The easy eBook series from makeitandmendit.com BY STEPHANIE ZIA

The easy

no-nonsense

guide to

stain

removal

Price $9.99

THE EASY NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO STAIN REMOVAL

2 | P a g e ©Make it and Mend it Ltd

The only guide to stain removal you’ll ever need

Forget all those expensive stain removal bottles and sprays that line the

supermarket shelves. Don’t be bamboozled into thinking that every stain

requires a different product.

Save money and time by learning how to identify stains and then use the right

technique to remove them from fabrics, furniture, floors, walls... using

everyday items you probably have in your kitchen cupbopard right now – such

as vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.

The Make it and Mend it easy no-nonsense guide to stain removal shows you

how to assess a stain and select the right removal solution.

About the author

This guide was written for Make it and Mend it by Stephanie

Zia, author of Stain Removal: Your Really Useful Guide to

Getting Rid of Stains (Pyramid), a UK bestseller that’s been

translated into several languages including Mandarin and

French.

Since 2005 she’s been the stains and cleaning guru for The Guardian’s Space

Solves section, helping readers of the Saturday magazine solve theirimpossible

stains and cleaning problems. She always recommends the most natural,

economical and environmentally-friendly remedies wherever possible but only

where they stand a good chance of working.

>> Cartoon of Stephanie Zia by David Lewis

About Make it and Mend it

Make it and Mend it is all about making small changes to our lives that have a ripple effect and influence the world we live in.

It doesn’t happen overnight but adopting the Make it and Mend it philosophy makes a difference to your finances, your ‘green credentials’ and the way you feel.

>> You can find out more about us at makeitandmendit.com Learn about our growing community of make it and menders find out how make, mend, renew and revitalised, swap ideas and share inspiration. All with a touch of style.

The Make it and mend it Easy eBook series will cover a range of practical skills, starting with The easy no-nonsense guide to stain removal.

The easy no-nonsense guide to stain removal is emailed free when you join Make it and mend it online. >> Join now

Additional copies can be purchased for $9.99

While the advice and information in this book are believed to be accurate and true at the time of going to press, neither the author nor publishers can guarantee results nor accept any responsibility or liability for any damage resulting from any stain removal method. >> Terms and conditions

THE EASY NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO STAIN REMOVAL

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What type of stain are you?

Most stains fall into one of these categories:

protein

grease

tannin

Ask yourself; is this a stain that comes from a direct, liquid spill from

something that grows in the ground, like black tea, black coffee, fruit juice,

jam, alcohol or perfume?

If so, this is a tannin stain.

Ask yourself, is this an organic stain resulting from the bodily functions of

humans and / or animals (eg urine, vomit) or a food stain resulting from

animal products (eg egg, milk, yoghurt, cheese). Or is it a mark that comes

from the earth (eg mud, leaf-mould, vegetables) that is not a liquid tannin

stain?

If so, this is a protein stain.

Ask yourself, is this a stain that comes from a product which is or contains fat

or oil, like butter, face cream, petrol or salad dressing?

If so, this is a greasy stain.

A few stains are a mixture of the above. These are called

combination stains

Protein stains

Organic stains resulting from the bodily functions of humans and / or

animals (eg urine, vomit)

Food stains resulting from animal products (eg egg, milk, yoghurt,

cheese)

Non-liquid earth stains (eg vegetables, mud, leaf-mold)

! Use cold water

! Avoid hot water like the plague - hot water sets protein stains

If treated immediately a rinse with cold water and maybe a dab of washing up

liquid is often all that will be necessary. Any kind of heat - hot water, ironing,

tumble drying, can set protein stains permanently.

Stain removal

toolkit

Buy a bottle of soda water and keep it in your store cupboard

Soda water is a great stain buster.

When you soak the stain, the

bubbles in the soda water rise to

the surface, lifting the stain up

with them.

In most cases, saturating the stain

will get better results as the more

water that gets down into the

fibres, the more bubbles there will

be to lift out the dirt. Don’t

saturate carpets with foam

backing, though, as this could be

damaged.

Stain removal

toolkit

There’s an enzyme in

unseasoned meat

tenderizer (from the herb

counter of your

supermarket) that breaks

down protein stains

Make a paste with cold water

apply to both sides of the stain

and leave for 30 minutes.

THE EASY NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO STAIN REMOVAL

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Some protein stains, like chocolate and ketchup, are a mixture of protein and

grease and need a second layer of treatment after you’ve rinsed with cold

water (see Combination stains on Page 5).

Handy hint... Liquid detergent dissolves into cool or cold water faster than powder

Grease stains

Stains that come from a product which is, or contains fat or oil, like butter,

face cream, petrol, salad dressing.

