General Hints
- Fresh stains – pour a little club soda on spot after a few seconds sponge up, or, apply shaving cream to spot, then sponge up
- Older stains – combine 2 tablespoons detergent, 3 tablespoons vinegar, 1 quart warm water, work into stain then blot
- Stubborn stains – combine Tide and warm water, brush suds into stain with toothbrush, blot excess and repeat as necessary.
Drinks [alcohol, coffee, tea, juice, soda, syrup and washable ink]
- Blot, apply 1 teaspoon detergent to 1 cup cool water, rinse, then blot.
- Alcohol – sponge immediately with clear warm water
- Coffee – blot spill with baby wipes
Grease [butter, cooking oil, hand cream, machine oil, ball point pen ink]
- General – blot/scrape excess, apply liquid dry-cleaning solvent, dry, brush pile.
- Cover with barcarbonate of soda, rub lightly into pile, leave for 1 hour, brush with clean brush, repeat as necessary. Or, vacuum, then wipe with mixture of 1 teaspoon ammonia. 3/4 cup of turpentine and 2 litres warm water, rinse with clean water and let dry.
Miscellaneous [blood, chocolate, coffee/tea with cream, egg, gravy, ice cream, milk, salad dressing]
- General – blot/scrape excess, apply dry-cleaning solvent, apply 1 teaspoon detergent to 1 cup cool water.
- Blood – sponge with cold water, pat dry with towel and repeat as necessary.
- Chocolate – blot up liquid, sponge with club soda, sponge with clean warm water
- Tea and coffee – blot excess quickly, sponge with warm water and dry.
Animal Urine
- Blot, apply clean, lukewarm water, apply 1/2 white vinegar to 1/2 cool water, blot, rinse with clear water.
- If stain persists, apply 1/2 white vinegar to 1/2 cool water. leave for 15 minutes, blot, rinse then dry.
Cigarette Burns
- Wool – snip charred fibres, apply detergent solution, rinse then dry
- Man-made – cut burned area and replace with a patch
Rust
- Sponge mixture of 1 teaspoon or tartar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice to 2 cups water, rinse with clean water and let dry.
