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.
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.
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.
Unfortunately for everyone, some stains are permanent. They simply become part of the fabric. Continued attempts to remove them will cause dye loss or fabric damage, known as chafing or fraying. Many stains are removed by the dry cleaning machine and require no additional effort from the cleaner.
Cocoa is made up of some of the world's toughest stains. It is essentially made from chocolate, which by itself is already a big culprit for dark stains. Apart from this, the drink also proves to be a tough stain to remove because it has the strong combination of proteins, fat, and sugar.
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.
Shout Advanced Stain Remover for Clothes with Scrubber Brush
It's no surprise that two products with built-in applicator brushes — our best overall pick from Carbona and this product from Shout — earned the top two spots in our stain-removing tests with both showing similar results in the Lab.
Apply hydrogen peroxide or equal parts meat tenderizer and water to the stain and let it sit for several minutes. You can rinse the spot clean with water and if the stain remains, apply the hydrogen peroxide or meat tenderizer a second time and allow to sit for longer.
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.
Hydrogen peroxide works differently than vinegar and is better at removing different types of stains. Hydrogen peroxide doesn't actually remove stains—it just makes them invisible! It breaks up strong chemical bonds in stains including ink, and in doing so it makes the stains colorless—but they're still there!
The longer a stain is left untreated, the less likely it is to be removed. When a spill first occurs, it sits on the surface of the fabric, but over time, that spill can start to react with the fabric causing the fabric to actually change colors.
Certain types of fibers, such as wool, cotton, silk, and some nylons are particularly susceptible to permanent staining from coffee, tea, wine, etc. Be aware of hot liquids, especially. Of course, bleach and household chemicals (see below) can cause permanent staining as well.
Yes! Vanish is capable of removing old stains as well as new stains.
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.
Apply a Coat of Wood Stain Remover and Wait
If you're removing stain from a piece of furniture or working on a small area, you can apply the stripper with a natural bristle brush. Pour what you need into a metal or aluminum pan, and brush a thick, even layer of stain stripper onto the surface.
Wipe the stain with a cloth dipped in a solution of washing soda or detergent and water. Rinse well and wipe dry. If any stain remains, cover with an absorbent pad moistened with rubbing alcohol. Let it remain several minutes, then wipe the area with a cloth dampened with ammonia.
By comparison, OxiClean suggests that you don't leave it on a garment for more than six hours, because it can start to damage the fabric.
Distilled white vinegar is actually one of the best stain removers we have been given from nature. Found in invariably every household, it is mildly acidic, so acetic vinegar removes the tough spots and blotches without ruining the fabric of your clothes.
A mixture of dishwashing liquid and hydrogen peroxide is an effective homemade laundry stain remover. The dishwashing liquid contains ingredients to tackle greasy stains and the hydrogen peroxide helps remove discoloration.
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.
Don't give up if your first soak in OxiClean isn't completely successful. It's expected that “some stains require repeated or longer treatments.” Try, try again. Rinse your fabric or surface with clean water, then try another OxiClean soak and see if the stain improves.
Mix a solution of oxygen bleach and cool water (or use a product with those ingredients) and soak the entire garment for at least one hour. “Four hours are better, overnight is best,” she says. Check the stains and wash as usual.
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.