Follow These Safety Precautions

While many stain removal, chemicals and bleaches are commonly used around the home, they are still dangerous. Some are flammable; others are toxic.

Here are some rules to keep in mind regarding their use:

  
    		• Store stain removal materials out of the reach of children. Do not store with food products.
    		• Read all label directions and warnings. Store chemicals in their original containers so label
    directions are available in case of an accident.
    		• Use all chemicals and commercial stain removal product according to label recommendations.
    		• Avoid getting the chemicals on your skin. Some are easily absorbed.
    		• Use drycleaning solvents and other chemicals in a well-ventilated room. Toxic fumes can cause
    illness.
    		• Do not use solvents near an open flame or electrical outlet.
    		• Seal containers so that fumes can't escape.
    		• Never mix stain removal materials together (bleach and ammonia together form toxic fumes).
         
       
      Common Remedies to Avoid
     
    Dishwasher detergent
    Although sometimes suggested for food stains, these detergents are intended for use in closed dishwashers with very hot water. They are so highly alkaline they can irritate your skin if you use them in stain removal. They also may fade colors or damage wool, silk, or nylon fibers.
     
    Hair spray on ball-point ink
    Certain hair sprays are effective on ballpoint stains, but they may deposit a gummy residue and perfume that then have to be removed along with the ink. Hair spray also may affect color in some fabrics. Alcohol is a hair spray ingredient that is useful for removal of the oily part of the ball-point stain.
     
    Ironing candle wax
    Ironing candle wax between blotting paper will only drive the stain deeper into the fabric. This process is widely used, but it's not recommended because it will make any color from the dye of the candle more permanently set and the wax more inaccessible for the detergent or solvent to reach to carry the stain away.
     
    Milk on washable ink
    This doesn't remove the ink and gives you an additional protein stain.
     
    Salt to make dyes colorfast
    Today's dyes cannot be increased in colorfastness by soaking in salt water. If bleeding of a particular dye in cotton, rayon, or ramie fabric is decreased with a salt water soak, the effect will not be permanent, When the fabric is wet again, unless there is salt in the solution, the dye will be free to leave the fabric. Salt cannot affect colorfastness of synthetic fiber fabrics or their blends because they are dyed with dyes that have chemical structures not affected by salt.
     
    Shampoo
    Clear gel-like shampoos are sometimes suggested for stain removal. While they are usually not harmful to fabrics and may work on light oil stains, laundry detergents are just as effective and less expensive to use. Additionally, colored, opaque; or milky-looking shampoos may contain ingredients that will stain fabrics or foam so much that they are difficult to rinse out.
     
    White vinegar
    Vinegar (acetic acid) may weaken cotton, rayon, acetate, triacetate, or silk fibers and may cause color change. If used as a stain removal agent, test on a hidden seam allowance for colorfastness. Vinegar will not help remove or set creases in today's synthetic or permanent press fabrics, although this is a common belief.
         
      Classification of Stains  
     
     

    The system used here in classifying stains for removal from washable fabrics is not the only one that has been used. Other books or sources may suggest different methods that also may work. The purpose here is to describe at least one method that should give good results using readily available consumer products or supplies if used correctly.

    This stain classification system starts with stains that require similar treatment and are easiest to remove if treated promptly and correctly. Stains that require two-step or special treatment are listed last.
    		 
         
      Protein Stains  
      Soak in cold water. Launder.  
     
  		• Baby food  
     
  		• Milk  
     
  		• Baby formula  
     
  		• Mucous  
     
  		• Blood  
     
  		• Cheese sauce  
     
  		• Mud  
     
  		• Cream  
     
  		• Pudding  
     
  		• Egg  
     
  		• Urine  
     
  		• Feces  
     
  		• Vomit  
     
  		• Gelatin  
     
  		• White glue; school paste  
     
  		• Ice cream  
           
     

    Fresh protein stains can be removed by soaking and agitating in cold water before washing. These stains contain other ingredients besides protein, but it needs treatment first. If hot water is used first, it cooks the protein, causing coagulation between the fibers in the yarns of the fabric, making the stains more difficult to remove. If protein stains are dried or old, scrape or brush off crusted matter (if any), then soak in cold water using a detergent or an enzyme presoak product.

