How to Remove Water Stains From Cotton

Cotton is a commonly used in fabrics.

Water is a typical ingredient in fabric stain removal, since water is not usually a stain-causing liquid. However, water can cause a stain or spot on a variety of fabrics including cotton. When you find a water spot on your cotton item you can be left bewildered with how to remove the stain. The trick to removing water stains from cotton is drying the water spots as soon as possible.

Things You'll Need

• White towel
• Ironing board
• Water
• Cloth
• Iron
• Paper towels
• Pot
• Hairdryer
• Vinegar
• Water conditioning chemical

Instructions

Iron Method

1. Place a clean, white towel on an ironing board.

2. Place the cotton fabric on the towel so the water stain is face down.

3. Moisten the water stain with a damp cloth.

4. Turn the iron on and set it to a medium setting.

5. Iron the dampened water stain until it is dry.

6. Reposition the water stain on a dry part of the towel.

7. Repeat Steps 1, 2 and 3 until the stain is gone.

Hairdryer Method

1. Moisten the stain with a damp cloth.

2. Place several folded paper towels onto the stain. The paper towel stack should be 1/8 inch thick.

3. Place a pot on top of the paper towels to weigh them down.

4. Fan the stain in a back-and-forth motion with a hairdryer set on the lowest setting.

5. Continue in this manner until the stain is dried.

Removing Hard Water Stains

1. Create a mixture of 1 gallon of water and 1 cup of vinegar.

2. Soak the cotton fabric in the solution for 15 minutes.

3. Launder the item as you normally would.

4. Add a cup of borax or a water conditioning chemical to every load of laundry to prevent further hard-water stains.

References

• Good Housekeeping: Stain Buster -- Water Spots
• LifeTips: Stain Removal from Clothes Tips