! Use a dab of neat washing-up liquid and rinse in hot water

! Avoid ironing and long soaks like the plague

Don’t iron any fabric which has the slightest shadow of a grease stain or it’ll

set permanently into the fabric. If you're soaking greasy stains, don't let the

water go cold. The broken-down particles will disburse and reattach

themselves to the whole garment, leaving you with more of a mess than you

had before.

If a protein stain doesn’t come off with an initial rinse, soak in cool water with

biological detergent. If any shadow of a stain remains, mix a paste of biological

powder and water and smear on both sides of stain before laundering on a

moderate (30/40) heat setting.

Tannin stains

Direct, liquid spills from something that grows in the ground, like black tea,

green tea, black coffee or perfume. This is where the confusion often sets in as

there are several different types of tannin stain.

! If there’s no sugar or protein content, rinse or launder in the hottest water

that’s suitable for the fabric

! Avoid soap like the plague – soap sets tannin stains

If possible, hold the fabric underneath a hot running tap and let the water

rinse through the fibres.

It’s usually better to spot treat stains before putting the fabric in the wash. But

with these stain types, a machine wash in biological detergent and the hottest

water the fabric can take will usually suffice.

As an extra boost, make a paste of detergent and a little water and smear over

both sides of the stain before washing (or use liquid detergent).

Handy hint... For dried-in tannin stains, Glycerine (about £2, from chemists)

works well, even on very old red wine and coffee stains. Moisten the stain with

cold water and rub the glycerine in with a finger. Repeat until the stain fades.

Sugar tannin

Direct liquid spills that contain

sugar such as melted ice lollies,

alcohol, jam, marmalade, honey,

fruit juice, ice pops and cola are

known as sugar tannin stains.

These should be treated

immediately with cold water and

are much easier to remove if

they’re not allowed to dry out.

For spills onto the carpet, cover

the stain with a sheet of kitchen

paper and press down really hard

into it with your thumb. Move the

paper or change to a new piece of

paper as the liquid is absorbed

into it. As long as you press hard

enough, even the smallest drops

that have sunk into the carpet will

be absorbed. This is one of the

most effective treatments for

immediate wine, tea and coffee

spills.

THE EASY NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO STAIN REMOVAL

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Another good, natural way of getting rid of tannin stains, old and fresh, is with

borax. Make a paste by mixing 1 teaspoon of borax with a desert-spoon of hot

water to make a runny paste, and dribble it over the stain. When the stain has

turned black, dab off with water.

Dye tannin

Cherry and blueberry are two of the most difficult stains of all. Some blue ice

lollies and ice pops also have dye in them.

Put a teaspoon of vinegar in a cup of milk, dip the stain in the cup and leave to

soak for several hours.

This is one area where a commercial stain removal product is worth keeping

handy in your store cupboard. One of the best is Wine Away. Water-based,

biodegradable and made from natural ingredients (so safe around pets and

children) it removes red wine, cranberry juice, blood and other red stains from

carpets and fabrics.

Combination stains

Tannin stains often come combined with protein stains. A cup of coffee with

cream, for example, has both a tannin stain element (coffee) and a protein

stain element (cream) and is a tannin / protein stain.

! Because hot water can do the most damage by setting protein stains, you

need to treat the protein stain element first by rinsing the stain in cold water

with a little washing up liquid. Then you can treat the tannin part of the stain

with hot water.

Grease / protein stains include chocolate, gravy and tomato sauce. Also treat

with cold water first. Then you can treat the grease part of the stain with

washing-up liquid and hot water.

Grease / oil / wax / dye stains include make-up - mascara, lipstick,

eyeshadow, foundation - tar, crayon, paint, ink, furniture and shoe polish.

These are the tough ones.

! Some lighter marks might come out with methylated spirits but you’ll

probably need a powerful non-toxic stain remover. Two of the most versatile

non-toxic products are Goo Gone and Graffiti Go!

And that’s it! Nearly...

Stain removal

toolkit

If a sauce is spilled onto a

tablecloth at a meal, use a

piece of bread as a sponge.

Dip in cold water (or, even better,

soda water if you have it), dab at

the stain then leave it there

keeping the stain moist until it can

be washed.

As with any greasy stains you

must be very careful not to iron

over even a shadow of a stain or

the mark will be set permanently.

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These are special stains that don’t fall into any category:

Anti-perspirant Use white vinegar. For stubborn marks, ammonia diluted

50/50 cool water.

Chemical spills Phone or e-mail the manufacturer - many have help lines - or

ask at your hardware store help desk.

Chewing gum Cover with bag of ice. Better still, if size permits, put fabric in

freezer. When the gum is brittle and frozen, break off.

