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.
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.
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.
“A paste of vinegar and baking soda can remove even the toughest stains,” she says. There's a misconception that vinegar will remove color from clothes but in fact, it's gentle enough to use on most fabrics, vinegar can actually restore and brighten color in fabric and can also prevent fading.
Dried stains should be soaked in cold water (with detergent applied) for about 30 minutes. Then, rinse the stain. Yet another trick is to treat wet tea stains with a generous amount of baking soda. Ideally, the powder will pull the color out of the clothing!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Tips for removing permanent marker stains
Instead, use a bleach and water solution made with ¼ cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach added to ¾ cup water. Apply the bleach and water solution to the stain and then immediately machine wash the item using detergent and ⅓ cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach.
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.
Staining over stain is easy and works beautifully if you're applying a dark stain over a lighter stain on the wood. Remember, it's the same principle as dying your hair! This rule applies to oil-based stains, water-based stains, and gel stains.
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.
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.
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.
Apply isopropyl alcohol to the stain and blot with a clean napkin or cloth, according to Good Housekeeping. You might want to place a paper towel under the fabric to prevent the alcohol from soaking through. You should see the stain start to dissolve almost immediately.
Yeah, white vinegar is also used for brightening clothes, bleaching and reducing stains, losing soap buildup, deodorizing, preventing colors from fading, cleaning washing machines, and softening fabrics. Indeed, a lot it does! What else do you need? Just pour some vinegar, rinse, and wash off the clothing, and voila!
Rubbing. Frantically rubbing a stain can make it spread further and also damage the weave of the fabric. Try gently dabbing the stain away first.
Bleaches help whiten, brighten and remove stains. Here's how to use bleach on clothes: Bleach converts soils into colorless, soluble particles which are easily removed by detergents, then carried away in the wash water. Bleach can also brighten and whiten fabrics and help remove stubborn stains.