Removing Stains

When you put fabric softener in with your laundry, you hope to pull out soft, comfortable clothes, towels and linens. What you don't hope to find are greasy splotches on the fabric. However, the...

Whether you are an artist compiling your latest collection of oil paintings or a homeowner painting the ceiling of your family room, the time will come when you have paint speckles on your...

For many cooks, food coloring is a gift and a curse. It's great for adding a splash of color to your favorite beverage, changing the color of white icing for those cool orange Halloween cupcakes,...

You get home from a party or a day at the office, take off your clothes and realize there is a lip-gloss stain on your favorite white shirt. Whether you accidentally did it yourself or it resulted...

Whether making mud pies or splashing in muddy puddles, it seems to be a common occurrence for children to get mud on their shoes and clothes. If you've ever tried getting mud out of clothing, you...

Tennis shoes take a beating from a variety of daily activities, such as walking, playing tennis or working in the garden. Perspiration, among other things, can cause your white shoes to develop...

If you have recently purchased a suit, dress or blouse made of polyester or a poly blend, consider this cleaning fact: Fabrics constructed of these wrinkle-resistant fibers are durable and...

Did you accidentally make a mark with a Sharpie on your new shirt? Act fast! You can make that stray mark disappear.

When you have engaged in heavy kissing mode with your girlfriend, or perhaps a friendly hug with a date, lipstick can easily get on the collar of your shirt. These lipstick stains can easily be...

Outdoor activities are no picnic if your clothes suffer an unexpected attack from pollen spores, which can leave stubborn stains. You can eliminate these yellow outdoor offenders from your pants,...

A cotton or polyester knit top can be totally ruined by just one splash of oil or grease which will leave that tell-tale stain running down the front of your shirt. Even a single spot will...

It is sometimes difficult to get that dry, set-in stain out of your favorite clothing. You can remove the stain, but it will take patience and a little elbow grease. The type of stain will dictate...

Many of us at some point have had nasty sweat stains on our clothes. These stains can take multiply washes to remove the stains and sometimes even more to remove the odors. However, with these...

I'm a shoe snob but not the general $500 a pair Staletto type. I just like moderate to slightly pricey shoes so that they can last and in order for them to last, I like for them to stay...

Spray paint consists of propellants, solvents and pigments. When dry, it mimics a water-based or latex paint. Due to the application method, over-spray is common, so covering clothing to reduce...

Therapy Putty, similar to Silly Putty, is a silicone polymer clay that squishes into shapes, stretches and bounces. It has a tacky hardness to it and a wet and glossy finish. Therapy Putty is...

Removing a butter stain can be quite a bit more tricky than removing other types of stains as most laundry products were meant to remove liquid stains, not solid stains. However, there still is a...

Anyone who has had to clean children's clothes knows the shock of finding Silly Putty stains. Silly Putty has been around for more than 50 years, and while it may be the king of modeling clay, it...

It happens to every cook, eventually. You may be coloring icing, cookie dough, or a beverage and you splash food coloring on your clothing. Usually, washing your clothing with your normal laundry...

When fabric is left moist for a period of time, mold may develop. Favorable conditions for mold to develop include the presence of water, oxygen, nutrients and warm temperatures. If mold is not...

If you are a smoker, live with someone who smokes or have visited a venue where smoking occurred, there's a good chance your clothes have nicotine stains. Other fabrics such as linens and curtains...

Getting pine tar or sap on your clothing can be very irritating, especially when it comes time to remove it. Removing pine tar from polyester clothing or other materials, such as car seats, is...

Heat-sealed patches have been a popular sew-free garment addition for years. Their uses range from the most practical repairs to name tags to stylish embellishments. Heat-sealed patches have been...

When metal and water come into contact, it seems that the metal is always on the losing side. Rust forms, creating a red-colored stain that makes the metal brittle. If white fabric comes into...

Sometimes clothes with mold problems have an unpleasant odor, while other times the molded spot will present itself with a black spore-filled stain. It can be a challenge to find a mold-killing...