Dye (inc cherry, blueberry, pomegranate) Dye pigment is particularly difficult

to remove. Fresh stains may come off if soaked immediately in milk. Otherwise

try methylated spirits or a 50/50 mixture of methylated spirits/ammonia, Goo

Gone or Graffiti Go!

Gelatine Use soda water.

Grass (technically a protein stain but can be tricky). Soak in white vinegar.

Lacquer stains like nail varnish Alternate between non-oily nail varnish

remover and cool water.

Mildew Wear a mask and brush off excess outdoors. Dab with an antiseptic

like TCP or soak in sour milk.

Pencil Pencil eraser. For stubborn marks, ammonia.

Rubber and heel marks Rub out with a pencil eraser or rubber toe of plimsoll.

Scorch Soak in borax/warm water or 3% hydrogen peroxide bleach to 4 parts

water.

Soot/smoke Biological (enzyme) detergent. Magic sponge.

Tarnish On metal: tomato ketchup, leave for 10 minutes. On fabric: vinegar or

lemon juice.

Tobacco Glycerine or methylated spirits.

Water spots For all fabrics apart from silk and chiffon – steam over boiling

water, wipe away excess water and rub mark from outside in with a spoon. On

wood – 50/50 mixture of turpentine / linseed oil.

Wax Ice method (as for chewing gum). On hard surfaces, melt with hairdryer

and absorb with kitchen towel as it melts. Treat any residue as greasy stain.

Stain removal

toolkit

If felt tip marks aren’t

washing off go over the

line again with the same

pen, liquefying the dried in

ink with the fresh ink

which might then wipe off.

THE EASY NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO STAIN REMOVAL

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Sometimes you might need an extra booster product for those

trickier stains, especially if they’ve been allowed to dry in.

These are my favourites:

Oxygen bleach. Unlike chlorine bleach, oxygen bleach is non-toxic, eco-

friendly and, at its normal dissolve ratio, can be used safely with colours. It can

get rid of some stains that look ‘laundered in’ (baby poo on nappies for

example). In a plastic container, mix a teaspoon of oxygen bleach granules

with 500ml warm water. When the granules have dissolved, dab on to the

stain with a sponge or soft cloth. Leave for an hour or so and rinse. If the mark

is still there, make a thicker paste but test for colourfastness first.

Glycerine also known as Glycerin/Glycerol (about £2, from chemists) is a

thick, colourless liquid sold mainly for tickly coughs and sore throats. It works

well on old stains, and even gets rid of old red wine stains. Moisten the stain

with cold water and rub the glycerine in with a finger. Repeat. If the stain

fades but doesn’t disappear, keep at it over a few days.

3% hydrogen peroxide bleach (about £1 from chemists) is non-toxic and

biodegradable and actually a far closer relative to water than chlorine bleach,

its chemical structure being just one oxygen atom away. It’s a powerful, highly

flammable substance though, with a wide range of uses from mouthwash to

making bombs. It’s brilliant at removing blood stains instantly. After colour

testing, apply to the stain. When the stain has gone rinse the fabric

immediately in cold water to avoid a bleach stain. Use in the bathroom to

whiten yellowed plastic fittings - it's highly corrosive to metal, though, so keep

away from taps and bathroom fittings. Safety instructions must be followed

and you’ll not find it displayed on chemist shop shelves, you have to ask for it.

>>The many uses for hydrogen peroxide

Milk is good on wine, ink, newsprint and red juice stains, but may well leave a

smelly (protein) milk stain that will then need rinsing in turn (protein = cold

water with a little washing up liquid). Sour milk works better than fresh. The

enzymes that turn the milk into cheese are the active ingredient that breaks

down stains. Add a little vinegar to fresh milk to sour it.

Methylated spirits. For dye and pigment stains. After colour testing on a

hidden seam of the fabric, spot-treat with a clean, white cloth dipped in

methylated spirits. If that doesn’t do it and the fabric isn’t wool or silk, mix

equal parts of methylated spirits and ammonia together (one of the rare times

when you can mix ammonia with anything) and dab at the stains.

Goo Gone is a citrus-based, non-toxic miracle sticky stuff remover that gets rid

of gum, blood, ink, crayon, make-up, shoe polish and a host of other difficult

marks from all sorts of surfaces. Some vets apparently use it to get tar off pets

and wild birds. It’s hard to find outside the USA but well worth sourcing. Apply

to the stains and leave to penetrate but don't let it dry out.

Graffiti Go! works on a variety of hard surfaces, removing marker pen, paint,

leather dye, crayon and chewing gum. It's solvent-free, non-toxic, pH neutral

and cleans off with water.'

