Laundromat | Laundry Advice | Pittsfield Township | Ypsilanti | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw Wash

Stain Removal

Do you know the best way to get ketchup, tea, lipstick or other common stains out of your clothes? At Washtenaw Wash, we're here to help! Here's a chart showing how you can treat many everyday stains:

Stain Removal Chart

Removing Stains from Washable Fabrics

stain removal
Adhesive Tape Place face down on paper towels and sponge with a dry cleaning solvent. Launder.
Airplane Glue Place face down on paper towels and sponge with finger nail polish remover until stain dissolves. Launder.
Alcoholic Beverages Sponge stain immediately with cold water or soak stain 30 minutes in cold water. Apply detergent to any trace of stain while still wet. If safe for the fabric, launder in hot water using chlorine bleach.
Blood Treat stain immediately. Soak 30 minutes or more in cold water. Rub detergent into stain. Rinse. If stain persists, place a small amount of household ammonia on the stain and rub again with detergent. If safe for fabric, launder in hot water and chlorine bleach if traces of the stain persist.
Candlewax Rub with ice and scrape off excess wax. Place stain between paper towels and press with warm iron. Then place stain face down on paper towels and sponge with dry cleaning solvent. Let dry, launder. If traces of color remain, launder with a commercial color remover or if safe for the fabric, hot water and chlorine bleach.
Ketchup, Tomato Based Products Scrape off excess. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes. Rub detergent into the stain and if safe for fabric, launder in hot water and chlorine bleach.
Chewing Gum Rub with ice and scrape off excess gum. Place face down on paper towels and sponge with a dry cleaning solvent.
Cocoa or Chocolate Soak in cold water. Rub detergent into stain, rinse. If greasy stain remains, sponge face down on paper towels with a dry cleaning solvent. If traces of the stain remain, launder in hot water and chlorine bleach if safe for fabric.
Coffee, Tea Soak in cold water. Rub detergent into stain, rinse. If traces of the stain remain, launder in hot water with chlorine bleach if safe for fabric.
Crayon Treat the same as candle wax (above) or wash in hot water if safe for fabric using soap -not detergent- and 1- 2 cups of baking soda. If stains remain, professional dry cleaning may be necessary.
Deodorants and Anti-perspirant Some of these products contain substances that can change the color of some dyes. The color can sometimes be restored if the area is sponged with ammonia then rinsed. To remove stains, apply white vinegar. Rub, rinse. If stain remains, rub detergent into stain and launder with hot water and chlorine bleach.
Dye Treat with a commercial dye remover (Rit, Putnam) or if safe for fabric, bleach with chlorine bleach.
Egg If dried, scrape off excess. Soak in cold water. Rub detergent into damp stain, and, if safe for fabric, launder in hot water and chlorine bleach.
Fabric Softener Dampen stain and rub with bar soap. Launder as usual.
Fruit Juices Soak in cold water. Launder in hot water with chlorine bleach if safe for fabric.
Grease, Oil Place face down on paper towel and sponge with cleaning fluid. Dampen stain with water and rub with bar soap or detergent. Launder in hot water if safe for fabric.
Ink Saturate the stain with hair spray or place the fabric face down on paper towel and sponge with cleaning fluid or rubbing alcohol. Rinse. If traces of the stain remain, run detergent into the dampened stain and launder. Some inks may be impossible to remove.
Iodine Rinse from the back side of the stain with cold water. Then, soak in a commercial color remover (Rit, Putnam, etc.) or rub in a paste of water and starch. Let stand for 15-30 minutes and launder.
Lipstick Place on paper towel and sponge with cleaning fluid. Rinse. Rub dampened stain with bar soap and launder.
Mildew Launder with chlorine bleach. For items that cannot be washed with chlorine bleach, soak in an oxygen or all fabric bleach, then launder.
Milk and Milk Products Soak in cold water. Launder in hot water and chlorine bleach if safe for fabric. Sponge with a cleaning fluid if a grease stain is noticeable. Rewash.
Misc. Eye and Face Make-up, Tar, Gravy, Felt-tip marker, Pitch, Typewriter Ribbon (A) Place stain side down on paper towel and sponge with dry cleaning fluid. (B) Apply dry spotter (1 part mineral water and 8 parts dry cleaning solvent). Use a spoon to loosen stain. Keep stain moist. Dry spot and blot occasionally with toweling. Continue until stain is removed. Allow to dry completely, rinse in warm water and launder as usual.
Mud Scrape off excess and soak in solution of 1 quart warm water, ½ teaspoon liquid hand dishwashing detergent and 1 tablespoon vinegar for 15 minutes. Rinse. Launder in hot or warm water with enzyme product.
Mustard Rub dampened stain with bar soap. Launder in hot water and chlorine bleach if safe for fabric. If not, use an enzyme product. (Biz, Axion) or an all fabric bleach. Launder. Several treatments may be needed.
Nail Polish Place face down on paper towel. Sponge with nail polish remover (non-oily) until stain disappears. Launder. Do not use nail polish remover on Acetate or Arnel fabrics.
Paint Treat stains quickly. Some paints cannot be removed once they have dried. Use the solvent recommended on the paint container. Rinse well. Rub wet stain with bar soap, then launder.
Perspiration Rub dampened stain with detergent. Launder in hot water and chlorine bleach if safe for fabric. If the fabric is discolored, you can try to restore it by treating fresh stains with ammonia or old stains with vinegar.
Rust Apply a commercial rust remover (Whink, Rit, Rover, etc.). Follow manufacturer's directions, then launder as usual.
Scorching Launder using hot water and chlorine bleach if safe for fabric. Fabrics can be damaged by being scorched. If this has happened, you will not be able to remove the marks.
Shoe Polish Rub dampened stain with detergent. Launder in hot water and chlorine bleach if safe for fabric.
Soft Drinks Rinse stain with cold water immediately. Launder in warm water. If stain remains, and if safe for fabric, launder in hot water and chlorine bleach.
Tobacco Dampen stain and rub with bar soap. Rinse. If necessary, soak in an all fabric bleach solution. If stain remains, launder with chlorine bleach if safe for fabric.
Urine Rinse with cold water. Soak with an enzyme soaking product. Launder in hot water with chlorine bleach if safe for fabric. If the color of the fabric has changed, sponging the area with ammonia may restore the color.
Vomit Soak in a solution of 1 quart warm water, ½ teaspoon liquid hand dishwashing detergent and 1 tablespoon ammonia if safe for fabric. Soak 15 minutes. Use sponge to loosen stain. Blot with toweling. Launder in hot water if safe for fabric with an enzyme product.