There are some stains that are incredibly stubborn, but place that stain on a delicate fabric, then it becomes even more challenging and sometimes impossible to remove.
You can get unexpected blood stains out of your favorite fabrics, but the key is doing it as soon as possible—dried blood can leave a permanent mark. In fact, blood is probably the hardest stain to remove from carpet, according to Samantha Hodges, director of digital marketing at Rugs.com.
“Use a solution of 50 percent vinegar and 50 percent water on the stain. Apply liberally and then treat with laundry soap and water. “DO NOT put the garment in the dryer until you have seen that the stain is gone,” he warns.
Bodily fluids and excrement are some of the hardest stains to remove. And they definitely happen, especially in homes with pets and children. Vomit, stool, and drool. They all leave serious stains and you'll want to take care of them as quickly as possible.
Take a teaspoon of washing-up liquid, white vinegar, baking soda and warm water and mix together into a lather (the mixture should froth up as the baking soda and vinegar react with one another). Then, apply directly to any stains or smudges that you can spot on your fabric sofa. Leave to dry out for around 10 minutes.
Fat, grease and oil stains
Oily, greasy and fatty stains can be notoriously hard to remove at home, but not for a reputable dry cleaners. Cooking or motor oil, butter, petroleum jelly, certain skincare products such as lotion, hair care products and many food items fall in this category.
Vinegar and Baking Soda Power Punch
When it comes to versatile cleaners, you can't get more versatile than vinegar. The slight acid in vinegar is a stain treating master on even the toughest of stains. This method is very effect on most non-grease stains, working about 75-90% of the time.
If you find a stain on an item that has been through a hot dryer, it doesn't have to be permanent. By using the right laundry products and the right technique, stains that have been dried do come out.
Certain types of fibers, such as wool, cotton, silk, and some nylons are particularly susceptible to permanent staining from coffee, tea, wine, etc. Be aware of hot liquids, especially. Of course, bleach and household chemicals (see below) can cause permanent staining as well.
Ebony. The darkest color available in wood stain is black. Black wood stains are often called ebony or onyx wood stains. A black wood stain closely resembles black paint but allows the wood grain to show through.
Whatever the drawbacks, designers tend to like natural fibers, especially silk, cotton, linen and fine wools. Among these, Brookstein says, cotton is most vulnerable to spots. “It absorbs both oil and water-based stains, which is also why it's so easy to clean,” he says.
For fabric upholstery: Mix 1/4 cup vinegar, 3/4 warm water and 1 tablespoon of dish soap or Castile soap. Put in a spray bottle. Mist the soiled area. Scrub with a soft cloth until the stain lifts.
Mix 1 tablespoon of liquid laundry detergent with enzymes with 1 cup of water. Add 1/4 teaspoon of white vinegar and stir. Use a Dobie All Purpose Cleaning Pad to apply the detergent-vinegar mixture to your unidentified stain. Blot with the pad until the stain is gone.
Surprisingly, brown bed sheets and couches are widely used, despite their seemingly boring color. Using brown for your bed sheets and especially your couch may be the best choice in hiding any type of stain.
Try Baking Soda + Vinegar
Sprinkle a layer of dry baking soda on the stain. Then, mix a cup of white vinegar with a cup of water and a few drops of dish soap in a spray bottle. The vinegar will foam when it hits the baking soda which will clean the stain.
Hydrogen peroxide, in the 3% solution that you can find at any drug store, or as the key ingredient in oxygen bleach, is an excellent blood stain remover as well, even working on dried, older stains.