Quickleen A powerful, non-toxic, metal cleaner that I use for all sorts of

difficult stains on hard surfaces in the home. Just recently it removed hair dye

stains from a painted wooden bathroom shelf & sticky tape residue on a

kitchen surface. If using on surfaces not specified by manufacturer, test first.

THE EASY NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO STAIN REMOVAL

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A short guide to natural stain removers

Vinegar is a natural mild bleach and water softener that dissolves dirt and

grease. Use white vinegar rather than dyed brown. For stained sinks, soak a

cloth in warm vinegar, leave it covering the mark for 30 minutes, then scrub.

Mix to a paste with salt to remove limescale deposits on tap bases and shower

heads. To clean windows, baths and sinks, add a tablespoon to a pint of warm

water. Buy plastic plant spray bottles to mix your cleaners. To disguise the

vinegar smell, add a few drops of your favourite essential oil.

For general, everyday cleaning of all hard surfaces without having recourse to

any detergents at all, the E-Cloth scores high. It’s re-useable, economical,

environmentally friendly and gives great results. For sparkling windows and

mirrors, wipe over with a damp E-cloth and polish up with a kitchen towel. The

Magic sponge works on a similar detergent-free microfibre principle. Though

they’re not re-usable like the E-cloth, you snip off only as much as you need.

They really come into their own at lifting the grease from cooker surfaces and

ovens. Again, simply dampen and wipe. Wear rubber gloves or the grease will

quickly transfer from the sponge to your fingers.

Like vinegar, bicarbonate of soda (or baking powder) has many uses, from

cleaning tiles to deodorising fridges, but see alert box below. To clean or clear

drains, pour down half a cup, followed by a cup of hot vinegar. Mix with lemon

juice for a strong all-purpose cleaner. Soda crystals unblock grease from sinks

and drains, soften hard water and cuts through grease on cookers, pans and

surfaces. Use lemon juice to clean kitchen surfaces and taps (leave for a few

minutes, then rinse) and bleach wooden chopping boards (leave for several

hours). Apply a paste of cream of tartar and lemon juice to rust stains, leave

for an hour, and wipe off.

Borax is a natural, mildly alkaline salt that’s great for cleaning tiles, sinks,

toilets, drains, floors, walls, windows, mirrors and painted surfaces. To

remove old carpet stains, mix three parts borax to one part cold water and

work in well. Leave to dry, then vacuum off. An EU reclassification means that

Borax is now called Borax Substitute in Europe; it’s exactly the same stuff

though.

Linseed oil is excellent furniture cleaner when mixed two parts to one part

lemon juice. To remove water marks from wood, mix with an equal volume of

turpentine and rub in with a soft cloth.

What are the two key words to look for in the small print of your home contents insurance?

Accidental damage!

Check and then double-check again. ‘Accidental Damage’ may be limited to specific household items like DVD players,

stereos and the replacing of glass in doors and windows. Pay a small extra premium and you’ll be fully covered for

accidental spills on carpets and furniture.

Some policies can be extended further to include ‘matching pairs and sets.’ If one chair in a suite is damaged and can’t be

repaired or replaced to match, you’ll get a whole new suite. Saga’s policy, for example, covers everything from curtains

and kitchen cabinets to jewellery. Even fitted carpets will be replaced throughout the house rather than in just the one

room where the damage has taken place! >> Visit the Saga Home Insurance Jargon Buster

THE EASY NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO STAIN REMOVAL

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User Beware!

Ammonia Comes to you as a liquid but is actually a poisonous gas. Inhaling is

very bad for your lungs and it should only be used as last resort. Ventilate the

room well, wear a mask and make sure all children and pets are very far away.

Rinse thoroughly. Always colour test before applying. If it removes colour, dab

immediately with water then white vinegar, repeat. Apart from methylated

spirits, never, ever mix ammonia with anything. Bleach / ammonia are an

especially lethal combination producing noxious, lingering, poisonous fumes.

Don’t use ammonia on silk or wool.

Bicarbonate of Soda A wonderful, natural product for cleaning and stain

removal but use with caution on coloured fabrics and carpets. Always colour

test as it can lighten them irreversibly.

Borax is an eye irritant. Wear rubber gloves and keep your hands away from

your face.

Access our online

resources and take part

in The easy no-

nonsense stain removal

quiz

>> Visit the Make it and Mend

it Stain resources area online

Find the best way to buy the

stain solutions mentioned in

our guide.

Stephanie’s also created a

quick quiz designed to help

you remember how to identify

a stain.

>> When you’ve read this

guide try the Stain buster quiz

our Stain resources area

Do you have stain removal tips

to share?

>> Post them now on the

Household section of our

forum