Classification of Stains

The system used here in classifying stains for removal from washable fabrics is not the only one that has been used. Other books or sources may suggest different methods that also may work. The purpose here is to describe at least one method that should give good results using readily available consumer products or supplies if used correctly.

This stain classification system starts with stains that require similar treatment and are easiest to remove if treated promptly and correctly. Stains that require two-step or special treatment are listed last.

Protein Stains

Soak in cold water. Launder.

Baby food Milk Baby formula Mucous Blood Cheese sauce Mud Cream Pudding Egg Urine Feces Vomit Gelatin White glue; school paste Ice cream

Fresh protein stains can be removed by soaking and agitating in cold water before washing. These stains contain other ingredients besides protein, but it needs treatment first. If hot water is used first, it cooks the protein, causing coagulation between the fibers in the yarns of the fabric, making the stains more difficult to remove. If protein stains are dried or old, scrape or brush off crusted matter (if any), then soak in cold water using a detergent or an enzyme presoak product.

After treating the stain, launder in warm (not hot) water, rinse, and inspect. If stain remains, soak an additional half-hour, then rewash. Bleach may be necessary if the stain was colored, such as baby food beets, strawberry gelatin, or ice cream.

Tannin Stains

Do not use soap (bar, flake). Use detergents.

Alcoholic beverages Beer Berries (cranberries, raspberries, strawberries) Coffee Cologne Felt-tip water color pen or washable ink Fruit juice (apple, grape, orange) Soft drinks Tea Tomato juice

Fresh tannin stains are usually removed by detergent (not soap) washing in hot water (as safe for fabric) during laundering without any treatment. Use of soap (bar soap, soap flakes, or detergents containing natural soap) will make a tannin stain permanent or at least more difficult to remove. Be sure to check the ingredients list of your detergent for soap. More brands now include it for economic reasons. Old tannin stains may need bleaching for more complete removal.

Oil-based Stains

Use heavy-duty detergent with hot water.

Automotive oil Hair oil Bacon fat Hand lotion Butter/margarine Lard Car door grease Mayonnaise Collar/cuff greasy rings Salad dressing Cooking fats and oils Suntan oil or lotion

Face creams

Oil stains can be removed by pretreatment with a heavy-duty liquid   detergent , an aerosol petroleum-based solvent pretreatment spray, or a pump-type detergent-based pretreatment spray. If these products are unavailable, you can use a powdered detergent that is mixed with water to make a runny paste and apply that to the stain.

The heavy-duty liquid detergents or aerosol sprays are more convenient and effective. Work the full-strength heavy-duty liquid detergent into the stain or spray with the pretreatment product, then wash the garment using hot water (if safe for fabric), the recommended amount of detergent for a regular laundry load, rinse, and inspect before drying. Repeat this treatment if removal is incomplete the first time.

Dye Stains

Need detergent wash and bleach as safe, for fabric.

Cherry, blueberry Color bleeding in wash (dye transfer) Felt-tip pen (permanent ink-may not come out) Grass India ink Kool-Aid Mercurochrome Mustard Tempera paint

Dye stains are very difficult to remove. First,pretreat the stain with a heavy-duty liquid detergent, then rinse thoroughly. Soak the stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach.

If the stain persists, and the garment is white or colorfast, soak in a dilute solution of liquidchlorine   bleach  and water. Bleaching damage to colored garments is irreversible. To decide if a fabric can be bleached safely, use the test described previously. If the stain is not removed in 15 minutes, it cannot be removed by bleaching and further bleaching will only weaken the fabric.

Caution: Since bleaches can alter the color of a fabric as well as the stain, bleach the whole garment and do not try to bleach just a spot.

Combination Stains

Two step treatment: (1) Remove oily/waxy portion, (2) Remove dye portion using bleach as safe for fabric.

Combination stains contain a variety of ingredients, but these stains usually have an oily/waxy component and a dye or pigment component. Use the procedures recommended for removing oil stains first.

