Enzymatic stain removers are great for removing protein-based stains — such as blood, baby formula, or grass stains — but if used on natural fibers like silk or wool, they will break down the fibers of the fabric, too!
You can put (most) stain removers on clothing and then leave it sit in the laundry basket for a few more days before actually doing the laundry. (always check the directions of any product you are going to use.)
Let stand for 5 minutes or up to a week, depending on the severity of the stain. For set-in stains, allow the spray to penetrate overnight or up to a week. For fabrics prone to color change, do not let stand longer than 5 minutes. Do not treat the garment while wearing it.
The individual substances in your stain remover are not problematic by themselves, but they can contribute to your overall exposure of unwanted chemicals in everyday life – also known as the cocktail effect. In addition, the substances in stain removers can affect the environment.
Using too much stain remover
Using too much can make the area harder to rinse or dry, especially on carpets and upholstery. Light, repeated applications of a remover work much better than flooding a stain.
If you don't spot test before using a stain removal product then you risk permanently staining your garment. A spot test is when you apply a small amount of the stain remover to a hidden area on your garment, such as an inside seam, to test if it will cause any permanent damage, such as bleaching.
You can use any stain-removing solution you have. Allow it to sit for at least 10 minutes (and up to overnight) and then launder as usual.
General: Causes severe skin burns and eye damage. Harmful if swallowed. Inhalation: May cause respiratory irritation. Skin Contact: Highly corrosive to skin.
Amongst all the golden rules for stain removal, acting quickly is by far the top of the list. The longer you leave the stain, the harder it will be to remove. As soon as the stain lands, we recommend getting onto it. How quickly and speedily you get to the stain determines how successfully it is removed.
Rinse the garment and launder as usual. Once the clothing is removed from the wash, inspect for any remaining stains. Repeat the stain removal process if necessary before placing the clothing in the dryer.
The Best Stain Removers
We tested more than 20 stain removers to see how they fared against a wide variety of both fresh and seriously set-in stains on washable fabrics. Amodex Ink & Stain Remover did the best job overall, and we have five other recommendations to help you fight the good fight.
Soak colours for 1 hour max. Soak whites for 6 hours max. For tough and dried in stains, apply 100ml of gel. For normal stains use 50ml of gel.
Letting the stain remover sit too long.
Ironically, some stain removers can cause more damage to fabric if they're left to sit on a stain. Make sure to read and follow instructions, particularly when it comes to how long the stain remover should treat a stain.
The last thing that you want to do when you have any stain is to rub the fabric together while pre-treating. Rather than helping to remove the stain, this just pushes it into the fabric further and possibly spreads the stain further.
Detergents and stain removers do kill microbes, but you have to bear in mind that detergents are strong chemicals that will eventually damage your clothes. Soaking clothes overnight gives the detergents time to start breaking down not just the dirt, but the fabric of your clothes themselves.
Stain removers for clothes are typically applied directly to the stain and are used in addition to your regular laundry detergent. There are stain removers that you can apply directly and let stay on clothes before washing. Others will require you to rinse or wash immediately after laundry pretreatment.
There are reports that 1,2-dichloropropane, a constituent of many commercial solvents and stain removers in Italy, has caused severe liver damage and, sometimes, acute renal failure. Between 1980 and 1983 three cases of 1,2-dichloropropane intoxication (1 by ingestion, 2 by inhalation) were observed.
Some of the toughest food stains to remove include coffee, tea, gum, peanut butter, mustard, berry juice, tomato-based sauces, baby food, red wine, chocolate, cooking grease and butter. For coffee or tea stains, rinsing in hot water or treating with dishwashing liquid can be effective.
Many food or beverage stains, such as chocolate, jam, baby food, beer, and dairy are more easily removed with cold water soaks and washes. Cold water is also recommended for urine and blood stains. Other stains, especially oily or greasy ones, do better in warm or hot water.
Workers performing stain removal may be exposed to these toxic chemicals through skin absorption, eye contact, or inhalation of vapors. The primary hazard is dermatitis from chronic or acute exposure.
Just as the food you eat is digested and broken down in your body, enzymes in stain removers can break down the proteins in stains into smaller chunks. Once broken down, the smaller fragments can be washed away. Stubborn, protein-based stains can fall into this category: grass stains, chocolate stains, or bloodstains.
PRECAUTIONS: CAUTION:KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. Causes eye irritation. Harmful if swallowed. Prolonged skin coontact causes skin irritation.
Show some patience, but not too much. You should only wait 1-5 minutes before washing in the warmest water your item recommends. Waiting any longer could mean putting your colors at risk, especially when using Shout® Advanced Ultra Concentrated Gel Brush on bright, khaki, or fluorescent colored clothes.