A stain is easy to deal with while it is still fresh, but the older it gets, the harder it is to remove. Pre-treat with a stain remover if possible, then allow the garment to soak. Wash according to the care label on the garment. Do not allow the stained garment to dry until the stain has been removed.
Old Stains There is often the effect of time upon a stain: the older the stain, the harder it is to remove. Drycleaners who are trained in stain removal prefer to work on fresh stains which have not had time to "set" or react with the fabric, dyes, finish, or atmosphere.
If you feel like it's your only option, though, start with diluted oxygen bleach and move on to chlorine bleach if necessary. Really old, stubborn stains sometimes respond best to liquid glycerin. Rub it in, let it soak and then launder again.
The age of the stain often determines whether it's removable or not. If treated quickly enough, in the hands of a trained professional, almost any stain can be removed from almost any fabric. Unfortunately, the opposite is true. Given enough time, an otherwise removable stain can cause permanent damage to the fabric.
Solution 2: How to remove set in stains with white vinegar!
Yet again white vinegar comes to the rescue when it comes to household chores. Considered to be as effective as oxygen bleach by many, white vinegar is incredibly powerful when it comes to removing stubborn stains.
Make a paste using equal parts baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Cover the stain and let it sit for over an hour in direct sunlight. At this point, check your progress to see how much of a dent you've made in the stain. Continue to let sit, then hand wash or launder according to care instructions.
In a spray bottle combine, 1 tablespoon of both glycerin and dish soap to 1.5 cups of warm water. Shake up the mixture. Spray the stain, making sure to soak the entire area. Let sit on the stain for about 15-20 minutes.
If the stain stays on too long, the wood will absorb too much stain. As a result, you may have a darker shade than you anticipated—or uneven coloring. Likewise, the stain can start to peel and flake off. The wood may also discolor or become blotchy.
Greasy / Oil Stains – such as hand lotion, hair mousse, lard and butter. Oxidisable Stains – key ingredient in alcoholic drinks, coffee and tea (without milk) and soft drinks. Particulate Stains – such as mud and ground in dirt. Combination Stains – these stains can be a mix of two or more of the above stain types.
Unfortunately, some stains are permanent, and not even the best cleaning methods can remove them. If you notice a stain on your clothes, do not try to remove it yourself. Washing a stain or attempting to remove it with a home remedy can actually ingrain it further into the fabric and make it permanent.
Often this means going through the various stain treatment cycles (see graphic) more than once (and not simply flinging a garment in the laundry basket in defeat). "The good news is that almost any stain will come out eventually," says Mr. Macpherson.
If you find a stain on an item that has been through a hot dryer, it doesn't have to be permanent. By using the right laundry products and the right technique, stains that have been dried do come out. Back-to-school cleaning.
Yes! Vanish is capable of removing old stains as well as new stains.
Try one of our alternative stain removers for dried-on, tricky marks that don't come out in a regular wash: Baking soda: make into a paste with water and scrub into stains. Leave for a few minutes then rinse. White vinegar: soak clothes in water then scrub with a solution of a equal parts baking soda and white vinegar.
Stains on clothing and linens can be annoyingly stubborn, but they don't have to remain a permanent feature on your garment. Even notoriously difficult stains like red wine or ink can be removed from most fabrics. For all fabric stains, it's important to act fast and treat the spot as soon as possible.
Wood stain is intended to be wiped off immediately after application. If the wood stain remains on the wood, liquid solvents in the stain will evaporate, leaving sticky pigments behind that will never fully dry. To remove tacky wood stain, firmly scrub the piece with mineral spirits.
Oil-based stain can be kept for 1 year if the cans have been opened, but unopened cans will last 2 - 3 yrs. Water-based stain will last 1 year, if opened, and 2 years, if unopened. Oil-based varnishes will be good for 1 year, opened or unopened.
Removal is Not Always Necessary
While it's never a bad idea to sand and strip old stain, doing so can certainly be time-consuming and challenging.
Heat can set stains permanently. Once you toss the item into the dryer, the stain is set for good.
Permanent or stubborn stains are typically caused by spillages that are not removed quickly after they occurred. The key to handle such challenging spots is to remove the stains immediately after you discover it.
Mix 1 tablespoon of liquid laundry detergent with enzymes with 1 cup of water. Add 1/4 teaspoon of white vinegar and stir. Use a Dobie All Purpose Cleaning Pad to apply the detergent-vinegar mixture to your unidentified stain. Blot with the pad until the stain is gone.
Try Baking Soda + Vinegar
Sprinkle a layer of dry baking soda on the stain. Then, mix a cup of white vinegar with a cup of water and a few drops of dish soap in a spray bottle. The vinegar will foam when it hits the baking soda which will clean the stain.
In tests, 30-degree programs cleaned better than 20-degree programs, but they still didn't wash out some stains such as olive-oil-based stains as well as a 40-degree wash. Greasy stains lifted even better if put on a 60-degree cycle.
Unfortunately you can't treat every stain immediately so sometimes they set. But OxiClean™ Max Force™ and its 5 Powerful Stain Fighters, can help you get out old stains.