Step 1 procedure depends on whether stain is in Group A or B as follows:

Group A. Spray or sponge with drycleaning solvent (perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene) then rub with heavy-duty liquid detergent before washing.

Ball-point ink Candle wax Carbon paper Carbon typewriter ribbon Crayon Eye make-up (mascara, pencil, liner, shadow) Floor wax Furniture polish Lipstick Livestock paint Pine resin Shoe polish Tar

Group B. Rub heavy-duty liquid detergent into stain before washing.

Barbecue sauce Calomine lotion Catsup or tomato sauce Cocoa or chocolate Face make-up (powder, rouge, foundation) Gravy Hair spray

After you've done the procedures above, do step 2-removing dye stains. Start with an all-fabric bleach because it is less damaging to colors and fabrics. Use liquid chlorine bleaches for tough dye stains, if fabrics are colorfast to bleach.

 1. Assess your lifestyle and buy for that lifestyle. If you've changed, so should the style of clothing that you buy.

 2. Make a list of your favorite colors, fabrics and styles before you begin to shop. If you need help with this, then get a friend or professional to help you!

 3. Look at the big picture when you shop for clothing; how to wear, care for, clean and store a garment for its entire life.

 4. When you find a salesperson that tells you when not to buy something, then you've really made a connection!

 5. Buy clothing that fits your current body.

 6. Buy clothing that looks great in the store, looks great at home 72 hours later, and stop buying "maybes."

 7. Read all care labels and content labels before you buy.

 8. Before you reach the cash register, do my 6-Point Quality Check™. Hang the garment, spin it around, and spend two minutes to inspect zippers, hooks, hems, seams, snags/stains and buttons.

 9. Buttons mysteriously disappear and often break, so check the sewing and ask for extra buttons at the time of purchase.

 10. To balance your closet, every time you buy a new garment, discard or donate an old one.

 11. Apply hairspray, perfume and deodorant before you dress and let it completely dry.

 12. Never rub a stain, blot only with a dry, white cloth or napkin.

 13. Water-based stains have a line around them like a road map. Oil-based stains are absorbed into the fabric and have no outline.

 14. Never put water or club soda on oily stains; French fries, gravy, lipstick … Most fresh oily stains come out easily in dry cleaning.

 15. Save needless trips to the drycleaner by using a Jiffy Steamer.

 16. Choose a drycleaner for quality, service, convenience, and price - in that order

 17. Show your drycleaner all stains, fabric pills, snags, pressing problems, and minor repairs.

 18. Always remove dry cleaning plastic, but keep the paper shoulder-covers on each garment.

 19. All clothing must be washed or dry cleaned before storing, even if its only been worn for 5 minutes. Insects are attracted to moisture, food particles, perspiration, body oil, cologne and perfume.

 20. Store clothing in dry, well-ventilated areas whenever possible and keep clothing and rugs out of moist basements!

Stain-removal Techniques

The following stain removal techniques are intended for washable items only. To make the diluted dishwashing solution mentioned below, mix one tablespoon of fragrance-free and dye-free soap (containing sodium laurel sulfate, or sodium laureth sulfate) and 10 ounces of water. This may be kept in a spray bottle to facilitate application. Do not use the enzyme detergent (look on the product label under list of ingredients to see if the detergent contains enzymes) below on protein fibers (like wool, silk, angora or cashmere). Never use acetone on acetate and always wash garments that have been treated with a dry solvent (like mineral spirits or acetone). These are simply suggestions and Jiffy Steamer does not warranty the effectiveness of these treatments.

Stain Removal Technique

GREASE(oil, mayonnaise, butter, margarine)

After treating the stain with a dry solvent (like mineral spirits or acetone), rinse with isopropyl alcohol and dry thoroughly. Spray the area with the diluted dishwashing-soap solution and soak in an enzyme-detergent before washing.