Gum is a sticky substance that is meant to be chewed for a long period of time without coming apart. If, by accident, you somehow sit on a piece of chewed gum, it can be tricky to remove the gunk...

Removing iron-on patches can often leave the residue from the patch glue behind on clothing. The glue not only stains the fabric but can attract lint and debris that are difficult to remove later....

Rubber stains are particles of rubber that have been left behind; the friction of the rubber object coming into contact with clothing is what causes the rubber to stick. Changing a tire, putting...

When we make purchases for clothing we're making an investment into something we expect to last for years. Other than the wear and tear from the wash cycle, the presence of stains can wreak havoc...

Ugg boots are very comfortable and very popular, but they are not stain resistant. The soft, suede finish on these boots makes them "soak up" stains and marks. If you want to use your Ugg boots as...

Softball pants can be difficult to clean because of the types of dirt and clay that stick to them. However, these pants can be washed to the point of looking new. It will take more than just...

Spray adhesives are a convenient tool. They allow the user to quickly and efficiently apply adhesive to paper, foam, vinyl, fabric and several other materials. With this convenience comes the...

Spilt pickle juice is bothersome mainly because of the powerful scent associated with vinegar; however, the juice can also stain fabrics because of the dyes used in the pickling process. Removing...

Spilling something on a favorite shirt or pair of pants can be devastating, especially if it stains or is difficult to remove. Hot glue on fabric may seem impossible to remove, but with a few easy...

White socks and tone legs while taking a shower.

Tie dying your clothing can be a creative way to individualize your wardrobe. Whether going it alone or creating pieces as a group activity, tie dye is a great way to add a pop of color to your...

Women's underwear becomes stained for a variety of reasons. Luckily, most body fluid and substance stains are easily removed from foundation garments with a minimum of fuss. When faced with a...

Underarm sweat can cause not only unsightly wet areas in that region of your clothing, but it can also result in permanent stains. White clothing is one of the worst victims of underarm stains as...

Accidentally dripping melted butter on your clothes while cooking can be disheartening. A greasy butter stain is difficult to get out of clothing, and will not disappear with detergent alone. But...

Though white tennis shoes look great when first purchased, after some wear your shoes may take on a dingy, dirty look due to stains, dirt and more. While using bleach to restore your shoes to...

The task of removing an old stain from your favorite dress can be tricky. It can take a long time to remove the stain, depending on the length of time the stain has remained on the dress. The...

For a good portion of the United States, from Oklahoma through the Deep South, people know that one of the hardest stains to remove is what results from coming into contact with the red dirt earth...

If you use Neosporin First Aid Antibiotic Ointment for small cuts and scrapes, you may have been dismayed to notice stains on your clothes or cloth furniture after application. These stains come...

Nothing in a summer garden is as enticing as the fragrance of stargazers and other lilies. That delightful scent, unfortunately, can be as perilous as it is alluring, since lily pollen will stain...

The process of removing petroleum jelly stains from clothing is not easy. Petroleum jelly, often called by the brand name Vaseline, is a substance that can stick to surfaces, potentially causing...

Paint is supposed to be on walls and canvases, but occasionally it does end up on our clothing. Paint can be very pesky to remove from a shirt if you aren't sure what to use, and you certainly...

Every woman has experienced stains on her clothing, especially her shirts, from makeup. Sometimes, while applying your makeup, the brush falls and causes a mark or stain on your shirt. Other...

Have you ever needed to use a certain sneaker but you where stopped by the months of outdoor torture on your sneaker? How about getting off you're brand new Nike's grass and mud stains? There's...

One of the few problems with synthetic fabrics is the issue of stain removal. These fabrics are often delicate and have special care instructions that set them apart from basics such as cotton....

Grape jelly may be good on bread with some peanut butter, but it's not so lovely when you wear it on your Halston dress. Tough grape stains on clothing can turn your favorite shirt or dress into...