Best Way To Remove Stains

Nothing makes the heart drop quite like a spilt glass of merlot on a pristine white carpet. Whilst we may not be immune to life’s little accidents, knowing the best way to remove stains can relieve a great deal of stress and panic when those accidental spills and soils do occur.

First and foremost, the faster you can get to a stain, the easier it will be to remove. If you can get to a stain before it has time to soak in, the more manageable it will be when trying to remove it. If the stain you are working with is long-lived, don’t fret as there are some excellent tips and products available to help with these as well.

From coffee to soil and everything in between, common household stains can be broken down into four broad categories including; enzymatic, oxidisable, greasy and particulate. Each of these types of stains is of different characteristics with unique molecular makeups. This means that different chemicals and cleaning compounds are needed to tackle them and in some cases, a mixture of cleaning agents.

Below are some useful tips that you can use next time you come across a pesky stain at your house!

After a long day of playing in the park or gardening, you or your family members will likely have at least one, or a few dirty stains on your clothes.

The first thing to do in this situation is to make sure you get to the stain before it has time to settle in and to use a versatile pre-wash solution. The purpose of a pre-wash is to help the stain loosen up so it can be removed more easily from your clothes.

Once you have done this, you can launder the item on the hottest water setting that is safe for its fabric type. 

A picnic in the park sounds like a lovely summer activity until you end up with grass stains all over your jeans! Annoying stains such as these can easily be removed by using a powerful and targeted stain remover specifically formulated for protein-based stains. 

Such a product is very similar to a pre-wash but has additional additives and enzymes that have been purposefully formulated to tackle these types of stains. 

For stains like this, you will want to pretreat and soak the soiled items in this type of solution before washing on a cold cycle. This is a key in successfully removing the stain because the cold water will ensure the protein doesn’t change its molecular form into a solid or semi-solid through a process known as coagulation. 

They say that it’s no use crying over spilt milk but what about spilt wine all over your beautiful white carpet? The thought of a glass of red wine tumbling down, splashing all over the white carpet or a white tablecloth is an image of horror for many people. 

Once again, quick action and the implementation of a few tips and tricks can salvage your carpet and restore it to its pure white former glory. 

Stain removal from carpet may seem much more difficult than what it is simply because you can’t exactly pick up your carpet and throw it into the washing machine as you can with clothing. Instead, you need a product that provides effective stain removal without using a machine or a large amount of water. 

For this type of problem, we recommend a wide spectrum deep stain remover that contains a mixture of surfactants and solvents.

Once you have sprayed the product on the soiled area, you can simply wipe it off with a damp sponge or cloth and some cold water.

Imagine you’ve just cosied up on the couch with a pizza. You take a bite and some pizza oil has dripped down straight onto the lounge. Whilst this is a common occurrence, it can cause a great deal of frustration for many, especially when it’s a piece of furniture you love. 

If the oil or grease also found its way onto your upholstery, grab some clean paper towel and dab the soiled area, absorbing any excess oil. This will also help prevent the stain from getting bigger and deeper. 

Next up is dish detergent. When it comes to oil and upholstery, dish detergent is your best friend. If it can clean up a greasy roast pan, it can clean up anything but remember, a little goes a long way! You are simply looking for a slightly soapy solution that you can dab onto the stain. 

If it’s a more stubborn, heavier grease stain, you can consider using an oil remover. This type of product is precisely targeted to stains that are not protein-based and therefore work well on oil or heavy grease.

Physically, this type of product is much denser than a pre-wash and which leaves a residue which needs to be washed off. This can be done by placing the garment through a more thorough washing cycle. This type of product is gentle on fabrics so it won’t impact the colour of your item. 

All in all, it’s very easy to go through life stressed out and angry every time we drip something on our clothes or drop something on the couch. At the end of the day, life can be messy!

Being armed with different tips and tricks will ensure that no stain is too strong to get the best of you. Although stain removal is never guaranteed, acting quickly and a few key products in your cleaning cupboard can truly help you. 

If you have any additional questions around the best approach to cleaning stubborn stains, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] or (02) 9838 1220.

References:
The Cleaning Institute
Compound Interest