PROTEIN(blood, egg)

Allow the stain to rest in the diluted dishwashing-soap solution. If, after rinsing in lukewarm water, the stain persists, apply the enzyme detergent and wash as normal.

VEGETABLES & FRUITS(juice, jelly)

Begin by applying the diluted dishwashing-soap solution to the area. Next flush the stain with vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. Finally, treat the area with an enzyme detergent and wash as indicated by label instructions.

GRASS Apply a dry solvent to the stain (making sure to do so in a well-ventilated area). Remove as much of the stain as possible by pressing with cheesecloth and dabbing with a soft-bristled brush. Rinse stain with isopropyl alcohol and allow to dry. Apply an enzyme detergent and wash according to care instructions.

LIPSTICK Begin by scraping as much of the stain off as possible. Apply a dry solvent to the area and dab with a soft brush. Rinse the area with isopropyl alcohol. Continue this process until no pigment remains and allow to dry. Apply diluted dishwashing-soap solution and an enzyme detergent, and wash as usual.

RED WINE Flush the area with the diluted dishwashing-soap mixture and dab gently with a soft-bristled brush. Rinse with water and apply vinegar, dabbing lightly, allowing the item to sit for a few minutes before repeating the process. If the stain persists, let it sit for a few moments after treating with hydrogen peroxide. A few drops of ammonia may be added to the area if the hydrogen peroxide does not remove all of the stain. Rinse with water, apply an enzyme detergent and wash. If the stain still exists, treat with a powdered nonchlorinated color-safe bleach (like sodium percarbonate) and wash again.

WHITE WINE Rinse the area with cool water and apply the diluted dish-soap solution. After applying an enzyme detergent, launder as usual.

TEA OR COFFEE Rinse the area thoroughly with vinegar or lemon juice and then, if necessary, apply a stronger bleach. If the beverage contained milk or sugar, treat with diluted dishwashing-soap solution and then wash with an enzyme detergent.

GUM OR WAX First freeze the substance by placing in a freezer or applying ice cubes, then try to crack off as much as possible. To eliminate the remainder of the substance use an oil solvent or mineral spirits, rinsing with isopropyl alcohol. Allow to dry and use an enzyme detergent.

CHOCOLATE Remove as much chocolate as possible and apply the diluted dish soap. Treat with an enzyme detergent and wash according to care instructions.

RED SAUCES(ketchup, BBQ, marinara)

Remove as much sauce as possible and treat stain with diluted dish soap before soaking in lukewarm water. Use white vinegar to eliminate any remaining color, then apply an enzyme detergent and wash as normal. If the stain is still present, apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide, allowing it to sit. Finally, rinse and apply again with an enzyme detergent.

MUSTARD Rinse the area thoroughly with white vinegar and wash with dishwashing detergent.

VINAIGRETTE Follow the instructions for a grease stain and then rinse the area thoroughly with vinegar. Use an enzyme detergent.

SOY SAUCE Spray the diluted dishwashing soap and dab with a soft brush. Rinse with water and then dab with vinegar, allowing stain to sit for a few minutes before rinsing again. Hydrogen peroxide may be used to treat any remaining stain. If the stain persists after that, a few drops of ammonia may be added to the wetted area, which should then be rinsed with water. Apply an enzyme detergent to the area and wash according to garment care instructions. A nonchloronated color-safe bleach (like sodium percarbonate) may be used to treat the area if, after washing, the stain is still present. Finally, rewash the garment.

INK(BALLPOINT)

Using a can of aerosol hair spray, saturate the stain and allow it to sit for a few moments before laundering as normal.

INK(FELT-TIP)

First line the border of the stain with petroleum jelly to protect the area around it. Then determine whether isopropyl alcohol or water will more effectively remove the ink by the following test: Dip one cotton swab in water and another in isopropyl alcohol. Apply each to the stain and see which removes more ink. If the water-dipped cotton swab removed more, apply the diluted dishwashing soap to the stain, and then rinse with cold water. If the alcohol worked better, apply isopropyl alcohol to the stain. Use a dry solvent on any remaining pigment, and allow to dry. Flush with the diluted dishwashing soap solution and cold water. Then wash as directed by the garment care label.

