body, Suntan)
Scrape off excess. Blot stain with paper towel. Rub colorless hand dishwashing liquid
into stain and let stand several minutes. Rinse. Apply a pretreat product and wash in
hot water (if safe for fabric.)
Mildew Treat promptly. Mildew damages fabric and sometimes cannot be removed. Wash with
chlorine bleach. For items that cannot be washed with chlorine bleach, soak in an all-
fabric bleach, then wash.
Milk and Milk Products Soak in cold water. Wash in hot water and chlorine bleach (if safe for fabric). Apply a
pretreat product, if a stain is noticeable. Rewash.
Mud Let dry. Scrape off excess. Soak in solution of one quart warm water, half teaspoon
liquid hand dishwashing detergent and one tablespoon vinegar for 15 minutes. Rinse.
Wash in hot or warm water with enzyme product.
Mustard Rinse with cold water. Rub dampened stain with bar soap. Apply a pretreat product.
Wash in hot water and chlorine bleach (if safe for fabric).
Nail Polish Place face down on paper towel. Sponge with nail polish remover (non-oily) until stain
disappears. Wash. Do not use nail polish remover on Acetate or Arnel fabrics.
Paint Water-based – Treat by rinsing fabric in cool water while stains are still wet. Wash. To
soften dried paint, apply soapy water or an acrylic paint and varnish remover. Rinse and
then wash. Oil-based – Pretreat with a solvent recommended on the paint container. If
not available, use mineral spirits. Rinse. Pretreat with a stain remover or detergent.
Rinse and wash. Be sure to thoroughly rinse to remove all solvents to prevent a possible
explosion in washer.
Perspiration Rub dampened stain with detergent. Wash in hot water and chlorine bleach (if safe for
fabric). If the fabric is discolored, you can try to restore it by treating fresh stains with
ammonia or old stains with vinegar.
Rust Apply a mild bleach such as lemon juice or a commercial rust remover (Whink, Rit, RoVer*,
etc.) Follow manufacturer’s directions. Wash as usual.
Salad Dressing, Mayonnaise Scrape off excess. Apply a pretreat product. Rub stain with an enzyme soaking product
and wash with hot water (if safe for fabric.). Do not leave washer unattended as
remaining residue may cause fabric to catch on fire.
Stain Treatment
continued