    After treating the stain, launder in warm (not hot) water, rinse, and inspect. If stain remains, soak an additional half-hour, then rewash. Bleach may be necessary if the stain was colored, such as baby food beets, strawberry gelatin, or ice cream.
    		  
         
      Tannin Stains  
      Do not use soap (bar, flake). Use detergents.  
     
  		• Alcoholic beverages  
     
  		• Beer  
     
  		• Berries (cranberries, raspberries, strawberries)  
     
  		• Coffee  
     
  		• Cologne  
     
  		• Felt-tip water color pen or washable ink  
     
  		• Fruit juice (apple, grape, orange)  
     
  		• Soft drinks  
     
  		• Tea  
     
  		• Tomato juice  
         
     
    Fresh tannin stains are usually removed by detergent (not soap) washing in hot water (as safe for fabric) during laundering without any treatment. Use of soap (bar soap, soap flakes, or detergents containing natural soap) will make a tannin stain permanent or at least more difficult to remove. Be sure to check the ingredients list of your detergent for soap. More brands now include it for economic reasons. Old tannin stains may need bleaching for more complete removal.
    		  
         
      Oil-based Stains  
      Use heavy-duty detergent with hot water.  
     
  		• Automotive oil  
     
  		• Hair oil  
     
  		• Bacon fat  
     
  		• Hand lotion  
     
  		• Butter/margarine  
     
  		• Lard  
     
  		• Car door grease  
     
  		• Mayonnaise  
     
  		• Collar/cuff greasy rings  
     
  		• Salad dressing  
     
  		• Cooking fats and oils  
     
  		• Suntan oil or lotion  
     
  		• Face creams  
         
     

    Oil stains can be removed by pretreatment with a heavy-duty liquid detergent, an aerosol petroleum-based solvent pretreatment spray, or a pump-type detergent-based pretreatment spray. If these products are unavailable, you can use a powdered detergent that is mixed with water to make a runny paste and apply that to the stain.

    The heavy-duty liquid detergents or aerosol sprays are more convenient and effective. Work the full-strength heavy-duty liquid detergent into the stain or spray with the pretreatment product, then wash the garment using hot water (if safe for fabric), the recommended amount of detergent for a regular laundry load, rinse, and inspect before drying. Repeat this treatment if removal is incomplete the first time.
    		  
         
      Dye Stains  
      Need detergent wash and bleach as safe, for fabric.  
     
  		• Cherry, blueberry  
     
  		• Color bleeding in wash (dye transfer)  
     
  		• Felt-tip pen (permanent ink-may not come out)  
     
  		• Grass  
     
  		• India ink  
     
  		• Kool-Aid  
     
  		• Mercurochrome  
     
  		• Mustard  
     
  		• Tempera paint  
         
     

    Dye stains are very difficult to remove. First,pretreat the stain with a heavy-duty liquid detergent, then rinse thoroughly. Soak the stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach.
    If the stain persists, and the garment is white or colorfast, soak in a dilute solution of liquid chlorine bleach and water. Bleaching damage to colored garments is irreversible. To decide if a fabric can be bleached safely, use the test described previously. If the stain is not removed in 15 minutes, it cannot be removed by bleaching and further bleaching will only weaken the fabric.

    Caution: Since bleaches can alter the color of a fabric as well as the stain, bleach the whole garment and do not try to bleach just a spot.
    		  
         
      Combination Stains  
     

    Two step treatment: (1) Remove oily/waxy portion, (2) Remove dye portion using bleach as safe for fabric.
    Combination stains contain a variety of ingredients, but these stains usually have an oily/waxy component and a dye or pigment component. Use the procedures recommended for removing oil stains first.
    Step 1 procedure depends on whether stain is in Group A or B as follows:

    Group A. Spray or sponge with drycleaning solvent (perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene) then rub with heavy-duty liquid detergent before washing.
    		  