MUD Remove as much mud as possible, then apply the diluted dishwashing

soap solution and allow stain to soak. Finally, treat with an enzyme detergent and wash as usual.

DISCLAIMER:In no event shall Jiffy Steamer Company, LLC be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, but not limited to, damaged or ruined clothing, damaged or ruined property or any other personal losses) arising out of the recommendations made in this guide.

Techniques Used For Stain Removal And Cleaning.SHRINKAGE

Shrinkage occurs in many different forms from the fibers contracting in size to the

hairs curling giving the appearance of a shrunken size. Then there is the little tricks

manufactures play to extend the amount of material by artificially stretching it

before they process, finish and cut the material. When this material is cleaned for

the first couple times, the moisture, agitation and heat will cause it to convert back

to its original size. When properly woven, finished and made, washable textile

should not shrink more than three percent of its original size when washed and all

fibers less than one percent when dry cleaned.

The three key factors to reducing shrinkage are Moisture, Agitation and Heat.

Eliminating one or more of these factors will greatly reduce the amount of

shrinkage.

Moisture – As we all know moisture is water. It’s everywhere! If you clean with a

solvent like traditional dry cleaning there is no moisture in the solvent but there is

moisture in the air and retained in the garment itself. With green dry cleaning and

washing at home there is no way to remove the moisture since you are putting it

into water. This part of the equation you cannot control.

Agitation – The movement of the fabric or garment with violence or sudden force

in the machine creates the agitation. That’s both machines the washer and the

dryer. How violent depends on the setting you select, Whitest whites have the

longest cycle with the most agitation, then comes heavy – dirty, normal, gentle –

delicate, with hand washables being the gentlest. The tumbling in the dryer also

creates agitation. Front load washers are better than top load washers, but the most

gentle will be to hand washing it in the sink and hang it to dry. Excess agitation will

remove the outer finish or surface coating of the garment.

Heat – That’s the temperature of the water in the wash and the air during the

drying whether you hang to dry or put it into the dryer.

To determine what settings to use will solely depend on the garment structure,

material, color and the amount of shrinkage you can afford.

IDENTIFYING STAINS

Identifying the stain is a key factor in successful stain removal. Regardless of what

stain removal product manufactures want to make you believe there is no one

product for removing all stains. I hate to say this but bleach is the worse of all the

product for your health, the environment and garments.

Color – Use the color of the stain to help determine the type of stain. Red Wine will

be purple not pink. Strawberry will be red not yellow. Blood will be red not Blue.

Shape – The shape of the stain on the garment will give many clues to the type

stain it might be. Red Wine is a liquid which will leave a ring. Strawberry is mainly

solid with some juice so it may leave a smear or small ring depending on its

ripeness. Blood will either appear as a drop or a smear due to its thickness it will not

leave a ring.

Texture – Evaluate the stain by texture. Use sight and feel to help determine the

stain. Red Wine has no texture. By sight it looks smooth and embedded in the

material. Strawberry may leave a slight texture from the seeds or skin and have a

small ring from the juice. Blood definitely has a texture by feel and appears to rest

on top of the fabric.

Smell – Some stains have a distinct smell. Red Wine will smell like red wine for days

on end. Strawberry may smell for a few hours after. Blood will not have any smell to

humans.

TECHNIQUES

It is very important to test the color of the garment in a hidden area for color lost,

loss of surface coating or fading. Use a white towel and apply a small amount of the

spotting or cleaning solution to the towel and gently dab a hidden area. Only

proceed if there is no color transfer to the towel, do not proceed if any color appears

on the towel. Stop to evaluate the amount of color loss to see if that will be

acceptable before proceeding. If the amount of color loss is not acceptable do not

proceed or change techniques in order to avoid color loss. Wash garments that

bleed in color separately from other garments to avoid dye transfer. Dye transferred

with moisture is extremely difficult to remove.

