Stains are unavoidable regardless of how careful you are. But this doesn’t mean you should throw away your favorite fabric when accidents occur. With the right products, you can learn how to clean car seats, rugs, sheets, and upholstery. Whether you’re wondering how to get blood out of clothes or you want to clean wine spots from your carpet, here are some stain remedies available at home.
- Hydrogen Peroxide
This chemical is not only good for the first aid cabinet. You could also use it as bleach, thanks to its oxidizing properties. Being milder than chlorine, hydrogen peroxide eliminates spots without affecting the fabric’s color. Supposing you want to clean cloth diaper stains, pour the product into your washing machine’s bleach compartment and clean your clothes as usual. Hydrogen peroxide separates dirt from fabrics, making the stain easy to wash out.
If you’re struggling with grass stains, mix the chemical with dish detergent, apply it on the spot, and leave it for ten minutes before rinsing with cold water. You can also use it on grout lines. All you have to do is add hydrogen peroxide to baking soda, apply it to the affected area, and scrub with a toothbrush. You can also use it to fight mildew; just pour the chemical on the surface and wipe it. But it doesn’t stop at stain removal. You can use the chemical to sanitize toys, makeup brushes, and kitchen surfaces.
- Baking Soda
Since it’s a gentle abrasive, baking soda cleans surfaces without scratching. Add two tablespoons of the powder to water to form a paste and rub it on your garment’s sweat spots like the neck and armpits. Leave the paste for ten minutes before rinsing. Remember to check the garment’s colorfastness to avoid fading. This procedure eliminates not only dirt but also odor.
For strong smells, soak the garment in a baking soda solution overnight and wash it the following day. You could also pour the powder on your smelly fridge, sneakers, and gym bag. Additionally, it helps with musty upholstery and rugs. Just sprinkle the powder around your house, leave it for 20 minutes, and vacuum. When it comes to wine stains, sprinkle baking soda on the spot and pour hot water through the fabric’s other side. Baking soda absorbs stains from the clothing as the water dries.
- Salt
Salt is not only cheap but also effective. The first use is cleaning bloodstains. After pouring cold water on the spot, sprinkle salt and leave it for 20 minutes. Salt loosens the bloodstains with its dehydrating properties. Afterward, rinse the salt and clean the fabric as usual. Another option is soaking the stained clothing in a saline solution for one hour and washing it with laundry soap.
You can also use salt on fresh ink spots. After rubbing salt on the spot, soak the garment overnight in milk and launder as usual. For gravy stains, pour salt on the fabric and let it absorb as much grease as possible before rinsing. You could also clean mildew stains with salt and lime juice. Rub the paste on the garment and leave it in the sun before rinsing.
- Vinegar
Vinegar loosens dirt particles, making them easy to clean with water. Take the case of coffee and tea stains. Soak your fabric in diluted vinegar before drying it in the sun. Clean the garment as usual and watch the stain disappear. For sweat patches, pour vinegar on the spot and rub it with salt. The next step is drying the garment and washing it normally.
Vinegar also works magic with crayon stains. All you need to do is rub vinegar on the crayon marks and scrub with a toothbrush before tossing the item in the washing machine. The best part is that vinegar is hypoallergenic. You can wear your clothes without experiencing rashes or itchy skin. Moreover, it’s environmental-friendly. You can pour the cleaning water on your lawn without harming plants or animals.
Test the Products before Use
Use the products in less visible areas to test their effectiveness. You could dab the stain with cotton wool and run water over it to prevent the cleaner from spreading. Though you can keep the products nearby when doing laundry, spills could damage washing machines and dryer surfaces. Do you have other stain-removal hacks?
