14 Ways to Remove Stains From Clothing.

I've gotten to the point where I quit wearing white clothing because I always seem to spill something on it that stains.  I am the queen of stained clothing so I've taken to wearing dark colors.  Dark colors are great at hiding stains.  Unfortunately, my mother loves sending me light colored clothing such as pink, white, or light gray, colors I'd never choose for myself.

So lets looks at some ways to remove stains using simple everyday ingredients.  Things you most likely have in your kitchen because you cook with them.

1.  To get rid of tomato stains, soak the garment in distilled white vinegar before washing as normal.  Check to see the stain is gone before throwing it in the dryer.  If its still there, repeat the process.

2.  To get rid of coffee or tea stains, soak the area in a mix 1/3 cup white vinegar with 2/3 cup water before hanging out in the sun.  When dry, wash normally.

3. Mustard stains can be a bit harder to get out.  First soak in undiluted vinegar for a while.  If the stain remains, treat the spot with laundry detergent before washing.  When the wash is done, check the area.  If the stain is still there repeat the process otherwise dry as usual.

4. To clean sweat stains out of a garment, soak the discolored area in vinegar before rubbing salt in.  Let it dry outdoors in the sun before washing.

5. What about those wonderful grass stains children get in the knee area of their pants. Begin by soaking the area in straight white vinegar before washing as normal.  If the stains are still there, try rubbing the area with a paste made of white vinegar and baking soda. Then wash again.

6. Ever want to get rid of those horrid ink stains?  The ones you get when the pen suddenly breaks and the ink seeps out?  Try spraying with hair spray like White Rain, then dab with vinegar to remove the hairspray and ink. this one works because I've used it to take permanent maker out of coats.

7. You can remove blood stains by soaking the area with vinegar for 15 minutes before rinsing it out with cool water.  Repeat if necessary if needed before washing the garment.

8. What about those set in stains, the ones who have been there a while?  Begin by saturating the stain with white vinegar, then rub with a paste made of equal parts of baking soda and vinegar then wash.  If the stains remain, soak in a bucket of water with two tablespoons each of vinegar and laundry soap.

9.  A combination of lemon juice and cream of tarter mixed together can remove Tomato soup or red wine.

10. Another way to remove grass stains  is with white toothpaste (paste, not gel form). Squeeze a bit of toothpaste on the stain. Dip a toothbrush in cool water before using it to scrub away the stain before laundering.

11. A second way of eliminating blood stains is by pouring a three percent solution of hydrogen peroxide to soak the blood stain.  Use a knife or fingernail to scrape the blood off before washing the garment.

12.  You can also wet the bloody stain with water, sprinkle with salt, then rub the area to loosen the blood before washing.

13. For grease stains, try sprinkling the area with cornstarch.  Leave a few minutes to soak up the grease before brushing it off.

14. It is possible to remove oily stains from your pillow cases by using regular shampoo.  Pour a bit of  the shampoo on the stain, rub it in, rinse, and wash.

I have started keeping a list of these stain removers by the washer and by the kitchen sink so its in both places.  I hope you find this helpful.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.