Direct Stain Removal – Spotting the stain directly with a stain remover is the

fastest and most effective way to remove a stain. It is however, the harshest

technique as far as the material and color is concerned. This technique can cause

color loss, change in texture, and the loss of the surface coating on delicate

garments.

Soaking – Creating a diluted solution made from the spotting agent is a much

gentler technique to use, however the weaker solution requires more time. This

technique is much safer to use for garments that are not colorfast or has difficult

stains that require more work and time.

Color Fade - The pH of water is 7.2 which is slightly alkaline. Most stain removers

and laundry detergents however use high alkalinity to strip dirt and stains off of

your garment. This alkalinity also strips color off the garments.

Vinegar Solution – Using a pH neutral soap then adding one ounce of distilled

white vinegar to every three gallons of water will help lower the pH of the water to

reducing the amount of color fading from the garments. The higher the pH of the

detergent the more vinegar that needs to be added to the wash load.

Agitation – The scrubbing action from the washer and dryer will cause color loss,

the loss of the surface coating and shrinkage.

Drying – Heat, agitation, and moisture from drying will also cause color loss and

shrinkage.

PRODUCTS

Alkaline – Most stain removers are high alkaline products. It is the easiest and

quickest way to remove protein and dirt stains. High alkalinity will also strip many

surface coatings, strip off color as well as weaken material over time.

Acid – Very few products on the market are acid based stain remover. Acid is more

effective on tannin type stains. Tannin stains are plant base stains, everything from

coffee to fruit. White distilled vinegar is a great natural product to use on this type

of stain.

pH Neutral – There are now laundry detergents that are pH neutral as well as

enzyme stain removers. These products are safer for delicate materials and

garments that are color sensitive.

Evaluating the color, the surface coating, and the material will help in determining

the amount of heat, agitation, and the product(s) to use.

Stain Removal Examples

Dress Shirt – Apply stain remover directly to stain, lightly tap stain and stain

remover with stiff brush to help stain remover penetrate stain. Let garment rest for

10-15 minutes before washing. Check stains before drying, repeat steps if

necessary.

Blue Jean – Applying a stain remover to denim will permanently remove the color

and create a whitish area around stain. Create a soaking solution using a low pH

formula and soak the garment for several hours before washing. Check stains

before drying, repeat steps if necessary.

Black Cotton Sweater – Test garment for colorfastness, and surface coating to

determine spotting technique allowed. Some dyes on cotton are colorfast and some

are not. Choose the spotting technique depending on the results of the test.

Washing Examples

Dress Shirt – Wash in very hot water on normal cycle and dry in the dryer on

normal heat setting. Three percent shrinkage and slight loss of surface coating on

the garment is acceptable.

Blue Jean – Wash inside out in cold water on the delicate cycle to prevent color

fading and streaking. Add vinegar solution to lower pH and dry in the dryer with low

heat until 80% dry, then hang to dry for the remainder of the time to minimize

shrinkage and color loss or hang to dry directly from washer to prevent any

shrinkage.

Black Cotton Sweater – Machine wash in hand washable cycle with cold water.

Add vinegar solution to lower pH or hand wash, dry in the dryer in low heat until

80% dry then hang to dry for the remainder of the time. Reducing the agitation and

heat will help to prevent shrinkage, loss of surface coating, and color fade.

Stain Removal Guide

General Principals

The guiding principal of stain removal can be summed up in one word: absorption. Many people make the mistake of blasting a stain with a carpet stain remover and then simply rubbing the stain. Now they have a stain with a lot of detergent/soap in it. The soap residue attracts more soil and soon the stain looks worse than before. Whenever you discover a stain, or a spill occurs on your carpet, the first step is to absorb as much of the staining material as possible. Use paper towels or some other absorbant material pressed onto the spot to draw the staining material into the paper towel. Continue blotting until the paper towels are totally dry. Placing a paper towel over the stain and standing on it will also insure that as much staining materail is absorbed. Light rubbing is acceptable, however hard rubbing might distort the carpet fiber. Of course all of this assumes that the stain is relatively fresh. An old dried stain must be treated diferently.

