Stain Removal

Tips & Information

Beer

Mix wine vinegar and warm water and rub over the stain with a sponge, then rinse and wash with a detergent containing bleach.

Blood

Soak in cold salt water as soon as possible. For heavily soiled clothing, keep changing the water until it is clean. Then wash with a detergent containing bleach. Dab non-washable clothes with a cloth soaked in alcohol, then soak up any remaining moisture with a piece of blotting paper.

Gravy

Pre-treat with a detergent containing bleach and then wash as normal.

Curry

Curry generally contains turmeric, a colorant. You should wash the stain as quickly as possible in a detergent containing bleach. For stubborn stains, use a detergent containing bleach or soak in a solution of a detergent containing bleach, then rinse thoroughly and wash as normal. Always check for colourfastness before you use peroxide or hypochlorite bleaches. Hypochlorite bleaches should never be used on wool, silk, fire retardant or easy care finishes.

Spray paint

Wash immediately with cold water, pro-vided that the paint is still damp. If you allow the paint to dry, it will form a skin that cannot be removed.

Vomit

Scrape all residue from the surface and rinse well under cold running water. Soak the clothing / laundry in a solution of a detergent containing bleach and then wash as normal.

Fat

Heavy stains should be pre-treated with a detergent containing bleach before washing the clothing at the maximum temperature recommended for that fabric. For non-washable clothing, dust the stain with flour or talcum powder, work it into the stain and brush off.

Grease

Do not apply water to the stain immediately, that will just make it more stubborn! Gently rub with methylated spirits, rinse with warm, soapy water and, treat stubborn stains by soaking in a detergent containing bleach as for fruit stains. Then wash the clothing with a normal detergent.

Ball-point / Felt-tip pen

Dab with a little methylated spirits or nail varnish remover on a sponge, then wash as normal.

Chewing gum

Harden the chewing gum by placing the item in a plastic bag in the freezer for an hour. You can then simply break off the chewing gum. Use a fat solvent such as a detergent containing bleach to remove the last traces then wash with your usual detergent.

Coffee / Tea

If the drink contained milk, first rinse out with cold water. Then wash as quickly as possible with a detergent containing bleach. Only for white fabrics and if the stain is extremely stubborn, use a detergent containing bleach or try to dab the stain away using 20 % hydrogen peroxide (1 part to 5 parts water), then rinse and wash as normal.

Candle wax

Scrape the wax off the surface with a blunt object, then lay blotting paper or kitchen paper on the fabric and iron over the stain, to draw out the remaining wax. Make sure the iron is on its lowest setting! Dab with a fat solvent such as a detergent containing bleach to remove the last traces, then wash according to the instructions on the care label.

Glue

Use nail varnish remover or acetone, but check first what the fabric is - do not use nail varnish remover on acetate and triacetate fabrics.

Jam

Fresh stains can often be removed just by washing normally. Old stains should first be soaked in detergent containing bleach and then washed with it.

Make-up

Pre-treat with a detergent containing bleach and then wash as normal.

Mascara

Soak the item of clothing in ENKA, then wash as normal.

Milk

Soak the item of clothing in a detergent containing bleach, then wash as normal.

Nail Varnish

Work from the back of the fabric on the reverse of the stain, using a little oil-free nail varnish remover. However, check the fabric first: nail varnish remover should not be used on acetate or triacetate fabrics. Then wash as normal.

Fruit Stains

Rinse immediately with cold water and then wash with a detergent containing bleach. If the stain has dried in, it can be loosened by soaking in a detergent containing bleach before washing the item of clothing as normal.

Oil and Fat

Treat stubborn stains with a detergent containing bleach, then wash the item of clothing as normal using a detergent. Or try to soften the stain in a cool solution of detergent, then wash at the maximum temperature recommended or that fabric. If you cannot wash the fabric, it may be helpful to sprinkle small stains with talcum powder, potato flour or corn flour and brush it off once the fat has been absorbed. Repeat the process until all stains have disappeared.

Beetroot

This stain should react to the bleach in all normal detergents (with the exception of colour and gentle detergents).

Rust Marks

Rub lemon juice and salt into the stain and leave to work for an hour. Then wash with a detergent containing bleach. If this does not work, you can buy a special stain remover for rust.

Mould

A difficult case! Mould usually only reacts to washing at high temperatures with a detergent containing bleach. White and colour fast clothing and laundry can be soaked in a 20% hydrogen peroxide solution (1 part to 5 parts water). Always check colourfastness first, before using peroxide or hypochlorite bleaches. Hypochlorite bleaches should never be used on wool, silk, fire retardant or easy care finishes.

Shoe Polish

Pre-treat the stain with a detergent containing bleach and then wash immediately according to the recommendations on the care label.

Chocolate

Scrape the chocolate off the surface, then rub the stain with a sponge soaked in warm, soapy water. Rinse with cold water and wash as normal.

Mud

It can often be very difficult to remove particularly dark, earthy soiling. In any case, the top layer of the dried stain should be brushed off, before washing the item using the recommended detergent quantity for heavy soiling. Use a powerful detergent and select the highest washing temperature recommended according to the item’s care label.

Tar

Caution, only use this method on strong fabrics: scrape surplus tar from the fabric using a blunt object, pre-treat with a detergent containing bleach - then wash as normal. If this is unsuccessful, a special stain remover should be used.

Tomato Sauce

Soak the item of clothing in a detergent containing bleach then wash using a normal detergent.

Urine

Rinse in cold water and then wash immediately. Soak dried in stains in a detergent solution and then wash as normal. Add a detergent containing bleach for soft fabrics with stubborn stains or soak them in a detergent containing bleach before washing as normal.

Wine

Soak up excess liquid with a cloth and then cover the stain with salt. Leave the salt to soak up the wine (around 30 minutes). Then rub the stain with a sponge soaked in a solution of warm water and a detergent containing bleach, finally rinse with cold water and wash as normal.