Cleaning Tips and Tricks – Industrial Strength

Candle Wax, Adhesive Tape

  1. Rub with ice, scrape with fingernail
  2. Wipe remainder with dry-cleaning solvent, dry then wash
  3. Use bleach in wash if colour remains
  4. or soak in white vinegar or rub with egg white then launder.

 Glue (super glue, plastic cement)

  1. Use soap and water while fresh
  2. Older stains – soak for 30 minutes in 10 parts boiling water to 1 part vinegar then launder

Ballpoint Pen Ink

  1. Place on absorbent pad and blot with rubbing alcohol, moving pad frequently, then wash with bleach.
  2. or blot fresh spill, soak in milk for 30 minutes then wash
  3. or apply hair spray, rub with a clean dry cloth then launder

Crayons

  1. Loosen with shortening, treat with detergent solution, then launder.

Typewriter Ribbon, Carbon Paper, Newspaper Ink

  1. Washables – blot with dry spotter such as K2r, apply prewash, launder in warm water and air dry.
  2. Non-washables – blot with dry spotter, dry. If stain persists, sponge with ammonia (do not use on silk or wool), dry, sponge with detergent solution, rinse.

 Toner

  1. Washables – apply commercial pretreat, launder in cold water, air dry.
  2. Non-washable – sponge with detergent solution, rinse with cold water and air dry.

Cosmetics

  1. General – soak in dry-cleaning solution, dry, rinse, then wash
  2. Eye shadow, foundation, mascara. Apply liquid laundry detergent to washable fabric, rub, rinse, and repeat. If stain persists, dab on 1/2 mild hydrogen peroxide to 1/2 water then rinse.
  3. Lipstick – run with cold cream or shortening, wash with club soda
  4. Nail polish – sponge back of stain with banana oil, or sponge on rubbing alcohol combined with a drop of ammonia.

Paint, Varnish

  1. Wash before stain dries, soak in turpentine (except acetate), rinse then wash with detergent.

Rust

  1. Soak whites in lemon juice, bleach in sun, or cover stain with cream of tartar, soak spot in hot water for 5 minutes then launder.
  2. or rub with lemon juice, dry then wash
  3. or boil 5-6 stalks of rhubarb in one cup of water, pour juice on stain, then launder

Machine Grease

  1. Rub solid shortening into stain, wash
  2. or cover fresh spill with cornstarch, put paper towel under stain, brush off stain, repeat as necessary, then launder.
  3. Washables – wash in hot liquid detergent, or, place clean cloth or paper towel under stain, sponge with gasoline, wash then rinse.
  4. Suede – dab with cloth dipped in vinegar or club soda, brush with suede brush
  5. Double knit – use club soda

Acid (drain openers, toilet bowl cleaners, batteries)

  1. Flush immediately with cold water, apply solution of ammonia or baking soda, blot, rinse, blot with clear water then launder.

Shoe Polish

  1. Coloured fabrics – dilute 1 part rubbing alcohol to 2 parts water
  2. White fabrics – apply undiluted rubbing alcohol

Tar

  1. Rub with kerosene then launder
  2. or rub with mayonnaise, wipe

Scorch

  1. Washables – Rub liquid detergent into stain, launder in hot water with chlorine bleach or sponge with hydrogen peroxide and a little ammonia then launder
  2. Non-washables – Sponge with hydrogen peroxide and a little ammonia, rinse with cold water then blot dry.