Stain Removal Tips

Reader's Digest CanadaUpdated: Mar. 20, 2019

You’ve just spilled red wine on a white tablecloth, dripped orange juice down your dress and dropped a strawberry on your couch. Apart from being incredibly unlucky, you’ve also created some stains that can be a little tricky to remove.

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The quicker you treat a stain, the better the chance of removing it completely.

In The Penguin Book of Keeping House, Cerentha Harris has no-fuss ways for removing fabric stains quickly and easily. Check out these handy tips on how to get out six of the most stubborn types of stains.

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1. Berries

Rub the spot with lemon juice, leave for one to two hours and then wash as usual.

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2. Fruit juice

Rinse in lots of cold water – hot can set the stain. Wash as usual. If the stain remains, try soaking in bleach or treating with a commercial stain-remover.

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3. Grass

Soak natural ﬁbres in two parts methylated spirits to one part cloudy ammonia and three parts hot water. Wash as usual.

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4. Lipstick & Make-up

Rub the spot with a cloth that’s been dipped in water and a little cloudy ammonia.

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5. Perfume

This can discolour fabric, often leaving a brown stain. Treat with glycerine – leave for a few hours and then wash in warm soapy water. Make sure you rinse well.

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6. Wine

Use soda water immediately on clothes to mop up. Repeat until the mark has disappeared, then wash the garment as usual.

Originally Published: January 28, 2011