Crayola
give specific advice for removing their product's stains from clothing
Stain removal information
The A-Z of stain removal
Banana
There's no need to monkey around with this one. Soak immediately
in equal part of glycerine/water, then rub in lemon juice and leave
to dry in the sun before washing with Persil.
Beer
Watch these stains vanish faster than your hangover as you sponge
with white vinegar and warm water (1 part vinegar to 5 parts water),
then rinse and wash in a detergent containing bleach such as Persil
Biological powder or tablets.
Don't use this treatment with triacetate fabrics and remember to
read the care label to make sure that your garment will not be damaged
when you attempt to remove the stain. Check for colourfastness and
dye stability before treatment.
Beetroot
Remove the cause of embarrassment by rinsing in cold running water,
then wash immediately with a biological, bleach containing detergent.
Blood
Don't panic. Soak as soon as possible in cold, salty water (1-2
tablespooons salt/litre water). For heavily stained items keep changing
the water until it is clear. Then wash using a biological detergent.
Always check for colourfastness before soaking.
Do NOT treat blood stains with hot water as it will set the stain
onto the fabric.
Bolognese sauce
Mamma mia! This usually responds to normal washing with a biological
detergent. Stubborn stains may be loosened by soaking in a solution
of equal parts glycerine (available in chemists) and warm water.
On white fabrics (other than nylon), stains may also be removed
by soaking in a solution of 20% volume hydrogen peroxide (diluted
1 part to 9 parts water). Always read your garment label carefully
first.
Candle wax
Doesn't feel so romantic now, does it? Allow candle wax to go hard.
Peel off any surface. Sandwich the fabric between two sheets of
white blotting paper or 2-3 layers of kitchen/paper towel and press
with a warm, dry iron to melt out the remaining wax.
Dab with a proprietary grease stain remover to remove the last
traces and then wash as the care label advises.
Chewing gum
Gnashing your teeth over this one? Harden the gum by putting the
garment in a plastic bag, with the chewing gum facing the outside,
and place in the freezer. Allow the gum to harden. Remove from the
freezer and then break it off the surface of the fabric. It may
be picked off with tweezers – care should be taken with knitted
articles to avoid pulling out threads.
Any residual gum can be treated with eucalyptus oil, dabbing it
onto the gum. Always check for colourfastness on an inside seam
of the garment prior to treatment with eucalyptus oil. Wash in your
usual detergent.
Chocolate
If chocolate is still soft, place the garment in a plastic bag and
place in the fridge for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to
harden. Remove from the fridge and scrape off the surface chocolate
then sponge the stain with warm soapy water. Rinse with cold water
and wash in Persil Biological powder or tablets.
Coffee/tea
Take it easy, we'll get you out of the hot water! Wash as soon as
possible in Persil Biological powder or tablets. For white fabrics
only (other than nylon), if the stain still shows, try dabbing it
with 20% volume hydrogen peroxide, (dilute 1 part to 9 parts water),
then wash as normal. Never use bleach on wool, silk, flame resistant
or easy-care finishes.
Curry
Curry often contains tumeric, which is a fabric dye; so wash the
stain as soon as possible in a biological powder that contains bleach.
If the marks persist, white and colour-fast items (other than nylon)
can be soaked in a solution of 20% volume hydrogen peroxide, diluted
1 part to 9 parts cold water. Then rinse well and wash as normal.
Always do the colour-fastness test before using bleaches.
Dye
Simply soak white and fast-coloured fabrics in a biological detergent
solution (not silk, wook, rubberised or flame resistant fabrics)
then wash as normal. On white fabrics, try a proprietary colour
run removing product suitable for white fabrics. Always read your
garment label carefully first.
Emulsion paint
Wash immediately with cold water while still wet. If you let it
dry, the stain forms a skin that is not removable. The garment can
be revitalised by rubbing the dampened area with household soap
and then washing again in a rich solution of detergent.
Fat
First scrape off any deposit. For suitable fabrics, a hot water
wash should remove the fat stains.
Foundation
Wipe a fresh stain to clear the surface deposit and, where possible,
soak for 5 minutes in a weak ammonia solution (5ml household ammonia
to 500ml warm water). After that rinse well and wash at the highest
temperature suited to the fabric. Always read your garment label
carefully first.
Grease
Getting rid of grease doesn't have to be a sticky business. First
of all scrape off any deposit. Fabrics that can be laundered in
hot water should come clean after this. On other fabrics use a proprietary
stain remover first.
Ink
Sponge the marks with a little methylated spirits* (available in
chemists) and then wash as normal.
*Except on fabrics labelled acetate/triacetate. Always read your
garment label carefully first.
Lipstick
Most stains will wash out although some types of lipstick may need
an initial application of a suitable stain remover. Always read
your garment label carefully first.
Mayonnaise
Sponge with warm water (not with hot water which would set the egg
content). Use a biological detergent to soak where possible, then
launder in rich suds.
Mould & mildew
Mildew develops when items are damp. It shows as pink, grey or red
spots. Mildew or Mould that has recently formed can usually be removed
by washing in a heavy-duty detergent, such as Persil Biological.
On white cottons and linens, a solution of 1 tablespoon of hypochlorite
bleach (e.g. Domestos) in 2 pints of water and 1 teaspoon of vinegar
is very effective, but this is too aggressive for most fabrics.
Always read your garment label carefully first.
Nail varnish
Check the fabric content first, then, if it is not acetate or triacetate,
work from the back of the fabric behind the stain, applying a little
non-oily varnish remover. Wash as normal.
Oil
Clothes looking like a fish and chip wrapper? Try soaking stains
in a cool washing solution with a biological detergent, then wash
at the maximum temperature recommended for the fabric. If the fabric
is unsuitable for washing, it may help to spread talc over small
marks, brushing it off as it absorbs the grease and repeating until
the marks have gone.
PVA glue
PVA glue, as used in some schools, should be soaked in cold water
for 10-15 minutes then handwashed using soap flakes. Do not use
a detergent.
Rust
Rub lemon juice and salt into the mark and leave for an hour. Then
wash in any biological detergent that contains bleach. If the stain
is especially difficult, buy a specialised stain removal product
for rust. These are available in your local hardware shop and supermarkets
and chemists.
Shoe polish
Rub the stain with a biological or non-biological liquid detergent
and wash immediately as the fabric care label recommends.
Tipp-Ex fluid
Although the stain may respond to treatment using Tipp-Ex thinner
or acetone (do not use this treatment on fabrics labelled acetate/triacetate)
and come out of washable items after serveral washes, professional
cleaning is recommended for these and 'dry clean only' articles.
Urine
Rinse in cold water then wash immediately. Soak dried stains in
a biological solution and then wash normally. For white fabrics
(other than nylon) only, if stains persist you can soak them in
a solution of 20% volume hydrogen peroxide, (dilute 1 part to 9
parts water) and then wash normally again. Hydrogen peroxide is
available in chemists. Always read your garment care label carefully
first.
Vomit
Scrape off any surface deposit then rinse the garment well under
running cold water. Soak in a solution of biological detergent that
contains bleach and then wash normally.
Wine
Mop up excess liquid then cover the stain with salt and allow the
salt to absorb the wine (leave for about 30 minutes). Sponge the
mark with a warm solution of bleach-containing biological detergent,
rinse with cold water and wash as normal. For immediate spillage
of red wine, pour white wine on spilled red wine and dry by dabbing.
Red can stain purple if left to dry.
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