Pet Stains

These are probably the most common stains people have to deal with. As described above, absorb as much of the stain onto paper towels as possible. If feces is present try to lift it off the carpet and remove as much solid material as possible being careful not to rub the materail into the carpet. Once the solid materail has been removed blot until the paper towels are dry. At this point an enzyme cleaner designed specifically for pet stains should be used. In my experience "Natures Miracle" is an effective product. Follow the directions on the label. Pet supply stores will have a variety of enzyme products for sale. Use of enzymes will frequently prevent a pet stain from becoming permanent as the enzymes in the product actually "digest" the stain. *Note: Most pet foods contain artificial dyes. In cases where the pet has vomited, the dyes mixed with the stomach acids can permanently stain the carpet. Once again the use of an enzyme cleaner may reduce or eliminate the problem. 

Wheeler Principal Removal Makes New York Times

POSTED BY TYLER MACHADO ON JULY 20, 2010 AT 05:09 PM IN EDUCATION, POLITICS, VERMONT |PERMALINK

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“You can buy a lot of help for children with that money.”

That's what Joyce Irvine told a New York Times reporter after she was dismissed from her job as principal of the H.O. Wheeler Elementary School in Burlington's Old North End. The school, renamed the Integrated Arts Academy this year, has been deemed an "underperforming school" by the Obama administration.

Her ouster has raised hackles locally, but the national attention is giving new fuel to critics of federal education policies that punish schools even when they are showing improvement.

Wheeler students performed below federal standards on tests. The Burlington School District could qualify for $3 million in federal money to help its students -- provided it removed the principal of the underperforming school.

Never mind that Irvine was well liked by students and parents. Never mind that the district had nothing but positive things to say in her job evaluation. Never mind that most of the school's students are refugees, who had to take the test even if they arrived at the school just days before. Never mind that Wheeler's year-old identity as an "arts magnet" attracted students from all over the city, and the average poverty rate was dropping as a result.

Rules are rules, and the federal ones state that if Burlington was to qualify for that money, Irvine had to go.

The story provoked a major outcry among national readers of the New York Times. Many of the 292 comments included harsh words for both Bush- and Obama-era education policies responsible for creating the high-stakes testing that created the situation Wheeler now faces. One reader wrote:

The wrong people are being punished. It is sad so many states are willing to prostitute themselves to the federal government for a little money.

Another wrote:

Race to the Top, like No Child Left Behind, is a program designed by bureaucrats with little or no real interest in actually educating children.

And one more:

This is obscene. NCLB should have been scrapped years ago. Instead, the Obama administration, for whom I enthusiastically voted, has perpetuated the fallacy that if you test 'em enough, you'll get a true picture of a school's success. Throw out NCLB. Start over. Spend more wisely. Figure out what ails preexisting schools, then fix them...

Irvine now acts as a school improvement coordinator for the district, making $93,000 a year. But it's still apparent that she was punished for doing good work, all because it didn't fit into the federal template of what good work ought to be.

Plenty of critics said No Child Left Behind wasn't working for middle- and working-class students. Now Obama's policies appear to not be working, either. What next?

Sen. Bernie Sanders, who sits on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said Irvine's firing is an example of why federal rules need to change.

The committee will be working on revisions to No Child Left Behind. “It’s my intention to talk to Arne Duncan and say, hey, if this is the way you think you are going to improve low income schools, you are very mistaken," Sanders said.

If store-bought stain removers aren't cutting it, look no further than the professional stain removal kit by elaundry. We've put together this kit using dry cleaner-standard solutions that will remove tough

stains with ease. But be warned: these solutions are potent, and one drop is all that's needed for fast-acting stain removal!