     
  		• Ball-point ink  
     
  		• Candle wax  
     
  		• Carbon paper  
     
  		• Carbon typewriter ribbon  
     
  		• Crayon  
     
  		• Eye make-up (mascara, pencil, liner, shadow)  
     
  		• Floor wax  
     
  		• Furniture polish  
     
  		• Lipstick  
     
  		• Livestock paint  
     
  		• Pine resin  
     
  		• Shoe polish  
     
  		• Tar  
         
      Group B. Rub heavy-duty liquid detergent into stain before washing.  
     
  		• Barbecue sauce  
     
  		• Calomine lotion  
     
  		• Catsup or tomato sauce  
     
  		• Cocoa or chocolate  
     
  		• Face make-up (powder, rouge, foundation)  
     
  		• Gravy  
     
  		• Hair spray  
         
     

    After you've done the procedures above, do step 2-removing dye stains. Start with an all-fabric bleach because it is less damaging to colors and fabrics. Use liquid chlorine bleaches for tough dye stains, if fabrics are colorfast to bleach.

    		  
     
         
      What to Do if You Do Not Know What the Stain Is  
     
    If you don't know what the stain is, its odor, location, and color may give you a clue. Old oil stains may smell rancid, but appear dry. Food stains are often on the front of garments; perspiration stains around collars and underarms; black grease is often on pants or skirts at car-door latch levels.

    Stain color may be a misleading clue. For example, rust-colored stains may be coffee, tea, old lemonade stains (carmelized sugar), cosmetics containing benzoil peroxide (which can bleach many colors to look rusty), felt marker, crayon, aged baby formula, or a number of other things. If a heavy waxy or gummy residue is present, you may be dealing with a stain that will respond best to spot treatment with a drycleaning fluid.

    		  
    		 
     
    Since the appropriate removal method varies with the stain, start by using the least destructive stain removal methods first. If the whole garment can be submerged, start by soaking the garment in cold water (as for protein stains). If not, use warm water and spot treatment technique. Next, use liquid detergent and lukewarm or hot water, rinse and let air dry (as for oil stains). If you suspect the stain is iron rust, treat with rust remover before bleach. If stain persists, use a pretreatment spray or solvent (as for combination stain) and all-fabric bleach. If the all-fabric bleach is ineffective on the stain and the garment is colorfast or white, finally try a dilute solution of liquid chlorine bleach.
    		  
     
         
      Liability  
     
     

    If clothing comes back damaged from the drycleaner, the drycleaner is often blamed as the last to handle the garment. But the responsibility may lie with the manufacturer or retailer, or with you-the consumer.

    Care information must be permanently attached to all garments. If this information is not present and the garment is damaged as a result, or if care instructions are followed and the garment or some component part fails, the responsibility is with the manufacturer. Your best recourse is to go to the retailer who sold you the item. Good retail practice requires that a store exchange a defective item or refund the price.

    		 
     
    If the information was available to you but you did not follow it, for example washing a garment that should have been drycleaned, then you are at fault.

    		  
     

    If your drycleaner fails to follow care instructions or did not exercise reasonable care, then the cleaner is at fault.
                                                   
    Some stains simply can't be removed by any known method, and while no one is to blame, there is no remedy. This is also true of the damaging effects of age on all fabrics.

    If your drycleaner is to blame, you are entitled to recover the value of the garment's remaining life expectancy. According to the International Fair Claims Guide for Consumer Textile Products, published by the International Fabricare Institute, suits are expected to last 2 to 4 years, dresses 1 to 5 years, coats 4 years (fur coats 10 years), and dress shirts 2 years. The guide assigns such life expectancy ratings to all categories of textile products, and it provides tables by which to determine the worth of a product based on the unused portion of its life expectancy and its condition at the time it was lost or ruined. It is up to you to negotiate an adjustment with cleaner.
    		  
     
         
     
    		 
       
         
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