How to Treat Tablecloth Stains

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Tablecloth stains are common, and they can make an otherwise gorgeous placesetting look dingy and unkempt. Because of the commonality of using a tablecloth near various foods and drinks, these pieces of cloth can face a barrage of different stains. Thankfully, an accident or spill doesn't have to ruin your once clean and crisp cloth. Treat tablecloth stains to preserve your linens.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step1

Treat the stain as soon as possible. Even if you're hosting a dinner and a spill occurs, try to pretreat the stain onsite, or remove the cloth from the table to treat it immediately, rather than waiting hours for guests to leave.

Step2

Know the fabric content of the tablecloth you'll be treating. Most tablecloths are a cotton blend, and not polyester. The treatments noted here are not for polyesters, which will react to these stain treatments differently. Seek out a special treatment if your fabric is an untraditional material.

Step3

Treat dark coffee or tea stains by rubbing glycerin onto the cloth with your hands. Agitate the fabric by rubbing it together. Soak the stained section of fabric in a bowl of boiling water and stir around with a wooden spoon to loosen the staining particles.

Step4

Handle a grease stain by sprinkling stained spots with talcum powder. The powder helps to absorb the oils found in the greasy substance. Spread the powder around with your fingers, and blot with an absorbent cloth. Repeat as necessary and wash the tablecloth either at home or leave it with a dry cleaner.

Step5

Fight mildew stains by soaking affected areas in a solution of half hydrogen peroxide, half water. Follow with a wash. Repeat these steps if necessary.

Step6

Tackle fruit juice stains, whose rich pigments can be tough to remove, by soaking the affected area in ice water and washing afterward.

Step7

Remove rust residue by concocting a homemade paste of salt and lemon juice, starting with some salt and adding lemon juice until you have a pasty mixture. Rub the mix onto stains and let sit. Repeat as necessary, and then wash.